IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,681,709
Granted Patent B2
US 8,681,709 · App. 12/056,991 · Granted Mar 25, 2014

Dynamic allocation of communications resources

Inventors: DeWayne Allan Sennett (Redmond, WA); Brian Kevin Daly (Seattle, WA)
Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,681,709
App. No.
12/056,991
Granted
Mar 25, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a communications spectrum shared by public safety users and commercial users, in the event of an emergency condition, commercial users are preempted and corresponding bandwidth is reallocated to authorized public safety users. When the emergency condition subsides, the reallocated bandwidth is made available for commercial use. Reallocation and preemption can be initiated by an authorized public safety entity and/or can be initiated when public safety usage exceeds a predetermined usage threshold.

Claims (59)

1. A method comprising:

responsive to a determination that usage of a communication spectrum by a first user exceeds a first predetermined threshold, and a prediction that usage of the communication spectrum by the first user will exceed a second predetermined threshold, determining that the first user of the communications spectrum is authorized to utilize an additional portion of the communications spectrum for public safety use;

upon a determination that the first user is authorized to utilize the additional portion of the communications spectrum for public safety use, determining that the additional portion of the spectrum is in use;

upon a determination that the additional portion of the communications spectrum is not in use, allocating the additional portion of the communications spectrum to the first user;

upon a determination that the additional portion of the communications spectrum is in use:

preempting at least one second user from utilizing the additional portion of the communications spectrum; and

allocating the additional portion of the communications spectrum to the first user; and

responsive to a determination that usage of the communication spectrum by the first user no longer exceeds the first predetermined threshold, and a prediction that a usage of the communication spectrum by the first user will not exceed the second predetermined threshold, making the allocated additional portion of the communications spectrum available to other than the preempted at least one second user, wherein the at least one second user remains permanently preempted from utilizing the additional portion of the communications spectrum.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein:

the first user utilizes the communications spectrum for public safety use; and

the at least one preempted second user utilizes the communications spectrum for commercial use.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the additional portion of the communications spectrum is allocated to the first user in response to an occurrence of an emergency.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the communications spectrum comprises a first portion designated for use by the first user, and a second portion designated for use by the at least one second user, the method further comprising:

determining that the additional portion of the spectrum is in use in the first portion of the communication spectrum;

upon a determination that the additional portion of the spectrum is not in use in the first portion of the communication spectrum, allocating the additional portion of the first portion of the communications spectrum to the first user; and

upon a determination that the additional portion of the first portion of the communications spectrum is in use:

preempting at least one second user from utilizing the additional portion of the second portion of the communications spectrum; and

allocating the additional portion of the second portion of the communications spectrum to the first user.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the at least one second user is selected for preemption in accordance with a respective predetermined priority assigned to each at least one second user.

6. A system comprising:

memory having executable instructions stored thereon; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, for executing the executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

responsive to a determination that usage of a communication spectrum by a first user exceeds a first predetermined threshold, or a prediction that usage of the communication spectrum by the first user will exceed a second predetermined threshold, determining that the first user of the communications spectrum is authorized to utilize an additional portion of the communications spectrum for public safety use;

upon a determination that the first user is authorized to utilize the additional portion of the communications spectrum for public safety use, determining that the additional portion of the spectrum is in use;

upon a determination that the additional portion of the spectrum is not in use, allocating the additional portion of the communications spectrum to the first user;

upon a determination that the additional portion of the communications spectrum is in use:

preempting at least one second user from utilizing the additional portion of the communications spectrum; and

allocating the additional portion of the communications spectrum to the first user; and

responsive to a determination that usage of the communication spectrum by the first user no longer exceeds the first predetermined threshold, and a prediction that a usage of the communication spectrum by the first user will not exceed the second predetermined threshold, making the allocated additional portion of the communications spectrum available to other than the preempted at least one second user, wherein the at least one second user remains permanently preempted from utilizing the additional portion of the communications spectrum.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein:

the first user utilizes the communications spectrum for public safety use; and

the second user utilizes the communications spectrum for commercial use.

8. The system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the additional portion of the communications spectrum is allocated to the first user in response to an occurrence of an emergency.

9. The system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the communications spectrum comprises a first portion designated for use by the first user, and a second portion designated for use by the at least one second user, the operations further comprising:

determining that the additional portion of the spectrum is in use in the first portion of the communication spectrum;

upon a determination that the additional portion of the spectrum is not in use in the first portion of the communication spectrum, allocating the additional portion of the first portion of the communications spectrum to the first user; and

upon a determination that the additional portion of the first portion of the communications spectrum is in use:

preempting at least one second user from utilizing the additional portion of the second portion of the communications spectrum; and

allocating the additional portion of the second portion of the communications spectrum to the first user.

10. The system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the at least one second user is selected for preemption in accordance with a respective predetermined priority assigned to each at least one second user.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium not being a transient signal, the computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for causing a processor to perform operations comprising:

responsive to a determination that usage of a communication spectrum by a first user exceeds a first predetermined threshold, and a prediction that usage of the communication spectrum by the first user will exceed a second predetermined threshold, determining that the first user of the communications spectrum is authorized to utilize an additional portion of the communications spectrum for public safety use;

upon a determination that the first user is authorized to utilize the additional portion of the communications spectrum for public safety use, determining that the additional portion of the spectrum is in use;

upon a determination that the additional portion of the spectrum is not in use, allocating the additional portion of the communications spectrum to the first user;

upon a determination that the additional portion of the communications spectrum is in use:

preempting at least one second user from utilizing the additional portion of the communications spectrum; and

allocating the additional portion of the communications spectrum to the first user; and

responsive to a determination that usage of the communication spectrum by the first user no longer exceeds the first predetermined threshold, and a prediction that a usage of the communication spectrum by the first user will not exceed the second predetermined threshold, making the allocated additional portion of the communications spectrum available to other than the preempted at least one second user, wherein the at least one second user remains permanently preempted from utilizing the additional portion of the communications spectrum.

12. The computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 11 , wherein:

the first user utilizes the communications spectrum for public safety use; and

the second user utilizes the communications spectrum for commercial use.

13. The computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the additional portion of the communications spectrum is allocated to the first user in response to an occurrence of an emergency.

14. The computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the communications spectrum comprises a first portion designated for use by the first user, and a second portion designated for use by the at least one second user, the operations further comprising:

determining that the additional portion of the spectrum is in use in the first portion of the communication spectrum;

upon a determination that the additional portion of the spectrum is not in use in the first portion of the communication spectrum, allocating the additional portion of the first portion of the communications spectrum to the first user; and

upon a determination that the additional portion of the first portion of the communications spectrum is in use:

preempting at least one second user from utilizing the additional portion of the second portion of the communications spectrum; and

allocating the additional portion of the second portion of the communications spectrum to the first user.

15. The computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the at least one second user is selected for preemption in accordance with a respective predetermined priority assigned to each at least one second user.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2008
From: SENNETT, DEWAYNE ALLAN; DALY, BRIAN KEVIN
To: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
Reel/Frame 020944/0720 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090247204A1 · Oct 1, 2009