TV WHITE SPACE DEVICES USING STRUCTURED DATABASES

• US 20130103684A1
• Filed: 07/09/2010
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Inventors: Yee, Jung, Samarasooriya, Vajira, Li, Lingjie
• Granted Patent: US 8,755,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection

Abstract

A two-level database structure for use by unlicensed TVBD devices operating in TV white space comprises a central database and local databases. The central database comprises two sub-database: the central licensed database which maintains information about all licensed TV devices and the central unlicensed database which maintains information about unlicensed wireless devices operating in TV spectrum. The local database is created by each TVBD device or TVBD network when it initiates and it stores information related to all transmitters in the local area including location, power transmission levels, operating schedule, sensing results, backup channel information. The local databases communicate with central database to query it about licensed usage of TV spectrum and register with central database. The local databases communicate with each other to exchange information about channel usage, sensing results, transmission patterns and other information that will allow the local databases to negotiate coexistence without central coordinator. The locally implemented negotiation prevents the overloading of the central database.

Claims

1. A method of managing a TV spectrum available for non-licensed applications, comprising the steps of:

i) saving, in a first data storage medium at a central database, identification information and operational parameters for all licensed TV band users operating in a geographical area;

ii) saving, in a second data storage medium at the central database, central identification information and central operational parameters for all unlicensed TVBDs currently operating in the geographical area;

iii) negotiating local operational parameters with a local database for an unlicensed TVBD requesting access to the TV spectrum in the geographical area; and

iv) registering the unlicensed TVBD on the second data storage medium in the central database once the unlicensed TVBD has obtained the local operational parameters from the local database.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step iii) further comprises the steps of:

a) creating the local database in the geographical area for serving the unlicensed TVBD and any other TVBD requesting access to the TV spectrum from a service area of the local database, the local database comprising a local database manager and a local data structure; and

b) associating a query access address to the local database serving the unlicensed TVBD.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step iii) further comprises the steps of:

providing with at least one local database query access address in a service area of the unlicensed TVBD, the local database comprising a local database manager and a local data structure;

connecting the unlicensed TVBD to the local database manager of the local database; and

setting-up an entry in the local data structure by the local database manager.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein step a) comprises the sub-steps of:

providing by CUDB to the unlicensed TVBD the online address of the local database manager operating for the service area of the unlicensed TVBD;

connecting the unlicensed TVBD to the local database manager;

creating the local data structure and the query access address of the local database; and

setting-up an entry in the local data structure by the local database manager.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein step a) comprises the sub-steps of:

providing by the unlicensed TYBV the online address of the local database manager operating for the service area of the unlicensed TVBD;

connecting the unlicensed TVBD to the local database manager;

creating the local data structure and the query access address of the local database; and

the local database manager setting-up an entry in the local data structure.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step iii) further comprises the steps of:

providing the local database with the local identification information of the unlicensed TVBD;

obtaining at the local database operational parameters of the licensed TV band users operating in the service area of the local database;

obtaining from one or more neighboring local databases the local operational parameters for all unlicensed TVBDs operating in the service area of the respective neighboring local databases;

determining the local operational parameters of the unlicensed TVBD based on the operational parameters of the licensed devices and the local operational parameters of the unlicensed devices; and

providing the unlicensed TVBD with the local operational parameters.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein step iv) comprises the step of transmitting the central identification information and the central operational parameters of the unlicensed TVBD to the central database together with the query access address of the local database.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein registration parameters comprise:

