Spectrum channel sharing system

• US 9,572,042 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2016
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Steer, David Gywn, Vrzic, Sophie
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US14/992,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20160127915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/36 for reassigning the resources associated with the released connections

Abstract

A spectrum channel sharing system may coordinate a shared usage of one or more spectrum channels between a first communication system and a second communication system. The first communication system may transmit a request to the second communication system to clear communication traffic associated with the second communication system from a spectrum channel. The first communication system may then initiate a communication session on the spectrum channel after the communication traffic associated with the second communication system has been at least partially cleared from the spectrum channel.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of sharing a communications channel between multiple communication systems, comprising:

initiating, by a processor of a first communication system, a first communication session comprising communication traffic on a first radio frequency channel shared with a second communication system;

receiving, by the processor of the first communication system, a request to clear the first radio frequency channel of the communication traffic; and

initiating, by the processor of the first communication system, a second communication session on a second radio frequency channel by transferring at least a portion of the communication traffic from the first radio frequency channel to the second radio frequency channel in response to receiving the request to clear the first radio frequency channel of the communication traffic.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request to clear the first radio frequency channel of the communication traffic comprises a maintenance-busy instruction.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising re-initiating the first communication session on the first radio frequency channel by transferring the communication traffic from the second radio frequency channel to the first radio frequency channel in response to receiving a return-to-service instruction.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request to clear the first radio frequency channel of the communication traffic indicates a period of time for which the first radio frequency channel is to be clear of transmissions from the first communication system.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a notification of a modification to the period of time for which the first radio frequency channel is to be clear of transmissions from the first communication system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the modification is an indication of early availability of the first radio frequency channel that enables the first communication system to begin transmitting communication traffic over the first radio frequency channel again, or wherein the modification is an indication of delayed availability of the first radio frequency channel that extends the period of time for which the first radio frequency channel is to be clear of transmissions from the first communication system.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request to clear the first radio frequency channel of the communication traffic is received prior to the first communication system initiating the first communication session on the first radio frequency channel and indicates a future time at which the first radio frequency channel is to be clear of transmissions from the first communication system.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request to clear the first radio frequency channel of the communication traffic includes an identification of the second radio frequency channel.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a transceiver;

a non-transitory storage medium; and

a processor coupled to the transceiver and the non-transitory storage medium and configured to execute instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium to cause the processor to;

transmit, via the transceiver, communication traffic on a shared radio frequency spectrum channel;

stop transmitting, via the transceiver, the communication traffic on the shared radio frequency spectrum channel in response to receiving, via the transceiver, a request to clear the shared radio frequency spectrum channel of communication traffic; and

transmit, via the transceiver, the communication traffic on a different radio frequency spectrum channel in response to receiving, via the transceiver, the request to clear the shared radio frequency spectrum channel of communication traffic.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the request to clear the shared radio frequency spectrum channel of communication traffic comprises a maintenance-busy command.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

stop transmitting, via the transceiver, the communication traffic on the different radio frequency spectrum channel in response to receiving, via the transceiver, an indication that the apparatus is permitted to again transmit on the shared radio frequency spectrum channel; and

transmit, via the transceiver, the communication traffic on the shared radio frequency spectrum channel in response to receiving, via the transceiver, the indication that the apparatus is permitted to again transmit on the shared radio frequency spectrum channel.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the indication that the apparatus is permitted to again transmit on the shared radio frequency spectrum channel comprises a return-to-service command.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the indication that the apparatus is permitted to again transmit on the shared radio frequency spectrum channel comprises an indication of an early expiration of a period of time indicated in the request to clear the shared radio frequency spectrum channel of communication traffic.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the request to clear the shared radio frequency spectrum channel of communication traffic requests a portion of the shared radio frequency spectrum channel to be cleared.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

transmit to a secondary communication system that is transmitting communication traffic on a radio frequency channel shared with a primary communication system, a request for the secondary communication system to clear the radio frequency channel of at least part of the communication traffic to enable the primary communication system to transmit on the radio frequency channel, wherein transmitting the request for the secondary communication system to clear the radio frequency channel of at least part of the communication traffic to the secondary communication system causes the second communication system to handover the communication traffic from the radio frequency channel shared with the primary communication system to another radio frequency channel; and

transmit to the secondary communication system, an indication that the secondary communication system is permitted to again transmit on the radio frequency channel shared with the primary communication system.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein transmitting the request for the secondary communication system to clear the radio frequency channel of the at least part of the communication traffic to the secondary communication system further causes the second communication system to:

cease transmitting the at least part of the communication traffic on the radio frequency channel shared with the primary communication system; and

begin transmitting the at least part of the communication traffic on the another radio frequency.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the request for the secondary communication system to clear the radio frequency channel of the at least part of the communication traffic comprises at least one of a start time of a transmission of the primary communication system, an expected end time of the transmission of the primary communication system, a radio frequency channel to be used via the transmission of the primary communication system, and a location of a transceiver of the primary communication system.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the request for the secondary communication system to clear the radio frequency channel of at least part of the communication traffic comprises a maintenance-busy command.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the indication that the secondary communication system is permitted to again transmit on the radio frequency channel shared with the primary communication system comprises at least one of a return-to-service command and an early availability notification.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the early availability notification indicates to the secondary communication system that the secondary communication system may transmit communication traffic on the radio frequency channel shared with the primary communication system prior to expiration of a period of time defined by the request for the secondary communication system to clear the radio frequency channel of at least part of the communication traffic.