Method and apparatus for sharing radio frequency spectrum in a radio frequency communication system

• US 5,475,734 A
• Filed: 01/12/1995
• Issued: 12/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: McDonald, James A., Ruthenberg, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): OEHLING, GEORGE J
• Application Number:
  US08/371,668
• Time in Patent Office: 334 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 379/61, 379/63, 455/33.1, 455/33.4, 455/56.1, 455/62, 455/63
• US Class Current: 455/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

A radio frequency communication system is coupled to a telephone network having automatic number identification (ANI) capabilities for communication thereover. The radio frequency communication system includes at least one relocateable base station (115) which shares a radio frequency channel with stationary communication devices for communicating over predetermined geographic areas. The radio frequency communication system further includes a service center (125) which, in response to a call from a base station (115), receives from the telephone network information indicative of at least a portion of a telephone number from which the base station (115) is calling. The service center (125) determines therefrom whether the base station (115) is located within any of the predetermined geographic areas. When the base station (115) is not located within any of the predetermined geographic areas, the service center (125) transmits an authorization signal over the telephone network indicating that the base station (115) is authorized for radio frequency communication over the shared radio frequency channel.

Claims

1. A base station, in a radio frequency communication system, capable of being relocated among a plurality of geographic regions for communicating over a radio frequency channel, the base station sharing the radio frequency channel with stationary communication devices over predetermined geographic areas, wherein the base station is capable of accessing a telephone network to communicate with a service center which authorizes use of the radio frequency channel by the base station, the base station comprising:

a memory for storing a first predetermined telephone number of the service center;

accessing means, coupled to the memory, for calling the first predetermined telephone number over the telephone network and for receiving in response thereto an authorization signal over the telephone network indicating that authorization of radio frequency communication over the radio frequency channel is allowed in response to the service center determining that the base station is not located in one of the predetermined geographic areas of the stationary communication devices, wherein the service center determines the location of the base station based upon a telephone number from which the base station places a call to the service center; and

a transceiver coupled to the accessing means for transmitting and receiving communications over the radio frequency channel in response to reception of the authorization signal.

2. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the accessing means comprises:

dialing means for dialing the first predetermined telephone number; and

a controller coupled to the dialing means for determining whether the dialing means is coupled to the telephone network, wherein the controller provides the first predetermined telephone number to the dialing means in response to determining that the dialing means has been coupled to the telephone network subsequent to being disconnected from the telephone network.

3. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the accessing means comprises:

dialing means for dialing the first predetermined telephone number; and

monitoring means coupled to the dialing means for monitoring power provided thereto by a power supply, wherein the monitoring means provides the first predetermined telephone number to the dialing means in response to determining that the power provided by the power supply has been restored subsequent to being interrupted.

4. The base station according to claim 1, wherein the accessing means comprises:

dialing means for dialing the first predetermined telephone number; and

a controller coupled to the dialing means and the memory for providing the first predetermined telephone number to the dialing means.

5. The base station according to claim 4, further comprising:

a clock coupled to the controller for generating time values, wherein the controller provides the first predetermined telephone number to the dialing means in response to expiration of a predetermined amount of time.

6. A service center for authorizing the use of a radio frequency channel by at least one base station capable of being relocated among a plurality of geographic regions, the at least one base station sharing the radio frequency channel with stationary communication devices for communicating over predetermined geographic areas, the service center coupled to the at least one base station by a telephone network having automatic number identification (ANI) capabilities, the service center comprising:

a telephone port for receiving from the telephone network information indicative of at least a portion of a telephone number from which the at least one base station is calling when the at least one base station couples to the service center;

a database for storing information associated with the predetermined geographic areas over which the stationary communication devices communicate; and

a processor coupled to the telephone port and the database for comparing the information indicative of at least a portion of the telephone number to the information stored in the database to determine whether the at least one base station is located within any of the predetermined geographic areas, the processor providing an authorization signal to the telephone port for transmission over the telephone network when the at least one base station is determined not to be located within any of the predetermined geographic areas, wherein the authorization signal indicates that the at least one base station is authorized for radio frequency communication over the radio frequency channel.

7. The service center according to claim 6, wherein the information stored in the database comprises a listing of telephone numbers located within the predetermined geographic areas.

8. The service center according to claim 6, wherein the information stored in the database comprises a listing of telephone exchange numbers located within the predetermined geographic areas.