Method and apparatus for radio frequency bandwidth sharing among heterogeneous radio communication system
First Claim
1. A method for establishing communication etiquette amongst a plurality of radio frequency (RF) communication systems sharing a frequency bandwidth, the frequency bandwidth comprising a plurality of sub-bands including an isochronous frequency sub-band comprising a plurality of isochronous frequency channels, each isochronous frequency channel occupying a predetermined bandwidth and suitable for supporting communication between multiple RF communication systems on multiple communication channels, the method comprising the steps of:
- assigning one of said isochronous frequency channels as a primary isochronous frequency channel for an RF communication system seeking to activate in the frequency bandwidth;
determining whether there is a free communication channel for the seeking RF communication system for assignment in any of the sub-bands;
if there is not a free communication channel for assignment in any isochronous frequency channel in the entire isochronous frequency sub-band, determining whether an RF communication system transmitting in a communication protocol which is interoperable with the seeking RF system is active in the primary isochronous frequency channel in said isochronous frequency sub-band; and
denying communication channel assignment to the seeking RF communication system if an RF communication system which is using a communication protocol that is interoperable with the seeking RF communication system is active in the primary isochronous frequency channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An etiquette controller (112) in a transmitter (14) in a first radio frequency (RF) communications system (10) enables radio frequency communications in a frequency bandwidth shared with heterogeneous RF communication systems (15). The etiquette controller (112) monitors the first RF signals in an isochronous frequency channel in a sub-band of the shared frequency bandwidth to determine whether (124) a frequency channel is free or whether (130, 136) the frequency channel comprises a communication channel which is free. In addition, the etiquette controller (112) causes the RF transceiver (102) to transmit (148) a channel relinquishment signal, monitors (150) the isochronous frequency channel for a predetermined monitoring time, and determines (152) whether the isochronous frequency channel is then free for the channel access.
108 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for establishing communication etiquette amongst a plurality of radio frequency (RF) communication systems sharing a frequency bandwidth, the frequency bandwidth comprising a plurality of sub-bands including an isochronous frequency sub-band comprising a plurality of isochronous frequency channels, each isochronous frequency channel occupying a predetermined bandwidth and suitable for supporting communication between multiple RF communication systems on multiple communication channels, the method comprising the steps of:
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assigning one of said isochronous frequency channels as a primary isochronous frequency channel for an RF communication system seeking to activate in the frequency bandwidth; determining whether there is a free communication channel for the seeking RF communication system for assignment in any of the sub-bands; if there is not a free communication channel for assignment in any isochronous frequency channel in the entire isochronous frequency sub-band, determining whether an RF communication system transmitting in a communication protocol which is interoperable with the seeking RF system is active in the primary isochronous frequency channel in said isochronous frequency sub-band; and denying communication channel assignment to the seeking RF communication system if an RF communication system which is using a communication protocol that is interoperable with the seeking RF communication system is active in the primary isochronous frequency channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus in a first radio frequency (RF) communications system for radio frequency communications in a frequency bandwidth shared with at least a second RF communication system, the frequency bandwidth comprising a plurality of sub-bands including an isochronous sub-band dedicated to isochronous communication systems the isochronous sub-band comprising a plurality of isochronous frequency channels each suitable for supporting communication between multiple RF communication systems on multiple communication channels, the apparatus comprising:
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an RF transceiver for receiving first RF signals and for transmitting second RF signals; a decoder coupled to the RF transceiver for determining whether the first RF signals are decodable as an interoperable transmitter signal transmitted by an RF communication system other than said first RF communication system and with which said first RF communication system is capable of interoperating; a controller coupled to the decoder and the RF transceiver for controlling communication on an assigned communication channel; and an etiquette controller coupled to the RF transceiver, decoder and controller for monitoring the first RF signals in a first isochronous frequency channel for determining whether the first isochronous frequency channel is free from use by other RF communication systems;
if the first isochronous frequency channel is determined to be free, assigning for use by the first RF communication system a communication channel in the first isochronous frequency channel;
if the first isochronous frequency channel is determined not to be free, determining whether the first RF communication system is interoperative with communication protocol signals transmitted by other RF communication systems in the first isochronous frequency channel and whether a communication channel is available in the first isochronous frequency channel; and
if it is determined that the first RF communication system is interoperative with communication protocol signals transmitted in the first isochronous frequency channel, assigning for use by the first RF communication system the communication channel determined to be available in the first isochronous frequency channel. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for establishing communication etiquette amongst a plurality of heterogeneous radio frequency (RF) communication systems sharing a frequency bandwidth, the frequency bandwidth comprising a plurality of sub-bands including at least one sub-band dedicated to isochronous communication systems which comprises a plurality of isochronous frequency channels, each isochronous frequency channel occupying a predetermined bandwidth and suitable for supporting communication between multiple RF communication systems on multiple communication channels, the method comprising steps of:
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determining whether an RF communication system seeking to activate in the frequency bandwidth is isochronous or asynchronous; if the seeking RF communication system is isochronous, determining whether a first isochronous frequency channel is free from use by other RF communication systems; if the first isochronous frequency channel is determined to be free, assigning for use by the seeking RF communication system a communication channel in the first isochronous frequency channel; if the first isochronous frequency channel is determined not to be free, determining whether the seeking RF communication system is interoperative with communication protocol signals used by other RF communication systems active in the first isochronous frequency channel and whether a communication channel is available in the first isochronous frequency channel; and if it is determined that the seeking RF communication system is interoperative with communication protocol signals transmitted in the first isochronous frequency channel, activating the seeking RF communication system in the communication channel determined to be available in the first isochronous frequency channel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21)
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20. In an RF communication system for operation on a frequency bandwidth shared by multiple heterogeneous RF communication systems, the frequency bandwidth comprising a plurality of sub-bands including an isochronous sub-band dedicated to isochronous communication systems, the isochronous sub-band comprising a plurality of isochronous frequency channels each suitable for supporting communication between multiple RF communication systems on multiple communication channels, each RF communications system comprising:
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an RF transceiver for receiving RF signals and for transmitting RF signals; a decoder coupled to the RF transceiver for determining whether received RF signals are decodable as an interoperable transmitter signal transmitted by another RF communication system other than said RF communication system; a controller coupled to the decoder and the RF transceiver for controlling communication on an assigned communication channel; and an etiquette controller coupled to the RF transceiver, the decoder and the controller for establishing the etiquette of said each RF communication system over the frequency bandwidth, said etiquette controller; monitoring the RF signals in a first isochronous frequency channel for determining whether a first isochronous frequency channel is free from use by other RF communication systems;
if the first isochronous frequency channel is determined to be free, assigning for use by said each RF communication system a communication channel in the first isochronous frequency channel;
if the first isochronous frequency channel is determined not to be free, determining whether said each RF communication system is interoperative with communication protocol signals transmitted by other RF communication systems in the first isochronous frequency channel and whether a communication channel is available in the first isochronous frequency channel; and
if it is determined that said each RF communication system is interoperative with communication protocol signals transmitted in the first isochronous frequency channel, activating said each RF communication system in the communication channel determined to be available in the first isochronous frequency channel.
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Specification