FCC Identifier (FCC ID) of the device;

manufacturer'"'"'s serial number of the device;

device'"'"'s coordinates (latitude and longitude);

name of the individual or business that owns the device;

name of a contact person responsible for the device'"'"'s operation;

address of the contact person;

email address of the contact person;

phone number of the contact person; and

the query access address of the local database.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the local operational parameters for the unlicensed TVBD comprise identification of a transmission channel in the TV spectrum allocated to the unlicensed TVBD.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the local operational parameters for the unlicensed TVBD comprise an identification of the maximum transmit power to be used by the unlicensed TVBD while operating in the service area of the local database.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the local operational parameters for the unlicensed TVBD comprise an identification of the transmission time allocated to the unlicensed TVBD while operating in the service area of the local database.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the local operational parameters for the unlicensed TVBD comprise spectrum sensing measurements performed by the unlicensed TVBD.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central identification information for the unlicensed TVBD currently operating in the geographic area comprises one or more of:

FCC Identifier (FCC ID) of the device;

manufacturer'"'"'s serial number of the device;

device'"'"'s coordinates (latitude and longitude);

name of the individual or business that owns the device;

name of a contact person responsible for the device'"'"'s operation;

address of the contact person;

email address of the contact person; and

phone number of the contact person.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central operational parameters for the unlicensed TVBD currently operating in the geographic area include the query access address of the local database.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising updating periodically the central identification information and central operational parameters in the second data storage medium at the central database for all unlicensed TVBD currently operating in the geographical area.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of updating periodically the identification information and the operational parameters stored in the first data storage medium at the central database for all licensed TV band users currently operating in the geographical area.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step iv) further comprises the step of transmitting from the local database to the central database at least the central identification information and the central operational parameters of the unlicensed TVBD, and a query access address of the local database.

18. A central database apparatus for managing the TV spectrum available for non-licensed applications, comprising:

a first data storage medium for storing a first data structure comprising identification information and operational parameters for all licensed TV band users operating in a geographical area;

a second data storage medium for storing a second data structure comprising central identification information and central operational parameters for all unlicensed TVBDs currently operating in the geographical area;

an interface for communicating with the unlicensed TVBD;

an interface for communicating with a local database to receive a query access address of the local database;

a central database manager for;

updating the identification information and the operational information of the licensed TV band users in the first data structure at preset intervals or upon changes;

providing the unlicensed TVBD with the address of the local database;

and

updating the central identification information and the central operational parameters of the unlicensed TVBD in the second data structure.

19. The central database apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the central database manager further provides to the unlicensed TVBDs in a service area the identification information and the operational information of the licensed TV band users operating in the service area of the unlicensed TVBDs.

20. A distributed local database apparatus for managing the TV spectrum available for non-licensed applications, comprising:

at least one local database having a local database manager and a data storage medium for storing a data structure for local identification information and local operational parameters for all unlicensed TVBDs currently operating in a geographical area; and

each local database further comprising;

an interface for communicating with a central database;

an interface for communicating with other local databases in the geographic area; and

an interface for communicating with the unlicensed TVBDs in the geographic area.

21. The distributed local database apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the local database manager provides:

communicating with the unlicensed TVBDs in the geographic area;

communicating with the central database;

communication with other local databases;

receiving from the central database identification information and operational information for all licensed TV band users in the geographic area;

creating a data entry in the local data structure for the unlicensed TVBD in the geographic area;

receiving the local identification information and the local operation parameters from the unlicensed TVBD in the geographic area and saving the local identification information and the local operation parameters in the local data structure; and

receiving the local identification information and the local operation parameters from the other local databases in the geographic area.

22. The distributed local database apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the local database manager further provides;

negotiating coexistence with the other local databases;

deciding on local operational parameters for the unlicensed TVBD; and

providing the TVBD with the local operational parameters.

23. The distributed local database apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the local database manager further provides the central database with registration information for the unlicensed TVBD comprising:

FCC Identifier (FCC ID) of the device;

manufacturer'"'"'s serial number of the device;

device'"'"'s coordinates (latitude and longitude);

name of the individual or business that owns the device;

name of a contact person responsible for the device'"'"'s operation;

address of the contact person;

email address of the contact person; and

phone number of the contact person.

24. The distributed local database apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein the local database manager further provides the central database with a query access address of the local database.