White space utilization

• US 9,544,777 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• 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): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US13/564,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20130337741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 455/501, 455/509
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/002 Transmission of channel access control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

The concepts relate to broadcasting white space utilization. One example can interact with a wireless device that is configured to obtain authorization to use a set of radio white space frequencies in accordance with one or more constraints. The example can obtain an individual radio white space frequency and associated individual constraints. This example can also utilize the individual radio white space frequency for network access independent from the wireless device that is configured to obtain the authorization.

Claims

1. A wireless device, comprising:

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

a communication component,

the wireless device lacking inherent self-locating capability and lacking cellular Internet communication capability,

the communication component being configured to;

use short-range wireless communication to send, to a mobile device having inherent self-locating capability and cellular Internet communication capability, a request that the mobile device obtain authorization to use one or more authorized radio white space frequencies at a location of the mobile device, the authorization being obtained by the mobile device using the cellular Internet communication capability and limited by an associated distance constraint specifying a transmission radius from the location of the mobile device;

monitor relative distance of the wireless device from the mobile device based at least upon success or failure of short-range wireless transmissions from the wireless device to the mobile device;

based at least on the relative distance of the wireless device from the mobile device, determine a transmission power for the wireless device to transmit on an individual authorized radio white space frequency while complying with the distance constraint; and

utilize the individual authorized radio white space frequency at the determined transmission power for network connectivity with another wireless device other than the mobile device.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the wireless device 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.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the authorization is associated with a duration constraint and wherein the communication component is further configured to track use of the individual authorized radio white space frequency relative to the duration constraint to ensure that the duration constraint is not exceeded.

4. A system comprising the wireless device of claim 1 and the mobile device.

5. A system comprising the wireless device of claim 1, the mobile device, and the another wireless device.

6. A wireless device comprising:

a processor; and

one or more computer-readable storage media,

the wireless device lacking inherent self-locating capability and lacking cellular Internet communication capability,

the computer-readable storage media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

use short-range wireless communication to contact a mobile device having self-locating capability and cellular Internet communication capability to obtain an authorization to utilize a radio white space frequency, the authorization being limited by an associated distance constraint relative to a location of the mobile device;

monitor relative distance between the wireless device and the mobile device based at least upon success or failure of short-range wireless transmissions from the wireless device to the mobile device;

based at least on the relative distance of the wireless device from the mobile device, determine a transmission power for the wireless device to transmit on the radio white space frequency, while complying with the distance constraint; and

use the radio white space frequency at the determined transmission power for communication with a further wireless device other than the mobile device from which the authorization was obtained.

7. The wireless device of claim 6, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

select the transmission power so that a transmission range of the wireless device does not exceed the distance constraint as measured from the location of the mobile device from which the authorization is obtained.

8. The wireless device of claim 6, wherein the computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

obtain, via the short-range wireless communication and from the mobile device, a duration constraint associated with the authorization;

after a first specified period of time and prior to expiration of the duration constraint, use the short-range wireless communication for a first attempt to re-authorize use of the radio white space frequency; and

after a second specified period of time after the first specified period of time and prior to expiration of the duration constraint, use the short-range wireless communication for a second attempt to re-authorize use of the radio white space frequency,

the second specified period of time being relatively shorter in duration than the first specified period of time.

9. The wireless device of claim 8, comprising multiple processors.

10. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein the radio white space frequency is used to transmit video data to the further wireless device.

11. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine a first radius centered at the mobile device, the first radius being based at least on the associated distance constraint;

determine a second radius centered at the wireless device, the second radius being based at least on the determined transmission power; and

confirm that the second radius centered at the wireless device falls completely within the first radius centered at the mobile device before transmitting on the radio white space frequency.

12. The wireless device of claim 11, embodied as a video camera, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone and the further wireless device is a display.

13. A system comprising the video camera, the mobile device, and the display of claim 12.

14. A method comprising:

causing a first wireless device that lacks inherent self-locating capability and that lacks cellular Internet communication capability to use short-range wireless communication to obtain an authorization to use a radio white space frequency from a mobile device, wherein the mobile device has self-locating ability and obtains the authorization via cellular Internet communication, the authorization being for use of the radio white space frequency at a mobile device location of the mobile device;

causing the first wireless device to receive, from the mobile device, a distance constraint that limits transmissions at the radio white space frequency to a designated radius around the mobile device location and a duration constraint indicating an expiration time for the authorization;

causing the first wireless device to determine a relative distance between the first wireless device and the mobile device based at least upon success or failure of short-range wireless transmissions from the first wireless device to the mobile device;

causing the first wireless device to determine a transmission power of the radio white space frequency that, when transmitted from the location of the first wireless device, will not exceed the designated radius around the mobile device location;

causing the first wireless device to send, to a second wireless device, the radio white space frequency received from the mobile device;

causing the first wireless device to transmit data to the second wireless device on the radio white space frequency at the determined transmission power; and

as the expiration time approaches, causing the first wireless device to use the short-range wireless communication to continue requesting an additional authorization at progressively shorter time intervals.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the distance constraint limits transmissions at the radio white space frequency to a designated radius of 1000 meters around the mobile device location,

the relative distance between the first wireless device and the mobile device is 100 meters,

the transmission power is selected to be detectable within a range of 500 meters from the first wireless device, and

the transmission power is not detectable at greater than 600 meters from the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the short-range wireless transmissions used to monitor the relative distance and the short-range wireless communication used to obtain the authorization are performed at a range of 10 meters or less.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the short-range wireless communication and the short-range wireless transmissions are Bluetooth compliant.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the short-range wireless transmissions used to monitor the relative distance and the short-range wireless communication used to obtain the authorization are performed at 2.5 milliwatts.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the short-range wireless transmissions used to monitor the relative distance and the short-range wireless communication used to obtain the authorization are performed at 4 dBm.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the data is transmitted from the first wireless device to the second wireless device without using the mobile device as an intermediary.