Method and apparatus for allowing communication units to utilize non-licensed title spectrum
First Claim
1. A method for allowing a communication unit to utilized non-licensed spectrum, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining if any transmissions are taking place within the non-licensed spectrum;
determining if any transmissions taking place within the non-licensed spectrum are by a licensed user of the spectrum;
determining if a beacon exists within the non-licensed spectrum; and
transmitting within the non-licensed spectrum only when transmissions are taking place within the non-licensed spectrum, the licensed user of the spectrum is not transmitting, and when a beacon exists.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The presence of the non-television transmission within a channel is used to indicate that secondary non-licensed usage of the channel is permitted. Specifically, if secondary users incorporate the means to identify the unique modulation signature of the secondary user, decoding of a beacon signal may not be necessary. With the above in mind, a radio will be prevented from transmitting within a frequency band when no transmission within the licensed spectrum is currently taking place; the licensee is currently transmitting on the spectrum (e.g., television transmissions are taking place utilizing the spectrum, or the radio cannot sense the presence of a data channel (beacon).
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for allowing a communication unit to utilized non-licensed spectrum, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining if any transmissions are taking place within the non-licensed spectrum; determining if any transmissions taking place within the non-licensed spectrum are by a licensed user of the spectrum; determining if a beacon exists within the non-licensed spectrum; and transmitting within the non-licensed spectrum only when transmissions are taking place within the non-licensed spectrum, the licensed user of the spectrum is not transmitting, and when a beacon exists. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for allowing a communication unit to utilized television spectrum, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining if any transmissions are taking place within the television spectrum; determining if a television broadcast is taking place within the television spectrum; determining if a beacon exists within the television spectrum; and transmitting within the television spectrum only when transmissions are taking place within the television spectrum, the television broadcast is not taking place, and when a beacon exists. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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logic circuitry determining if any transmissions are taking place within non-licensed spectrum, determining if any transmissions taking place within the non-licensed spectrum are by a licensed user of the spectrum, and determining if a beacon exists within the non-licensed spectrum; and a transmitter transmitting within the non-licensed spectrum only when transmissions are taking place within the non-licensed spectrum, the licensed user of the spectrum is not transmitting, and when a beacon exists. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification