Methods for using a detector to monitor and detect channel occupancy

• US 9,215,710 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2015
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shared Spectrum Company
• Original Assignee: Shared Spectrum Company
• Inventors: McHenry, Mark Allen, Dain, Dmitry, Livis, Eugene, Steadman, Karl, Ritterbush, Olga
• Primary Examiner(s): JAIN, RAJ K
• Application Number:
  US14/636,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20150181599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/14 of the whole transmission and reception path, e.g. self-test loop-back
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0647 Variable feedback rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/002 Mutual synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/003 Arrangements to increase tolerance to errors in transmission or reception timing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0816 with collision avoidance

Abstract

Methods for using a detector to monitor and detect channel occupancy are disclosed. The detector resides on a station within a network using a framed format having a periodic time structure. When non-cooperative transmissions are detected by the network, the detector assesses the availability of a backup channel enabling migration of the network. The backup channel serves to allow the network to migrate transparently when the current channel becomes unavailable. The backup channel, however, could be occupied by another network that results in the migrating network interfering with the network already using the backup channel. Thus, the detector detects active transmission sources on the backup channel to determine whether the backup channel is occupied. Methods for using the detector include scheduling detection intervals asynchronously. The asynchronous detection uses offsets from a reference point within a frame.

Claims

1. A method comprising, in a cooperative network of radio frequency communication devices,

detecting a non-cooperative transmission on a first radio frequency channel;

scheduling a detection interval in a plurality of frames among a plurality of devices in the network, wherein each detection interval is scheduled to begin at a different offset within the frame relative to offsets at which each other detection interval is scheduled.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the non-cooperative transmission is performed over a plurality of time intervals.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of time intervals occurs over a plurality of transmission frames of the cooperative network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of time intervals occurs over a plurality of transmission frames of the non-cooperative transmission.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection interval in each of the plurality of frames spans a different length of time.

6. A system comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency communication devices configured to communicate on a first channel;

a plurality of radio frequency detectors, each of the plurality of radio frequency detectors configured to schedule a detection interval in each of a plurality of frames, wherein each detection interval is scheduled to begin at a different offset within the frame relative to offsets at which each other detection interval is scheduled.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of radio frequency detectors comprises non-homogeneous detectors.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of devices comprises a base station, and wherein at least one of the plurality of detectors is configured to inform the base station of a detected non-cooperative signal on the first channel.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the detectors are configured to detect a non-cooperative transmission on the first channel.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the detectors are configured to detect the non-cooperative transmission over a plurality of time intervals.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of time intervals occurs over a plurality of transmission frames of the cooperative network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of time intervals occurs over a plurality of transmission frames of the non-cooperative transmission.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the detection interval in each of the plurality of frames spans a different length of time.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of devices includes a base station and a subscriber station.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the detection intervals are offset at different amounts in the frames within which the detection intervals are scheduled for the base station and for the subscriber station.