Cognitive radio system and method

• US 7,949,345 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfaplus Semiconductor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alfaplus Semiconductor Incorporated
• Inventors: Lu, Chih-Yung, Chang, Chien-Hsiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ng; Fan
• Application Number:
  US11/902,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20100232365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 702/1, 702/57, 702/66, 702/75, 702/76
• US Class Current: 455/454
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

A cognitive radio system and method for clear and idle channel survey in Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) are disclosed. Through computing average value of Received-Signal-Strength-Indicator (RSSI_AVG) in each channel, clear channels without interference from other RF devices can be distinguished in the present system and method. Based on an actual WLAN setup, a further AP has a larger possibility to be an idle and clear AP. In the present system and method, searching available channels from furthest AP to nearest AP therefore helps to reduce time of channel survey through repeated rises of signal strength threshold.

Claims

1. A Cognitive Radio (CR) system for distinguishing channels without interference from other RF devices in Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) comprises:

(a) a WLAN-event sensor for detection WLAN event happening in current channel signal;

(b) a Receiving-Signal-Strength-Indicator-event sensor (RSSI-event sensor) for detecting RSSI-event happening in current channel signal;

(c) an average computer for computing an average value of RSSI (RSSI_AVG) in current channel during RSSI-event happening;

(d) a WLAN packet counter for counting a number of WLAN packets (WLAN_CNT) in current channel during WLAN-event happening;

(e) a first available-channel for selecting one and plurality of channels with small RSSI_AVG and WLAN_CNT=0 to an available channel list and sorting the one and plurality of rest channels out of the available channel list from low RSSI_AVG to high RSSI_AVG to a sorting list;

(f) a second available-channel selector for selecting one and plurality of channels without any WLAN event from sequence of the sorting list to the available channel list and deleting the one and plurality of selected channels from the sorting list; and

(g) a third available-channel selector for sorting one and plurality of channels in the sorting list by their WLAN_CNT and storing them to the available channel list from small to large WLAN_CNT,

wherein the WLAN channels include channels in 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical band (ISM band) and Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure band (UNII band).

2. A CR system according to claim 1, wherein the WLAN event is happened when WLAN packets are detected and their preamble signal strength is equal to or larger than a RF strength threshold.

3. A CR system according to claim 1, wherein the RSSI event is happened when no WLAN packet is detected and signal strength of current channel is equal to or larger than a RF strength threshold.

4. A CR system according to claim 2 also comprises:

a threshold adjuster for rising the RF strength threshold (THR_A->

THR_B) and making one and a plurality of channels with smaller RSSI than the RF strength threshold (THR_B) without any WLAN event by operating the WLAN-event sensor again to provide selecting information for the second available-channel selector, wherein the threshold adjuster can be operated repeatedly for gradually rising the RF strength threshold to search APs in different radius region.

5. A CR system according to claim 1 also comprises:

a Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) element; and

a WLAN packet receiving element for an advanced Clear Channel Assessment (ACCA) device to detect the WLAN event and RSSI event happening.

6. A CR system according to claim 5, wherein the WLAN event is happened when the CCA element outputs negative result of non-clear channel and the WLAN packet receiving element receives WLAN packet.

7. A CR system according to claim 5, wherein the RSSI event is happened when the CCA element outputs negative result of non-clear channel and the WLAN packet receiving element receives no WLAN packet.

8. A CR system according to claim 5, wherein the CCA element outputs negative result of non-clear channel for equal or larger signal strength of the current channel than a RF strength threshold and outputs positive result of clear channel otherwise.

9. A CR system according to claim 5, wherein the CCA element outputs negative result of non-clear channel for equal or larger preamble signal strength of received WLAN packets of the current channel than a RF strength threshold and outputs positive result of clear channel otherwise.

10. A CR system according to claim 1, wherein the first available-channel selector selects one and a plurality of channels which their RSSI_AVG is equal to or smaller than a minimum vale (MIN_RSSI_AVG) to the available channel list.

11. A Cognitive Radio (CR) method for distinguishing channels without interference from other RF devices in Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) comprises steps of:

(a) grabbing a period of signal for a waiting time in the current channel;

(b) distinguishing one and a plurality of durations as WLAN event happening;

(c) distinguishing one and a plurality of durations as Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) event happening;

(d) computing an average value of RSSI (RSSI_AVG) in the current channel during the RSSI event happening;

(e) counting a number of WLAN packets (WLAN_CNT) in the current channel during the WLAN event happening; and

(f) selecting one and plurality of channels with small RSSI_AVG and WLAN_CNT=0 to an available channel list and sorting the one and plurality of rest channels out of the available channel list from low RSSI_AVG to high RSSI_AVG to a sorting list,

wherein the WLAN channels include channels in 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical band (ISM band) and Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure band (UNII band).

12. A CR method according to claim 11, wherein the waiting time is long enough (e.g. 1000 ms) to do correct analysis for RSSI_AVG and WLAN_CNT.

13. A CR method according to claim 11, wherein the WLAN event is happened when WLAN packets are detected and their preamble signal strength is equal to or larger than a RF strength threshold.

14. A CR method according to claim 11, wherein the RSSI event is happened when no WLAN packet is detected and signal strength of current channel is equal to or larger than a RF strength threshold.

15. A CR method according to claim 13 also comprises steps of:

rising the RF strength threshold (THR_A->

THR_B);

following sequence of the sorting list to detect WLAN event and to select the current channel into the available channel list when no WLAN event is detected in the current channel (i.e. when RSSI of the current channel is smaller than the RF strength threshold (THR_B)); and

deleting the one and a plurality of selected channels from the sorting list.

16. A CR method according to claim 15 also comprises steps of:

rising the RF strength threshold (THR_B->

THR_C);

following sequence of the sorting list to detect WLAN event and to select the current channel into the available channel list when no WLAN event is detected in the current channel (i.e. when RSSI of the current channel is smaller than the RF strength threshold (THR_C)); and

deleting the one and a plurality of selected channels from the sorting list.

17. A CR method according to claim 15 also comprises a step of storing one and a plurality of channels in the sorting list to the available channel list from small WLAN_CNT to large WLAN_CNT.

18. A CR method according to claim 11 also comprises a step of deleting one and a plurality of channels with serious interference of other RF devices.

19. A CR method according to claim 18, wherein the one and plurality of channels with serious interference of other RF devices have the maximum value of RSSI_AVG in all of channels and difference between maximum value and minimum value of RSSI_AVG in all of channels is larger than a value of DISABLE_RSSI_VAL.

20. A CR method according to claim 11 also comprises a step of checking there is no WLAN event missed for too short time interval between two RSSI events to make a wrong decision of WLAN_CNT.

21. A CR method according to claim 20, wherein the time interval between two RSSI events has to be larger than exemplary 300 μ

s to make sure there is a large enough interval for WLAN event measuring between multi RSSI events.