Method and system enabling use of white space radio spectrum using an out of band control channel

• US 8,938,270 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2012
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telcom Ventures LLC
• Original Assignee: Telcom Ventures LLC
• Inventors: Singh, Rajendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Fanghwa
• Application Number:
  US13/364,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20120135767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A system (10) and method (50) of dynamic allocation of spectrum for a communication device involves receiving (51) a user channel map (UCM) on a control channel that is outside the band of interest. The UCM can include at least boundary location information for one or more channel resources. The method can determine (52) at least an approximate location for the communication device, compare (56) the approximate location with the boundary location information, and determine (57) which channels can avoid co-channel and adjacent channel interference with licensed users and other unlicensed users based on the comparison. The method can relax communication parameters for the one or more channel resources if no licensed user signals are found in the user channel map, and tightening the communication parameters if co-channel, adjacent channel, or other interference generating channel use is found within the user channel map.

Claims

1. A method of dynamic allocation of spectrum for a communication device where a band of radio frequencies is used with a local, regional, or national frequency allocation that leads to a subset of the bands containing unused or available frequencies in any geographic area, but not all channels are used in all markets due to the need to protect receivers from interference from other stations, comprising the steps of:

receiving an user channel map on a control channel containing at least boundary location information for one or more channel resources, the control channel being outside the one or more channel resources;

determining at least an approximate location for the communication device;

comparing the approximate location with the boundary location information;

determining which channels can avoid co-channel and adjacent channel interference with licensed user signal and other unlicensed user signals based on the comparison; and

relaxing communication parameters for the one or more channel resources if no licensed user signals are found in the user channel map, and tightening the communication parameters if co-channel, adjacent channel, or other interference generating channel use is found within the user channel map.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user channel map further comprises communication parameters comprising maximum allowable transmit power, duty cycle, and in use information by other unlicensed and licensed users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more channel resources are within a UHF band.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the boundary location information comprises polygon endpoint calculations and associated technical communication parameters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of periodically updating and receiving a new user channel map.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method determines the approximate location for the communication device by using a global positioning system device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method determines the approximate location for the communication device by using time distance of arrival or time of arrival, or other position location techniques by using a control channel signal or other signals from devices in a user channel map network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of transmitting a registration request and location information on a reverse channel for the control channel from the communication device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication device receives an updated user channel map in response to the registration request.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of maintaining a real-time status of licensed users for the user channel map and wherein the method prohibits the use if a licensed operator signal is found within the user channel map.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of modifying a buffer tolerance used for comparison with the boundary location information based on a level of location accuracy of the communication device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the control channel uses a portion of a 900 MHz Location and Monitoring Service (LMS) band channel for mulitlateration for location determination by the communication device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the method determines how to avoid interference by determining a probability that a given user device will cause interference to a licensed user by multiplying (P1) the probability that a given location does not have coverage on white space channel “

N”

times (P2) the probability that a given user device is in the proximity of a licensed receiver to cause interference.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the band of radio frequencies used with local, regional, or national frequency allocation are licensed television broadcasting frequencies.

15. A system of dynamic allocation of spectrum for a communication device where a band of radio frequencies is used with a local, regional, or national frequency allocation that leads to a subset of the bands containing unused or available frequencies in any geographic area, but not all channels are used in all markets due to the need to protect receivers from interference from other stations, comprising:

a receiver for receiving an user channel map on a control channel, wherein the user channel maps contains at least boundary location information for one or more channel resources, the control channel being outside the one or more channel resources;

a processor coupled to the receiver, wherein the processor is operable to;

determine at least an approximate location for the communication device;

compare the approximate location with the boundary location information;

determine which channels can avoid co-channel and adjacent channel interference with licensed user signals and other unlicensed user signals based on the comparison; and

relax communication parameters if no licensed user signals are found in the user channel map, tighten the communication parameters if co-channel, adjacent channel, or other interference generating channel use is found within the user channel map.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the user channel map further comprises communication parameters comprising maximum allowable transmit power, duty cycle, and in use information by other unlicensed and licensed users.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is operable to prohibit use if a licensed operator signal is found within the user channel map.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the boundary location information comprises polygon endpoint calculations and associated technical communication parameters.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor further determines the approximate location for the communication device by using time distance of arrival or time of arrival, or other position location techniques by using a control channel signal or other signals from devices in a user channel map network.

20. A system of dynamic allocation of spectrum for a communication device where a band of radio frequencies is used with a local, regional, or national frequency allocation that leads to a subset of the bands containing unused or available frequencies in any geographic area, but not all channels are used in all markets due to the need to protect receivers from interference from other stations, comprising:

a receiver for receiving an user channel map on a control channel, wherein the user channel maps contains at least boundary location information for one or more channel resources, the control channel being outside the one or more channel resources;

a processor coupled to the receiver, wherein the processor is operable to;

determine at least an approximate location for the communication device;

compare the approximate location with the boundary location information;

determine which channels can avoid co-channel and adjacent channel interference with licensed users and other unlicensed users based on the comparison; and

determine how to avoid interference by determining a probability that a given user device will cause interference to a licensed user device by multiplying (P1) the probability that a given location does not have coverage on white space channel “

N”

times (P2) the probability that a given user device is in the proximity of a licensed receiver to cause interference.