Bearer selection and negotiation in autonomous dynamic spectrum access systems

1. A method for communicating between a plurality of nodes, comprising:

sensing spectrum activity on at least one channel;

generating spectrum awareness data based at least in part on the sensed spectrum activity;

determining at least one selected bearer based on the spectrum awareness data and on external data, said external data comprising an allowed transmit power density policy entry.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

informing at least one neighbor node of the at least one selected bearer.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

negotiating with at least one neighbor node to establish at least one bearer.

4. The method of claim 3 , where negotiating with at least one neighbor node to establish at least one bearer comprises:

sending a bearer proposal message to the at least one neighbor node, wherein the bearer proposal message identifies the at least one selected bearer.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving a bearer proposal message from the at least one neighbor node, wherein the bearer proposal message identifies at least one proposed bearer;

analyzing the at least one proposed bearer based at least in part on at least part of the spectrum awareness data; and

if the at least one proposed bearer is acceptable, according to the spectrum awareness data:

sending an acknowledgement message to the at least one neighbor node; and

using the proposed bearer to communicate with the at least one neighbor node.

6. The method of claim 1 , where determining at least one selected bearer based on the spectrum awareness data further comprises:

determining the at least one selected bearer based at least in part on a system policy objective selected from a group consisting of attempting to converge to at least one common bearer and attempting to diverge to at least two different bearers.

7. The method of claim 1 , where determining at least one selected bearer based on the spectrum awareness data further comprises:

evaluating the at least one channel based at least in part on policy awareness data.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving at least a portion of a neighbor node's spectrum awareness data;

storing at least a portion of the neighbor node's spectrum awareness data; and

where determining at least one selected bearer based on the spectrum awareness data further comprises:

determining at least one selected bearer based on at least one neighbor node's spectrum awareness data.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining at least one change in the spectrum awareness data; and

where determining at least one selected bearer based on the spectrum awareness data further comprises:

determining at least one selected bearer based on the at least one change in the spectrum awareness data.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether to release a bearer, and if so:

sending a bearer release message to at least one neighbor node; and

releasing the bearer.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a bearer release message from at least one neighbor node and in response:

releasing a bearer; and

switching to a new bearer.

12. A mobile node operable to communicate with one or more other mobile nodes, comprising:

an interface operable to:

send and receive signals;

sense spectrum activity on at least one channel; and

one or more processors, where one or more of the one or more processors are configured to:

generate spectrum awareness data based at least in part on the sensed spectrum activity; and

determine at least one selected bearer based on the spectrum awareness data and on external data, said external data comprising an allowed transmit power density policy entry.

13. The mobile node of claim 12 , where one or more of said processors are further configured to:

inform at least one neighbor node of the at least one selected bearer.

14. The mobile node of claim 12 , where one or more of said processors are further configured to:

negotiate with at least one neighbor node to establish at least one bearer.

15. The mobile node of claim 14 , where when negotiating with at least one neighbor node to establish the at least one bearer, one or more of said processors are further configured to:

send a bearer proposal message to the at least one neighbor node, wherein the bearer proposal message identifies the at least one selected bearer.

16. The mobile node of claim 14 , where one or more of said processors are further configured to:

receive a bearer proposal message from the at least one neighbor node, wherein the bearer proposal message identifies at least one proposed bearer;

analyze the at least one proposed bearer based at least in part on at least part of the spectrum awareness data; and

if the at least one proposed bearer is acceptable, according to the spectrum awareness data:

send an acknowledgement message to the at least one neighbor node; and

use the proposed bearer to communicate with the at least one neighbor node.

17. The mobile node of claim 12 , where when determining at least one selected bearer based on the spectrum awareness data, one or more of said processors are further configured to:

determine the at least one selected bearer based at least in part on a system policy objective selected from a group consisting of attempting to converge to at least one common bearer and attempting to diverge to at least two different bearers.

18. The mobile node of claim 12 , where when determining at least one selected bearer based on the spectrum awareness data, one or more of said processors are further configured to:

evaluate the at least one channel based at least in part on policy awareness data.

19. The mobile node of claim 12 , where one or more of said processors are further configured to:

receive at least a portion of a neighbor node's spectrum awareness data;

store the at least a portion of the neighbor node's spectrum awareness data; and

where when determining at least one selected bearer based on the spectrum awareness data, one or more of said processors are further configured to:

determine at least one selected bearer based on at least one neighbor node's spectrum awareness data.

20. The mobile node of claim 12 , where one or more of said processors are further configured to:

determine at least one change in the spectrum one or more awareness data; and

where when determining at least one selected bearer based on the spectrum awareness data, one or more of said processors are further configured to:

determine at least one selected bearer based on the at least one change in the spectrum awareness data.

21. The mobile node of claim 12 , where one or more of said processors are further configured to:

determine whether to release a bearer, and if so:

send a bearer release message to at least one neighbor node; and

release the bearer.

22. The mobile node of claim 12 , where one or more of said processors are further configured to:

receive a bearer release message from at least one neighbor node and in response:

release a bearer; and

switch to a new bearer.

23. A system for establishing communications between a plurality of nodes, comprising:

means for sensing spectrum activity on at least one channel; means for generating spectrum awareness data based at least in part on the sensed spectrum activity;

means for determining at least one selected bearer based on the spectrum awareness data;

means for negotiating at least one selected bearer based on a neighbor node's selected bearer;

means for negotiating at least one selected bearer based on external data comprising allowed transmit power density policy entry.