WHITE SPACE UTILIZATION

• US 20140073261A1
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hassan, Amer A., Reed, Daniel A., Garnett, Paul W., Anders, Billy
• Granted Patent: US 9,094,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference

Abstract

The concepts relate to radio white space utilization. One example can measure a potential radio white space frequency. The example can also communicate results of the measuring for other devices and receive other results from the other devices relating to the potential radio white space frequency. The method can further determine whether the potential radio white space frequency is actually an available radio white space frequency based upon the results and the other results.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

measuring a signal of a potential radio white space frequency;

evaluating a function of the measured signal; and

,

communicating output of the function to another device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring comprises measuring a strength of the signal, a voltage of the signal, or a phase of the signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating comprises unicasting, multicasting, or broadcasting.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the function quantizes measured input of the potential radio white space frequency to generate the output.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving other output of the function of the potential radio white space frequency from the another device, wherein the other output relates to signal measuring performed by the another device at the potential radio white space frequency.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining whether the potential radio white space frequency is an available radio white space frequency utilizing the output and the other output.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining a geographic location proximate to the measuring and querying a regulatory database for a set of potential radio white space frequencies for the location, and wherein the set of potential radio white space frequencies includes the potential radio white space frequency.

8. A device configured to implement the method of claim 1.

9. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer cause the computer to perform a method, comprising:

measuring a potential radio white space frequency;

communicating results of the measuring for other devices;

receiving other results from the other devices relating to the potential radio white space frequency; and

,

determining whether the potential radio white space frequency is actually an available radio white space frequency based upon the results and the other results.

10. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the measuring comprises measuring the potential radio white space frequency with a television tuner.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the communicating comprises communicating measured results or further comprising quantizing the measured results and wherein the communicating comprises communicating the quantized results.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the communicating comprises performing a function on the results and communicating an output of the function.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 12, wherein the determining is based upon the measuring and further comprising updating the determining based upon the receiving.

14. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 13, further comprising, in an instance where the determining identifies the potential radio white space frequency as the available radio white space frequency, requesting from a regulatory database, authorization to utilize the available radio white space frequency subject to constraints.

15. A system, comprising:

memory and a processor configured to execute instructions stored on the memory; and

,

a communication component configured to cause multiple devices to measure signal strength at a potential white space frequency and further configured to obtain information relating to the signal strength measurements from at least some of the multiple devices.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein an individual device comprises a television or wherein an individual device includes a television tuner.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the information obtained from the television or the television tuner comprises an error message.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the communication component is further configured to weight the information from individual devices.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the communication component is further configured to determine a likelihood that the signal strength measurements indicate that the potential white space frequency is an available radio white space frequency.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the communication component is further configured to determine whether the potential white space frequency is actually an available white space frequency utilizing the obtained information.