Systems and methods for provisioning and allocating a commoditized spectrum object

• US 8,948,801 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Spectrum Bridge, Inc.
• Inventors: Shukla, Manish, Schmidt, Jeffrey C., Evans, Thomas C., Gossain, Hrishikesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Tan
• Application Number:
  US13/549,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20130035124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 455/501, 455/454, 455/67.11, 455/434, 455/450, 455/452.1, 455/446, 455/456.3, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/509, 455/512, 455/63.1, 455/62, 705/37, 705/1, 705/7, 370/329, 370/330, 370/328, 370/338, 370/352, 370/313, 370/331, 370/319, 370/252, 713/156
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]

Abstract

A provisioning engine provisions spectrum into an allocable spectrum object. The provisioning engine includes an interface configured to receive inputs of available spectrum information and a plurality of provisioning parameters. The plurality of provisioning parameters include at least one signal strength limit, and may include at least first and second signal strength limits that may be boundary strength limit and an allocation strength limit. A controller is configured to execute a spectrum provisioning application that is stored in a memory and, by execution of the spectrum provisioning application, the provisioning engine is configured to generate an allocable spectrum object in accordance with the provisioning parameters. Spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object is allocable by an allocation engine to spectrum users in accordance with the provisioning parameters. An allocation engine in turn allocates spectrum encompassed within the provisioned spectrum object in accordance with the provisioning parameters.

Claims

1. A provisioning engine for provisioning spectrum into an allocable spectrum object, the provisioning engine comprising:

an interface configured to receive inputs of available spectrum information and a plurality of provisioning parameters, wherein the plurality of provisioning parameters include at least one signal strength limit;

a controller configured to execute a spectrum provisioning application that is stored in a memory and, by execution of the spectrum provisioning application, the provisioning engine is configured to generate an allocable spectrum object in accordance with the provisioning parameters; and

a database that stores the allocable spectrum object;

wherein spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object is allocable by an allocation engine to spectrum users in accordance with the provisioning parameters; and

wherein the at least one signal strength limit includes a first signal strength limit and a second signal strength limit, the first strength limit is a boundary strength limit comprising a signal strength limit at a boundary of a coverage area of the spectrum object, and the second strength limit is an allocation strength limit comprising a strength limit calculated based on a propagation model relative to previously allocated spectrum within the spectrum object.

2. The provisioning engine of claim 1, further comprising a database for storing the available spectrum information.

3. The provisioning engine of claim 1, further comprising a database for storing the provisioning parameters.

4. The provisioning engine of claim 1, wherein the provisioning parameters include a frequency start and a frequency stop.

5. The provisioning engine of claim 4, wherein the provisioning parameters further include a minimum spectrum block size, wherein the minimum spectrum block size is equal to or less than a difference between the frequency stop minus the frequency start.

6. The provisioning engine of claim 5, wherein the difference between the frequency stop minus the frequency start is an integer multiple of the minimum spectrum block size.

7. The provisioning engine of claim 1, wherein the provisioning parameters include a time start and a time end later than the time start.

8. The provisioning engine of claim 7, wherein the provisioning parameters further include a maximum time reservation, wherein the maximum time reservation is equal to or shorter that than a difference between the time end minus the time start.

9. The provisioning engine of claim 1, wherein the provisioning parameters further include a fixed radius coverage allocation parameter comprising, for a given spectrum usage type, a minimum distance to nearest allocated spectrum within the spectrum object.

10. The provisioning engine of claim 1, wherein the provisioning parameters further include whether spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object is allocable for exclusive or non-exclusive spectrum usage.

11. The provisioning engine of claim 1, wherein the provisioning parameters further include an enabler maximum power spectral density for an enabler device, and a dependent maximum power spectral density for a dependent device, wherein the dependent maximum power spectral density is less than the enabler maximum power spectral density.

12. The provisioning engine of claim 1, wherein the provisioning parameters further include a notification interval comprising a time interval at which a user device will be in contact with the allocation engine.

13. The provisioning engine of claim 1, wherein the provisioning parameters further include at least one of a maximum allowable height above average terrain, and a maximum allowable antenna height above ground level.

14. The provisioning engine of claim 1, wherein the provisioning parameters further include at least one radio access technology.

15. An authorized shared access system for allocating available spectrum to spectrum users comprising:

the provisioning engine of claim 1;

at least one network operator that inputs the available spectrum information and the plurality of provisioning parameters to the provisioning engine; and

an allocation engine that allocates spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object generated by the provisioning engine to spectrum users in accordance with the provisioning parameters.

16. The authorized shared access system of claim 15, further comprising at least one spectrum provider;

wherein the spectrum provider has a provider provisioning interface that accesses the spectrum object and an allocation interface that communicates with the allocation engine, wherein the allocation engine allocates spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object accessed the spectrum provider to a spectrum user.

17. A method of provisioning spectrum into an allocable spectrum object comprising the steps of:

receiving inputs via an interface of available spectrum information and a plurality of provisioning parameters, wherein the plurality of provisioning parameters include at least one signal strength limit;

executing a spectrum provisioning application that is stored in a memory and, by executing the spectrum provisioning application, generating an allocable spectrum object in accordance with the provisioning parameters; and

storing the allocable spectrum object in a database;

wherein spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object is allocable by an allocation engine to spectrum users in accordance with the provisioning parameters; and

wherein the at least one signal strength limit includes a first signal strength limit and a second signal strength limit, the first strength limit is a boundary strength limit comprising a signal strength limit at a boundary of a coverage area of the spectrum object, and the second strength limit is an allocation strength limit comprising a strength limit calculated based on a propagation model relative to previously allocated spectrum within the spectrum object.

