Method and system for determining spectrum availability within a network

• US 8,064,840 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2009
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shared Spectrum Company
• Original Assignee: Shared Spectrum Company
• Inventors: McHenry, Mark Allen, Leu, Alexe E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHRPOUR, NAGHMEH
• Application Number:
  US12/487,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20100008313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/426.1, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/62, 455/452.1, 455/226.2, 455/63.1, 455/41.2, 455/296, 455/226.3, 455/509, 455/403, 455/450, 455/464, 455/434, 455/516, 455/527, 455/512, 455/68, 455/67.16, 370/329, 370/237, 370/347, 370/337, 370/346, 370/330, 370/332, 370/444, 370/395.42, 370/252
• US Class Current: 455/67.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management

Abstract

A method and transceiver for determining spectrum availability within a give area is disclosed. The given area includes cells in a grid. A belief evaluator receives a measurement from a signal and assigns an instantaneous belief indicator, an instantaneous disbelief indicator and an instantaneous ignorance indicator based on a detection threshold and the power level of the measurement. The indicators quantify the probability of a presence of a transmitter within the grid cell. A belief accumulator uses the instantaneous indicators along with accumulated belief, disbelief and ignorance indicators from previous measurements to determine cumulative belief, disbelief and ignorance indicators. The accumulated belief, disbelief and ignorance indicators are the results of previous measurements and belief/disbelief/ignorance determinations for the grid cell. An allocator indicates the status of the grid cell and whether a spectrum is available. If a spectrum is available, then the grid cell is added to other available cells within the area to generate the spectrum hole.

Claims

1. A method for determining spectrum availability for a transceiver, the method comprising:

obtaining data from a database;

determining a probability of a presence of a transmitter in a grid cell;

assigning an instantaneous belief indicator, an instantaneous disbelief indicator, and an instantaneous ignorance indicator to the grid cell based at least in part upon the data obtained from the database;

determining a cumulative belief indicator, a cumulative disbelief indicator, and an ignorance indicator using the instantaneous belief indicator, the instantaneous disbelief indicator, and the instantaneous ignorance indicator; and

indicating spectrum availability in the grid cell based on the cumulative belief indicator, the cumulative disbelief indicator, and an ignorance indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data obtained from the database includes one or more of:

a detection threshold, parameters determined by a propagation loss distribution function and a power level, and the probability of the presence of a transmitter.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of performing a measurement, wherein the probability of the presence of a transmitter in the grid cell is determined based at least in part upon the measurement.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the measurement includes a measurement of a power level.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the measurement includes a measurement of a parameter other than the power level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the probability of the presence of a transmitter in the grid cell is determined based at least in part upon data obtained from a database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the cumulative belief indicator, cumulative disbelief indicator, and ignorance indicator includes applying a group behavior algorithm to determine the cumulative belief indicator, the cumulative disbelief indicator, the ignorance indicator using the instantaneous belief, disbelief, and ignorance indicators.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of applying the group behavior algorithm includes using an accumulated belief indicator, an accumulated disbelief indicator in the group behavior algorithm along with the instantaneous belief, disbelief and ignorance indicators.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising allocating power to a transceiver based upon the spectrum availability in the grid cell.

10. A method for determining spectrum availability for a transceiver, the method comprising:

obtaining data from a database;

determining a probability of a presence of a transmitter in a grid cell;

assigning an instantaneous belief indicator, an instantaneous disbelief indicator, and an instantaneous ignorance indicator to the grid cell;

determining a cumulative belief indicator, a cumulative disbelief indicator, and an ignorance indicator using one or more of;

the instantaneous belief indicator, the instantaneous disbelief indicator, the instantaneous ignorance indicator, and the data obtained from the database; and

indicating spectrum availability in the grid cell based on the cumulative belief indicator, the cumulative disbelief indicator, and an ignorance indicator.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the instantaneous belief indicator, the instantaneous disbelieve indicator, and the instantaneous ignorance indicator are determined based at least in part upon one or more of:

a detection threshold, parameters determined by a propagation loss distribution function and a power level, and the probability of the presence of a transmitter.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of performing a measurement, wherein the probability of the presence of a transmitter in the grid cell is determined based at least in part upon the measurement.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the measurement includes a measurement of a power level.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the measurement includes a measurement of a parameter other than a power level.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the probability of the presence of a transmitter in the grid cell is determined based at least in part upon data obtained from a database.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the instantaneous belief indicator, the instantaneous disbelief indicator, and the instantaneous ignorance indicator assigned to the grid cell is further determined based at least in part upon data obtained from a database.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of determining the cumulative belief indicator, cumulative disbelief indicator, and ignorance indicator includes applying a group behavior algorithm to determine the cumulative belief indicator, the cumulative disbelief indicator, the ignorance indicator using the instantaneous belief, disbelief, and ignorance indicators.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of applying the group behavior algorithm includes using an accumulated belief indicator, an accumulated disbelief indicator in the group behavior algorithm along with the instantaneous belief, disbelief and ignorance indicators.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising allocating power to a transceiver based upon the spectrum availability in the grid cell.

20. A transceiver comprising:

a data receiver to obtain data from a database;

a belief evaluator to assign a probability of a presence of a transmitter in a grid cell and to determine an instantaneous belief indicator, an instantaneous disbelief indicator and an instantaneous ignorance indicator for the grid cell within an area based upon one or more of;

a measurement of a power level, a detection threshold, the probability, and data obtained by the data receiver;

a belief accumulator to determine a cumulative belief indicator, a cumulative disbelief indicator and an ignorance indicator for the presence of a transmitter within the grid cell based upon one or more of;

the instantaneous belief indicator, the instantaneous disbelief indicator, the instantaneous ignorance indicator, accumulated belief, disbelief and ignorance indicators, and data obtained by the data receiver, in a group behavior algorithm; and

an allocator to indicate spectrum availability within the grid cell according to the cumulative belief indicator, the cumulative disbelief indicator, and ignorance indicator.