OPPORTUNISTIC USE OF THE DSRC SPECTRUM

• US 20140378054A1
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Ying, Jose, Jubin, Li, Junyi, Wu, Xinzhou, Subramanian, Sundar
• Application Number:
  US13/921,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20140378054A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/00 Suppression or limitation of noise or interference by means associated with receiver H04B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described for opportunistically using at least a portion of a dedicated short range communications (DSRC) spectrum. A multi-mode device is operated outside of the DSRC spectrum. An activity level is detected on at least a portion of the DSRC spectrum, and it is determined whether to use at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum based at least in part on the detected activity level.

Claims

1. A method for opportunistically using at least a portion of a dedicated short range communications (DSRC) spectrum, comprising:

operating, by a multi-mode device, outside of the DSRC spectrum;

detecting an activity level on at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum; and

determining whether to use at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum based at least in part on the detected activity level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from an access point, a transmission comprising information indicating a capability of the access point to use the DSRC spectrum; and

sending signaling information indicating a capability to use the DSRC spectrum.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the activity level comprises:

periodically scanning the DSRC spectrum to detect the activity level on the DSRC spectrum.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transmitting a report comprising results of at least one scan of at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving an instruction indicating whether use of at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum is allowed, the instruction being based at least in part on the activity level on at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a first communication channel, the first communication channel being outside of the DSRC spectrum; and

upon determining to use at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum, establishing a second communication channel for a transmission, at least a portion of the second communication channel being within the DSRC spectrum.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

maintaining the first communication channel while the transmission occurs using the second communication channel.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that the transmission in the DSRC spectrum has terminated; and

terminating the use of the second communication channel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the activity level comprises:

detecting an energy level in the DSRC spectrum.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the activity level comprises:

detecting a transmission of a packet in the DSRC spectrum; and

determining whether the packet is a DSRC packet.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining whether the packet is a DSRC packet comprises:

analyzing a preamble of the packet; and

determining that the packet is a DSRC packet based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the analyzed preamble.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether to use the DSRC spectrum comprises:

determining whether a level of interference caused by transmissions of the multi-mode device using the DSRC spectrum is below a threshold interference level.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining whether the level of interference is below the threshold interference level for one or more different transmission power levels.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining whether the level of interference is below the threshold interference level for one or more different antenna configurations of the multi-mode device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the threshold interference level is based at least in part on a geographical location of the multi-mode device.

16. A device for opportunistically using at least a portion of a dedicated short range communications (DSRC) spectrum, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

operate a multi-mode device outside of the DSRC spectrum;

detect an activity level on at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum; and

determine whether to use at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum based at least in part on the detected activity level.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

receive, from an access point, a transmission comprising information indicating a capability of the access point to use the DSRC spectrum; and

send signaling information indicating a capability to use the DSRC spectrum.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the instructions to detect the activity level are executable by the processor to:

periodically scan the DSRC spectrum to detect the activity level on at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

transmit a report comprising results of at least one scan of at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

receive an instruction indicating whether use of at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum is allowed, the instruction being based at least in part on the activity level on the DSRC spectrum.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

establish a first communication channel, the first communication channel being outside of the DSRC spectrum; and

upon determining to use at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum, establish a second communication channel for a transmission, at least a portion of the second communication channel being within the DSRC spectrum.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

maintain the first communication channel while the transmission occurs using the second communication channel.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

determine that the transmission in the DSRC spectrum has terminated; and

terminate the use of the second communication channel.

24. The device of claim 16, wherein the instructions to detect the activity level are executable by the processor to:

detect an energy level in the DSRC spectrum.

25. The device of claim 16, wherein the instructions to detect the activity level are executable by the processor to:

detect a transmission of a packet in the DSRC spectrum; and

determine whether the packet is a DSRC packet.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the instructions to determine whether the packet is a DSRC packet are executable by the processor to:

analyze a preamble of the packet; and

determine that the packet is a DSRC packet based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the analyzed preamble.

27. The device of claim 16, wherein the instructions to determine whether to use the DSRC spectrum are executable by the processor to

determine whether a level of interference caused by transmissions of the multi-mode device using the DSRC spectrum is below a threshold interference level.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

determine whether the level of interference is below the threshold interference level for one or more different transmission power levels.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

determine whether the level of interference is below the threshold interference level for one or more different antenna configurations of the multi-mode device.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein the threshold interference level is based at least in part on a geographical location of the multi-mode device.

31. An apparatus for opportunistically using at least a portion of a dedicated short range communications (DSRC) spectrum, comprising:

means for operating a multi-mode device outside of the DSRC spectrum;

means for detecting an activity level on at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum; and

means for determining whether to use at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum based at least in part on the detected activity level.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

means for receiving, from an access point, a transmission comprising information indicating a capability of the access point to use the DSRC spectrum; and

means for sending signaling information indicating a capability to use the DSRC spectrum.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the means for detecting the activity level comprises:

means for periodically scanning the DSRC spectrum to detect the activity level on at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

means for establishing a first communication channel, the first communication channel being outside of the DSRC spectrum; and

means for, upon determining to use at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum, establishing a second communication channel for a transmission, at least a portion of the second communication channel being within the DSRC spectrum.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising:

means for maintaining the first communication channel while the transmission occurs using the second communication channel.

36. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the means for detecting the activity level comprises:

means for detecting an energy level in the DSRC spectrum.

37. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the means for detecting the activity level comprises:

means for detecting a transmission of a packet in the DSRC spectrum; and

means for determining whether the packet is a DSRC packet.

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the means for determining whether to use the DSRC spectrum comprises:

means for determining whether a level of interference caused by transmissions of the multi-mode device using the DSRC spectrum is below a threshold interference level.

39. A computer program product for opportunistically using at least a portion of a dedicated short range communications (DSRC) spectrum, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to operate a multi-mode device outside of the DSRC spectrum;

detect an activity level on at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum; and

determine whether to use at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum based at least in part on the detected activity level.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

establish a first communication channel, the first communication channel being outside of the DSRC spectrum; and

upon determining to use at least the portion of the DSRC spectrum, establish a second communication channel for a transmission, at least a portion of the second communication channel being within the DSRC spectrum.

41. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

maintain the first communication channel while the transmission occurs using the second communication channel.

42. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein the instructions to detect the activity level are executable by the processor to:

detect an energy level in the DSRC spectrum.

43. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein the instructions to determine whether to use the DSRC spectrum are executable by the processor to:

determine whether a level of interference caused by transmissions of the multi-mode device using the DSRC spectrum is below a threshold interference level.