System and method for determining precise geo-location of a fixed-location radio device

1. A method of configuring a fixed-location radio device with location information, the method comprising:

during a configuration mode, receiving location data representing a location of an electronic device separate from the fixed-location radio device, the electronic device having location determining capability and located in close proximity to the fixed-location radio device when the location data is determined by the electronic device, and the location of the electronic device functioning as a proxy for the location of the fixed-location radio device;

during the configuration mode, populating a location configuration field stored by the fixed-location radio device with a location value matching the location represented by the location data, the populated location value representing the geographic location of the fixed-location radio device, wherein the location data is determined by the electronic device and received by the fixed-location radio device within a predetermined amount of time as part of a validity check to ensure that the location of the electronic device is determined in close proximity to the actual geo-location of the fixed-location radio device; and

during an active state, requesting spectrum access from a spectrum management server to spectrum that is available for use by the fixed-location radio device to carry out wireless communications at the geographic location represented by the location value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received location data is received from the electronic device over a direct communication link between the fixed-location radio device and the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received location data is received from a remote server, the server having received the location data from the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising verifying that the fixed-location radio device and the electronic device are within the close proximity to each other when the location data is determined by the electronic device, the close proximity being 50 meters or less.

5. The method of claim 4 , the verifying comprising determining that the location data is received over one of a short-range wireless communication connection between the electronic device and the fixed-location radio device or a wired communication connection between the electronic device and the fixed-location radio device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the location data further includes data representing the time the location data was determined, the method further comprising verifying that the location data was generated within a predetermined time before the location data is one of received by the fixed-location radio device or received by a remote server from the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 4 , the verifying comprising:

receiving a key from the electronic device; and

verifying at least two of:

the key has a valid value;

the key is not expired;

less than a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the key was transferred to or obtained by the electronic device; and

the key was one of transferred to the electronic device, obtained by the electronic device, or received from the electronic device when the electronic device is in close proximity with the fixed-location radio device.

8. The method of claim 4 , the verifying comprising measuring signal strength on predetermined channels and transmitting measured signal strength values to a server for comparison to a predetermined spectrum footprint for the location.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location data further includes data representing the time the location data was determined, the method further comprising verifying that the location data was generated within a predetermined time before the location data is one of received by the fixed-location radio device or received by a remote server from the electronic device.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising monitoring to determine if the fixed-location radio device has moved in a manner that indicates potential for the fixed-location radio device to have changed actual geographic location and, if so, repeating the receiving and populating steps.

11. The method of claim 10 , the monitoring comprising monitoring output of a motion sensor of the fixed-location radio device.

12. The method of claim 10 , the monitoring comprising:

measuring signal strength on predetermined channels;

transmitting measured signal strength values to a server for comparison to a predetermined spectrum footprint for the location; and

receiving data from the server, the data indicating potential for the electronic device to have changed actual geographic location.

13. The method of claim 10 , the monitoring comprising monitoring an IP address and routing information for data packets exchanged between the fixed-location device and a remote server.

14. A fixed-location radio device, comprising:

a radio transceiver for establishing wireless communications;

a memory; and

a control circuit that controls operation of the fixed-location radio device and causes the fixed-location radio device to:

during a configuration mode, receive location data representing a location of an electronic device separate from the fixed-location radio device, the location of the electronic device functioning as a proxy for the location of the fixed-location radio device, wherein the location data is determined by the electronic device and received by the fixed-location radio device within a predetermined amount of time as part of a validity check to ensure that the location of the electronic device is determined in close proximity to the actual geo-location of the fixed-location radio device;

during the configuration mode, populate a location configuration field stored in the memory with a location value matching the location represented by the location data, the populated location value representing the geographic location of the fixed-location radio device, and

during an active state, request spectrum access from a spectrum management server to spectrum that is available for use by the fixed-location radio device to carry out wireless communications at the geographic location represented by the location value.

15. The fixed-location radio device of claim 14 , wherein the fixed-location radio device further verifies that the fixed-location radio device and the electronic device are within close proximity to each other when the location data is determined by the electronic device.

16. The fixed-location radio device of claim 15 , wherein the verification includes determining that the location data is received over one of a short-range wireless communication connection between the electronic device and the fixed-location radio device or a wired communication connection between the electronic device and the fixed-location radio device.

17. The fixed-location radio device of claim 16 , wherein the location data further includes data representing the time said location data was determined, and the fixed location radio device further verifies that the location data was generated within a predetermined time before the location data is one of received by the fixed-location radio device or received by a remote server from the electronic device.

18. The fixed-location radio device of claim 15 , wherein the verification includes measuring signal strength on predetermined channels and transmitting measured signal strength values to a server for comparison to a predetermined spectrum footprint for the location.

19. The fixed-location radio device of claim 14 , wherein the location data further includes data representing the time the location data was determined, and the fixed location radio device further verifies that location data was generated within a predetermined time before the location data is one of received by the fixed-location radio device or received by a remote server from the electronic device.

20. A method of determining a location of a fixed-location radio device with a separate electronic device, comprising:

determining, with the separate electronic device and during a configuration mode of the fixed-location radio device, a location of the separate electronic device to within a predetermined accuracy;

obtaining, with the separate electronic device and during the configuration mode of the fixed-location radio device, a key from the fixed-location radio device; and

submitting, with the separate electronic device and during the configuration mode of the fixed-location radio device, the location and key to at least one of the fixed-location radio device or a server;

wherein the determining, obtaining and submitting are carried out within a predetermined amount of time as a validity check to ensure that the location of the separate electronic device is determined in close proximity to the actual geo-location of the fixed-location radio device; and

wherein, during an active state of the fixed-location radio device, the determined location of the separate electronic device serves as the geographic location of the fixed-location radio device in spectrum access requests made by the fixed-location radio device to a spectrum management server.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the key is obtained by scanning a bar code affixed to the fixed-location radio device.