Methods and apparatus for determining a composite channel
In a communication system that utilizes at least a primary channel, a secondary channel. and a tertiary channel, it is determined whether the primary channel is idle, and it is determined that a composite channel includes a set of one or more channels chosen from at least i) the primary channel, ii) the secondary channel, and iii) the tertiary channel based at least on a determination of whether the primary channel is idle. A signal is transmitted via the composite channel after determining the composite channel.
1. A method of determining an available channel bandwidth in a communication system that utilizes at least a primary channel, a secondary channel, and a tertiary channel, the method comprising:
determining whether the primary channel is idle;
determining whether the secondary channel is idle at least when it is determined that the primary channel is idle, wherein
when the secondary channel does not overlap with a primary channel corresponding to another communication system, determining whether the secondary channel is idle includes determining whether the secondary channel is idle for a first time period, and
when the secondary channel overlaps with the primary channel corresponding to the other communication system, determining whether the secondary channel is idle includes determining whether the secondary channel is idle for a second time period longer than the first time period;
determining that a composite channel includes a set of one or more channels chosen from at least i) the primary channel, ii) the secondary channel, and iii) the tertiary channel based at least on a) whether the primary channel is idle and b) whether the secondary channel is idle; and
transmitting a signal via the composite channel after determining the composite channel.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein determining that the composite channel includes the set of one or more channels comprises determining that the composite channel includes at least the secondary channel when it is determined that the secondary channel is idle.
3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein determining that the composite channel includes the set of one or more channels comprises determining that the composite channel includes only the primary channel i) when it is determined that the secondary channel is not idle, and ii) whether or not the tertiary channel is idle.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary channel comprises at least a first bandwidth portion and a second bandwidth portion,
wherein determining if the secondary channel is idle comprises i) determining if the first bandwidth portion is idle, ii) determining if the second bandwidth portion is idle, and iii) determining that the secondary channel is not idle when at least one of a) it is determined that the first bandwidth portion is not idle, or b) it is determined that the second bandwidth portion is not idle.
5. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the tertiary channel is idle at least when i) it is determined that the primary channel is idle and ii) it is determined that the secondary channel is idle, wherein
when the tertiary channel does not overlap with the primary channel corresponding to other communication system, determining whether the tertiary channel is idle includes determining whether the tertiary channel is idle for a third time period, and
when the tertiary channel overlaps with the primary channel corresponding to the other communication system, determining whether the tertiary channel is idle includes determining whether the tertiary channel is idle for a fourth time period longer than the third time period,
determining that the composite channel includes the set of one or more channels is further based on whether the tertiary channel is idle at least when i) it is determined that the primary channel is idle and ii) it is determined that the secondary channel is idle.
6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein determining that the composite channel includes the set of one or more channels comprises determining that the composite channel includes at least the tertiary channel when it is determined that the tertiary channel is idle.
7. A method according to claim 5 , wherein determining that the composite channel includes the set of one or more channels comprises determining that the composite channel includes only the primary channel and the secondary channel i) when it is determined that the tertiary channel is not idle, and ii) whether or not a quaternary channel is idle.
8. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the tertiary channel comprises a first bandwidth portion and a second bandwidth portion,
wherein determining if the tertiary channel is idle comprises: i) determining if the first bandwidth portion is idle, ii) determining if the second bandwidth portion is idle, and iii) determining that the tertiary channel is not idle if at least one of a) it is determined that the first bandwidth portion is not idle, or b) it is determined that the second bandwidth portion is not idle.
9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the tertiary channel further comprises a third bandwidth portion and a fourth bandwidth portion,
wherein determining if the tertiary channel is idle further comprises: i) determining if the third bandwidth portion is idle, ii) determining if the fourth bandwidth portion is idle, and iii) determining that the tertiary channel is not idle when at least one of a) it is determined that the third bandwidth portion is not idle, or b) it is determined that the fourth bandwidth portion is not idle.
10. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the communication system further utilizes at least a quaternary channel, and wherein the method further comprises:
determining, whether the quaternary channel is idle at least when i) it is determined that the primary channel is idle, ii) it is determined that the secondary channel is idle, and iii) it is determined that the tertiary channel is idle, and
wherein determining that the composite channel includes the set of one or more channels is further based on whether the quaternary channel is idle at least when i) it is determined that the primary channel is idle, ii) it is determined that the secondary channel is idle, and iii) it is determined that the tertiary channel is idle.
