Method and System for Dynamic Spectrum Access Using Detection Periods

• US 20100105332A1
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shared Spectrum Company
• Original Assignee: Shared Spectrum Company
• Inventors: Livsics, Jevgenijs, Steadman, Karl N., Bazarov, Igor Anatoly, Perich, Filip, Ritterbush, Olga K., Dain, Dmitry, McHenry, Mark Allen
• Granted Patent: US 8,326,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

Methods and systems for dynamic spectrum access (DSA) in a wireless network are provided. A DSA-enabled device may sense spectrum use in a region and, based on the detected spectrum use, select one or more communication channels for use. The devices also may detect one or more other DSA-enabled devices with which they can form DSA networks. A DSA network may monitor spectrum use by cooperative and non-cooperative devices, to dynamically select one or more channels to use for communication while avoiding or reducing interference with other devices.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of dynamic spectrum access-enabled devices, each of the plurality of devices configured to refrain from transmitting during a first time period, the first time period being synchronized among the plurality of devices; and

at least one of the plurality of devices comprising a sensor module to detect spectrum use by a device not in the plurality of devices during the first time period, and to detect spectrum use by a cooperative device during a second time period, the second time period not coinciding with the first time period.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said device not in the plurality of communication devices is non-cooperative with said plurality of communication devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor module comprises a plurality of sensors.

4. The system of claim 1, the system further comprising a circuit to schedule a first plurality of time periods at regularly-spaced time intervals during which the plurality of devices refrain from transmitting;

and

said at least one of the plurality of devices further comprising a detector to repeat sensing during each of a second plurality of time periods, each of the second time periods not coinciding with any of the first plurality of time periods.

5. The system of claim 4, said circuit comprising a scheduler to schedule the first plurality of time periods for at least one of the plurality of devices.

6. The system of claim 4, said circuit being integral to said at least one of the plurality of devices.

7. The system of claim 4, said circuit being physically separate from each of the plurality of devices.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second time periods are scheduled to have random time intervals between adjacent periods.

9. The system of claim 1, at least one of said plurality of devices being configured to actuate a detector to detect non-cooperative spectrum use.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first time period is synchronized among substantially all dynamic spectrum access-enabled devices in a geographic region.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first time period occurs at different points in adjacent communication frames.

12. The system of claim 1, each of said plurality of devices configured to sense at least one channel to detect cooperative spectrum use at a time selected by the device, the selected time not coinciding with the first time period.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of devices comprises devices from a plurality of non-cooperative dynamic spectrum-enabled networks.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each of said devices does not transmit data other than control data to devices in any of the other of the plurality of non-cooperative networks.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time period is synchronized among all devices in a plurality of dynamic spectrum access networks.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein each network is non-cooperative with each of the other networks.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein each network is cooperative with each of the other networks.

15. A dynamic spectrum access (DSA)-enabled device comprising:

a first circuit causing the device to refrain from transmitting during a first time period, the first time period being synchronized among a plurality of other DSA-enabled devices; and

a second circuit to sense at least one channel to detect spectrum use by at least one cooperative DSA-enabled device on the at least one channel during a second time period, the second time period not coinciding with the first time period.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first time period is synchronized among all devices in a plurality of dynamic spectrum access networks, each network being non-cooperative with each of the other networks.

17. The device of claim 15, said device further including a third circuit configured to:

schedule a first plurality of time periods at regularly-spaced time intervals during which the device refrains from transmitting, each of the first plurality of time periods being synchronized with the other DSA-enabled devices, and configured to repeat said sensing during each of a second plurality of time periods, each of the second time periods not coinciding with any of the first plurality of time periods.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the plurality of second time periods are scheduled to have random time intervals between adjacent periods.

19. The device of claim 15 wherein, during said first time period, at least one of the plurality of DSA-enabled devices actuates a detector to detect non-cooperative spectrum use.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein the first time period is synchronized among substantially all DSA-enabled devices in a geographic region.

21. The device of claim 15, wherein the first time period occurs at different points in adjacent communication frames.

22. The device of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of devices having a third circuit to sense at least one channel to detect cooperative spectrum use during a third time period selected by the device, the third time period not coinciding with the first time period.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein said third circuit comprises a detector.

24. The device of claim 15, wherein said second circuit comprises a detector.

25. A method of coordinating communication among a plurality of devices, the method comprising:

scheduling a first time period during which the plurality of devices refrain from transmitting, the first time period being synchronized among the plurality of devices; and

during a second time period, sensing at least one channel to detect spectrum use by at least one cooperative device on the at least one channel, the second time period not coinciding with the first time period.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein each of the plurality of devices is a dynamic spectrum access-enabled device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of devices is capable of communicating on a plurality of channels after initialization of communication among the plurality of devices, the devices not being primary devices with respect to the plurality of channels.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

scheduling a first plurality of time periods at regularly-spaced time intervals during which the plurality of devices refrain from transmitting; and

repeating said sensing step during each of a second plurality of time periods, each of the second time periods not coinciding with any of the first plurality of time periods.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the plurality of second time periods are scheduled to have random time intervals between adjacent periods.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

during said first time period, at least one of the plurality of devices actuating a detector to detect non-cooperative spectrum use.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the first time period is synchronized among substantially all dynamic spectrum access-enabled devices in a geographic region.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein the first time period occurs at different points in adjacent communication frames.

36. The method of claim 25, wherein said sensing step further comprises:

sensing at least one channel to detect cooperative spectrum use at a time selected by the device, the selected time not coinciding with the first time period.

37. The method of claim 25, wherein said scheduling step further comprises synchronizing the first time period among a plurality of non-cooperative dynamic spectrum-enabled networks.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the plurality of devices comprises devices from a plurality of non-cooperative dynamic spectrum-enabled networks.