600 MHz spectrum access systems and methods
Systems and methods for utilizing secondary frequency spectrums for increased throughput. When faced with a shortage of primary cellular frequencies, a base station in a cellular network can determine whether secondary frequency spectrum, such as 600 MHz spectrum, frequencies are available. The 600 MHz frequencies can include frequencies licensed to the provider and frequencies licensed to other providers that can nonetheless be used under FCC “Whitespace” rules. Thus, the system can determine whether licensed (“Tier(2)”) or unlicensed (“Tier(3”) 600 MHz frequencies are available. Tier(2) frequencies can essentially be used in the normal manner—e.g., at normal power levels and emissions patterns. Tier(3) frequencies can be used under the Whitespace rules. The system can then provide these 600 MHz frequencies to capable user equipment (UE). The system can also prioritize frequencies based on UE capabilities, location, and other factors.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a transceiver of a base station, a request from a user equipment (UE) to connect to the base station, the request including radio frequency bands that are supported by the UE;
determining, by a processor of the base station, that a primary frequency pair is not available for the UE;
determining, by the processor of the base station, that the UE is within a predetermined distance of the base station;
determining, by the processor of the base station, that at least one secondary frequency pair is available;
determining that the at least one secondary frequency pair is not being utilized by a digital television (DTV) station; and
sending, by the transceiver of the base station and responsive to determining that the at least one secondary frequency pair is not being utilized by the DTV station and that the UE is within the predetermined distance of the base station, a first message to the UE to determine whether the UE is capable of communicating in a secondary frequency spectrum.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the transceiver of the base station, a response from the UE indicating the UE is capable of communicating in the secondary frequency spectrum; and
sending, by the transceiver of the base station, a second message to the UE including at least the at least one secondary frequency pair.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining that the at least one secondary frequency pair is available further comprises retrieving the at least one secondary frequency pair from a frequency database stored in a memory of the base station.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining, by the processor of the base station, that the at least one secondary frequency pair is licensed to a provider associated with the base station.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining that at least one secondary frequency pair is available comprises:
retrieving the at least one secondary frequency pair from a frequency database stored in a memory of the base station; and
determining, by the processor of the base station, that the at least one secondary frequency pair is not licensed to a provider associated with the base station;
wherein the second message further comprises instructions for the UE to transmit at a reduced power level when compared to power levels used on the primary frequency pair.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the transceiver of the base station, a response from the UE indicating that the UE is not capable of communicating in the secondary frequency spectrum; and
sending, by the transceiver of the base station, a second message to the UE including an error code indicating that the request to connect cannot be completed.
7. The method of claim 1 , where in the at least one secondary frequency pair is included in a 600 MHz frequency spectrum, the 600 MHz frequency spectrum including from 617 MHz to 652 MHz and 663 MHz to 698 MHz.
8. A base station comprising:
one or more transceivers to send and receive one or more wireless transmissions;
memory storing at least a frequency database; and
one or more processors in communication with at least the one or more transceivers and the memory, the memory including computer executable instructions to cause the one or more processors to:
receive, with the one or more transceivers, a request to connect to the base station from a user equipment (UE);
determine, with the one or more processors, that a primary frequency pair is not available;
determine, with the one or more processors, that the UE is within a predetermined distance of the base station;
determine, with the one or more processors, that at least one secondary frequency pair stored in the frequency database is available;
determining that the at least one secondary frequency pair is not being utilized by a digital television (DTV) station; and
send, with the one or more transceivers and responsive to determining that the at least one secondary frequency pair is not being utilized by the DTV station and that the UE is within the predetermined distance, a first message to the UE inquiring whether the UE is capable of communicating in a secondary frequency spectrum.
9. The base station of claim 8 , the computer executable instructions further causing the one or more processors to:
receive, with the one or more transceivers, a second message indicating the UE is not capable of communicating in the secondary frequency spectrum; and
send, with the one or more transceivers, a third message to the UE indicating that the base station cannot complete the request to connect to the base station.
10. The base station of claim 8 , the computer executable instructions further causing the one or more processors to:
receive, with the one or more transceivers, a second message indicating the UE is capable of communicating in the secondary frequency spectrum; and
send, with the one or more transceivers, a third message to the UE providing at least a frequency pair in the secondary frequency spectrum to enable the UE to connect to the base station.
11. The base station of claim 8 , wherein the frequency database comprises:
a first plurality of frequencies in the secondary frequency spectrum that are not available for use by the base station;
a second plurality of frequencies in the secondary frequency spectrum that are licensed to a provider associated with the base station and are available for use by the base station; and
a third plurality of frequencies in the secondary frequency spectrum that available for use by the base station under one or more Whitespace rules.
12. The base station of claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of frequencies comprises:
frequencies in use by one or more digital television (DTV) stations, and/or
frequencies that are licensed to a licensee not associated with the base station for which a certificate of operation has been filed.
13. The base station of claim 11 , wherein the third plurality of frequencies comprises:
frequencies that are licensed to one or more licensees not associated with the base station for which no certificate of operation has been issued, that are not in use by a secondary television related service; and/or
frequencies that are licensed to one or more licensees not associated with the base station for which no certificate of operation has been issued, that are in use by a secondary television related service, where the use by the secondary television related service can be stopped by an issuance of a certificate of operation for an adjacent frequency licensed to the provider.
14. The base station of claim 11 , the computer executable instructions further causing the one or more processors to:
receive, with the one or more transceivers, a second message indicating the UE is capable of communicating in the secondary frequency spectrum;
determine, with the one or more processors, that a frequency pair in the second plurality of frequencies of the frequency database is available; and
send, with the one or more transceivers, a third message to the UE providing at least the frequency pair in the second plurality of frequencies to enable the UE to connect to the base station.
15. The base station of claim 11 , the computer executable instructions further causing the one or more processors to:
receive, with the one or more transceivers, a second message indicating the UE is capable of communicating in the secondary frequency spectrum;
determine, with the one or more processors, that a frequency pair in the third plurality of frequencies of the frequency database is available; and
send, with the one or more transceivers, a third message to the UE providing at least:
the frequency pair to enable the UE to connect to the base station; and
instructions to use a reduced power level when compared to a power level used for the second plurality of frequencies of the frequency database.
16. A system comprising:
a base station comprising:
one or more transceivers to send and receive one or more wireless transmissions;
memory storing at least a frequency database; and
one or more processors in communication with at least the one or more transceivers and the memory, the memory including computer executable instructions to cause the one or more processors to:
receive, with the one or more transceivers, a request to connect to the base station from a user equipment (UE);
determine, with the one or more processors, that a primary frequency pair is not available;
selecting, with the one or more processors and based at least in part on a distance that the UE is from the base station, at least one secondary frequency pair stored in the frequency database that is included in a 600 MHz frequency spectrum;
determining that the at least one secondary frequency pair is not being utilized by a digital television (DTV) station; and
sending, with the one or more transceivers and in response to determining that the at least one secondary frequency pair is not being utilized by the DTV station, a first message to the UE inquiring whether the UE is capable of communicating in a secondary frequency spectrum.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein in the at least one secondary frequency pair is included in a frequency spectrum from 617 MHz to 652 MHz and 663 MHz to 698 MHz.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the request comprises a radio resource control connection and includes radio frequency bands that are supported by the UE.
19. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:
determining that the UE is within a predetermined distance of the base station; and
determining that the UE can utilize the at least one secondary frequency pair in response to determining that the UE is within the predetermined distance.
20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one secondary frequency pair is selected based on a type of service requested from the UE or a type of the UE.