Centralized Control Sharing of Spectrum for Coexistence of Wireless Communication Systems in Unlicensed Bands

• US 20140301351A1
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gao, Xinying, Wei, Na, Wang, Haiming, Pirskanen, Juho Mikko Oskari
• Granted Patent: US 9,467,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/244 Interferences in heterogeneous networks, e.g. among macro and femto or pico cells or other sector / system interference [OSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02

Abstract

In one embodiment information is received from one or more wireless networks indicating a request for a listen before transmit mode or a non-listen before transmit mode. In reply it is determined whether the one or more wireless networks is to utilize the listen before transmit mode or the non-listen in an unlicensed frequency band and the one or more wireless networks are informed of the determined mode. Centralized control of spectrum for coexistence of wireless communication systems in unlicensed bands according to exemplary embodiments of the invention can be performed by an enhanced coexistence manager or a network access node with information obtained from one or more base stations or user equipment.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing a computer program;

in which the at least one memory with the computer program is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to at least;

receive information from one or more wireless networks indicating a request for a listen before transmit mode or a non-listen before transmit mode;

in reply, determine whether the one or more wireless networks is to utilize the listen before transmit mode or the non-listen before transmit mode in an unlicensed frequency band; and

inform the one or more wireless networks of the determined mode.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, where the received information further comprises information on the location of one or more user devices.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, in which the at least one memory with the computer program is configured with at least one processor to cause the apparatus to further at least:

determine if coexisting radio systems are operating in the unlicensed frequency band in the location of the one or more user devices; and

compile and maintain a database which associates each one or more user devices with each mode selection and location of each coexisting radio systems,

wherein the apparatus provides a centralized control of unlicensed spectrum for coexistence of wireless communication systems in unlicensed frequency bands.

4-6. -6. (canceled)

7. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing a computer program;

in which the at least one memory with the computer program is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to at least;

collect information about transmissions in an unlicensed frequency band;

based on the collected information, select between a listen before transmit mode and a non-listen before transmit mode; and

inform at least one user equipment of the selected mode for use in the unlicensed frequency band.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, in which the apparatus comprises a network access node.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, where the collected information is obtained by measuring a power level variation of signals received on the unlicensed frequency band.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, where the information is collected from one or more user equipments and the information comprises information about power level variation on an unlicensed frequency band.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9,

where the selection between the listen before transmit mode and the non-listen before transmit mode comprises:

in response to finding that gaps appear between transmissions and consistent power levels, the selection is that listen before transmit should be used for transmissions on the unlicensed frequency band, or

in response to finding that no gaps appear between transmission and inconsistent power levels, the selection is that non-listen before transmit should be used for transmissions on the unlicensed frequency band.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, in which the at least one memory with the computer program is configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to further at least:

determine if coexisting radio systems are operating in the unlicensed frequency band in the location of the at least one user equipment;

compile and maintain a database which associates each of the at least one user equipment with each respective user equipment'"'"'s unlicensed frequency band mode selection and location of each coexisting radio systems, wherein the apparatus provides a centralized control of unlicensed spectrum for coexistence of wireless communication systems in unlicensed frequency bands.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein for a case in which the non-listen before transmit mode is selected, direct the at least one user equipment to implicitly disable channel quality indicator reporting or report only wideband channel quality indicator.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, where the apparatus broadcasts a mode selection configuration and reconfiguration information in a system information block.

21. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the selected mode is informed to the at least one user equipment via dedicated Radio Resource Control (RRC) and/or Medium Access Control (MAC) signaling to each of the at least one user equipment via cellular transmissions on a licensed band.

22. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

for a case in which the apparatus does not have capability to measure transmission patterns in the unlicensed frequency band, the apparatus configures the user equipment to:

operate in the selected one of the listen before transmit mode and the non-listen before transmit mode; and

based on performance in the selected mode, subsequently change to the other of the listen before transmit mode and the non-listen before transmit mode.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the performance is measured over a defined time window over which the apparatus determines accuracy of one or more channel quality indications, and the subsequent change to the other mode occurs in a next period when the one or more channel quality indications are determined to be not accurate.

15. A method, comprising:

collecting information about transmissions in an unlicensed frequency band;

based on the collected information, selecting between a listen before transmit mode and non-listen before transmit mode; and

informing at least one user equipment of the selected mode for use in the unlicensed frequency band.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

collecting by a network access node the information and informing the at least one user equipment of the mode selection for use in the unlicensed frequency band.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

measuring a power level variation of signals received on the unlicensed frequency band; and

determining if listen before transmit mode or non-listen before transmit mode should be utilized, where;

in response to finding that gaps appear between transmissions and consistent power levels, the determining is that the listen before transmit mode should be used for transmissions on the unlicensed frequency band, or

in response to finding that no gaps appear between transmission and inconsistent power levels, the determining is that the non-listen before transmit mode should be used for transmissions on the unlicensed frequency band.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

determining if coexisting radio systems are operating in the unlicensed frequency band in a location of the at least one user equipment; and

compiling and maintaining a database which associates each of the at least one user equipment with each respective user equipment'"'"'s unlicensed frequency band mode selection and location of each coexisting radio systems, wherein the apparatus provides a centralized control of unlicensed spectrum for coexistence of wireless communication systems in unlicensed frequency bands.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein for a case in which the non-listen before transmit mode is selected, direct the at least one user equipment to implicitly disable channel quality indicator reporting or report only wideband channel quality indicator.

24. The method according to claim 15, wherein informing the at least one user equipment of the selected mode utilizes dedicated Radio Resource Control (RRC) and/or Medium Access Control (MAC) signaling to each of the at least one user equipment via cellular transmissions on a licensed band.

20. (canceled)