Granted Patent B2

US 12,627,995 · App. 18/149,584 · Granted May 12, 2026

Inventor: Ariful Hannan (Sterling, VA)

Assignee: Outdoor Wireless Networks LLC

H04W16/14H04W72/0453

Abstract

Claims (78)

1 . A method is performed to determine a new Priority Access License (PAL) channel for a PAL radio configured to use a primary PAL channel, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that an incumbent user is utilizing or will utilize at least one PAL channel in PAL frequency spectrum;

determining whether some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated by the PAL radio because of use by the incumbent user;

determining that the some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated because of the incumbent user use, then:

determining whether there are (a) a PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum;

determining that there are (a) the PAL user utilizing the two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then moving, by circularly shifting higher or lower in frequency in the PAL frequency spectrum, from a corresponding primary pair of adjacent PAL channels, for which the indication indicated are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum;

determining that there are not (a) the PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then determining whether there is (a) a PAL user utilizing a PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and

determining that there is (a) the PAL user utilizing the PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum, then moving by circularly shifting one PAL user from a corresponding primary PAL channel, for which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and

transmitting each new PAL channel to a corresponding PAL radio configured to change its PAL channel, in which the corresponding PAL radio transmits, to a corresponding new PAL channel;

wherein each PAL user operates a set of one or more PAL radios;

wherein available pair of adjacent PAL channels means a first PAL channel and a second PAL channel, wherein a lowest frequency of the first PAL channel is adjacent to a highest frequency of the second PAL channel, and wherein each of the first PAL channel and the second PAL channel is an available PAL channel;

wherein a primary pair of adjacent PAL channels means adjacent PAL channels assigned to the PAL user and for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user;

wherein the available PAL channel means a PAL channel

(a) (i) which is not licensed in a corresponding geographic region to a PAL user and/or (ii) in which the PAL user is licensed to use in the corresponding geographic region and in which a citizens broadband radio service device (CBSD) of the PAL user can be authorized to transmit in the PAL channel but in which the CBSD is not authorized to transmit on the PAL channel, and

(b) which the indication did not indicate was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, where the incumbent user, or a dynamic protection area in which the incumbent user operates or would operate, has a neighborhood which geographically encompasses a geographic location of a PAL CBSD in the corresponding geographic region and operated by the PAL user;

wherein the primary PAL channel means a PAL channel assigned to the PAL user for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user;

wherein circular shifting higher or lower in the PAL frequency spectrum means upon reaching an upper edge or a lower edge of the PAL frequency spectrum, then continue shifting from an opposite edge.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting each new PAL channel from a spectrum access system to at least one other spectrum access system.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication is received by a spectrum access system from at least one of an environmental sensing capability system communicatively and a database communicatively coupled.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by a spectrum access system (SAS) during coordinated periodic activities among SASes.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the some of the at least one PAL channel is utilized further comprises determining a number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received;

wherein then moving the corresponding PAL user to the new PAL channel by circularly shifting further comprises:

determining whether the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one; and

determining that the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one, then moving each corresponding PAL user in order of lowest to highest center frequency or highest to lowest center frequency of the corresponding primary PAL channel.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the available PAL channel is a first available PAL channel identified during circular shifting.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the available PAL channel is a first available PAL channel identified during circular shifting and is not adjacent to a PAL channel used by another PAL user which is different than the PAL user using the corresponding primary PAL channel being shifted.

8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing at least one processor of a spectrum access system (SAS) to execute a process to determine a new Priority Access License (PAL) channel for a PAL radio configured to use a primary PAL channel, the process comprising:

receiving an indication that an incumbent user is utilizing or will utilize at least one PAL channel in PAL frequency spectrum;

determining whether some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated by the PAL radio because of use by the incumbent user;

determining that the some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated because of the incumbent user use, then:

determining whether there are (a) a PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum;

determining that there are (a) the PAL user utilizing the two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then moving, by circularly shifting higher or lower in frequency in the PAL frequency spectrum, from a corresponding primary pair of adjacent PAL channels, for which the indication indicated are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum;

determining that there are not (a) the PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then determining whether there is (a) a PAL user utilizing a PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and

determining that there is (a) the PAL user utilizing the PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum, then moving by circularly shifting one PAL user from a corresponding primary PAL channel, for which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and

cause transmission of each new PAL channel to a corresponding PAL radio configured to change its PAL channel, in which the corresponding PAL radio transmits, to a corresponding new PAL channel;

wherein each PAL user operates a set of one or more PAL radios;

wherein available pair of adjacent PAL channels means a first PAL channel and a second PAL channel, wherein a lowest frequency of the first PAL channel is adjacent to a highest frequency of the second PAL channel, and wherein each of the first PAL channel and the second PAL channel is an available PAL channel;

wherein a primary pair of adjacent PAL channels means adjacent PAL channels assigned to the PAL user and for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user;

wherein the available PAL channel means a PAL channel

(a) (i) which is not licensed in a corresponding geographic region to a PAL user and/or (ii) in which the PAL user is licensed to use in the corresponding geographic region and in which a citizens broadband radio service device (CBSD) of the PAL user can be authorized to transmit in the PAL channel but in which the CBSD is not authorized to transmit on the PAL channel, and

(b) which the indication did not indicate was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, where the incumbent user, or a dynamic protection area in which the incumbent user operates or would operate, has a neighborhood which geographically encompasses a geographic location of a PAL CBSD in the corresponding geographic region and operated by the PAL user;

wherein the primary PAL channel means a PAL channel assigned to the PAL user for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user;

wherein circular shifting higher or lower in the PAL frequency spectrum means upon reaching an upper edge or a lower edge of the PAL frequency spectrum, then continue shifting from an opposite edge.

