COEXISTENCE FOR COGNITIVE RADIO

• US 20110183632A1
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Suumäki, Jan Erik, Li, Zexian, Bacioccola, Andrea
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/77
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

A system for managing wireless communication in view of other potentially interfering wireless signal sources. Signal-related information may be collected from one or more apparatuses that are participating in a network. The information may then be evaluated in order to determine expected signal activity in the environment in which the apparatuses are operating. In some instances the signal activity may then be compared to a scan schedule utilized, for example, to identify legacy apparatuses operating in the environment. This scan schedule may be altered to avoid potential conflicts that may exist with the expected signal activity. The scan schedule may then be communicated to the networked apparatuses.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving signal-related information at an apparatus;

determining signal activity expected in an environment in which the apparatus is operating based on the received signal-related information;

comparing the expected signal activity to a scan schedule in the apparatus, the scan schedule comprising one or more instances during which scans are scheduled;

updating the scan schedule by altering timing for any of the one or more scan instances that potentially conflict with the expected signal activity; and

transmitting information comprising at least the updated scan schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal-related information is received via wireless communication from one or more other apparatuses operating in the environment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal-related information comprises schedule information for radios in the one or more other apparatuses.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal-related information comprises signals in the environment sensed by the one or more other apparatuses.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining expected signal activity comprises identifying any periods of time when no signal activity is expected in the environment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein altering timing for any of the one or more scan instances comprises moving any potentially conflicting scan instances forward in the scan schedule to align with any periods of time when no signal activity is expected in the environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal-related information is received from, and the updated scan schedule information is transmitted to, other apparatuses in the same cognitive radio network as the apparatus.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the updated scan schedule is utilized to scan for available bandwidth in which to operate in a TV White Space.

9. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on computer readable storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code configured to cause an apparatus to receive signal-related information at an apparatus;

code configured to cause an apparatus to determine signal activity expected in an environment in which the apparatus is operating based on the received signal-related information;

code configured to cause an apparatus to compare the expected signal activity to a scan schedule in the apparatus, the scan schedule comprising one or more instances during which scans are scheduled;

code configured to cause an apparatus to update the scan schedule by altering timing for any of the one or more scan instances that potentially conflict with the expected signal activity; and

code configured to cause an apparatus to transmit information comprising at least the updated scan schedule.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the signal-related information is received via wireless communication from one or more other apparatuses operating in the environment.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the signal-related information comprises schedule information for radios in the one or more other apparatuses.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the signal-related information comprises signals in the environment sensed by the one or more other apparatuses.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein determining expected signal activity comprises identifying any periods of time when no signal activity is expected in the environment.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein altering timing for any of the one or more scan instances comprises moving any potentially conflicting scan instances forward in the scan schedule to align with any periods of time when no signal activity is expected in the environment.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the signal-related information is received from, and the updated scan schedule information is transmitted to, other apparatuses in the same cognitive radio network as the apparatus.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the updated scan schedule is utilized to scan for available bandwidth in which to operate in a TV White Space.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including executable instructions, the at least one memory and the executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor, cause the device to perform at least the following;

receive signal-related information at the apparatus;

determine signal activity expected in an environment in which the apparatus is operating based on the received signal-related information;

compare the expected signal activity to a scan schedule in the apparatus, the scan schedule comprising one or more instances during which scans are scheduled;

update the scan schedule by altering timing for any of the one or more scan instances that potentially conflict with the expected signal activity; and

transmit information comprising at least the updated scan schedule.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the signal-related information is received via wireless communication from one or more other apparatuses operating in the environment.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the signal-related information comprises schedule information for radios in the one or more other apparatuses.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the signal-related information comprises signals in the environment sensed by the one or more other apparatuses.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein determining expected signal activity comprises identifying any periods of time when no signal activity is expected in the environment.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein altering timing for any of the one or more scan instances comprises moving any potentially conflicting scan instances forward in the scan schedule to align with any periods of time when no signal activity is expected in the environment.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the signal-related information is received from, and the updated scan schedule information is transmitted to, other apparatuses in the same cognitive radio network as the apparatus.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the updated scan schedule is utilized to scan for available bandwidth in which to operate in a TV White Space.

25. A system, comprising:

an apparatus operating in an environment comprising one or more other apparatuses;

the apparatus receiving signal-related information from the one or more other apparatuses and determining signal activity expected in the environment in which the apparatus is operating based on the received signal-related information;

the apparatus further comparing the expected signal activity to a scan schedule in the apparatus, the scan schedule comprising one or more instances during which scans are scheduled and updating the scan schedule by altering timing for any of the one or more scan instances that potentially conflict with the expected signal activity; and

the apparatus further transmitting information comprising at least the updated scan schedule to the one or more other apparatuses.