IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,025,536
Granted Patent B2
US 9,025,536 · App. 12/628,647 · Granted May 5, 2015

Apparatus and methods of whitespace communication

Inventor: Dilip Krishnaswamy (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04W72/085H04W36/30H04W36/32H04W48/20H04W88/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,025,536
App. No.
12/628,647
Granted
May 5, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

The described apparatus and methods provide communication services utilizing a combination of non-white space (NWS) and white space (WS) networks. For example, in an aspect, the described apparatus and methods receive, at a first base station (BS) and on a licensed frequency, a communication request for network access from a wireless access terminal (AT). The aspects also determine at least one available unlicensed frequency corresponding to a location of the wireless AT. Further, the aspects partition at least a portion of the network access for the wireless AT to be via the at least one available unlicensed frequency. Additionally, the aspects inform the wireless AT of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use to obtain at least the portion of the network access. Additional aspects relate to NWS BS assisted handoffs of WS calls, dynamic caching of WS information, peer-to-peer WS communication, and WS BS venue-specific broadcasting.

Claims (51)

1. A method of providing communication services, comprising:

receiving, at a first base station and on a licensed frequency, a communication request for network access from a wireless access terminal;

determining at least one available unlicensed frequency corresponding to a location of the wireless access terminal, wherein the determining is based on unlicensed frequency spectrum information for a geographic region, and wherein the determining includes determining, from the unlicensed frequency spectrum information, a second base station that corresponds to the location and operates on the at least one available unlicensed frequency, wherein the second base station is different from or co-located with the first base station;

partitioning at least a portion of the network access for the wireless access terminal to be via the at least one available unlicensed frequency; and

informing the wireless access terminal of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use to obtain at least the portion of the network access from the second base station and how to contact the second base station.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving identification of a plurality of desired communication service types;

partitioning the plurality of desired communication service types for use between the licensed frequency and the at least one available unlicensed frequency; and

informing the wireless access terminal of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use with a first one of the plurality of desired communication service types and of a second one of the plurality of desired communication service types for use with the licensed frequency, based on the partitioning.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the partitioning is based on at least one of:

a service plan corresponding to the wireless access terminal in combination with a network load, or a signal strength of the wireless access terminal or the first base station, or a desired quality of service and an available quality of service.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising establishing active calls with the wireless access terminal for different services.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining WS information from a WS information server prior to receiving the communication request.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the communication request further comprises receiving the location of the wireless access terminal based on operation of a location determining module on the wireless access terminal.

7. At least one processor configured to provide communication services, comprising:

a first module configured to receive, at a first base station and on a licensed frequency, a communication request for network access from a wireless access terminal;

a second module configured to determine at least one available unlicensed frequency corresponding to a location of the wireless access terminal, wherein the determination is based on unlicensed frequency spectrum information for a geographic region, and wherein the determining includes determining, from the unlicensed frequency spectrum information, a second base station that corresponds to the location and operates on the at least one available unlicensed frequency, wherein the second base station is different from or co-located with the first base station;

a third module configured to partition at least a portion of the network access for the wireless access terminal to be via the at least one available unlicensed frequency; and

a fourth module configured to inform the wireless access terminal of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use to obtain at least the portion of the network access from the second base station and how to contact the second base station.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable code for providing communication services, comprising:

at least one instruction operable to cause a computer to receive, at a first base station and on a licensed frequency, a communication request for network access from a wireless access terminal;

at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to determine at least one available unlicensed frequency corresponding to a location of the wireless access terminal, wherein the determination is based on unlicensed frequency spectrum information for a geographic region, and wherein the determining includes determining, from the unlicensed frequency spectrum information, a second base station that corresponds to the location and operates on the at least one available unlicensed frequency, wherein the second base station is different from or co-located with the first base station;

at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to partition at least a portion of the network access for the wireless access terminal to be via the at least one available unlicensed frequency; and

at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to inform the wireless access terminal of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use to obtain at least the portion of the network access from the second base station and how to contact the second base station.

9. An apparatus for providing communication services, comprising:

means for receiving, at a first base station and on a licensed frequency, a communication request for network access from a wireless access terminal;

means for determining at least one available unlicensed frequency corresponding to a location of the wireless access terminal, wherein the determining is based on unlicensed frequency spectrum information for a geographic region, and wherein the determining includes determining, from the unlicensed frequency spectrum information, a second base station that corresponds to the location and operates on the at least one available unlicensed frequency, wherein the second base station is different from or co-located with the first base station;

means for partitioning at least a portion of the network access for the wireless access terminal to be via the at least one available unlicensed frequency; and

means for informing the wireless access terminal of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use to obtain at least the portion of the network access from the second base station and how to contact the second base station.

10. A base station, comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive, on a licensed frequency, a communication request for network access from a wireless access terminal;

determine at least one available unlicensed frequency corresponding to a location of the wireless access terminal, wherein the determining is based on unlicensed frequency spectrum information for a geographic region, and wherein the determining includes determining, from the unlicensed frequency spectrum information, a second base station that corresponds to the location and operates on the at least one available unlicensed frequency, wherein the second base station is different from or co-located with the first base station;

partition at least a portion of the network access for the wireless access terminal to be via the at least one available unlicensed frequency; and

inform the wireless access terminal of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use to obtain at least the portion of the network access from the second base station and how to contact the second base station.

11. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive identification of a plurality of desired communication service types;

partition the plurality of desired communication service types for use between the licensed frequency and the at least one available unlicensed frequency; and

inform the wireless access terminal of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use with a first one of the plurality of desired communication service types and of a second one of the plurality of desired communication service types for use with the licensed frequency, based on the partitioning.

12. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to partition based on at least one of: network load, or service plan corresponding to wireless access terminal, or a service plan corresponding to the wireless access terminal in combination with the network load, or a signal strength of the wireless access terminal or the first base station, or a signal strength of the wireless access terminal in combination with the network load, or a desired quality of service and an available quality of service.

13. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to establish active calls with the wireless access terminal for different services.

14. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to obtain WS information from a WS information server prior to receiving the communication request.

15. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the communication request further comprises the location of the wireless access terminal based on operation of a location determining module on the wireless access terminal.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication request is based on a pilot signal transmitted by the first base station.

17. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the communication request is based on a pilot signal transmitted by the base station.

18. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of desired communication service types includes at least a best effort service type and a substantially latency-free service type, and wherein partitioning the plurality of desired communication service types further comprises partitioning according to at least one partitioning rule and based on at least one factor including network load, a service plan corresponding to the wireless access terminal, a mobility of the wireless access terminal, a desired quality of service, and available quality of service.

19. The base station of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of desired communication service types includes at least a best effort service type and a substantially latency-free service type, and wherein the processor is further configured to partition the plurality of desired communication service types by partitioning according to at least one partitioning rule and partitioning based on at least one factor including network load, a service plan corresponding to the wireless access terminal, a mobility of the wireless access terminal, a desired quality of service, and available quality of service.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the partitioning is based on network load.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the partitioning is based on a service plan corresponding to the wireless access terminal.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the partitioning is based on a signal strength of the wireless access terminal in combination with the network load.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining further comprises requesting whitespace (WS) information from a WS information server in response to receiving the communication request.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2010
From: KRISHNASWAMY, DILIP
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 024063/0908 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61163706 · Mar 26, 2009
Related Publication 20100246506A1 · Sep 30, 2010