Apparatus, communication system and methods for enabling spectrum access
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the invention provide for allocating spectrum in a wireless communication system that supports simultaneously at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. Logic is arranged for determining a proportion of spectrum required for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation. Logic for allocating spectrum allocates a temporary guard band between a first portion of spectrum for the first mode of operation and a second portion of spectrum for the second mode of operation for use while the wireless communication unit operates simultaneously in the first mode of operation and second mode of operation.
1. An apparatus for allocating spectrum in a wireless communication system that supports simultaneously at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the apparatus comprises:
logic for determining a proportion of spectrum required for a wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation; and
logic for allocating spectrum in a wireless communication system configured to allocate a temporary guard band between a first portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate in the first mode of operation and a second portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in the second mode of operation;
wherein a bandwidth of the allocated temporary guard band is preconfigured based on a mapping of services to one or more frequency carrier(s).
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first mode of operation comprises operation in unpaired spectrum and the second mode of operation comprises operation in paired spectrum.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first mode of operation comprises downlink only transmissions and the second mode of operation comprises frequency division duplex (FDD) uplink operation.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first mode of operation comprises broadcast TV downlink transmissions.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein a bandwidth of the allocated temporary guard band is configured as an integer multiple of an unpaired channel bandwidth.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the temporary guard band comprises a bandwidth that falls at least partially within a first spectrum band supporting the first mode of operation.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a bandwidth of the allocated temporary guard band is configured as an integer multiple of the first portion of spectrum.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the temporary guard band comprises a bandwidth that falls at least partially within a second spectrum band supporting the second mode of operation.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter for transmitting a message to the wireless communication unit wherein the message comprises an instruction to the wireless communication unit to limit transmissions within the temporary guard band.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the logic for allocating spectrum in a wireless communication system is capable of re-allocating a portion of the temporary guard band for use by at least one further wireless communication unit.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a receiver for receiving a first signal from the wireless communication unit wherein the first signal comprises a request for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the receiver receiving the first signal comprises logic for identifying an implicit request from the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the receiver receiving the first signal comprises logic for identifying a request for a service from the wireless communication unit.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the requested service comprises a broadcast service.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the receiver receiving the first signal comprises logic for identifying an explicit request from the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter capable of sending to the wireless communication unit a request for an indication from the wireless communication unit of a desired temporary guard band.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising logic for receiving an indication from the wireless communication unit of a desired temporary guard band.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter to transmit at least an encryption parameter to the wireless communication unit to instruct the wireless communication unit to operate in a first portion of spectrum in the first mode of operation and simultaneously in a second portion of spectrum in the second mode of operation.
19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a first Operator and a second Operator are allocated shared spectrum on one or both sides of the temporary guard band.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first Operator utilises spectrum allocated to the second Operator.
21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the spectrum allocation from the first Operator and second Operator is aggregated and at least a portion of the aggregated spectrum shared there between.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the at least a portion of the aggregated spectrum is shared to provide shared content.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the shared content comprises shared TV channels.
24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the shared aggregated spectrum comprises unpaired spectrum adjacent to the frequency division duplex (FDD) uplink (UL) allocation.
25. A communication system capable of supporting simultaneously at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein the communication system comprises:
logic for determining a proportion of spectrum required for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation;
logic for configuring spectrum access in the wireless communication system; and
logic of allocating a temporary guard band between a first portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate in the first mode of operation and a second portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in the second mode of operation;
wherein a bandwidth of the allocated temporary guard band is preconfigured based on a mapping of services to one or more frequency carrier(s).
26. A non-transitory computer program product having executable program code stored therein for allocating spectrum in a wireless communication system, the program code operable for, when executed at an apparatus in a wireless communication system:
determining a proportion of spectrum required for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in both the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation;
configuring spectrum access in a wireless communication system by allocating a temporary guard band between a first portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate in the first mode of operation and a second portion of spectrum for the wireless communication unit to operate simultaneously in the second mode of operation;
wherein a bandwidth of the allocated temporary guard band is preconfigured based on a mapping of services to one or more frequency carrier(s).