Resource sharing between a plurality of communication networks

• US 8,194,700 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Grandblaise, David, Dunat, Jean-Christophe, Pintenet, Remy
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US11/917,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20110002274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,191 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

A method of resource sharing between a plurality of communication networks each having a nominal resource allocation of a shared air interface resource and a resource exchange allowance is provided. A temporary resource allocation of a first air interface resource from a nominal resource allocation of a first network is initiated. Subsequently, a plurality of offer rounds are executed with each offer round comprising determining offer values for the first air interface resource. A second network is then selected in response to the determined offer values and subsequently a resource allocation message is transmitted to the second network. The resource allocation message indicates a temporary allocation of at least part of the first air interface resource from the first network to the second network. Consequently, the resource exchange allowance of the second network is reduced accordingly. Each offer round comprises receiving new offer values from the first plurality of networks.

Claims

1. A method of resource sharing between a plurality of communication networks each having a nominal resource allocation of a shared air interface resource and a resource exchange allowance, the method comprising:

initiating, by a sharing instigation processor, a temporary resource allocation of a first air interface resource from a nominal resource allocation of a first network;

executing a plurality of offer rounds including offer requests to a first plurality of networks, each offer round comprising determining offer values for the first air interface resource;

selecting, by a selection processor, a second network from the first plurality of networks in response to the determined offer values;

sending, by a transceiver, a resource allocation message to the second network, the resource allocation message indicating a temporary allocation of at least part of the first air interface resource from the nominal resource allocation of the first network to the second network; and

reducing, by a resource exchange allowance processor, the resource exchange allowance of the second network by a value determined in response to a resource exchange offer value from the second network;

and wherein each offer round comprises;

the first network transmitting the offer request to the first plurality of networks;

the first plurality of networks transmitting offer messages to the first network in response to the offer request, each offer message comprising the resource exchange offer value a particular network from the first plurality of networks is willing to offer in return for the temporary allocation of the at least part of the first air interface resource from the nominal resource allocation of the first network; and

determining the offer values for the first air interface resource in response to the resource exchange offer values.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the offer request of at least one offer round comprises an indication of offer values determined in a previous offer round.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first network transmitting offer requests to the first plurality of networks comprises the first network transmitting the offer request to a base station of one of the first plurality of networks, the determination of offer values further comprising:

the base station transmitting subscriber station offer requests to subscriber stations of the base station;

at least one of the subscriber stations transmitting a subscriber station offer message to the base station, the subscriber station offer message comprising a subscriber station resource exchange offer value; and

the base station determining the resource exchange offer value in response to the subscriber station resource exchange offer value and transmitting the resource exchange offer value to the first network.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the sending the resource allocation message to the second network comprises sending the resource allocation message directly to a subscriber station of the second network.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

at least one of the subscriber stations transmitting connected equipment offer requests to connected equipment of the at least one of the subscriber stations;

at least one of the connected equipments transmitting a connected equipment offer message to the at least one of the subscriber stations, the connected equipment offer message comprising a connected equipment resource exchange offer value; and

the at least one of the subscriber stations determining the subscriber station resource exchange offer value in response to the connected equipment resource exchange offer value.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the sending the resource allocation message to the second network comprises sending the resource allocation message directly to a connected equipment of the second network.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising selecting the second network in response to a determination that the resource exchange offer value from the second network for the at least part of the first air interface resource is the highest received resource exchange offer value.

8. The method of claim 1 comprising selecting a plurality of selected networks and allocating different parts of the first air interface resource to the plurality of selected networks so as to maximise the combined resource exchange offer values.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of networks employ a shared Media Access Control (MAC) frame and each of the plurality of communication networks has a nominal allocated time interval of the MAC frame.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the MAC frame comprises a first management subframe for transmission of offer request messages.