METHOD FOR SWITCHING AND MANAGING FREQUENCY ACCESS IN COGNITIVE RADIO SYSTEM, BASE STATION AND SUBSCRIBER STATION USING THE SAME

• US 20090219909A1
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Kim, Il-Hwan, Kim, Chang-Joo, Kang, Chung-Gu, Ko, Gwangzeen, Song, Myung Sun, Kang, Bub-Joo, Hwang, Sung Hyun
• Application Number:
  US12/093,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20090219909A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/343
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/06 Reselecting a communication resource in the serving access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network

Abstract

Provided are a channel switching method for effectively performing channel switching in a cognitive radio system while protecting an incumbent user, a method of managing a frequency channel, and a base station and customer premises equipment (CPE) using the methods. In the channel switching method performed by the base station, a currently unavailable first frequency channel is detected from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with the CPE; a channel switching request message requesting switching from the first frequency channel to a second frequency channel is transmitted to the CPE; and the first frequency channel is switched to the second frequency channel when a channel switching report message reporting that channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message is received from the CPE.

Claims

1. A channel switching method performed by a base station in a cognitive radio system, the method comprising:

detecting a currently unavailable first frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with customer premises equipment (CPE);

transmitting a channel switching request message requesting switching from the first frequency channel to a second frequency channel; and

performing channel switching from the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel when receiving from the CPE a channel switching report message that reports that channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message.

2. The channel switching method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises detecting the first frequency channel, based on at least one of whether messages that are to be received are received and the result of a channel search performed by the base station.

3. The channel switching method of claim 2, wherein the messages that are to be received comprise:

a channel search report message which is transmitted from the CPE in response to a channel search request from the base station; and

an automatic report message which is periodically transmitted from the CPE to the base station, and

the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises detecting the first frequency channel, based on whether the channel search report message is received, the result of the channel search of the CPE, which is included in the received channel search report message, and whether the automatic report message is received.

4. A channel switching method performed by customer premises equipment (CPE) in a cognitive radio system, the method comprising:

performing channel switching from a currently unavailable first frequency to a second frequency channel, from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with a base station, when receiving a channel switching request message requesting switching from the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel; and

transmitting to the base station a channel switching report message that reports that channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message.

5. The channel switching method of claim 4, further comprising:

upon receiving a channel search request message requesting a channel search from the base station, transmitting a channel search report message containing the result of channel search of the CPE to the base station; and

periodically transmitting an automatic report message to the base station.

6. A channel switching method performed by a base station in a cognitive radio system, the method comprising:

detecting a currently unavailable first frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with customer premises equipment (CPE); and

performing channel switching from the first frequency channel as a communication channel to a second frequency channel which is predefined with the CPE.

7. The channel switching method of claim 6, wherein the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises detecting the first frequency channel, based on at least one of whether messages that are to be received, are received and the result of a channel search performed by the base station.

8. The channel switching method of claim 7, wherein the uplink/downlink frequency channel between the base station and the CPE uses a frequency division duplex system,

the messages that are to be received, comprise:

a channel search report message which is transmitted from the CPE in response to a channel search request from the base station; and

an automatic report message which is periodically transmitted form the CPE to the base station, and

the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises detecting the first frequency channel, based on whether channel search report message is received, the result of a channel search performed by the CPE, which is included in the received channel search report message, and whether the automatic report message is received.

9. The channel switching method of claim 7, wherein the uplink/downlink frequency channel between the base station and the CPE uses a time division duplex system,

the messages that are to be received, comprise a channel search report message which is transmitted from the CPE in response to a channel search request from the base station, and

the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises detecting the first frequency channel, based on whether channel search report message is received and the result of a channel search performed by the CPE, which is included in the received channel search report message.

10. The channel switching method of one of claims 6 through 9, wherein the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises detecting the first frequency channel after a quiet period for a channel search.

11. A channel switching method performed by customer premises equipment (CPE) in a cognitive radio system, the method comprising:

detecting a currently unavailable first frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with a base station; and

performing channel switching from the first frequency to a second frequency channel which is predefined with the base station.

12. The channel switching method of claim 11, wherein the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises detecting the first frequency channel, based on at least one of whether messages that are to be received, are received and the result of a channel search performed by the CPE.

13. The channel switching method of claim 12, wherein the messages that are to be received, comprise:

a MAP message containing information of a frequency channel allocated to the CPE; and

a channel switching request message requesting channel switching.

14. The channel switching method of one of claims 11 through 13, wherein the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises detecting the first frequency channel after a quiet period used for channel searching.

17. The channel switching method of claim 12, wherein the messages that are to be received, comprise:

a channel search report message which is transmitted from the CPE in response to a channel search request from the base station; and

an automatic report message that is periodically transmitted from the CPE to the base station, and

the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises detecting the first frequency channel, based on whether the channel search report message is received, the result of the channel search performed by the CPE, which is contained in the received channel search report message, and whether the automatic report message is received.

15. A channel switching method performed by a base station in a cognitive radio system, the method comprising:

detecting a currently unavailable first frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with customer premises equipment (CPE);

transmitting a channel switching request message requesting switching from the first frequency channel to a second frequency channel, to the CPE via an outband channel; and

upon receiving from the CPE a channel switching report message that reports that channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message, switching from the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel.

16. The channel switching method of claim 15, wherein the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises detecting the first frequency channel, based on at least one of whether messages that are to be received, are received and the result of a channel search performed by the base station.

18. A channel switching method performed by customer premises equipment (CPE) in a cognitive radio system, the method comprising:

receiving a channel switching request message requesting switching from a first frequency channel, which is a currently set communication channel, to a second frequency channel from a base station via an outband channel;

switching from the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel based on the channel switching request message; and

transmitting to the base station a channel switching report message that reports that channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message.

19. The channel switching method of claim 18, further comprising:

upon receiving a channel search request message requesting a channel search from the base station, transmitting a channel search report message containing the result of a channel search performed by the CPE to the base station; and

periodically transmitting an automatic report message to the base station.

20. A channel switching method performed by a base station in a cognitive radio system, the method comprising:

detecting a currently unavailable first frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with customer premises equipment (CPE);

performing explicit signaling in which a channel switching request message requesting switching from the first frequency channel to a second frequency channel is transmitted to the CPE, and waiting for a channel switching report message that reports that channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message to be received from the CPE;

upon receiving the channel switching report message from the CPE, performing channel switching from the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel, using explicit signaling; and

when the channel switching report message is not received from the CPE, performing channel switching from the first frequency channel to a third frequency channel which is predefined with the CPE, using implicit signaling.

21. The channel switching method of claim 20, further comprising:

when the channel switching report message is not received from the CPE, determining whether an outband channel is available for the base station;

when it is determined that the outband channel is available, transmitting the channel switching request message to the CPE via the outband channel; and

when a channel switching report message, which is a response to the channel switching request message transmitted via the outband channel, is received from the CPE, performing channel switching from the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel, using outband signaling,

wherein the performing of channel switching using implicit signaling comprises switching from the first frequency channel to the third frequency channel, when it is determined that the outband channel is not available or when the channel switching report message, which is a response to the channel switching request message transmitted via the outband channel, is not received from the CPE.

22. The channel switching method of claim 20, wherein the uplink/downlink frequency channel between the base station and the CPE uses a frequency division duplex system, and

the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises:

operating a T1 timer when the result of a channel search reveals that an incumbent user accesses the downlink frequency channel, a T2 timer when the result of the channel search reveals that the incumbent user accesses the uplink frequency channel, and a T3 timer when the result of the channel search reveals that the incumbent user does not access both the uplink and downlink frequency channels; and

detecting the first frequency channel, based on whether a channel search report message, which is transmitted from the CPE in response to a channel search request from the base station, is received, the result of a channel search performed by the CPE, which is contained in the received channel search report message, whether an automatic report message, which is periodically transmitted from the CPE to the base station, is received, and the result of the channel search performed by the base station.

