Channel discovery and disconnection in networks over white spaces and other portions of the spectrum

• US 8,179,797 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chandra, Ranveer, Moscibroda, Thomas, Murty, Rohan N., Bahl, Paramvir
• Primary Examiner(s): JAIN, RAJ K
• Application Number:
  US12/473,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20100301992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/0006 Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA

Abstract

Functionality is described for discovering a channel within an environment in which non-privileged entities have subordinate access rights to spectrum compared to privileged entities. The functionality operates by investigating spectrum units within the spectrum for the presence of the channel. In one case, the functionality operates by investigating the spectrum units in linear succession; in another case, the functionality advances in a staggered fashion over the available spectrum. Functionality is also described for handling disconnection by a node from a channel. The functionality allows the node to convey its disconnection status to other communication participants. In one case, various aspects of the functionality are implemented by performing analysis in the time domain.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium not consisting of a signal per se and having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the performance of a disconnection management, comprising:

detecting a presence of a privileged entity operating on a channel that is being used by a first node to communicate with a second node, the first node and the second node being associated with non-privileged entities, the non-privileged entities having subordinate access rights compared to the privileged entity;

disconnecting the first node from the channel; and

sending notification information to a second node that indicates that the first node has disconnected from the channel.

2. The medium of claim 1, wherein, in the sending notification information, the notification information is sent to the second node via a backup channel.

3. The medium of claim 1, wherein, in the sending notification information, the notification information is sent to the second node via an alternative channel when a backup channel is not available.

4. The medium of claim 1, further comprising detecting notification information sent by the second node to the first node, the notification information sent by the second node indicating that the second node has detected loss of the channel.

5. The medium of claim 4, wherein, in the detecting notification information, a time domain analysis is used to detect the notification information sent by the second node.

6. A disconnection management method, comprising:

detecting a presence of a privileged entity operating on a channel that is being used by a first node to communicate with a second node, the first node and the second node being associated with non-privileged entities, the non-privileged entities having subordinate access rights compared to the privileged entity;

disconnecting the first node from the channel; and

sending notification information to a second node that indicates that the first node has disconnected from the channel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, in the sending notification information, the notification information is sent to the second node via a backup channel.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, in the sending notification information, the notification information is sent to the second node via an alternative channel when a backup channel is not available.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising detecting notification information sent by the second node to the first node, the notification information sent by the second node indicating that the second node has detected loss of the channel.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, in the detecting notification information, a time domain analysis is used to detect the notification information sent by the second node.

11. A disconnection management device, comprising:

a detecting section that detects a presence of a privileged entity operating on a channel that is being used by a first node to communicate with a second node, the first node and the second node being associated with non-privileged entities, the non-privileged entities having subordinate access rights compared to the privileged entity;

a disconnecting section that disconnects the first node from the channel; and

a sending section that sends notification information to a second node that indicates that the first node has disconnected from the channel.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the sending section sends the notification information to the second node via a backup channel.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the sending section sends the notification information to the second node via an alternative channel when a backup channel is not available.

14. The device of claim 11, further comprising a notification information detecting section that detects notification information sent by the second node to the first node, the notification information sent by the second node indicating that the second node has detected loss of the channel.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the notification information detecting section uses a time domain analysis to detect the notification information sent by the second node.