11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein determining that the composite channel includes the set of one or more channels comprises determining that the composite channel includes at least the quaternary channel when it is determined that the quaternary channel is idle.
12. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the quaternary channel comprises a plurality of bandwidth portions,
wherein determining if the quaternary channel is idle comprises determining that the quaternary channel is not idle if it is determined that at least one bandwidth portion of the quaternary channel is not idle.
13. A communication device, comprising:
a network interface configured to
determine whether a primary channel of a communication system is idle,
determine whether a secondary channel of the communication system is idle at least when it is determined that the primary channel is idle, wherein
when the secondary channel does not overlap with a primary channel corresponding to another communication system, determining whether the secondary channel is idle includes determining whether the secondary channel is idle for a first time period, and
when the secondary channel overlaps with the primary channel corresponding to the other communication system, determining whether the secondary channel is idle includes determining whether the secondary channel is idle for a second time period longer than the first time period,
determine that a composite channel includes a set of one or more channels chosen from at least i) the primary channel, ii) the secondary channel, and iii) a tertiary channel based at least on a) whether the primary channel is idle and b) whether the secondary channel is idle, and
transmit a signal via the composite channel after determining the composite channel.
14. A communication device according to claim 13 , wherein the network interface is configured to determine that the composite channel includes at least the secondary channel when it is determined that the secondary channel is idle.
15. A communication device according to claim 13 , wherein the network interface is configured to determine that the composite channel includes only the primary channel i) when it is determined that the secondary channel is not idle, and ii) whether or not the tertiary channel is idle.
16. A communication device according to claim 13 , wherein the secondary channel comprises at least a first bandwidth portion and a second bandwidth portion, and
wherein the network interface is configured to determine i) if the first bandwidth portion is idle, ii) if the second bandwidth portion is idle, and iii) that the secondary channel is not idle when at least one of a) it is determined that the first bandwidth portion is not idle, or b) it is determined that the second bandwidth portion is not idle.
17. A communication device according to claim 13 , wherein the network interface is configured to
determine whether the tertiary channel is idle at least when i) it is determined that the primary channel is idle and ii) it is determined that the secondary channel is idle, wherein
when the tertiary channel does not overlap with the primary channel corresponding to other communication system, determining whether the tertiary channel is idle includes determining whether the tertiary channel is idle for a third time period, and
when the tertiary channel overlaps with the primary channel corresponding to the other communication system, determining whether the tertiary channel is idle includes determining whether the tertiary channel is idle for a fourth time period longer than the third time period, and
determining that the composite channel includes the set of one or more channels further based on whether the tertiary channel is idle at least when i) it is determined that the primary channel is idle and ii) it is determined that the secondary channel is idle.
18. A communication device according to claim 17 , wherein the network interface is configured to determine that the composite channel includes at least the tertiary channel when it is determined that the tertiary channel is idle.
19. A communication device according to claim 17 , wherein the network interface is configured to determine that the composite channel includes only the primary channel and the secondary channel i) when it is determined that the tertiary channel is not idle, and ii) whether or not a quaternary channel is idle.
20. A communication device according to claim 17 , wherein the tertiary channel comprises a plurality of bandwidth portions,
wherein the network interface is configured to determine that the tertiary channel is not idle if it is determined that at least one bandwidth portion is not idle.
21. A communication device according to claim 17 , wherein the communication system further utilizes at least a quaternary channel, and wherein the network interface is configured to
determine whether the quaternary channel is idle at least when i) it is determined that the primary channel is idle, ii) it is determined that the secondary channel is idle, and iii) it is determined that the tertiary channel is idle, and
determine that the composite channel includes the set of one or more channels further based on the quaternary channel is idle at least when i) it is determined that the primary channel is idle, ii) it is determined that the secondary channel is idle, and iii) it is determined that the tertiary channel is idle.
22. A communication device according to claim 21 , wherein the network interface is configured to determine that the composite channel includes at least the quaternary channel when it is determined that the quaternary channel is idle.
23. A communication device according to claim 21 , wherein the quaternary channel comprises a plurality of bandwidth portions,
wherein the network interface is configured to determine that the quaternary channel is not idle if it is determined that at least one bandwidth portion of the quaternary channel is not idle.