Harmonization of spectrum access tier and core network architecture

1 . A method comprising:

receiving, from a base station over an NG interface between an access and mobility management function (AMF) and the base station, a first request message from the base station to an automated frequency coordinator of a first network, the first request message including a spectrum inquiry request, the automated frequency coordinator and AMF being part of the first network, and the automated frequency coordinator configured to manage access to a spectrum access tier of a second network;

outputting, for transmission, a spectrum inquiry to the automated frequency coordinator over an AMF interface (Namf), wherein the automated frequency coordinator is to receive the spectrum inquiry request over an automated frequency coordinator interface (Nafc);

receiving, over the Namf and the Nafc, a spectrum inquiry response of the automated frequency coordinator, the spectrum inquiry response describing an available frequency band of the spectrum access tier of the second network for the base station; and

outputting, for transmission to the base station over the NG interface, a first response message including the spectrum inquiry response from the automated frequency coordinator.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

performing, through the automated frequency coordinator, the spectrum inquiry based on the spectrum inquiry request, the performed spectrum inquiry to identify available frequency bands of the spectrum access tier based on the spectrum inquiry request; and

receiving the spectrum inquiry response based on the performed spectrum inquiry.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spectrum inquiry response is based on a spectrum access tier of the base station.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the automated frequency coordinator is a core network function in a core network of the first network.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the AMF from the base station, a second request message including a grant request to reserve the available frequency band of the second network; and

transmitting, by the AMF to the automated frequency coordinator, the second request message over the Namf and the Nafc.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, by the AMF from the automated frequency coordinator over the Nafc, a grant response including a determination of whether the available frequency band of the second network has been reserved; and

transmitting, by the AMF to the base station, a second response message including the grant response.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the base station, a third request message over the NG interface, the third request message including a heartbeat request for authorization to transmit on the available frequency band of the second network; and

outputting, for transmission to the automated frequency coordinator, the third request message over the Namf, wherein the automated frequency coordinator is to receive the third request message over the Nafc.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the automated frequency coordinator over the Namf

a heartbeat response indicating whether the base station is allowed to transmit on the available frequency band of the second network, wherein the automated frequency coordinator is to send the heartbeat response over the Nafc; and

outputting, for transmission to the base station over the NG interface, a third response message including the heartbeat response.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the base station over the NG interface, a fourth request message including a grant relinquishment request to relinquish the available frequency band of the second network; and

outputting, for transmission to the automated frequency coordinator, the fourth request message over the Namf, wherein the automated frequency coordinator is to receive the fourth request message over the Nafc.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the automated frequency coordinator over the Namf,

a grant relinquishment response indicating whether the base station is allowed to relinquish the available frequency band of the second network, wherein the automated frequency coordinator is to send the grant relinquishment response over the Nafc; and

outputting, for transmission to the base station over the NG interface, a fourth response message including the grant relinquishment response.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first request message includes an automated frequency coordinator transfer container, the automated frequency coordinator transfer container including the spectrum inquiry request.

12 . A method comprising:

receiving, from an access and mobility management function (AMF) of a first network, a spectrum inquiry request via a over a spectrum access system (SAS) interface (Nsas) and an AMF interface (Namf), wherein the spectrum inquiry request is based on a first request received by the AMF from a base station over an NG interface;

determining, based on the spectrum inquiry request, available spectrum of a spectrum access tier of a second network;

determining, based on the determined available spectrum, a spectrum inquiry response describing an available frequency band of the spectrum access tier of the second network; and

outputting, for transmission to the AMF over the Nsas and the Namf, the spectrum inquiry response for delivery to the base station.

13 . An apparatus comprising:

interface circuitry; and

processor circuitry, coupled with the interface circuitry, the processor circuitry to:

receive, using the interface circuitry, a first request message from a base station of a first network over an NG interface between the base station and an access and mobility management function (AMF) of the first network;

output, for transmission using the interface circuitry to a spectrum access system (SAS) of the first network, a spectrum inquiry request over an AMF interface (Namf), wherein the SAS is to receive the spectrum inquiry request over an SAS interface (Nsas) of the SAS, and the SAS is configured to manage access to a spectrum access tier of a second network;

receive, from the SAS using the interface circuitry, a spectrum inquiry response over the Namf and the Nsas, the spectrum inquiry response describing an available frequency band of the spectrum access tier of the second network for the base station; and

output, for transmission over the NG interface to the base station using the interface circuitry, a first response message including the spectrum inquiry response.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor circuitry is further to:

receive, from the base station over the NG interface, a grant request to reserve the available frequency band of the spectrum access tier; and

output, for transmission to the SAS over the Namf, a second request message including the grant request.

15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor circuitry is further to:

receive, from the base station and in response to a granted frequency band of the second network, a heartbeat request including an authorization to transmit on the granted frequency band over the NG interface; and

output, for transmission to the SAS a third request message including the heartbeat request over the Namf.

16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor circuitry is further to:

receive, from the base station, a grant relinquishment request including a request to relinquish a granted frequency band on the spectrum access tier over the NG interface; and

transmit, to the SAS, a fourth request message including the grant relinquishment request over the Namf.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:

performing a periodic spectrum inquiry of the spectrum access tier for available frequency bands of the second network; and

publishing the availability of the available spectrum to the base station.

18 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving, from the AMF, a second request message including a grant request to reserve the available frequency band of the spectrum access tier over the Nsas;

determining a grant response including a determination of whether to reserve the frequency band of the second network; and

transmitting, to the AMF, a second response message including the grant response over the Nsas.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

receiving, from the AMF, a third request message including a heartbeat request for authorization to transmit on the available frequency band of the spectrum access tier over the Nsas;

determining a heartbeat response as to whether to authorize transmission on the available frequency band of the second network; and

transmitting, to the AMF, a third response message including the heartbeat response over the Nsas.

20 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving, from the AMF, a fourth request message including a grant relinquishment request to relinquish authorization to transmit on the available frequency band of the spectrum access tier over the Nsas;

determining a grant relinquishment response as to whether to allow relinquishment of authorization to transmit on the available frequency band of the second network; and

transmitting, to the AMF, a fourth response message including the grant relinquishment response over the Nsas.