Method and apparatus for dynamic spectrum management

• US 9,667,336 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2011
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ye, Chunxuan, Demir, Alpaslan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nooristany, Sulaiman
• Application Number:
  US13/110,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20110286381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,204 Days
• Field of Search: 370315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for dynamic spectrum management are disclosed. A node receives a request for sensing related information. In response to receiving the request, the node transmits the sensing related information. The sensing related information may include at least one of information about data fusion methods supported by the node, information about relaying methods supported by the node and information about at least one other node that is reachable from the node.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a fusion helper node receiving a plurality of first sensing response messages via a plurality of first wireless fusion channels, wherein each of the plurality of first sensing response messages comprises first sensing related information;

the fusion helper node receiving a request for combined sensing related information from a data fusion center, wherein the request for combined sensing related information comprises a parameter indicating a data fusion method to be used to combine the first sensing related information;

in response to receiving the request for the combined sensing related information, the fusion helper node generating the combined sensing related information based on the first sensing related information using the data fusion method;

the fusion helper node transmitting the combined sensing related information to the data fusion center, the combined sensing related information comprising the parameter indicating the data fusion method used by the fusion helper node to generate the combined sensing related information;

the fusion helper node receiving at least one second sensing response message via at least one second wireless fusion channel, wherein the at least one second sensing response message comprises second sensing related information;

the fusion helper node receiving a request for the second sensing related information from the data fusion center; and

in response to receiving the request for the second sensing related information, the fusion helper node relaying the second sensing related information to the data fusion center.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter indicates that an AND data fusion method was used by the fusion helper node to generate the combined sensing related information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the combined sensing related information further comprises an indication of at least one relaying method supported by the fusion helper node.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the combined sensing related information further comprises an indication of at least one of a number of nodes that are reachable from the fusion helper node and an identifier for the at least one of the nodes that is reachable from the fusion helper node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data fusion method comprises one of a hard combining technique, a hard combining with side information technique, or a soft combining technique.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the fusion helper node receiving a request to participate in a sensing task from the data fusion center.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the sensing task includes at least one of combining sensing results from RF spectrum sensory nodes, forwarding the sensing results from at least one RF spectrum sensory node, or RF spectrum sensing.

8. A fusion helper node comprising:

a receiving unit configured to;

receive a plurality of first sensing response messages via a plurality of first wireless fusion channels, wherein each of the plurality of first sensing response messages comprises sensing related information,

receive a request for combined sensing related information from a data fusion center, wherein the request for combined sensing related information comprises a parameter indicating a data fusion method to be used to combine the first sensing related information,

receive at least one second sensing response message via at least one second wireless fusion channel, wherein the at least one second sensing response message comprises second sensing related information, and

receive a request for the second sensing related information from the data fusion center;

a processing unit configured to generate the combined sensing related information based on the first sensing related information using the data fusion method; and

a transmitting unit configured to;

transmit the combined sensing related information to the data fusion center, the combined sensing related information comprising the parameter indicating the data fusion method used by the fusion helper node to generate the combined sensing related information, and

relay the second sensing related information to the data fusion center.

9. The fusion helper node of claim 8, wherein the fusion helper node is configured to operate in a radio frequency (RF) spectrum sensing network.

10. The fusion helper node of claim 8, wherein the fusion helper node is a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU).

11. The fusion helper node of claim 8, wherein the fusion helper node is an RF spectrum sensor configured to measure information indicative of spectrum occupancy.

12. The fusion helper node of claim 11, wherein the RF spectrum sensor is a dynamic RF spectrum sensor configured to:

combine spectrum sensing results from at least one other RF spectrum sensor with spectrum sensing results obtained by the dynamic RF spectrum sensor to generate combined spectrum sensing results, and

transmit the combined spectrum sensing results.

13. The fusion helper node of claim 8, wherein the processing unit configured to generate the combined sensing related information comprises the processing unit configured to combine spectrum sensing results from at least one of:

at least two RF spectrum sensory nodes,

at least one RF spectrum sensory node and the fusion helper node,

at least one other fusion helper node and the fusion helper node,

the at least one other fusion helper node and at least one RF spectrum sensory node,

at least one other relay node and the fusion helper node, or

the at least one other relay node and the at least one RF spectrum sensory node.

14. The fusion helper node of claim 8, wherein the fusion helper node is a relay node, and wherein the transmitting unit is further configured to relay spectrum sensing results from at least one of:

at least one RF spectrum sensory node,

at least one other relay node, or

at least one fusion helper node.

15. A method comprising:

a dynamic spectrum management (DSM) unit transmitting a plurality of first sensing response requests to a plurality of first sensory nodes via a plurality of first wireless fusion channels;

the DSM unit transmitting a request for combined sensing related information to a fusion helper node, wherein the request for combined sensing related information comprises a parameter indicating a data fusion method to be used to combine sensing related information;

the DSM unit receiving the combined sensing related information from the fusion helper node, the combined sensing related information comprising first information indicative of a plurality of first sensing response messages received at the fusion helper node from the plurality of first sensory nodes and the parameter indicating the data fusion method used by the fusion helper node to generate the combined sensing related information;

the DSM unit transmitting at least one second sensing response request to at least one second sensory node via at least one second wireless fusion channel;

the DSM unit transmitting at least one request for relayed sensing related information to the fusion helper node;

the DSM unit receiving the relayed sensing related information from the fusion helper node, the relayed sensing related information comprising second information relayed by the fusion helper node from the at least one second sensory node; and

the DSM unit storing the combined sensing related information and the relayed sensing related information in a memory of the DSM unit.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the parameter indicates that an AND data fusion method was used by the fusion helper node to generate the combined sensing related information.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of first sensing response requests comprises a request to perform at least one of combining sensing results from RF spectrum sensory nodes, forwarding sensing results from at least one RF spectrum sensory node, or RF spectrum sensing.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the parameter indicating the data fusion method used by the fusion helper node comprises a data fusion method type indicator and a data fusion method number indicator.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of first sensing response requests comprises a request for an indication of at least one relaying method supported by each of the plurality of first sensory nodes.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the combined sensing related information further comprises an indication of at least one of a number of other nodes that are reachable from the fusion helper node or an identifier for at least one other node that is reachable from the fusion helper node.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the data fusion method comprises one of a hard combining technique, a hard combining with side information technique, or a soft combining technique.

22. A dynamic spectrum management (DSM) unit comprising:

a transmitting unit configured to;

transmit a plurality of first sensing response requests to a plurality of first sensory nodes via a plurality of first wireless fusion channels,

transmit a request for combined sensing related information to a fusion helper node, wherein the request for combined sensing related information comprises a parameter indicating a data fusion method to be used to combine sensing related information,

transmit at least one second sensing response request to at least one second sensory node via at least one second wireless fusion channel, and

transmit at least one request for relayed sensing related information to the fusion helper node;

a receiving unit configured to;

receive the combined sensing related information from the fusion helper node, the combined sensing related information comprising first information indicative of a plurality of first sensing response messages received at the fusion helper node from the plurality of first sensory nodes and the parameter indicating the data fusion method used by the fusion helper node to generate the combined sensing related information, and

receive the relayed sensing related information from the fusion helper node, the relayed sensing related information comprising second information relayed by the fusion helper node from the at least one second sensory node; and

a memory configured to store the combined sensing related information and the relayed sensing related information.

23. The DSM unit of claim 22, wherein the parameter indicates that an AND data fusion method was used by the fusion helper node to generate the combined sensing related information.