FRAME BASED, ON-DEMAND SPECTRUM CONTENTION METHODOLOGY

• US 20100232310A1
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Hu, Wendong
• Granted Patent: US 8,553,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/27 between access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]

Abstract

A frame-based, on-demand spectrum contention protocol provides a fine grain allocation of a shared spectrum resource in a cognitive radio network. Each frame of a plurality of synchronized superframes is allocated independently based on contention criteria. As demands for increased spectrum resources are realized, targeted protocol is followed resulting in targeted requests issued to base stations currently occupying certain data frames. A contention resolution process occurs at the base station currently occupying the targeted spectrum resource in which spectrum contention numbers generated by each base station vying for access to a shared spectrum are compared. The base station winning the contention is announced and after a predetermined period of time, the contention winner occupies the contended spectrum resource.

Claims

1. A protocol for frame-based, on-demand spectrum contention in a wireless cognitive radio communication system including a plurality of base stations, the protocol comprising:

determining whether a communication channel can be exclusively used by a first of the plurality of base stations; and

responsive to exclusive use of the communication channel being denied to the first of the plurality of base stations, conducting a frame-based, on-demand spectrum contention between the first and at least one other of the plurality of base stations for exclusive use of at least one of a plurality of data frames associated with the communication channel.

2. The protocol according to claim 1 wherein responsive to the first of the plurality of base stations identifying an internal increased spectrum demand, identifying at least one available data frame associated with the communication channel.

3. The protocol according to claim 2 wherein the at least one available data frame is associated with a superframe.

4. The protocol according to claim 2 further comprising acquiring the identified at least one available data frame for exclusive use by the first of the plurality of base stations.

5. The protocol according to claim 2 wherein responsive to determining there are no available data frames associated with the communication channel, selecting a target data frame occupied by another of the plurality of base stations.

6. The protocol according to claim 5 further comprising initiating by the first base station a contention for exclusive use of the target data frame.

7. The protocol according to claim 6 wherein the first base station as initiator of the contention, is a spectrum contention source.

8. A wireless cognitive radio communication system contention resolution protocol, comprising:

receiving a demand at a base station in the wireless cognitive radio communication system for additional use of a portion of a shared spectrum, wherein the base station is one of a plurality of base stations in the wireless cognitive radio spectrum communication system; and

determining whether the portion of the shared spectrum can be exclusively used by the base station.

9. The protocol according to claim 8 wherein the demand is generated by other base stations within the wireless cognitive radio spectrum communication system that are within one hop of the base station.

10. The protocol according to claim 9 responsive to receiving the demand as being generated by other base stations, contending for exclusive use of the portion of the shared spectrum as an owner of the portion of the shared spectrum.

11. The protocol according to claim 8 wherein the demand is generated by consumer premise equipment within coverage of the base station.

12. The protocol according to claim 11 wherein the portion of the shared spectrum is at least one data frame of a plurality of frames comprising a superframe.

13. The protocol according to claim 12 further comprising identifying which frames comprising the superframe are unoccupied by one or more other base stations.

14. The protocol according to claim 13 responsive to identifying at least one frame that is unoccupied, acquiring the at least one frame for use by the base station.

15. The protocol according to claim 13 responsive to identifying all frames comprising the superframe are occupied by one or more other base stations, targeting at least one occupied frame for contention.

16. The protocol according to claim 15 further comprising contending for the at least one targeted frame as a source of the contention.

17. A method for resolving frame-based, on-demand contention for shared spectrum resources in a cognitive radio communication system, the method comprising:

identifying a demand for additional shared spectrum resources at one of a plurality of base stations comprising the cognitive radio communication system;

determining whether the demand is originating external to the one of the plurality of base stations or whether the demand is originating internal to the one of the plurality of base stations;

responsive to determining the demand is internal, identifying on a frame-by-frame basis which data frames of a superframe are available for use by the one of the plurality of base stations, and responsive to identifying at least one data frame that is available for use, acquiring the at least one data frame for use by the one of the plurality of base stations; and

responsive to determining the demand is external, contending for data frames of the superframe targeted by other base stations of the plurality of bases stations on a frame-by-frame basis.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein additional shared spectrum resources include one or more data frames of superframes associated with a communication channel of the cognitive radio communication system.

19. The method according to claim 17 responsive to identifying that there are no data frames of the superframe available for use by the one of the plurality of base stations, selecting at least one data frame as a target data frame for contention.

20. The method according to claim 19 further comprising initiating a contention for the target data frame as a source of the contention.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein initiating the contention as the source includes sending an access request for the target data frame to a second base station of the plurality of base stations wherein the second base station is currently occupying the target data frame.

22. The method according to claim 17 wherein contending includes receiving at the one base station, contention requests from each of the other base stations of the plurality of base stations.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the one base station resolves the contention.

24. A system for frame-based, on-demand contention for shared spectrum resources in a cognitive radio communication system, the system comprising:

a Wireless Radio Area Network (WRAN) array of WRAN identification numbers wherein each WRAN identification number represents a WRAN cell;

a Spectrum Contention Number (SCN) array of spectrum contention numbers wherein each spectrum contention number in the spectrum contention number array is associated with one WRAN identification number of the WRAN array;

at least one data frame wherein the at least one data frame is begin contended for by each of the WRAN cells of the WRAN array; and

a contention engine operable to determine a SCN winner based on a comparison of the spectrum contention numbers in the spectrum contention array.

25. The method of claim 25 wherein the determination of a WRAN winner is characterized by:

26. The method of claim 25 wherein The SCN winner is associated with a winning WRAN cell.