Method, apparatus, and computer program product for location based query for interferer discovery in coexistence management system

• US 9,107,089 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Junell, Jari, Kasslin, Mika
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US13/672,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20140135048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 455/517, 455/67.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed for managing coexistence of secondary users in RF spectrum. An example embodiment includes receiving, by a coexistence manager, information indicating that a candidate wireless network served by another coexistence manager may interfere with a wireless network served by the coexistence manager; determining a location related to the wireless network served by the coexistence manager; transmitting a request message to the other coexistence manager, indicating the location and requesting an estimate of a transmission signal level at the location caused by the candidate wireless network; receiving from the other coexistence manager, a response message including information indicating an estimated transmission signal level at the location caused by the candidate wireless network; and determining whether the candidate wireless network interferes with the wireless network served by the coexistence manager based on the received estimated transmission signal level.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a coexistence manager, information indicating that a candidate wireless network served by another coexistence manager may interfere with a wireless network served by the coexistence manager;

determining, by the coexistence manager, at least one location related to the wireless network served by the coexistence manager;

transmitting, by the coexistence manager, a request message to the other coexistence manager, indicating the at least the one location and requesting an estimate of a transmission signal level at the at least one location caused by the candidate wireless network;

receiving, by the coexistence manager, from the other coexistence manager, a response message including information indicating an estimated transmission signal level at the at least one location caused by the candidate wireless network; and

determining, by the coexistence manager, whether the candidate wireless network interferes with the wireless network served by the coexistence manager based on the received estimated transmission signal level at the at least one location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicating that the candidate wireless network may interfere with the wireless network served by the coexistence manager is received from a coexistence discovery and information server.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing, by the coexistence manager, calculations using the received estimated transmission signal level, to estimate an effect of the received estimated transmission signal level on the wireless network served by the coexistence manager; and

determining, by the coexistence manager, to include the candidate wireless network in a coexistence set based on the performed calculations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one location related to the wireless network served by the coexistence manager, is one of actual location or estimated location of one or more apparatuses belonging to the wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request message includes at least one of an identification of the wireless network served by the coexistence manager, and frequencies at which the wireless network served by the coexistence manager, is capable of operating.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein locations indicated in the request cover locations of a master device and most probable locations of slave devices in the wireless network served by the coexistence manager.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive information indicating that a candidate wireless network served by another coexistence manager may interfere with a wireless network served by the apparatus;

determine at least one location related to the wireless network served by the apparatus;

transmit a request message to the other coexistence manager, indicating the at least the one location and requesting an estimate of a transmission signal level at the at least one location caused by the candidate wireless network;

receive from the other coexistence manager, a response message including information indicating an estimated transmission signal level at the at least one location caused by the candidate wireless network; and

determine whether the candidate wireless network interferes with the wireless network served by the apparatus, based on the received estimated transmission signal level at the at least one location.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the information indicating that the candidate wireless network may interfere with the wireless network served by the coexistence manager is received from a coexistence discovery and information server.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

perform calculations using the received estimated transmission signal level, to estimate an effect of the received estimated transmission signal level on the wireless network served by the coexistence manager; and

determine to include the candidate wireless network in a coexistence set based on the performed calculations.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one location related to the wireless network served by the coexistence manager, is one of actual location or estimated location of one or more apparatuses belonging to the wireless network.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the request message includes at least one of an identification of the wireless network served by the coexistence manager, and frequencies at which the wireless network served by the coexistence manager, is capable of operating.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein locations indicated in the request cover locations of a master device and most probable locations of slave devices in the wireless network served by the coexistence manager.

13. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable, non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for receiving, by a coexistence manager, information indicating that a candidate wireless network served by another coexistence manager may interfere with a wireless network served by the coexistence manager;

code for determining, by the coexistence manager, at least one location related to the wireless network served by the coexistence manager;

code for transmitting, by the coexistence manager, a request message to the other coexistence manager, indicating the at least the one location and requesting an estimate of a transmission signal level at the at least one location caused by the candidate wireless network;

code for receiving, by the coexistence manager, from the other coexistence manager, a response message including information indicating an estimated transmission signal level at the at least one location caused by the candidate wireless network; and

code for determining, by the coexistence manager, whether the candidate wireless network interferes with the wireless network served by the coexistence manager based on the received estimated transmission signal level at the at least one location.