APPARATUS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
In one or more embodiments described herein, there is provided an apparatus configured to generate a prioritised radio channel selection list, in accordance with at least one predetermined selection criterion, for one or more adjacent perimeter areas of respective adjacent radio channel cells. The at least one predetermined selection criterion is configured to prioritise radio channels selection in the respective adjacent perimeter areas such that they are ranked to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by radio devices located in the respective adjacent perimeter areas.
1 . An apparatus comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to generate a prioritised radio channel selection list, in accordance with at least one predetermined selection criterion, for one or more adjacent perimeter areas of respective adjacent radio channel cells, the predetermined selection criterion configured to prioritise radio channels selection in the respective adjacent perimeter areas such that they are ranked to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by radio devices located in the respective adjacent perimeter areas.
2 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to generate said prioritised channel selection list, in accordance with said at least one predetermined criterion, such that the non-common channels are ranked so as to have a high selection priority in adjacent perimeter areas so as to increase the probability of different channels being selected for use by radio devices located in the respective adjacent perimeter areas.
3 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to generate said prioritised channel selection list, in accordance with said at least one predetermined criterion, such that the common channels are ranked so as to have a lower selection priority in adjacent perimeter areas relative to the ranking of non-common channels so as to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by radio devices located in the respective adjacent perimeter areas.
4 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to generate said prioritised channel selection list, in accordance with said at least one predetermined criterion, such that the common channels are ranked in opposing/different order in adjacent perimeter areas of respective adjacent cells so as to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by radio devices located in the respective adjacent perimeter areas.
5 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one predetermined criterion is configured to:
identify available radio channels in respective cells;
determine non-common channels and common channels in adjacent cells; and
rank non-common channels so as to have a high selection priority, and common channels so as to have a lower selection priority relative to the ranking of the non-common channels and in opposing/different order to one another.
6 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to generate a prioritised radio channel selection list, in accordance with the at least one predetermined selection criterion, for one or more central/inner areas of adjacent radio channel cells, the predetermined selection criterion configured to prioritise radio channels selection in the central/inner areas such that they are ranked to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use in a particular time instance by respective devices in the central/inner area and devices in one of the adjacent perimeter areas of that respective cell.
7 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to sub-divide respective adjacent radio channel cells to thereby define one or more perimeter areas and one or more central/inner areas within each cell, the prioritised channel selection lists being generated for each perimeter and central/area so as to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by respective devices in respective adjacent areas during particular time instances.
8 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured with the at least one processor to cause the apparatus to provide the corresponding prioritised radio channel selection list for a particular area/cell to a device in response to the device querying radio channel selection availability whilst the device is located substantially in the cell.
9 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said rules govern preferred channel selection order for a mobile radio device located in a given perimeter area, for communication within each perimeter area to thereby reduce the probability of channel interference between devices located in particular areas of adjacent cells.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprise an apparatus selected from a list comprising: a network database server, a cellular network database server, a white-space network database server, a mobile/portable radio device, a hand-portable radio device, or a module for the aforementioned server/device.
11 . An apparatus comprising a generator configured to generate a prioritised radio channel selection list, in accordance with at least one predetermined selection criterion, for one or more adjacent perimeter areas of adjacent radio channel cells, the predetermined selection criterion configured to prioritise radio channels selection in adjacent perimeter areas such that they are ranked to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by radio devices located in adjacent perimeter areas.
12 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program comprising program code configured to, when run on a processor, generate a prioritised radio channel selection list, in accordance with at least one predetermined selection criterion, for one or more adjacent perimeter areas of respective adjacent radio channel cells, the predetermined selection criterion configured to prioritise radio channels selection in the respective adjacent perimeter areas such that they are ranked to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by radio devices located in the respective adjacent perimeter areas.
13 . An apparatus comprising a module configured to generate a prioritised radio channel selection list, in accordance with at least one predetermined selection criterion, for one or more adjacent perimeter areas of respective adjacent radio channel cells, the predetermined selection criterion configured to prioritise radio channels selection in the respective adjacent perimeter areas such that they are ranked to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by radio devices located in the respective adjacent perimeter areas.
14 . A method comprising generating a prioritised radio channel selection list, in accordance with at least one predetermined selection criterion, for one or more adjacent perimeter areas of respective adjacent radio channel cells, the predetermined selection criterion configured to prioritise radio channels selection in the respective adjacent perimeter areas such that they are ranked to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by radio devices located in the respective adjacent perimeter areas.
15 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising generating said prioritised channel selection list, in accordance with said at least one predetermined criterion, such that the non-common channels are ranked so as to have a high selection priority in adjacent perimeter areas so as to increase the probability of different channels being selected for use by radio devices located in the respective adjacent perimeter areas.
16 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising generating said prioritised channel selection list, in accordance with said at least one predetermined criterion, such that the common channels are ranked so as to have a lower selection priority in adjacent perimeter areas relative to the ranking of non-common channels so as to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by radio devices located in the respective adjacent perimeter areas.
17 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising generating said prioritised channel selection list, in accordance with said at least one predetermined criterion, such that the common channels are ranked in opposing/different order in adjacent perimeter areas of respective adjacent cells so as to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by radio devices located in the respective adjacent perimeter areas.
18 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising generating a prioritised radio channel selection list, in accordance with the at least one predetermined selection criterion, for one or more central/inner areas of adjacent radio channel cells, the predetermined selection criterion configured to prioritise radio channels selection in the central/inner areas such that they are ranked to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use in a particular time instance by respective devices in the central/inner area and devices in one of the adjacent perimeter areas of that respective cell.
19 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising subdividing respective adjacent radio channel cells to thereby define one or more perimeter areas and one or more central/inner areas within each cell, the prioritised channel selection lists being generated for each perimeter and central/area so as to reduce the probability of the same channel being selected for use by respective devices in respective adjacent areas during particular time instances.
20 . A radio device comprising the apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to:
receive non-prioritised channel selection signalling indicating a non-prioritised channel selection list;
receive indication signalling indicative of the at least one predetermined selection criterion; and
prioritise the non-prioritised channel selection list using the predetermined selection criterion to thereby generate the prioritised radio channel selection list.