Network entry and device discovery for cognitive radio networks
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- selecting a channel of a plurality of available channels;
monitoring the channel to determine whether the channel is being used and, when the channel is determined as being used, to classify the channel being used as being one of;
used by a primary user,used by one or more secondary users,used by an unknown class of users;
storing the determination of whether the channel is being used, and the classification of the channel when the channel is being used; and
repeating the selecting and monitoring until each of the plurality of available channels has been classified;
wherein when the channel is being used by one or more secondary users, storing an identification of each of the one or more secondary users of the channel;
and the method further comprising accessing the stored identification of each secondary user to locate a target user, and when the target user is located, joining a network on the channel associated with the identification of the target user.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device (400) scans and classifies each channel within a spectrum of channels (215-270) as being occupied or unoccupied (255), and, if occupied, whether it is occupied by a primary user (240), a secondary user (230), or an unknown user (260). As a secondary device (400), transmissions are avoided on channels occupied by primary users (490). The device selectively joins an existing network of secondary devices, or establishes a new network on an unoccupied channel (125), based on the quality of service (QoS) that the channel can provide and/or other factors. If the device is paired with a target device (115), the paired device advertises itself on a selected channel (345-360) for a period that is at least as long as the time required to scan all channels, to facilitate discovery in the event that the target device is also in a search mode. The advertising duration randomly alternates (345) among integer multiples of the scan duration.
18 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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selecting a channel of a plurality of available channels; monitoring the channel to determine whether the channel is being used and, when the channel is determined as being used, to classify the channel being used as being one of; used by a primary user, used by one or more secondary users, used by an unknown class of users; storing the determination of whether the channel is being used, and the classification of the channel when the channel is being used; and repeating the selecting and monitoring until each of the plurality of available channels has been classified; wherein when the channel is being used by one or more secondary users, storing an identification of each of the one or more secondary users of the channel; and the method further comprising accessing the stored identification of each secondary user to locate a target user, and when the target user is located, joining a network on the channel associated with the identification of the target user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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scanning a plurality of channels for a beacon of a target device for a scan duration and when the beacon of the target device is not detected; randomly selecting an advertise duration from among a set of predefined durations; transmitting an advertising beacon on a select channel during the advertise duration; and when a response to the advertising beacon is not received from the target device; repeating the scanning of one or more of the plurality of channels and transmitting of the advertising beacon at another select channel; and otherwise; establishing communication with the target device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of network discovery by a device among a plurality of channels having primary and secondary users, comprising:
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when the device is paired with a target device; when the device is not a master of a master-slave pair; scanning a plurality of channels for a beacon of the target device for a scan duration; when the beacon of the target device is not detected; transmitting an advertising beacon on a select channel during an advertise duration; when a response to the advertising beacon is not received from the target device, repeating the scanning of one or more of the plurality of channels and transmitting of the advertising beacon at another select channel; otherwise, when the device is the master of the master-slave pair, transmitting an advertising beacon on a select channel; establishing communication with the target device; otherwise, when the device is not paired with the target device; selecting a channel of the plurality of available channels; monitoring the channel to determine a classification of the channel based at least upon whether a primary or secondary user is detected; storing the classification of the channel; repeating the selecting and monitoring until each of the plurality of available channels has been classified; selecting a select channel from among one or more of the plurality of channels at which at least one secondary user is detected, and establishing communication with the at least one secondary user on the select channel.
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20. An apparatus comprising:
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a receiver; a transmitter; a controller that is configured to control the receiver to tune to each channel of a plurality of channels; a channel classifier that is configured to determine a classification of each channel as being one of; used by a primary user, used by one or more secondary users, used by an unknown class of users; a memory that is configured to store the classification of each channel; wherein when the channel is being used by one or more secondary users, the memory is further configured to store an identification of each of the one or more secondary users of the channel, wherein the controller is configured to control the transmitter to selectively effect each of; accessing the stored identification of each secondary user to locate a target user, and when the target user is located, joining a network on the channel associated with the identification of the target user; and establishing a network on a select channel that is unused. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An apparatus comprising:
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a receiver; a transmitter; a controller that is configured to; control the receiver to scan each of a plurality of channels for a beacon of a target device for a scan duration; when the beacon of the target device is not detected; randomly select an advertise duration from among a set of predefined durations; control the transmitter to transmit an advertising beacon on a select channel during the advertise duration; when a response to the advertising beacon is not received from the target device, repeating the control of the receiver to scan one or more of the plurality of channels and the control of the transmitter to transmit the advertising beacon at another select channel; and otherwise, when the target device is detected, control the transmitter and receiver to establish communication with the target device. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification