White space utilization

• US 9,288,681 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hassan, Amer A., Reed, Daniel A., Garnett, Paul W., Anders, Billy
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US13/525,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20130337857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 455/509, 455/500, 455/517, 455/515, 455/445, 455/452.1, 455/450, 4554561-457, 455/466, 4554141-4144, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/550.1, 455/518, 455/519, 370/328, 370/329, 370/343, 370/338
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

The concepts relate to broadcasting white space utilization. One example can function as a client relative to a wireless access point that is configured to obtain authorization to utilize a radio white space frequency according to a set of constraints. The example can function as a Wi-Fi direct group owner to establish a Wi-Fi connection with a device that is not the wireless access point. This example can also transmit data over the radio white space frequency to the device in compliance with the set of constraints.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

interacting with a wireless device that is configured to function as a wireless access point and that is further configured to obtain authorization to use a set of radio white space frequencies in accordance with one or more constraints including a distance constraint, the wireless device obtaining authorization on behalf of another device that lacks ability to obtain authorization to use the set of radio white space frequencies;

obtaining authorization information about the set of radio white space frequencies and the one or more constraints from the wireless device;

functioning as a Wi-Fi direct group owner to establish Wi-Fi communication with other different devices;

obtaining from the wireless device an individual radio white space frequency from the set of radio white space frequencies;

estimating a relative distance from the wireless device to the another device based on success or failure of transmissions to the wireless device at a given frequency and energy level;

determining whether the relative distance is less than the distance constraint; and

,

in an instance where the relative distance is less than the distance constraint, communicating with the other different devices over the individual radio white space frequency in compliance with the distance constraint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interacting comprises assuming a client role with the wireless access point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interacting ceases before the functioning commences.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization is based upon a location of the wireless access point and wherein the authorization includes a first constraint that defines an energy level for broadcasting over the set of frequencies and wherein the interacting, the obtaining the authorization information, the functioning, the obtaining the individual radio white space frequency, the estimating, the determining, and the communicating are performed by the another device and wherein the method further comprises determining a relative location of the another device relative to the wireless access point and wherein the communicating is performed to account for any difference between the location of the wireless access point and the relative location of the another device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the authorization also includes a second constraint that defines a duration of the authorization and further comprising ceasing the communicating by an expiration of the duration.

6. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method, comprising:

functioning as a client relative to a wireless access point that is configured to obtain authorization to utilize a radio white space frequency according to a set of constraints including a distance constraint, the wireless access point obtaining authorization on behalf of a first device that lacks ability to obtain authorization to utilize the radio white space frequency;

functioning as a Wi-Fi direct group owner to establish a Wi-Fi connection with a second device that is not the wireless access point;

determining a relative distance from the first device to the wireless access point; and

,

in an instance where the relative distance is less than the distance constraint, transmitting data over the radio white space frequency to the second device in compliance with the set of constraints.

7. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 6, wherein the radio white space frequency comprises a TV white space frequency, and wherein the functioning comprises requesting the wireless access point to access a regulatory database that maps locations and associated available TV white space frequencies.

8. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 7, wherein the requesting comprises requesting the wireless access point to access a uniform resource identifier (URI) of the regulatory database over the Internet.

9. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 6, wherein the wireless access point is configured to obtain authorization based upon an ability of the wireless access point to determine a geographic location of the wireless access point and to access the Internet.

10. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 6, further comprising determining the relative distance to the wireless access point based upon success or failure of transmissions to the wireless access point at a given frequency and energy level.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the first device lacks a capability to determine a geographic location.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 6, wherein the set of constraints includes a duration of the authorization and further comprising obtaining a time stamp of the authorization.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 12, further comprising tracking the transmitting relative to the time stamp and ceasing the transmitting by an end of the duration calculated from the time stamp.

14. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 6, wherein the client is the first device.

15. A system, comprising:

memory and a processor configured to execute instructions stored on the memory; and

,

a communication component configured to;

interact with a wireless access point to request that the wireless access point obtain authorization to use one or more TV white space frequencies based on a location of the wireless access point, the wireless access point obtaining authorization on behalf of a device that lacks ability to;

obtain authorization to use the one or more TV white space frequencies, and

determine a geographic location of the device,

operate as a Wi-Fi direct group owner to establish Wi-Fi communication with a different device, and

instruct the different device to communicate over an individual TV white space frequency.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the system further comprises a transmitter configured to transmit at least one of 2.4 Giga Hertz frequency, 5.0 Giga Hertz frequency, TV channel frequencies, or 60 Giga Hertz frequency, and wherein the communication component is further configured to determine a relative distance between the communication component and the wireless access point based upon successful transmissions to the wireless access point at an individual frequency and a specific transmission energy.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the authorization includes a set of constraints that comprise the location and a duration and wherein the communication component is further configured to track use of the individual TV white space frequency relative to the duration to ensure that the duration is not exceeded.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory, the processor, and the communication component are embodied on a single device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the system includes the wireless access point or wherein the system does not include the wireless access point.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is embodied on the device.