9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising causing transmission of each new PAL channel from the spectrum access system to at least one other spectrum access system.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the indication is received by the spectrum access system from at least one of an environmental sensing capability system communicatively and a database communicatively coupled.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the process is performed by the spectrum access system during coordinated periodic activities among SASes.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein determining whether the some of the at least one PAL channel is utilized further comprises determining a number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received;

wherein then moving the corresponding PAL user to the new PAL channel by circularly shifting further comprises:

determining whether the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one; and

determining that the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one, then moving each corresponding PAL user in order of lowest to highest center frequency or highest to lowest center frequency of the corresponding primary PAL channel.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the available PAL channel is a first available PAL channel identified during circular shifting.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the available PAL channel is a first available PAL channel identified during circular shifting and is not adjacent to a PAL channel used by another PAL user which is different than the PAL user using the corresponding primary PAL channel being shifted.

15 . A spectrum access system (SAS), configured to determine a new Priority Access License (PAL) channel for a PAL radio configured to use a primary PAL channel, the SAS comprising: processing circuitry comprising processor circuitry coupled to memory circuitry and configured to:

receive an indication that an incumbent user is utilizing or will utilize at least one PAL channel in PAL frequency spectrum;

determine whether some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated by the PAL radio because of use by the incumbent user;

determine that some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated because of the incumbent user use, then:

determine whether there are (a) a PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum;

determining that there are (a) the PAL user utilizing the two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then move, by circularly shifting higher or lower in frequency in the PAL frequency spectrum, from a corresponding primary pair of adjacent PAL channels, for which the indication indicated are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum;

determining that there are not (a) the PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then determine whether there is (a) a PAL user utilizing a PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and

determining that there is (a) the PAL user utilizing the PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum, then move by circularly shifting one PAL user from a corresponding primary PAL channel, for which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and

cause transmission of each new PAL channel to a corresponding PAL radio configured to change its PAL channel, in which the corresponding PAL radio transmits, to a corresponding new PAL channel;

wherein each PAL user operates a set of one or more PAL radios;

wherein available pair of adjacent PAL channels means a first PAL channel and a second PAL channel, wherein a lowest frequency of the first PAL channel is adjacent to a highest frequency of the second PAL channel, and wherein each of the first PAL channel and the second PAL channel is an available PAL channel;

wherein a primary pair of adjacent PAL channels means adjacent PAL channels assigned to the PAL user and for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user;

wherein the available PAL channel means a PAL channel

(a) (i) which is not licensed in a corresponding geographic region to a PAL user and/or (ii) in which the PAL user is licensed to use in the corresponding geographic region and in which a citizens broadband radio service device (CBSD) of the PAL user can be authorized to transmit in the PAL channel but in which the CBSD is not authorized to transmit on the PAL channel, and

(b) which the indication did not indicate was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, where the incumbent user, or a dynamic protection area in which the incumbent user operates or would operate, has a neighborhood which geographically encompasses a geographic location of a PAL CBSD in the corresponding geographic region and operated by the PAL user;

wherein the primary PAL channel means a PAL channel assigned to the PAL user for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user;

wherein circular shifting higher or lower in the PAL frequency spectrum means upon reaching an upper edge or a lower edge of the PAL frequency spectrum, then continue shifting from an opposite edge.

16 . The SAS of claim 15 , further comprising causing transmission of each new PAL channel from the spectrum access system to at least one other spectrum access system.

17 . The SAS of claim 15 , wherein the indication is received by the spectrum access system from at least one of an environmental sensing capability system communicatively and a database communicatively coupled.

18 . The SAS of claim 15 , wherein determine whether the some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by a PAL radio and must be vacated by the PAL radio because of use by the incumbent user is performed during coordinated periodic activities among SASes.

19 . The SAS of claim 15 , wherein determine whether the some of the at least one PAL channel is utilized further comprises determining a number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received;

wherein then moving the corresponding PAL user to the new PAL channel by circularly shifting further comprises:

determining whether the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one; and

determining that the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one, then moving each corresponding PAL user in order of lowest to highest center frequency or highest to lowest center frequency of the corresponding primary PAL channel.

20 . The SAS of claim 15 , wherein the available PAL channel is a first available PAL channel identified during circular shifting.

21 . The SAS of claim 15 , wherein the available PAL channel is a first available PAL channel identified during circular shifting and is not adjacent to a PAL channel used by another PAL user which is different than the PAL user using the corresponding primary PAL channel being shifted.

Assignments (11)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (6)