23. The channel switching method of claim 22, wherein the detecting of the first frequency channel

determining the downlink frequency channel as the first frequency channel, when the channel search report message is received and it is determined that the incumbent user accesses the downlink frequency channel based on the result of the channel search of the base station and the result of the channel search of the CPE, which is contained in the received channel search report message, or when the channel search report message is not received and the automatic report message is received, and

the performing of channel switching using implicit signaling comprises switching from the first frequency channel to a third frequency channel, which is predefined with the CPE, when the channel switching report message is not received from the CPE until a timeout.

24. The channel switching method of claim 22, wherein the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises detecting the uplink frequency channel as the first frequency channel when both the channel search report message and the automatic report message are received, and

the performing of channel switching using implicit signaling comprises switching from the first frequency channel to a third frequency channel which is predefined with the CPE, when the channel switching report message is not received from the CPE until a timeout of the T2 timer.

25. The channel switching method of claim 22, wherein the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises determining the uplink frequency channel as the first frequency channel when both the channel search report message and the automatic report message are received, and

the performing of channel switching using implicit signaling comprises switching from the first frequency channel to a third frequency channel which is predefined with the CPE, when the channel switching report message is not received from the CPE until a timeout of the T2 timer.

26. The channel switching method of claim 25, further comprising, when communication is not re-established with the CPE before a timeout of the T3 timer although the first frequency channel is switched to the predefined third frequency channel, switching a current uplink/downlink frequency channel to a uplink/downlink frequency channel that is predefined with the CPE, after a quiet period used for channel searching.

27. The channel switching method of claim 20, wherein the uplink/downlink frequency channel between the base station and the CPE uses a time division duplex system, and

the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises:

performing a channel search in which a T1 timer operates when the result of a channel search reveals that an incumbent user accesses the uplink/downlink frequency channel, and a T2 timer operates when the result of the channel search reveals that the incumbent user does not access the uplink/downlink frequency channel; and

detecting the first frequency channel, based on whether a channel search report message that the CPE transmits in response to a channel search request from the base station is received, the result of a channel search performed by the CPE, which is included in the received channel search report message, and the result of the channel search performed by the base station.

28. The channel switching method of claim 27, wherein the detecting of the first frequency channel comprises determining the current uplink/downlink frequency channel as the first frequency channel when access of the incumbent user is not detected during the channel search or when the channel search report message is not received.

29. The channel switching method of claim 27, wherein the performing of channel switching using implicit signaling comprises switching from the first frequency channel to a third frequency channel which is predefined with the CPE, when the channel switching report message is not received within a timeout of the T1 timer or the T2 timer from the CPE.

30. A channel switching method performed by customer premises equipment (CPE) in a cognitive radio system, the method comprising:

performing channel switching using explicit signaling, in which, when receiving a channel switching request message requesting switching from a currently unavailable first frequency channel to a second frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with a base station, a channel switching report message reporting which channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message is transmitted to the base station and the first frequency channel is switched to the second frequency channel; and

performing channel switching using implicit signaling, in which the currently unavailable first frequency channel is detected based on whether messages that are to be received, including the channel switching request message, are received and the result of a channel search performed by the CPE; and

the detected first frequency channel is switched to a third frequency channel which is predefined with the base station.

31. The channel switching method of claim 30, further comprising:

when the messages that are to be received, are not received, determining whether the channel switching request message is received via an outband channel; and

performing channel switching using outband signaling, in which the first frequency channel is switched to the second frequency channel, and a channel switching report message, which is a response to the channel switching request message, is transmitted when it is determined that the channel switching request message is received via the outband channel,

wherein the channel switching using implicit signaling is performed when it is determined that the channel switching request message is not received via the outband channel.

