Sharing operating frequency amongst wireless networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016157103-A1
Application number	US-201314903983-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 11, 2013
Priority date	Jul 11, 2013
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program for operating a shared spectrum pool in a cellular communication system is disclosed. The method includes: selecting, by a network apparatus of a first cellular communication system, a first frequency sub-band comprised in a shared spectrum pool of a licensed frequency spectrum as a primary sub-band, wherein the shared spectrum pool is divided into a plurality of sub-bands; forming, by the network apparatus, a frequency allocation pattern for the first frequency band, wherein the frequency allocation pattern specifies frequency allocation to at least one base station of the first cellular communication system within the first frequency sub-band; causing, by the network apparatus, said at least one base station of the first cellular communication system to occupy the first frequency sub-band according to the frequency allocation pattern; and causing, by the network apparatus, at least one base station of the first cellular communication system to occupy a second frequency sub-band comprised in the shared spectrum pool of a licensed frequency spectrum, wherein the second sub-band is a primary sub-band of a second cellular communication system.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
selecting, by a network apparatus of a first cellular communication system, a first frequency sub-band included in a shared spectrum pool of a licensed frequency spectrum as a primary sub-band, wherein the shared spectrum pool is divided into a plurality of sub-bands; forming, by the network apparatus, a frequency allocation pattern for the first frequency sub-band, wherein the frequency allocation pattern specifies frequency allocation to at least one base station of the first cellular communication system within the first frequency sub-band; causing, by the network apparatus, the at least one base station of the first cellular communication system to occupy the first frequency sub-band according to the frequency allocation pattern; and causing, by the network apparatus, at least one base station of the first cellular communication system to occupy a second frequency sub-band included in the shared spectrum pool of a licensed frequency spectrum, wherein the second frequency sub-band is a primary sub-band of a second cellular communication system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising by the network apparatus:
monitoring inter-system interference on at least one of the first frequency sub-band and the second frequency sub-band and, upon detecting interference, performing an interference control procedure by requesting at least one base station of the first cellular communication system or the second cellular communication system to reduce the interference.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising by the network apparatus:
detecting interference caused by the second cellular communication system on the first frequency sub-band and, as a response causing transmission of a notification of the detected interference to the second cellular communication system.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising by the network apparatus:
receiving, by the network apparatus from the second cellular communication system, a notification of detected interference and, as a response, causing transmission of a command to the at least one base station occupying the second frequency sub-band to reduce interference towards the second cellular communication system.

5 .- 8 . (canceled)

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting the first frequency sub-band in a prioritized selection process and in communication with other one or more cellular communication systems using the shared spectrum pool, wherein a network apparatus of each cellular communication system selects a frequency sub-band in the prioritized selection process and possible conflicting selections are solved according to predetermined priority orders of the network apparatuses.

10 . (canceled)

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising in the network apparatus:
negotiating with at least one network apparatus of the second cellular communication system using the shared spectrum pool, spectrum sharing policies applied to the shared spectrum pool, the spectrum sharing policies comprising at least one of the following: bandwidths of the frequency sub-bands of the shared spectrum pool, a number of radio component carriers on each frequency sub-band of the shared spectrum pool, priority order of each network apparatus to each frequency sub-band, and at least one adjustment action carried out when reducing interference towards another cellular communication system.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising by the network apparatus:
carrying out renegotiation of the spectrum sharing policies applied to the shared spectrum pool upon occurrence of a determined event.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising by the network apparatus:
assigning a cluster identifier to the at least one base station of the first cellular communication system occupying the second frequency sub-band.

14 . An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to: select a first frequency sub-band included in a shared spectrum pool of a licensed frequency spectrum as a primary sub-band for a first cellular communication system, wherein the shared spectrum pool is divided into a plurality of sub-bands; form a frequency allocation pattern for the first frequency sub-band, wherein the frequency allocation pattern specifies frequency allocation to at least one base station of the first cellular communication system within the first frequency sub-band; cause said at least one base station of the first cellular communication system to occupy the first frequency sub-band according to the frequency allocation pattern; and cause at least one base station of the first cellular communication system to occupy a second frequency sub-band included in the shared spectrum pool of a licensed frequency spectrum, wherein the second frequency sub-band is a primary sub-band of a second cellular communication system.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:
monitor inter-system interference on at least one of the first frequency sub-band and the second frequency sub-band and, upon detecting interference, perform an interference control procedure by requesting at least one base station of the first cellular communication system or the second cellular communication system to reduce the interference.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:
detect interference caused by the second cellular communication system on the first frequency sub-band and, as a response cause transmission of a notification of the detected interference to the second cellular communication system.

17 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:
receive, from the second cellular communication system, a notification of detected interference and, as a response, cause transmission of a command to the at least one base station occupying the second frequency sub-band to reduce interference towards the second cellular communication system.

18 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:
cause the at least one base station of the first cellular communication system to occupy the second frequency sub-band by using the same frequency allocation pattern used in the first frequency sub-band.

22 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to:
select the first frequency sub-band in a prioritized selection process and in communication with other one or more cellular communication systems using the shared spectrum pool, wherein each cellular communication system selects a frequency sub-band in the prioritized selection process and possible conflicting selections are solved according to predetermined priority orders of the cellular communication systems.

23 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least on

Assignees

• Nokia Solutions & Networks Oy

Inventors

• Teng Yong
• Yu Ling
• Horneman Kari Veilkko

Classifications

• H04W16/14 Primary

  Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} · CPC title

• H04W72/541

  using the level of interference · CPC title

• H04W72/0453

  Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA · CPC title

• H04W72/082

  Electricity · mapped topic