18. An allocation engine for allocating spectrum encompassed within a spectrum object, the allocation engine comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive prospective spectrum usage information from a spectrum user device, and to access spectrum object information from a spectrum provider; and

a controller configured to execute allocation logic that is stored in a memory and, by execution of the allocation logic, the allocation engine is configured to;

identify a plurality of provisioning parameters of the spectrum object, wherein the plurality of provisioning parameters include at least one signal strength limit;

compare the provisioning parameters to the prospective spectrum usage to determine whether the prospective spectrum usage is in compliance with the provisioning parameters; and

allocate spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object for the prospective spectrum usage when it is determined that the prospective spectrum usage is in compliance with the provisioning parameters;

wherein the at least one signal strength limit includes a first signal strength limit and a second signal strength limit, and the controller further executes the allocation logic to;

determine a first distance to nearest to nearest interference value for the first strength limit;

determine a second distance to nearest to nearest interference value for the second strength limit;

determine whether at least one of the first or second strength limits results in signal interference based on the distance to nearest interference values; and

when one of the first or second strength limits results in signal interference, select a lower of the first or second strength limits as a power limit for the allocated spectrum.

19. The allocation engine of claim 18, wherein the controller further executes the allocation logic to decline allocation of spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object for the prospective spectrum usage when it is determined the prospective spectrum usage is not in compliance with the provisioning parameters.

20. The allocation engine of claim 18, wherein the controller further executes the allocation logic to:

modify the prospective spectrum usage to be in compliance with the provisioning parameters when the prospective spectrum usage is determined not to be in compliance with the provisioning parameters; and

allocate spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object for the modified prospective spectrum usage.

21. The allocation engine of claim 18, wherein the controller further executes the allocation logic to:

when it is determined that neither of the first or second strength limits results in signal interference, select a higher of the first or second strength limits as a power limit for the allocated spectrum.

22. The allocation engine of claim 21, wherein the first strength limit is a boundary strength limit comprising a signal strength limit at a boundary of a coverage area of the spectrum object, and the second strength limit is an allocation strength limit comprising a strength limit calculated based on a propagation model relative to previously allocated spectrum within the spectrum object.

23. The allocation engine of claim 22, wherein the first distance to nearest to nearest interference value is a distance to a nearest spectrum boundary;

and

the second distance to nearest to nearest interference value is a distance to nearest allocated spectrum within the spectrum object.

24. The allocation engine of claim 18, wherein the provisioning parameters include a fixed radius provisioning parameter, and the controller further executes the allocation logic to:

determine whether the prospective spectrum usage complies with the fixed radius provisioning parameter;

determine whether the prospective spectrum usage complies with the signal strength limit; and

allocate spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object for the prospective spectrum usage when it is determined that the prospective spectrum usage is in compliance with the fixed radius and signal strength provisioning parameters.

25. A method of allocating spectrum encompassed within a spectrum object, the method being implemented by an allocation engine and comprising the steps of:

receiving via a communication interface prospective spectrum usage information from a spectrum user;

accessing with the communication interface spectrum object information from a spectrum provider; and

executing allocation logic with a controller to perform the steps of;

identifying a plurality of provisioning parameters of the spectrum object, wherein the plurality of provisioning parameters include at least one signal strength limit;

comparing the provisioning parameters to the prospective spectrum usage to determine whether the prospective spectrum usage is in compliance with the provisioning parameter; and

allocating spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object for the spectrum usage when it is determined that the prospective spectrum usage is in compliance with the provisioning parameters;

wherein the at least one signal strength limit includes a first signal strength limit and a second signal strength limit, and further comprising executing the allocation logic to perform the steps of;

determining a first distance to nearest to nearest interference value for the first strength limit;

determining a second distance to nearest to nearest interference value for the second strength limit; and

determining whether at least one of the first or second strength limits results in signal interference based on the distance to nearest interference values; and

when one of the first or second strength limits results in signal interference, selecting a lower of the first or second strength limits as a power limit for the allocated spectrum.

26. The method of allocating spectrum of claim 25, further comprising:

executing the allocation logic to decline allocation of spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object for the spectrum usage when it is determined the prospective spectrum usage is not in compliance with the provisioning parameters.

27. The method of allocating spectrum of claim 25, further comprising executing the allocation logic to perform the steps of:

modifying the prospective spectrum usage to be in compliance with the provisioning parameters when the prospective spectrum usage is determined not to be in compliance with the provisioning parameters; and

allocating spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object for the modified prospective spectrum usage.

28. The method of allocating spectrum of claim 25, further comprising executing the allocation logic to perform the step of:

when it is determined that neither of the first or second strength limits results in signal interference, selecting a higher of the first or second strength limits as a power limit for the allocated spectrum.

29. The method of allocating spectrum of claim 28, wherein the first strength limit is a boundary strength limit comprising a signal strength limit at a boundary of a coverage area of the spectrum object, and the second strength limit is an allocation strength limit comprising a strength limit calculated based on a propagation model relative to previously allocated spectrum within the spectrum object.

30. The method of allocating spectrum of claim 29, wherein the first distance to nearest to nearest interference value is a distance to a nearest spectrum boundary;

and

the second distance to nearest to nearest interference value is a distance to nearest allocated spectrum within the spectrum object.

31. The method of allocating spectrum of claim 25, wherein the provisioning parameters include a fixed radius provisioning parameter, and further comprising executing the allocation logic to perform the steps of:

determining whether the prospective spectrum usage complies with the fixed radius provisioning parameter;

determining whether the prospective spectrum usage complies with the signal strength limit; and

allocating spectrum encompassed within the spectrum object for the prospective spectrum usage when it is determined that the prospective spectrum usage is in compliance with the fixed radius and signal strength provisioning parameters.