32. The channel switching method of claim 30, wherein the uplink/downlink frequency channel between the base station and the CPE uses a frequency division duplex system,

the channel switching method further comprising performing a channel search in which a T4 timer operates when the result of a channel search reveals that an incumbent user accesses the downlink frequency channel, a T5 timer operates when the result of channel search reveals that the incumbent user accesses the uplink frequency channel, and a T6 timer operates when the result of the channel search reveals that the incumbent user does not access both the uplink and downlink frequency channels,

wherein the channel switching using implicit signaling comprises determining the downlink frequency channel as the first frequency channel and switching from the first frequency channel to a third frequency channel which is predefined with the base station, when it is determined during the channel search that the incumbent user does not access the uplink frequency channel, and a MAP message containing information regarding a frequency channel allocated to the CPE and the channel switching request message are not received within a timeout of the T4 timer or the T6 timer.

33. The channel switching method of claim 30, wherein the uplink/downlink frequency channel between the base station and the CPE uses a time division duplex system,

the channel switching method further comprising performing a channel search in which a T4 timer operates when the result of the channel search reveals that an incumbent user accesses the downlink frequency channel, a T5 timer operates when the result of the channel search reveals that the incumbent user accesses the uplink frequency channel, and a T6 timer operates when the result of the channel search reveals that the incumbent user does not access both the uplink and downlink frequency channels,

wherein the channel switching using implicit signaling comprises determining the uplink frequency channel as the first frequency channel and switching from the first frequency channel to a third frequency channel which is predefined with the base station, when it is determined during the channel search that the incumbent user accesses the uplink frequency channel, and a MAP message containing information regarding a frequency channel allocated to the CPE and the channel switching request message are not received within a timeout of the T5 timer.

34. The channel switching method of claim 33, further comprising, when communication is not re-established with the base station within a timeout of the T6 timer although the first frequency channel is switched to the predefined third frequency channel, switching a current uplink/downlink frequency channel to a uplink/downlink frequency channel which is predefined with the CPE, after a quiet period used for channel searching.

35. The channel switching method of claim 30, wherein the uplink/downlink frequency channel between the base station and the CPE uses a time division duplex system,

the channel switching method further comprising performing a channel search in which a T3 timer operates when the result of the channel search reveals that an incumbent user accesses the uplink/downlink frequency channel and a T4 timer operates when the result of the channel search reveals that the incumbent user does not access the uplink/downlink frequency channel,

wherein the channel switching using implicit signaling comprises switching from the uplink/downlink frequency channel to a frequency channel, which is predefined with the base station, when the channel switching request message is not received within a timeout of the T3 timer or the T4 timer, if it is determined during the channel search that the incumbent user does not access the uplink/downlink frequency channel but a MAP message containing information regarding a frequency channel allocated to the CPE is not received, or that the incumbent user accesses the uplink/downlink frequency channel.

36. A method of allowing a base station to determine whether a frequency channel for communication with customer premises equipment (CPE) is available in a cognitive radio system, the method comprising:

determining whether a channel search report message, which is transmitted from the CPE in response to a channel search request from the base station, and an automatic report message, which is periodically transmitted from the CPE to the base station, are received from the CPE; and

determining whether an uplink/downlink frequency channel is available for the CPE, based on whether the channel search report message is received and whether the automatic report message is received.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the determining of whether an uplink/downlink frequency channel is available comprises determining that the uplink frequency channel and the downlink frequency channel are available when the channel search report message is received.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the determining of whether an uplink/downlink frequency channel is available comprises determining that only the downlink frequency channel is not available when it is determined that only the automatic report message is received.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the determining of whether an uplink/downlink frequency channel is available comprises determining that the uplink frequency channel is not available when both the channel search report message and the automatic report message are not received.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising, when communication is not re-established with the CPE although the base station transmits a channel switching request message requesting switching of uplink frequency channel to the CPE, determining that the downlink frequency channel is not available.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the determining of whether an uplink/downlink frequency channel is available comprises determining whether the uplink/downlink frequency channel is available for the CPE, based on whether the channel search report message is received, whether the automatic report message is received, the result of a channel search performed by the CPE, which is contained in the received channel search report message, and the result of a channel search performed by the base station.

42. A channel switching apparatus included in a base station of a cognitive radio system, the apparatus comprising:

a detecting unit detecting a currently unavailable first frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with customer premises equipment (CPE);

a channel switching request message transmitting unit transmitting a channel switching request message requesting switching from the first frequency channel to a second frequency channel, to the CPE; and

a channel switching unit switching from the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel when receiving from the CPE a channel switching report message that reports that channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the detecting unit detects the first frequency channel, based on at least one of whether messages that are to be received, are received, and the result of a channel search performed by the base station.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the messages that are to be received, comprise:

a channel search report message which is transmitted from the CPE in response to a channel search request from the base station; and

an automatic report message which is periodically transmitted from the CPE to the base station, and

the detecting unit detects the first frequency channel, based on whether the channel search report message is received, the result of a channel search performed by the CPE, which is contained in the received channel search report message, and whether the automatic report message is received.

45. A channel switching apparatus included in customer premises equipment (CPE) of a cognitive radio system, the apparatus comprising:

a channel switching unit switching from a currently unavailable first frequency channel to a second frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with a base station, when receiving a channel switching request message requesting switching from the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel; and

a channel switching report message transmitting unit transmitting to the base station a channel switching report message that reports that channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising:

a channel search report message transmitting unit transmitting to the base station a channel search report message containing the result of a channel search performed by the CPE, when receiving a channel search request message requesting a channel search from the base station; and

an automatic report message transmitting unit periodically transmitting an automatic report message to the base station.

47. A channel switching apparatus included in a base station of a cognitive radio system, the apparatus comprising:

a detecting unit detecting a currently unavailable first frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with customer premises equipment (CPE); and

a channel switching unit switching from the first frequency channel as a communication channel to a second frequency channel which is predefined with the CPE.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the detecting unit detects the first frequency channel, based on at least one of whether messages that are to be received, are received and the result of a channel search performed by the base station.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the uplink/downlink frequency channel between the base station and the CPE uses a frequency division duplex system,

the messages that are to be received, comprise:

a channel search report message which is transmitted from the CPE in response to a channel search request from the base station; and

an automatic report message which is periodically transmitted from the CPE to the base station, and

the detecting unit detects the first frequency channel, based on whether the channel search report message is received, the result of a channel search performed by the CPE, which is contained in the received channel search report message, and whether the automatic report message is received.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the uplink/downlink frequency channel between the base station and the CPE uses a time division duplex system,

the messages that are to be received comprise a channel search report message which is transmitted from the CPE in response to a channel search request from the base station, and

the detecting unit detects the first frequency channel, based on whether the channel search report message is received and the result of the channel search performed the CPE, which is contained in the received channel search report message.

51. The apparatus of one of claims 47 through 50, wherein the detecting unit detects the first frequency channel after a quiet period used for channel searching.

52. A channel switching apparatus included in customer premises equipment (CPE) of a cognitive radio system, the apparatus comprising:

a detecting unit detecting a currently unavailable first frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with a base station; and

a channel switching unit switching from the first frequency channel as a communication channel to a second frequency channel which is predefined with the base station.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the detecting unit detects the first frequency channel, based on at least one of whether message that are to be received, are received and the result of a channel search performed by the CPE.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the messages that are to be received comprise:

a MAP message containing information regarding a frequency channel allocated to the CPE; and

a channel switching request message requesting channel switching.

55. The apparatus of one of claims 52 through 54, wherein the detecting unit detects the first frequency channel after a quiet period used for channel searching.

56. A channel switching apparatus included in a base station of a cognitive radio system, the apparatus comprising:

a detecting unit detecting a currently unavailable first frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with customer premises equipment (CPE);

a channel switching request message transmitting unit transmitting a channel switching request message requesting switching from the first frequency channel to a second frequency channel, to the CPE via an outband channel; and

a channel switching unit switching from the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel, when receiving from the CPE a channel switching report message that reports that channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message.

