Methods and devices to generate a spectrum utilization map for determining use of radio spectrum guard bands for a mobile satellite service network
Disclosed are methods for allocating spectrum by a Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) satellite to a User Equipment (UE). The method includes monitoring radio spectrum designated as guard bands of a terrestrial Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) network to generate a spectrum usage map of guard band frequencies of the guard bands. The spectrum usage map includes available guard band frequency bands including unlicensed frequency bands. The method includes selecting a guard band or a sub-band within the available guard band frequency bands for uplink communication based on the spectrum usage map, and receiving, by the MSS satellite from the UE, uplink signals on the guard band or the sub-band that was selected. Related wireless electronic devices and systems are also discussed.
1 . A method of allocating spectrum by a Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) satellite to a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:
monitoring radio spectrum designated as guard bands of a terrestrial Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) network to generate a spectrum usage map of guard band frequencies of the guard bands, wherein the spectrum usage map comprises available guard band frequency bands comprising unlicensed frequency bands;
selecting a guard band or a sub-band within the available guard band frequency bands for uplink communication based on the spectrum usage map; and
receiving, by the MSS satellite from the UE, uplink signals on the guard band or the sub-band that was selected.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the MSS satellite to the UE, an indication of the guard band or the sub-band that was selected for uplink communication.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spectrum usage map comprises a spectrum usage map in a spot beam of the MSS satellite.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spectrum usage map comprises a spectrum usage map in a coverage area of a repeater station associated with the MSS satellite.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the coverage area of the repeater station associated with the MSS satellite is smaller than a coverage area of a spot beam of the MSS satellite.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the repeater station is configured to maintain a connection with the MSS satellite, receive downlink signals from the MSS satellite, and re-broadcast the downlink signals to the UE.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring radio spectrum comprises:
using a sounding signal by the MSS satellite to determine power flux density in the unlicensed frequency bands of the available guard band frequency bands.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the UE from the MSS satellite, downlink signals on a different guard band or different sub-band of the BWA network based on the spectrum usage map.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein sub-bands within the guard band are pre-designated or dynamically assigned.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the MSS satellite, the spectrum usage map for use by the UE.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring radio spectrum comprises:
receiving, by the MSS satellite, sounding signals in the guard bands of the terrestrial BWA network from one or more UEs including the UE; and
measuring respective signal strengths of the signals in the guard bands of the terrestrial BWA network from the one or more UEs.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring radio spectrum comprises:
listening, by the MSS satellite, for sounding signals from the UE; and
transmitting, by the MSS satellite, downlink data to the UE using massive MIMO techniques.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the guard band is a frequency band between a terrestrial uplink frequency band and a terrestrial downlink frequency band.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the guard band or the sub-band is selected based on a received noise power, allowed transmit power, and/or link power budget.
15 . A method of communication by a User Equipment (UE) in a communication network served by a Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) satellite, the method comprising:
receiving, by the UE, a spectrum usage map comprising guard band frequency bands of a terrestrial Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) network comprising unlicensed frequency bands available for use by the UE;
selecting a communication frequency band among the guard band frequency bands of the BWA network for communication with the MSS satellite; and
establishing, by the UE, a communication link with the MSS satellite using the communication frequency band that was selected.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the selecting the communication frequency band comprises:
receiving an indication from the MSS satellite of the communication frequency band among the guard band frequency bands of the BWA network that was selected for uplink communication,
wherein the communication frequency band comprises a guard band or a sub-band of the terrestrial BWA network.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the spectrum usage map comprises a spectrum usage map in a spot beam of the MSS satellite.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the spectrum usage map comprises a spectrum usage map in a coverage area of a repeater station associated with the MSS satellite.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the coverage area of the repeater station associated with the MSS satellite is smaller than a coverage area of a spot beam of the MSS satellite.
20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
receiving downlink signals from the MSS satellite or downlink signals that are re-broadcast from the repeater station, based on respective signal strengths of the downlink signals from the MSS satellite and the downlink signals that are re-broadcast from the repeater station.
21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the establishing the communication link with the MSS satellite comprises:
transmitting, by the UE to the MSS satellite, uplink signals using the communication frequency band that was selected.
22 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
receiving, by the UE from the MSS satellite, downlink signals on a different communication frequency band among the guard band frequency bands of the BWA network based on the spectrum usage map.
23 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving, by the UE, the spectrum usage map.
24 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the guard band frequency bands comprise frequency bands between a terrestrial uplink frequency band and a terrestrial downlink frequency band.
25 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the establishing the communication link with the MSS satellite comprises:
transmitting, by the MSS satellite, sounding signals to the UE; and
transmitting, by the MSS satellite, downlink data to the UE using massive MIMO techniques, based on a response to the sounding signals.
26 . A wireless electronic device associated with a Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) satellite, the wireless electronic device configured to allocate spectrum to a User Equipment (UE), the wireless electronic device comprising:
a transceiver; and
a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
monitoring radio spectrum designated as guard bands of a terrestrial Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) network to generate a spectrum usage map of guard band frequencies of the guard bands, wherein the spectrum usage map comprises available guard band frequency bands comprising unlicensed frequency bands;
selecting a guard band or a sub-band within the available guard band frequency bands for uplink communication based on the spectrum usage map; and
receiving, by the MSS satellite from the UE, uplink signals on the guard band or the sub-band that was selected.
27 . A wireless electronic device associated with a User Equipment (UE) in a communication network served by a Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) satellite, the wireless electronic device comprising:
a transceiver; and
a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by the UE, a spectrum usage map comprising guard band frequency bands of a terrestrial Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) network comprising unlicensed frequency bands available for use by the UE;
selecting a communication frequency band among the guard band frequency bands of the BWA network for communication with the MSS satellite; and
establishing, by the UE, a communication link with the MSS satellite using the communication frequency band that was selected.