ALLOWED SPECTRUM INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

• US 20120009874A1
• Filed: 07/09/2010
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: KIUKKONEN, Niko, UUSITALO, Mikko
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system for determining allowed channels for operating in unlicensed bandwidth. Initially, an apparatus may determine whether valid allowed channel information corresponding to the current position of the apparatus already exists in the apparatus. If the allowed channel information corresponding to the current position of the apparatus does not exist in the apparatus or is invalid, the apparatus may then determine if the allowed channel information can be provided by another apparatus. If the allowed channel information is available from another apparatus, this information may be requested from the other apparatus. Otherwise, the allowed channel information may be requested from a database.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

initiating wireless communication activity in an apparatus desiring to operate in reallocated bandwidth by determining whether allowed channel information corresponding to the current location of the apparatus exists in the apparatus and is valid;

if it is determined that the allowed channel information does not exist in the apparatus or is invalid, determining if at least one other apparatus can provide the allowed channel information to the apparatus;

if it is determined that at least one other apparatus can provide the allowed channel information to the apparatus, requesting the allowed channel information from the at least one other apparatus; and

if it is determined that no other apparatuses can provide the allowed channel information to the apparatus, requesting the allowed channel information from a database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the validity of the allowed channel information is determined based on at least one of geographic area information and time validity information in the allowed channel information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if at least one other apparatus can provide the allowed channel information comprises determining if the at least one other apparatus contains valid allowed channel information corresponding to the current location by interacting with the at least one other apparatus via short-range wireless communication.

4. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for allowed channel information at a database;

determining if the request comprises apparatus type information;

processing the request to create a response, wherein the request is processed in a different manner if the request was determined to comprise apparatus type information than if the request was determined not to comprise apparatus type information; and

transmitting the response comprising at least allowed channel information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein apparatus type information identifies an apparatus that transmitted the request as a mobile apparatus or a fixed apparatus.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein processing the request to create the response comprises prioritizing requests comprising apparatus type information that identifies the apparatus that transmitted the request as a mobile apparatus over requests comprising apparatus type information that identifies the apparatus that transmitted the request as a fixed apparatus.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the response further comprises at least one of time validity information and information that identifies a geographic area in which the allowed channel information is valid.

8. A method, comprising:

initiating wireless communication activity in an apparatus desiring to operate in reallocated bandwidth by determining whether allowed channel information corresponding to the current location of the apparatus exists in the apparatus and is valid; and

if it is determined that the allowed channel information does not exist in the apparatus or is invalid, determining whether the apparatus is moving, and if the apparatus is determined to be moving, transmitting a request for allowed channel information comprising information indicating that the apparatus is a mobile type apparatus.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for allowed channel information corresponding to a certain location at an apparatus;

determining if valid allowed channel information corresponding to the certain location exists in the apparatus;

if valid allowed channel information corresponding to the certain location exists in the apparatus, processing the valid allowed channel information to create at least a subset of the valid allowed channel information; and

transmitting a response to the request for allowed channel information, the response comprising at least the subset of the valid allowed channel information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the subset of the allowed channel information comprises allowed channels that are not being utilized by other apparatuses operating in the certain location.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the subset of the allowed channel information comprises allowed channels listed in a preferred order of use based on allowed channels that were used by the apparatus.

12. A computer program product, comprising computer executable program code recorded on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the executable program code comprising:

code configured to cause an apparatus to initiate wireless communication activity for operating in reallocated bandwidth by determining whether allowed channel information corresponding to the current location of the apparatus exists in the apparatus and is valid;

code configured to cause the apparatus to, if it is determined that the allowed channel information does not exist in the apparatus or is invalid, determine if at least one other apparatus can provide the allowed channel information to the apparatus;

code configured to cause the apparatus to, if it is determined that at least one other apparatus can provide the allowed channel information to the apparatus, request the allowed channel information from the at least one other apparatus; and

code configured to cause the apparatus to, if it is determined that no other apparatuses can provide the allowed channel information to the apparatus, request the allowed channel information from a database.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the code configured to cause the apparatus to determine if at least one other apparatus can provide the allowed channel information further comprises code configured to cause the apparatus to determine if the at least one other apparatus contains valid allowed channel information corresponding to the current location by interacting with the at least one other apparatus via short-range wireless communication.

