Method and system to make current wireless radios cognitive using an external sensor and application level messaging

• US 9,277,411 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2011
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Mody, Apurva N., Sherman, Matthew J., Yau, Kwok N., Trojan, Alan, Sputz, Sharon K., Farkas, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Bilodeau, David
• Application Number:
  US13/320,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20120142386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 455/62
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference

Abstract

A system and method for converting a non-cognitive radio into a cognitive radio is presented. A cognitive radio system includes, a non-cognitive radio; an electronic device, a spectrum sensing logic and configuration and management logic. The electronic device is connected to the non-cognitive radio so that it receives and/or transmits messages to/from a wireless network. The configuration and management logic is connected between the non-cognitive radio and the spectrum sensing logic. The spectrum sensing logic and the configuration and management logic are removable from the non-cognitive radio allowing the cognitive radio to operate in a non-cognitive mode. The spectrum sensing logic senses a wireless environment to determine available frequencies and available channels. The configuration and management logic transmits available frequencies, available channels or other spectrum data to a remote spectrum manager that is managing access to the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

connecting a spectrum sensor between a configuration and management unit and an antenna, wherein the spectrum sensor senses a wireless environment to determine at least one of;

available frequencies and available channels;

connecting the configuration and management unit to a non-cognitive radio; and

installing configuration and management software inside the non-cognitive radio;

wherein the configuration and management unit, the configuration and management software and the spectrum sensor convert the non-cognitive radio into a cognitive radio;

wherein the configuration and management unit is configured to transmit to a remote spectrum manager that is managing access to a wireless network at least one of;

the available frequencies and available channels; and

wherein the spectrum sensor and the configuration and management unit are physically removable from the non-cognitive radio; and

further comprising;

using mode logic of the configuration and management unit to determine when to place the cognitive radio in an autonomous mode and when to place the cognitive radio in a client/server mode with the cognitive radio acting as a client to the remote spectrum manager that acts as a server, wherein in the autonomous mode the configuration and management unit is configured to scan a specified frequency range and provide periodic reports to the spectrum manager about at least one of;

spectral density, available frequencies and available channels.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

connecting an electronic device to the non-cognitive radio that has been converted into a cognitive radio to allow the electronic device to transmit and receive messages over the wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration and management unit communicates with a remote spectrum manager in the application level of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

transmitting from the configuration and management unit to the remote spectrum manager in the application level at least one of;

the available frequencies and available channels.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

removing the antenna from the non-cognitive radio.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

operating the non-cognitive radio in the wireless network in a non-cognitive mode.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying on a graphical user interface (GUI) spectral data collected from the spectrum sensor.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

accepting and applying operating settings for the spectrum sensor through the GUI.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining with the spectrum sensor at least one spectrum characteristic of a spectrum based on at least one of;

higher order statistics (HOS) of the spectrum and cyclostationary features of the spectrum.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

operating the cognitive radio according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.22 standard.