57. The channel switching apparatus of claim 56, wherein the detecting unit detect the first frequency channel, based on at least one of whether the messages that are to be received, are received and the result of a channel search performed by the base station.

58. The channel switching apparatus of claim 57, wherein the messages that are to be received, comprise:

a channel search report message which is transmitted from the CPE in response to a channel search request from the base station; and

an automatic report message which is periodically transmitted from the CPE to the base station, and

the detecting unit detects the first frequency channel, based on whether the channel search report message is received, the result of a channel search performed by the CPE, which is contained in the received channel search report message, and whether the automatic report message is received.

59. A channel switching apparatus included in customer premises equipment (CPE) of a cognitive radio system, the apparatus comprising:

a channel switching request message receiving unit receiving a channel switching request message requesting switching from a first frequency channel, which is a currently set communication channel, to a second frequency channel, from the base station via an outband channel;

a channel switching unit switching the first frequency channel as a communication channel to the second frequency channel based on the channel switching request message; and

a channel switching report message transmitting unit transmitting to the base station a channel switching report message that reports that channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message.

60. The channel switching apparatus of claim 59, further comprising:

a channel search report message transmitting unit transmitting a channel search report message containing the result of a channel search performed by the CPE to the base station, when receiving a channel search request message requesting a channel search from the base station; and

an automatic report message transmitting unit periodically transmitting the automatic report message to the base station.

61. A channel switching apparatus included in a base station of a cognitive radio system, the apparatus comprising:

a detecting unit detecting a currently unavailable first frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with customer premises equipment (CPE);

an explicit signaling unit transmitting a channel switching request message requesting switching from the first frequency channel to a second frequency channel to the CPE, and waiting to receive from the CPE a channel switching report message that reports that channel switching is to be performed in response to the channel switching request message;

a channel switching unit switching from first frequency channel to the second frequency channel by using explicit signaling, when receiving the channel switching report message from the CPE; and

a channel switching unit switching from the first frequency channel to a third frequency channel, which is predefined with the CPE, by using implicit signaling, when the channel switching unit does not receive the channel switching report message from the CPE.

62. The channel switching apparatus of claim 61, further comprising:

a determination unit determining whether an outband channel is available for the base station when the determination unit does not receive the channel switching report message from the CPE;

a channel switching request message transmitting unit transmitting the channel switching request message to the CPE via the outband channel, when it is determined that the outband channel is available; and

a channel switching unit switching from the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel by using outband signaling, when receiving a channel switching report message, which is a response to the channel switching request message transmitted via the outband, from the CPE,

wherein the channel switching unit using implicit signaling switches from the first frequency channel to the third frequency channel, when the determination unit determines that the outband channel is not available or when the channel switching report message, which is a response to the channel switching request message transmitted via the outband, is not received from the CPE.

63. A channel switching apparatus included in customer premises equipment (CPE) of a cognitive radio system, the apparatus comprising:

a channel switching unit transmitting to a base station a channel switching report message that reports that channel switching is to be performed in response to a channel switching request message, and switching from a first frequency channel to a second frequency channel by using explicit signaling, when receiving the channel switching request message requesting switching the first frequency channel, which is currently unavailable, to the second frequency channel from among at least one uplink/downlink frequency channel which is set as a communication channel with the base station; and

a channel switching unit detecting the currently unavailable frequency channel, based on whether messages that are to be received, including the channel switching request message, are received and the result of a channel search performed by the CPE, and switching the detected first frequency channel to a third frequency channel which is predefined with the base station.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, further comprising:

a determination unit determining whether the channel switching request message is received via an outband channel when the determination unit does not receive the messages that are to be received; and

a channel switching unit switching from the first frequency channel to the second frequency channel and transmitting a channel switching report message, which is a response to the channel switching request message, by using outband signaling, when it is determined that the channel switching request message is received via the outband channel,

wherein the channel switching unit using implicit signaling performs channel switching using implicit signaling when it is determined that the channel switching request message is not received via the outband channel.

