Using television whitespace spectrum for wireless local area networks

• US 9,204,311 B1
• Filed: 07/02/2013
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Banerjea, Raja, Lambert, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US13/933,800
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A system including an association module to associate a client station with an access point via a first or a second channel based on a distance of the client station from the access point. The first channel is a television white space channel. The second channel is in 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band. A channel selection module switches a connection of the client station to the access point between the first and second channels based on the distance of the client station from the access point, a state of the connection of the client station to the access point, and a quality of service requirement of the client station. A routing module routes first and second types of data from the client station to the access point respectively via the first and second channels. A combining module combines data received by the client station via the first and second channels.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an association module configured to

associate a client station with an access point via (i) a first channel or (ii) a second channel based on a distance of the client station from the access point,

wherein the first channel is a television white space channel, and

wherein the second channel is in (i) a 2.4 GHz band or (ii) a 5 GHz band;

a channel selection module configured to switch a connection of the client station to the access point between (i) the first channel and (ii) the second channel based on

(a) the distance of the client station from the access point,

(b) a state of the connection of the client station to the access point, and

(c) a quality of service requirement of the client station;

a routing module configured to

route a first type of data from the client station to the access point via the first channel, and

route a second type of data from the client station to the access point via the second channel,

wherein the second type of data is different than the first type of data; and

a combining module configured to combine data received by the client station via (i) the first channel and (ii) the second channel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the association module is configured to:

associate the client station with the access point via the first channel in response to the distance of the client station from the access point being greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, and

associate the client station with the access point via the second channel in response to the distance of the client station from the access point being less than the predetermined distance.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first channel is (i) not assigned for licensed use in a regulated frequency spectrum and (ii) available for use at a location of the access point.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver module configured to:

receive a beacon from the access point,

wherein the beacon includes information of the first channel.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a transceiver module configured to receive a beacon from the access point, wherein the beacon specifies a maximum transmit power for use by the client station when the client station communicates with the access point via the first channel; and

a power adjustment module configured to adjust a transmit power of the client station to less than or equal to the maximum transmit power when the client station communicates with the access point via the first channel.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a query module configured to

query (i) a database or (ii) the access point, and

in response to the query, receive information about a third channel, wherein the third channel is (i) a television white space channel and (ii) different than the first channel; and

a roaming module configured to switch the connection of the client station to the third channel in response to the client station roaming out of range of the access point.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the third channel is (i) not assigned for licensed use in a regulated frequency spectrum and (ii) available for use at a location of the access point.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first transceiver module configured to communicate with the access point via the first channel; and

a second transceiver module configured to communicate with the access point via the second channel,

a first antenna associated with the first transceiver module, and

a second antenna associated with the second transceiver module.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a physical layer module configured to communicate with (i) the first transceiver module and (ii) the second transceiver module; and

a media access control module configured to communicate with the physical layer module,

wherein (i) the physical layer module and (ii) the media access control module are configured to communicate via the first channel, the 2.4 GHz band, and the 5 GHz band.

10. A method comprising:

associating a client station with an access point via (i) a first channel or (ii) a second channel based on a distance of the client station from the access point, wherein the first channel is a television white space channel, and wherein the second channel is in (i) a 2.4 GHz band or (ii) a 5 GHz band;

switching a connection of the client station to the access point between (i) the first channel and (ii) the second channel based on

(a) the distance of the client station from the access point,

(b) a state of the connection of the client station to the access point, and

(c) a quality of service requirement of the client station;

routing a first type of data from the client station to the access point via the first channel;

routing a second type of data from the client station to the access point via the second channel, wherein the second type of data is different than the first type of data; and

combining data received by the client station via (i) the first channel and (ii) the second channel.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

associating the client station with the access point via the first channel in response to the distance of the client station from the access point being greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, and

associating the client station with the access point via the second channel in response to the distance of the client station from the access point being less than the predetermined distance.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first channel is (i) not assigned for licensed use in a regulated frequency spectrum and (ii) available for use at a location of the access point.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a beacon from the access point,

wherein the beacon includes information of the first channel.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a beacon from the access point, wherein the beacon specifies a maximum transmit power for use by the client station when the client station communicates with the access point via the first channel; and

adjusting a transmit power of the client station to less than or equal to the maximum transmit power when the client station communicates with the access point via the first channel.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

querying (i) a database or (ii) the access point;

in response to the query, receiving information about a third channel, wherein the third channel is (i) a television white space channel and (ii) different than the first channel; and

switching the connection of the client station to the third channel in response to the client station roaming out of range of the access point.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the third channel is (i) not assigned for licensed use in a regulated frequency spectrum and (ii) available for use at a location of the access point.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

communicating with the access point via the first channel using (i) a first transceiver module and (ii) a first antenna associated with the first transceiver module; and

communicating with the access point via the second channel using (i) a second transceiver module and (ii) a second antenna associated with the second transceiver module.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

communicating with (i) the first transceiver module and (ii) the second transceiver module using a physical layer module; and

communicating with the physical layer module using a media access control module,

wherein (i) the physical layer module and (ii) the media access control module are configured to communicate via the first channel, the 2.4 GHz band, and the 5 GHz band.