Method for spectrum sharing in a multi-mode system and relative apparatus

• US 20100272038A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Van Phan, Vinh, Horneman, Kari Veikko, Hamalainen, Jyri Kalervo
• Granted Patent: US 8,654,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18563 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

A measurement apparatus comprising means for checking for available radio spectrum resource in a first system in a radio coverage area; means for sending information to a second system indicating the availability of radio spectrum resource of the first system which is usable by said second system in at least part of said radio coverage area, wherein said first system has priority over said radio spectrum resource.

Claims

1. A measurement apparatus comprising:

means for checking for available radio spectrum resource in a first system in a radio coverage area;

means for sending information to a second system indicating the availability of radio spectrum resource of the first system which is usable by said second system in at least part of said radio coverage area, wherein said first system has priority over said radio spectrum resource.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information comprises information indicating in which part of said radio coverage area said second system can use said available radio resource.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information comprises an interference map.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information comprises transmission power information.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information comprises traffic level information.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information comprises exclusion zone information indication an area of said radio coverage area in which said second system is prohibited from using said available radio spectrum resource.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said checking means is arranged to scan through the frequencies of said first system.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sending means is arranged to send a message to said second system requesting at least one entity of said system transmit a reference signal on an available frequency.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said reference signal comprises a pilot signal.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, comprising means for receiving said reference signal and means for determining interference information from said received reference signal.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said interference information comprises power level information.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, comprising means for using said interference information to determine power levels for said second system.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said apparatus is configured to determine an interference map.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said interference information is used to define an exclusion zone around an entity of said first system.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for sending is arranged to send said message on a frequency not used by said first system.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for measuring interference between said first and second systems.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said measuring means measures the Interference at a frequency used by said second system, said frequency having been indicated as an available frequency of said available radio resource previously.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first system comprises a satellite system.

19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said checking means is arranged to check for available radio resource associated with an earth station of said satellite system.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second system is a terrestrial system.

21. A measurement apparatus comprising;

means for checking for available frequency in a first system; and

means for sending a message to a second system indicating the available frequency.

22. A measurement method comprising:

checking for available radio spectrum resource in a first system in a radio coverage area;

sending information to a second system indicating the availability of radio spectrum resource of the first system which is usable by said second system in at least part of said radio coverage area, wherein said first system has priority over said radio spectrum resource.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said information comprises one or more of:

information indicating in which part of said radio coverage area said second system can use said available radio resource;

interference map information;

transmission power information;

traffic level information; and

exclusion zone information indication an area of said radio coverage area in which said second system is prohibited from using said available radio spectrum resource.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22, comprising scanning through the frequencies of said first system.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22, comprising sending a message to said second system requesting at least one entity of said system transmit a reference signal on an available frequency.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, comprising receiving said reference signal and determining interference information from said received reference signal.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, comprising using said interference information to determine power levels for said second system.

28. A method as claimed in claim 22, comprising sending said information and/or said on a frequency not used by said first system.

29. A method as claimed in claim 22, comprising measuring interference between said first and second systems.

30. A method as claimed in claim 22, comprising measuring the interference at a frequency used by said second system, said frequency having been indicated as an available frequency of said available radio resource previously.

31. A method as claimed in claim 22, comprising checking for available radio resource associated with an earth station of a satellite system, said satellite system comprising the first system.

40. A computer program comprising program code means arranged to perform any of the steps of claim 22 when the program is run.

32. A network entity in a second system:

means for receiving a message from a measuring apparatus, said message requesting said network entity to transmit a reference signal; and

transmitting said requested reference signal.

33. A network entity in a second system:

means for receiving information relating to available radio resources of a first system, said first system having priority over said radio resources; and

using said information to allocate radio resources for use by said second system.

34. A measurement apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a reference signal from a second system on a radio spectrum resource allocated from a first system to said second system; and

means for using said reference signal to determine interference to the first system caused by use of said radio spectrum resource allocated to said second system.

35. A measurement apparatus comprising:

means for monitoring interference in radio spectrum resources allocated from a first system to a second system; and

means for transmitting information to said second system if said interference exceeds a predetermined level, said information indicating that said interference exceeds said predetermined level.

36. A method comprising:

receiving a reference signal from a second system on a radio spectrum resource allocated from a first system to said second system; and

using said reference signal to determine interference to the first system caused by use of said radio spectrum resource allocated to said second system.

37. A method comprising:

monitoring interference in a radio spectrum resource allocated from a first system to a second system; and

transmitting information to said second system if said interference exceeds a predetermined level, said information indicating that said interference exceeds said predetermined level.

38. A measurement apparatus comprising:

means for checking for available radio spectrum resource in a first system in a radio coverage area;

means for sending a request to a second system for a reference signal, said reference signal being on said available radio resource;

means for receiving said reference signal from said second system on said available radio spectrum resource;

means for using said reference signal to determine interference to the first system caused by use of said available radio spectrum resource by said second system; and

means for transmitting to said second system information indicating if at least, available radio spectrum resource is usable by said second system.

39. A method comprising:

checking for available radio spectrum resource in a first system in a radio coverage area;

sending a request to a second system for a reference signal, said reference signal being on said available radio resource;

receiving said reference signal from said second system on said available radio spectrum resource;

using said reference signal to determine interference to the first system caused by use of said available radio spectrum resource by said second system; and

transmitting to said second system information indicating if at least available radio spectrum resource is usable by said second system.