65. An apparatus which is included in a base station of a cognitive radio system and determines whether a frequency channel is available for communication with customer premises equipment (CPE), the apparatus comprising:

a message reception determination unit determining whether a channel search report message, which is transmitted from the CPE in response to a channel search request from the base station, and an automatic report message, which is periodically transmitted from the CPE to the base station, are received from the CPE; and

an availability determination unit determining whether an uplink/downlink frequency channel is available between the base station and the CPE, based on whether the channel search report message is received and whether the automatic report message is received.

66. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the availability determination unit determines that the uplink frequency channel and the downlink frequency channel are available when the channel search report message is received.

67. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the availability determination unit determines that only the downlink frequency channel is available when only automatic report message is received.

68. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the availability determination unit determines that the uplink frequency channel is not available when it is determined that both the channel search report message and the automatic report message are not received.

69. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the availability determination unit determines that the uplink/downlink frequency channel is available between the base station and the CPE, based on whether the channel search report message is received, whether the automatic report message is received, the result of a channel search performed by the CPE, which is contained in the received channel search report message, and the result of a channel search performed by the base station.

70. A method of allowing a base station to manage an uplink/downlink frequency channel for use in communication with each customer premises equipment (CPE) in a cognitive radio system, the method comprising:

generating and managing channel matching information regarding a pair of a uplink frequency channel and a downlink frequency channel which are used by the same CPE; and

transmitting the generated channel matching information to the CPEs.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the managing of the pair of a uplink frequency channel and a downlink frequency channel comprises dividing CPEs into several groups according to an uplink/downlink frequency channel, and generating and managing channel group information which includes channel matching information and a CPE identifier of each of the groups, and

the transmitting of the generated channel matching information comprises the generated channel group information to the CPEs.

72. The method of claim 70 or 71, wherein transmitting the generated channel matching information comprises transmitting the channel matching information and the channel group information whenever channel switching is performed.

73. A method of allowing customer premises equipment (CPE) to manage an uplink/downlink frequency channel for use in communication in a cognitive radio system, the method comprising:

receiving channel matching information regarding a pair of a uplink frequency channel and a downlink frequency channel, which are used by the same CPE, from a base station; and

performing processing by obtaining information regarding a channel to the CPE or by performing channel switching.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein the receiving of the channel matching information comprises dividing CPEs into several groups according to an uplink/downlink frequency channel, and receiving channel group information, which includes channel matching information and a CPE identifier for each of the groups, from the base station, and

the performing processing comprises obtaining information regarding a channel allocated to the CPE or performing channel switching, based on the received channel group information.

75. An apparatus which is included in a base station of a cognitive radio system and manages a uplink/downlink frequency channel, the apparatus comprising:

a management unit generating and managing channel matching information regarding a pair of a uplink frequency channel and a downlink frequency channel which are used by the same customer premises equipment (CPE); and

a transmitting unit transmitting the generated channel matching information to the CPEs.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the management unit divides CPEs into several groups according to an uplink/downlink frequency channel, and generating and managing channel group information which includes channel matching information and a CPE identifier of each of the groups, and

the transmitting unit transmits the generated channel group information to the CPEs.

77. An apparatus which is included in customer premises equipment (CPE) of a cognitive radio system and manages a uplink/downlink frequency channel, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit receiving channel matching information regarding a pair of uplink frequency channel and a downlink frequency channel, which are used by the same CPE, from a base station; and

a processor obtaining information regarding a channel allocated to the CPE or performing channel switching, based on the received channel matching information.

78. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein the receiving unit divides CPEs into several groups according to an uplink/downlink frequency channel, and receives channel group information containing channel matching information and a CPE identifier for each of the groups from the base station, and

the processor obtains the information regarding the channel allocated to the CPE or performs channel switching, based on the received channel group information.