Method and apparatus for a station to operate within WLAN system

• US 9,247,544 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Eunsun, Seok, Yongho
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, CLEMENCE S
• Application Number:
  US14/547,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20150078309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/30 using constraints in the total amount of available transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for a specific station, operating as a non-AP (Access Point) station permitted to operate within available channels not used by a licensed device, to operate as an AP station in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) are disclosed. A specific protocol related to a registration of a station'"'"'s location to operate within a white space id defined whose Information IDs comprises a registration request and a registration response. Using the defined registration request and registration response, the station can register its geographical location with a Registered Location Server (RLS), and operate as an AP STA within WS.

Claims

1. A method for a first station to operate within available channels in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), the method comprising:

transmitting, by the first station to a second station, a request including an information element including element ID indicating a registered location query protocol, and location information of the first station;

receiving, by the first station from the second station, a response including a result of the query, and White Space Map (WSM) information including the available channels for the location information of the first station; and

beginning, by the first station, a transmission of signals in the WLAN after obtaining the WSM information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information element further comprises device identification information of the first station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the device identification information comprises a FCC (Federal Communications Commission) identifier of the first station, and a serial number of the first station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information element is a registered location query protocol (RLQP) element whose element ID indicates a Channel Availability Query protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the WSM comprises at least one channel number field each indicating one of the available channels and at least one power constraint field indicating a maximum allowable power on each of the indicated channel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first station is a dependent station, and the second station is an enabling station.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the result of the query is acquired by the enabling station from a registered location server (RLS).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the request further comprises:

a requester station address field indicating a MAC (Medium Access Control) address of the dependent station; and

a responder station address field indicating a MAC address of the enabling station posting the information element to the RLS.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the response further comprises:

a requester station address field indicating a MAC (Medium Access Control) address of the dependent station;

a responder station address field indicating a MAC address of the enabling station posting the information element to the RLS; and

a WSM field indicating the information on the available channels.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first station is an enabling station, and the second station is a registered location server (RLS).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the result of the query is acquired by the enabling station from the RLS.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the request further comprises:

a requester station address field indicating a MAC (Medium Access Control) address of the enabling station; and

a responder station address field indicating a MAC address of the RLS.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the response further comprises:

a requester station address field indicating a MAC (Medium Access Control) address of the enabling station;

a responder station address field indicating a MAC address of the RLS; and

a WSM field indicating the information on the available channels.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the response comprises an Advertisement Protocol Element whose element ID indicates a specific protocol related to a registered location query protocol (RLQP).

15. A first station device for operating within available channels in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), the station device comprising:

a transmitter configured for transmitting to a second station a request including an information element including element ID indicating a registered location query protocol, and location information of the first station device;

a receiver configured for receiving from the second station a response including a result of the query, and White Space Map (WSM) information including the available channels for the location information of the first station device; and

a processor operably connected to the transmitter and the receiver and configured for beginning a transmission of signals in the WLAN after obtaining the WSM information.