Spectrum sharing based on self-organizing networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9820260-B2
Application number	US-201314766873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2013
Priority date	Mar 1, 2013
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments use the principles of self-organizing networks to allocate resources to allow spectrum owners to share spectrum with wireless carriers according to defined license conditions. A spectrum licensee holds the licensing conditions of the spectrum licensed by the spectrum owners. This licensed spectrum is referred to as secondary spectrum. A self-organizing network server requests access to secondary spectrum. The spectrum licensee grants access to the secondary spectrum along with the licensing conditions for access. The self-organizing network server monitors the conditions associated with the license and/or delegates the responsibility for monitoring conditions associated with the license to others. When the license conditions are met, enhanced Node B systems may begin using the secondary spectrum according to the license conditions. When the license conditions are no longer met, enhanced Node B systems discontinue use of the secondary spectrum.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by a network component, comprising:
requesting access to a secondary band having a particular capacity condition, geographic region condition, and time period condition;
receiving two secondary band options, each haying a further condition for use, in response to the requesting;
selecting one of the two secondary band options according to a preference rule;
based on the selected secondary band option and a determination that the conditions for the selected secondary band options are met, begin broadcasting availability of the selected secondary band option to a UE;
determining that one of the conditions for the selected secondary band option may be used is no longer met;
based on determining the condition is no longer met, discontinuing use of the secondary band.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition under which the secondary band may be used comprises at least one of:
a geographic region where the secondary band may be used;
a geographic region when: the secondary band may not be used;
a time at which the secondary band may be used;
a time at which the secondary band may not be used;
at least one event that indicates the secondary band may be used;
at least one event that indicates the secondary band may not be used;
a demand threshold above which the secondary band may be used;
a demand threshold below which the secondary band may not be used;
presence of a spectrum owner;
absence of the spectrum owner; and
combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising sending a message to indicate the secondary band has been activated upon determining that the conditions have been met.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising sending a message to indicate the secondary band has been deactivated upon determining that the conditions have no longer been met.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an owner of the secondary band is operating in the secondary band; and
based upon the determining that the owner is operating in the secondary band, implementing a back off procedure.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the back off procedure comprises:
discontinuing use of the secondary band; and
sending a message that the owner is operating in the secondary band.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the back off procedure comprises:
discontinuing use of the secondary band for a period of time;
determining whether the owner is still operating in the secondary band; and
sending a message that the owner is operating in the secondary band.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
retrieving information related to the secondary band from a licensing database comprising licenses and terms of licenses that were created in advance of a need for access to the secondary band, wherein the terms of the licenses include at least one of:
at least one event that indicates the secondary band may be used;
at least one event that indicates the secondary band may not be used;
a demand threshold above which the secondary band may be used;
a demand threshold below which the secondary band may not be used;
presence of a spectrum owner;
absence of the spectrum owner; and
combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein one of the terms of one of the licenses is a term for a declared emergency that permits use of the secondary band for a declared emergency when otherwise not permitted.

10. A wireless device comprising:
transceiver circuitry coupled to the at least one antenna;
memory;
a processor coupled to the memory and transceiver circuitry; and
instructions, stored in the memory, which when executed cause the processor to:
request access to a secondary band having a particular capacity, geographic region, and time period;
receive, via the at least one antenna and transceiver circuitry, a control message containing two secondary band options, each having a further condition for use, in response to the request;
select one of the two secondary band options according to a preference rule or other criteria;
based on the selected secondary band option, broadcast availability of the secondary band to UE;
determine that the condition under which the secondary band may be used is no longer met;
based on the determining that the condition is no longer met, discontinue use of the secondary band.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to send, via the at least one antenna and control circuitry, a message indicating that the secondary band has been activated upon the determining that the conditions have been met.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to send, via the at least one antenna and control circuitry, a message indicating that the secondary band has been deactivated upon the determining that the conditions are no longer met.

13. The device of claim 10 , wherein condition under which the secondary band may be used comprises at least one of:
a geographic region where the secondary band may be used;
a geographic region where the secondary band may not be used;
a time at which the secondary band may be used;
a time at which the secondary band may not be used;
at least one event that indicates the secondary band may be used;
at least one event that indicates the secondary band may not be used;
a demand threshold above which the secondary band may be used;
a demand threshold below which the secondary band may not be used;
presence of a spectrum owner;
absence of the spectrum owner; and
combinations thereof.

14. The device of claim 10 , wherein e instructions further cause the processor to:
determine an owner of the secondary band is operating in the secondary band; and
based upon the determining that the owner is operating in the secondary band, implement a back off procedure.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the back off procedure comprises:
discontinuing use of the secondary band; and
sending a message that the owner is operating in the secondary band.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the back off procedure comprises:
discontinuing use of the secondary band for a period of time; and
determining whether the owner is still operating in the secondary band.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the back off procedure further comprises sending a message that the owner is operating in the secondary band.

18. A computer storage medium having executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, configure a device to:
request access to a secondary band having a particular capacity, geographic region, and time period;
receive a control message containing two secondary band options, each having a further condition for use, in response to the request;
select one of the two secondary band options according to a preference rule or other criteria;
based on the the selected secondary band option, initiating activation of the secondary band to communicate with UE;
determine the condition under which the secondary band may be used is no longer met; and
based on the determining that the condition is no longer met, initiating deactivation of the secondary band to communicate with UE.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the computer storage medium is used by an enhanced Node B (eNB).

20. The computer storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the computer storage medium is used by a self-organizing, network device.

21. The computer s

Assignees

• Intel Ip Corp

Inventors

• Chou Joey
• Venkatachalam Muthaiah

Classifications

• H04W72/542

  using measured or perceived quality · CPC title

• H04W72/543

  based on requested quality, e.g. QoS · CPC title

• H04W72/56

  based on priority criteria · CPC title

• H04W72/20

  Control channels or signalling for resource management · CPC title

• H04W72/30 Primary

  Resource management for broadcast services · CPC title