Method and apparatus for managing frequencies used by devices

• US 8,706,128 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2013
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Shekhar, Coppage, Carl M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US13/909,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20130273929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/63.1, 455/67.13, 455/501, 455/556.2, 455/41.2, 455/114.2, 455/509, 455/448, 370/341, 370/342, 370/348, 375/144, 375/375, 375/346
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 1/12 Arrangements for reducing cross-talk between channels in line transmission systems H04B3/32; in cables or lines H04B3/26 - H04B3/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference

Abstract

The illustrative embodiments described herein are directed to a method and apparatus for managing frequencies used by devices. In one embodiment, the process detects a set of frequencies from a set of devices to form a set of assigned frequencies. The process may also detect a first frequency used by a first device. The process may determine whether the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies. The process may also identify an unassigned frequency for use by the first device in response to determining whether the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies.

Claims

1. A method for managing frequencies used by devices, the method comprising:

detecting a set of frequencies from a set of devices to form a set of assigned frequencies;

detecting a first frequency used by a first device in a transmission area;

determining whether the first frequency interferes with an assigned frequency in the set of assigned frequencies; and

responsive to determining whether the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies, identifying an unassigned frequency for use by the first device, based on a set of factors including a type of structural surrounding of the transmission area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to determining that the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies, identifying the unassigned frequency in an unlicensed frequency band, wherein the unassigned frequency is different from the first frequency; and

signaling the first device to use the unassigned frequency.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

adding the unassigned frequency to the set of assigned frequencies.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to determining that the first frequency does not interfere with the set of assigned frequencies, identifying the unassigned frequency to be the first frequency.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

adding the first frequency to the set of assigned frequencies.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

signaling the first device to use the first frequency.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frequency, the unassigned frequency, and the set of assigned frequencies are within an unlicensed frequency band.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the unlicensed frequency band has a range of 2.400 gigahertz to 2.500 gigahertz.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first frequency used by the first device includes receiving a request from the first device to use the first frequency.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the set of frequencies being used by the set of devices to form the set of assigned frequencies includes receiving, via a user interface, user input indicating the set of frequencies being used by the set of devices to form the set of assigned frequencies.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user input indicates a particular device that uses at least one of the set of assigned frequencies.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of assigned frequencies is in use by the set of devices, wherein each of the set of devices uses a respective assigned frequency in the set of assigned frequencies.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies includes determining whether the first frequency equals one of the set of assigned frequencies.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the set of assigned frequencies in a first storage in response to detecting the set of frequencies being used by the set of devices to form the set of assigned frequencies.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing the unassigned frequency in a second storage.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first frequency interferes with the assigned frequency in the set of assigned frequencies includes determining whether the first frequency interferes with the assigned frequency in the set of assigned frequencies based on a second set of factors, and wherein the second set of factors include at least one of a device range, a device signal strength, a device priority, a device location, a device type, a device operational requirement, device ownership, available bandwidth, and structural surrounding.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the device priority is programmed in at least one of the first device and a device in the set of devices.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the device priority is user-defined for at least one of the first device and a device in the set of devices.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the device priority is based on at least one of the device types and the device operational requirement.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the structural surroundings is one of a home or an office.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the home is one of a condominium or a house.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of factors further includes at least one of a device range, a device signal strength, a device priority, a device location, a device type, a device operational requirement, device ownership, and available bandwidth.

23. An apparatus for managing frequencies used by devices, the apparatus comprising:

a bus system;

an input/output unit connected to the bus system, the input/output unit detecting a set of frequencies being used by a set of devices to form a set of assigned frequencies and detecting a first frequency used by a first device in a transmission area;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions;

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to;

determine whether the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies and identify an unassigned frequency for use by the first device in response to determining whether the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies and based on a set of factors including a type of structural surrounding of the transmission area.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processing unit further executes the set of instructions to identify the unassigned frequency in an unlicensed frequency band in response to determining that the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies, wherein the unassigned frequency is different from the first frequency, and wherein the input/output unit signals the first device to use the unassigned frequency.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the input/output unit comprises a first input/output unit in a receiving unit and a second input/output unit in a transmission unit, wherein the first input/output unit detects the set of frequencies being used by the set of devices to form the set of assigned frequencies and detects the first frequency used by the first device, and wherein the second input/output unit signals the first device to use the unassigned frequency.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the memory further comprises a first storage device in the receiving unit and a second storage device unit in the transmission unit, wherein the first storage device stores the set of assigned frequencies, and wherein the second storage device stores the unassigned frequency that is signaled to the first device, wherein the processing unit further executes the set of instructions to add the unassigned frequency to the set of assigned frequencies stored in the first storage device.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processing unit further executes the set of instructions to identify the unassigned frequency to be the first frequency in response to determining that the first frequency does not interfere with the set of assigned frequencies.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the memory further comprises a first storage device in a receiving unit and a second storage device unit in a transmission unit, wherein the first storage device stores the set of assigned frequencies, and wherein the second storage device stores the first frequency, and wherein the processing unit further executes the set of instructions to add the first frequency to the set of assigned frequencies.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the input/output unit comprises a first input/output unit in a receiving unit and a second input/output unit in a transmission unit, wherein the first input/output unit detects the set of frequencies being used by the set of devices to form the set of assigned frequencies and detects the first frequency used by the first device, and wherein the second input/output unit signals the first device to use the first frequency.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the input/output unit further comprises:

a user interface operable to receive user input indicating the set of frequencies being used by the set of devices to form the set of assigned frequencies.

31. A method for communicating using a communication device that is compatible with a frequency management system, the communication device comprising:

sending, with a device in a transmission area, data in a wireless medium using a first frequency;

receiving a signal that indicates a second frequency, the second frequency having been selected based on a set of factors including a type of structural surrounding of the transmission area; and

responsive to receiving the signal, sending data using the second frequency, wherein the second frequency is unassigned for use by another device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first frequency is the same as the second frequency.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the first frequency is different from the second frequency.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the wireless communication device is a cordless phone.