METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR TEMPORARY RELEASE OF RESOURCES IN RADIO NETWORKS

• US 20130235810A1
• Filed: 03/12/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kasslin, Mika, Junell, Jari Henrik
• Granted Patent: US 9,473,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/06 Hybrid resource partitioning, e.g. channel borrowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to for resource coexistence management in RF white spaces. An example embodiment includes a method including receiving by a control node of a wireless network, an allocation of resources and an indication of allowance to release resources temporarily from a network controller serving the control node; and transmitting by the control node to the network controller, a message indicating temporary release of a portion of the allocated resources.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving by a control node of a wireless network, an allocation of resources and an indication of allowance to release resources temporarily from a network controller serving the control node; and

transmitting by the control node to the network controller, a message indicating temporary release of a portion of the allocated resources.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically indicating by the control node to the network controller, whether the release is still valid; and

receiving by the control node, a return of the temporarily released resources from the network controller, when the release is no longer valid.

22. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

wherein the periodically indicating by the control node to the network controller, whether the release is still valid, happens in response to receiving a request or status query from the network controller.

3. A method, comprising:

receiving by a network controller, a temporary release message from a control node that it serves, indicating temporary release of a portion of resources allocated to the control node by the network controller;

periodically obtaining an indication from the control node whether the release is still valid; and

returning the temporarily released resources to the control node when the release is no longer valid.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transmitting by the network controller, at least a portion of the resources released by the control node, to one or more other network controllers; and

receiving by the network controller, a return of the released resources from the one or more other network controllers, when the network controller transmits a command to the one or more other network controllers to return the released resources.

16. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transmitting by the network controller, at least a portion of the resources released by the control node, to a second control node that it serves; and

receiving by the network controller, a return of the released resources from the second control node, when the network controller transmits a command to the second control node to return the released resources.

23. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

wherein the periodically obtaining an indication from the control node whether the release is still valid, happens in response to sending a request or status query to the control node.

5. A method, comprising:

receiving by a network controller, resources from another network controller, which were temporarily released by a control node served by the other network controller; and

returning by the network controller, the released resources to the other network controller, when the network controller receives a command from the other network controller to return the released resources.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive an allocation of resources and an indication of allowance to release resources temporarily from a network controller serving the apparatus; and

transmit to the network controller, a message indicating temporary release of a portion of the allocated resources.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

periodically indicate to the network controller, whether the release is still valid; and

receive a return of the temporarily released resources from the network controller, when the release is no longer valid.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive a temporary release message from a control node that the apparatus serves, indicating temporary release of a portion of resources allocated to the control node by the apparatus;

periodically obtain an indication from the control node whether the release is still valid; and

return the temporarily released resources to the control node when the release is no longer valid.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

transmit at least a portion of the resources released by the control node, to one or more other network controllers; and

receive a return of the released resources from the one or more other network controllers, when the apparatus transmits a command to the one or more other network controllers to return the released resources.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

transmit at least a portion of the resources released by the control node, to a second control node that the apparatus serves; and

receive a return of the released resources from the second control node, when the apparatus transmits a command to the second control node to return the released resources.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive resources from another network controller, which were temporarily released by a control node served by the other network controller; and

return the released resources to the other network controller, when the apparatus receives a command from the other network controller to return the released resources.

11. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable, non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for receiving by a control node of a wireless network, an allocation of resources and an indication of allowance to release resources temporarily from a network controller serving the control node; and

code for transmitting by the control node to the network controller, a message indicating temporary release of a portion of the allocated resources.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

code for periodically indicating by the control node to the network controller, whether the release is still valid; and

code for receiving by the control node, a return of the temporarily released resources from the network controller, when the release is no longer valid.

13. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable, non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for receiving by a network controller, a temporary release message from a control node that it serves, indicating temporary release of a portion of resources allocated to the control node by the network controller;

code for periodically obtaining an indication from the control node whether the release is still valid; and

code for returning the temporarily released resources to the control node when the release is no longer valid.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

code for transmitting by the network controller, at least a portion of the resources released by the control node, to one or more other network controllers; and

code for receiving by the network controller, a return of the released resources from the one or more other network controllers, when the network controller transmits a command to the one or more other network controllers to return the released resources.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

code for transmitting by the network controller, at least a portion of the resources released by the control node, to a second control node that it serves; and

code receiving by the network controller, a return of the released resources from the second control node, when the network controller transmits a command to the second control node to return the released resources.

15. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable, non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for receiving by a network controller, resources from another network controller, which were temporarily released by a control node served by the other network controller; and

code for returning by the network controller, the released resources to the other network controller, when the network controller receives a command from the other network controller to return the released resources.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving by a network controller, resources from another network controller, which were temporarily released by a control node served by the other network controller;

calculating by the network controller, a new resource allocation to a control node of the network controller without changing an existing allocation of a coexistence set of the control node; and

allocating a new resource allocation to the control node with an indication to prohibit making a further a resource release;

returning by the network controller, the released resources to the other network controller, when the network controller receives a command from the other network controller to return the released resources.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

receive resources from another network controller, which were temporarily released by a control node served by the other network controller;

calculate a new resource allocation to a control node of the apparatus without changing an existing allocation of a coexistence set of the control node;

allocate a new resource allocation to the control node with an indication to prohibit making a further a resource release; and

return the released resources to the other network controller, when the apparatus receives a command from the other network controller to return the released resources.

21. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable, non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for receiving by a network controller, resources from another network controller, which were temporarily released by a control node served by the other network controller;

code for calculating by the network controller, a new resource allocation to a control node of the network controller without changing an existing allocation of a coexistence set of the control node; and

code for allocating a new resource allocation to the control node with an indication to prohibit making a further a resource release;

code for returning by the network controller, the released resources to the other network controller, when the network controller receives a command from the other network controller to return the released resources.