14. A computer program product, comprising computer executable program code recorded on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the executable program code comprising:

code configured to cause an apparatus to receive a request for allowed channel information in a database;

code configured to cause the apparatus to determine if the request comprises apparatus type information;

code configured to cause the apparatus to process the request to create a response, wherein the request is processed in a different manner if the request was determined to comprise apparatus type information than if the request was determined not to comprise apparatus type information; and

code configured to cause the apparatus to transmit the response comprising at least allowed channel information.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein apparatus type information identifies an apparatus that transmitted the request as a mobile apparatus or a fixed apparatus.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the code configured to cause the apparatus to process the request to create the response further comprises code configured to cause the apparatus to prioritize requests comprising apparatus type information that identifies the apparatus that transmitted the request as a mobile apparatus over requests comprising apparatus type information that identifies the apparatus that transmitted the request as a fixed apparatus.

17. A computer program product, comprising computer executable program code recorded on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the executable program code comprising:

code configured to cause an apparatus to initiate wireless communication activity in an apparatus desiring to operate in reallocated bandwidth by determining whether allowed channel information corresponding to the current location of the apparatus exists in the apparatus and is valid; and

code configured to cause the apparatus to, if it is determined that the allowed channel information does not exist in the apparatus or is invalid, determine whether the apparatus is moving, and if the apparatus is determined to be moving, transmit a request for allowed channel information comprising information indicating that the apparatus is a mobile type apparatus.

18. A computer program product, comprising computer executable program code recorded on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the executable program code comprising:

code configured to cause an apparatus to receive a request for allowed channel information corresponding to a certain location;

code configured to cause the apparatus to determine if valid allowed channel information corresponding to the certain location exists in the apparatus;

code configured to cause the apparatus to, if valid allowed channel information corresponding to the certain location exists in the apparatus, process the valid allowed channel information to create at least a subset of the valid allowed channel information; and

code configured to cause the apparatus to transmit a response to the request for allowed channel information, the response comprising at least the subset of the valid allowed channel information.

19. 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 apparatus to perform at least the following;

initiate wireless communication activity for operating in reallocated unlicensed bandwidth by determining whether allowed channel information corresponding to the current location of the apparatus exists in the apparatus and is valid;

if it is determined that the allowed channel information does not exist in the apparatus or is invalid, determine if at least one other apparatus can provide the allowed channel information to the apparatus;

if it is determined that at least one other apparatus can provide the allowed channel information to the apparatus, request the allowed channel information from the at least one other apparatus; and

if it is determined that no other apparatuses can provide the allowed channel information to the apparatus, request the allowed channel information from a database.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the validity of the allowed channel information is determined based on at least one of geographic area information and time validity information in the allowed channel information.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one memory and the executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine if at least one other apparatus can provide the allowed channel information comprises the at least one memory and the executable instructions being further configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine if the at least one other apparatus contains valid allowed channel information corresponding to the current location by interacting with the at least one other apparatus via short-range wireless communication.

22. 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 apparatus to perform at least the following;

receive a request for allowed channel information at a database;

determine if the request comprises apparatus type information;

process the request to create a response, wherein the request is processed in a different manner if the request was determined to comprise apparatus type information than if the request was determined not to comprise apparatus type information; and

transmit the response comprising at least allowed channel information.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein apparatus type information identifies an apparatus that transmitted the request as a mobile apparatus or a fixed apparatus.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one memory and the executable instructions are further configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to prioritize requests comprising apparatus type information that identifies the apparatus that transmitted the request as a mobile apparatus over requests comprising apparatus type information that identifies the apparatus that transmitted the request as a fixed apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the response further comprises at least one of time validity information and information that identifies a geographic area in which the allowed channel information is valid.

26. 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 apparatus to perform at least the following;

initiate wireless communication activity for operating in reallocated bandwidth by determining whether allowed channel information corresponding to the current location of the apparatus exists in the apparatus and is valid; and

if it is determined that the allowed channel information does not exist in the apparatus or is invalid, determine whether the apparatus is moving, and if the apparatus is determined to be moving, transmit a request for allowed channel information comprising information indicating that the apparatus is a mobile type apparatus.

27. 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 apparatus to perform at least the following;

receive a request for allowed channel information corresponding to a certain location at an apparatus;

determine if valid allowed channel information corresponding to the certain location exists in the apparatus;

if valid allowed channel information corresponding to the certain location exists in the apparatus, process the valid allowed channel information to create at least a subset of the valid allowed channel information; and

transmit a response to the request for allowed channel information, the response comprising at least the subset of the valid allowed channel information.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the subset of the allowed channel information comprises allowed channels that are not being utilized by other apparatuses operating in the certain location.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the subset of the allowed channel information comprises allowed channels listed in a preferred order of use based on allowed channels that were used by the apparatus.