Television band (TVBD) channel quieting across diverse radio access technologies
Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for the communication of wireless data using diverse radio access technologies (RATs) in Television Band (TVBD) frequencies. An architecture for communicating wireless data in TVBD frequencies may include one or more network nodes that perform functions related to the coordination of channel quieting across multiple diverse RATs. Channel quieting may be performed across multiple diverse RATs by using temporary channel reassignments, by aggregating wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) that use a particular RAT onto the same channel, and/or via other techniques.
1. A method for use in a network node, the method comprising:
receiving data indicating that a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) is operating on a first channel using a radio access technology (RAT);
determining, based on the RAT being used by the WTRU, that the WTRU should move to a second channel prior to a quiet period on the first channel; and
sending a command to the WTRU, the command indicating that the WTRU should move to the second channel.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the WTRU should move to the second channel is further based on data indicating that a second WTRU using the RAT is operating on the second channel.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving data indicating that a third WTRU is operating on the first channel using a second RAT;
receiving data indicating that a fourth WTRU is operating on a third channel using the second RAT; and
determining, based on the third WTRU and the fourth WTRU using the second RAT, that the third WTRU should move to the third channel prior to the quiet period; and
sending a second command to the third WTRU, the second command indicating that the WTRU should move to the third channel.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first channel and the second channel are Television Band (TVBD) channels.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the command is an Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Media Independent Coordination (MIC) message, an IEEE 802.19x message, an IEEE 802.11x message, an IEEE 802.16x message, or an 802.22x message.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a start time for the quiet period based on a radio characteristic of a radio access network on which the WTRU is operating;
wherein the command is based on the start time for the quiet period.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the radio characteristic is channel availability or channel loading.
8. A network node comprising:
a communications interface configured to receive data indicating that a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) is operating on a first channel using a radio access technology (RAT); and
a processor configured to determine, based on the RAT being used by the WTRU, that the WTRU should move to a second channel prior to a quiet period on the first channel;
wherein the communications interface is further configured to send a command to the WTRU, the command indicating that the WTRU should move to the second channel.
9. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the determining that the WTRU should move to the second channel is further based on data indicating that a second WTRU using the RAT is operating on the second channel.
10. The network node of claim 9 , wherein:
the communications interface is further configured to receive data indicating that a third WTRU is operating on the first channel using a second RAT and to receive data indicating that a fourth WTRU is operating on a third channel using the second RAT;
the processor is further configured to determine, based on the third WTRU and the fourth WTRU using the second RAT, that the third WTRU should move to the third channel prior to the quiet period; and
the communications interface is further configured to send a second command to the third WTRU, the second command indicating that the WTRU should move to the third channel.
11. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the first channel and the second channel are Television Band (TVBD) channels.
12. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the command is an Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Media Independent Coordination (MIC) message, an IEEE 802.19x message, an IEEE 802.11x message, an IEEE 802.16x message, or an 802.22x message.
13. The network node of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a start time for the quiet period based on a radio characteristic of a radio access network on which the WTRU is operating, and wherein the command is based on the start time for the quiet period.
14. The network node of claim 13 wherein the radio characteristic is channel availability or channel loading.
15. A method for use in a network node, the method comprising:
receiving data indicating that a first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) is operating on a first channel using a first radio access technology (RAT);
receiving data indicating that a second WTRU is operating on the first channel using a second RAT;
determining a start time for a quiet period on the first channel, wherein the determining the start time for the quiet period on the first channel is based on network status information received from the first WTRU via a the first access network;
sending a first command to the first WTRU via the first access network, wherein the first access network is based on the first RAT, and wherein the first command indicates that the first WTRU should move to a second channel prior to the quiet period; and
sending a second command to the second WTRU via a second access network, wherein the second access network is based on the second RAT, and wherein the second command indicates that the second WTRU should move to the second channel prior to the quiet period.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the determining the start time for the quiet period on the first channel is further based on network status information received from the second WTRU via the second access network.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the network status information received from the first WTRU indicates one or more of: that the first WTRU has changed locations; that the first WTRU has changed channels; or that the first WTRU has detected a licensed WTRU on the first channel.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first channel and the second channel are Television Band (TVBD) channels.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first command or the second command is an Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Media Independent Coordination (MIC) message, an IEEE 802.19x message, an IEEE 802.11x message, an IEEE 802.16x message, or an 802.22x message.