MEDICAL BODY AREA NETWORK (MBAN) WITH KEY-BASED CONTROL OF SPECTRUM USAGE

• US 20130017791A1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Wang, Dong, Ghosh, Monisha, Smith, Delroy
• Granted Patent: US 9,603,024 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 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/29 between an access point and the access point controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A medical body area network (MBAN) system (10) comprises network nodes (12, 14) intercommunicating via short range wireless communication. A primary user database (46) contains information pertaining to usage of a restricted spectrum by primary users wherein the MBAN systems are secondary users of the restricted spectrum. An electronic key generation engine (44) comprises a digital processing device configured to generate an electronic key (E-key) (50) indicative of whether the MBAN system is allowed to use the restricted spectrum based on content of the primary users database. An MBAN application server (40) is configured to distribute the E-key to the MBAN system. The MBAN system includes a spectrum control sub-module (52) comprising a digital processor configured to select an operating channel or frequency for the short range wireless communication based at least in part on whether the E-key authorizes the MBAN system to use the restricted spectrum.

Claims

1. A medical system comprising:

a medical body area network (MBAN) system comprising a plurality of network nodes intercommunicating via short-range wireless communication, the MBAN system including a spectrum control sub-module that selects an operating channel or frequency for the short-range wireless communication based at least in part on an electronic key specifying a usable spectrum for the short-range wireless communication.

2. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the spectrum control sub-module selects an operating channel or frequency from a spectrum comprising a combination of (1) a default spectrum and (2) a restricted spectrum authorized for use by the MBAN system by the electronic key.

3. The medical system of claim 2, wherein the electronic key includes an expiration time and the spectrum control sub-module selects an operating channel or frequency from a spectrum comprising:

a combination of (1) a default spectrum and (2) a restricted spectrum authorized for use by the MBAN system by the electronic key conditional upon the electronic key not having expired based on the expiration time; and

only the default spectrum conditional upon the electronic key having expired based on the expiration time.

4. The medical system of claim 1, further comprising:

a longer range communication or backhaul link via which the MBAN system receives the electronic key.

5. The medical system of claim 4, wherein the MBAN system includes a plurality of network nodes communicating with a hub device via short-range wireless communication, the hub device also communicating via the longer range communication or backhaul link, the hub device embodying the spectrum control sub-module.

6. The medical system of claim 4, wherein the spectrum control sub-module selects an operating channel or frequency from a spectrum comprising:

a combination of (1) a default spectrum and (2) a restricted spectrum authorized for use by the MBAN system by the electronic key conditional upon communication of the MBAN system with the longer range communication or backhaul link satisfying a strength of communication criterion; and

only the default spectrum conditional upon communication of the MBAN system with the longer range communication or backhaul link not satisfying the strength of communication criterion.

7. The medical system of claim 6, wherein the strength of communication criterion is satisfied if the MBAN system is communicating with the longer range communication or backhaul link and is not satisfied if the MBAN system is not communicating with the longer range communication or backhaul link.

8. The medical system of claim 6, wherein the strength of communication criterion is satisfied if a signal strength of the longer range communication or backhaul link at the MBAN system exceeds a threshold level.

9. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the electronic key comprises a first electronic key associated with a first medical facility and a second electronic key associated with a second medical facility, and the spectrum control sub-module selects an operating channel or frequency for the short-range wireless communication based at least in part on one of the first and second electronic keys selected based on a determined location of the MBAN system.

10. A method comprising:

operating a medical body area network (MBAN) system comprising a plurality of network nodes intercommunicating via short-range wireless communication at a selected operating channel or frequency;

selecting the operating channel or frequency from a default spectrum; and

selecting the operating channel or frequency from an extended spectrum comprising the default spectrum and an additional spectrum conditional upon the MBAN system having an electronic key authorizing use of the additional spectrum.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

reverting to selecting the operating channel or frequency from the default spectrum conditional upon a time-based expiration of the electronic key.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

reverting to selecting the operating channel or frequency from the default spectrum conditional upon receiving an indication that the MBAN system is outside of a medical facility with which the electronic key is associated.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

selecting the operating channel or frequency from a second extended spectrum comprising the default spectrum and a second additional spectrum conditional upon (i) the MBAN system having a second electronic key authorizing use of the second additional spectrum and (ii) an indication that the MBAN system is inside of a second medical facility with which the second electronic key is associated.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating the electronic key based on information about primary usage of the additional spectrum.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating the electronic key to allow usage of the additional spectrum based on information that there is no primary user occupying the additional spectrum.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the information about primary usage or the information that there is no primary user occupying the additional spectrum is based on site location information about one or more sites of primary users.

17. One or more digital storage media storing instructions executable by a digital processor to perform a method as set forth in claim 10.

18. A medical system comprising:

a medical body area network (MBAN) system comprising a plurality of network nodes intercommunicating via short-range wireless communication;

a primary users database containing information pertaining to usage of a restricted spectrum by primary users wherein the MBAN systems are secondary users of the restricted spectrum;

an electronic key generation engine comprising a digital processing device configured to generate an electronic key (E-key) indicative of whether the MBAN system is allowed to use the restricted spectrum based on content of the primary users database;

an MBAN application server configured to distribute the E-key to the MBAN system;

wherein the MBAN system includes a spectrum control sub-module comprising a digital processor configured to select an operating channel or frequency for the short-range wireless communication based at least in part on whether the E-key authorizes the MBAN system to use the restricted spectrum.

19. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of network nodes of the MBAN system comprises:

a hub device including the spectrum control sub-module; and

a plurality of other network nodes each communicating with at least the hub device via short-range wireless communication,

wherein the E-key expires after a predetermined time; and

wherein the hub device receives periodic updates of the E-key from the MBAN application server; and

wherein the hub device prevents the MBAN system from using the restricted spectrum if the E-key expires without receiving an updated E-key authorizing the MBAN system to use the restricted spectrum.

20. The medical system of claim 19, wherein each other network node ceases any short-range wireless communication using the restricted spectrum if it is unable to communicate with the hub device via the short-range wireless communication.