U.S. patent application number 13/529245 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-18 for methods and systems for dynamic spectrum arbitrage.
This patent application is currently assigned to Rivada Networks LLC. Invention is credited to Declan Ganley, Clint Smith.
Application Number | 20120264396 13/529245 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45466929 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120264396 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Smith; Clint ; et
al. |
October 18, 2012 |
Methods and Systems for Dynamic Spectrum Arbitrage
Abstract
Methods and system are provided for managing and monitoring
allocation of RF spectrum resources based on time, space and
frequency. A network may be enabled to allocate excess spectrum
resources for use by other network providers on a real-time basis.
Allocated resources may be transferred from one provider with
excess resources to another in need of additional resources based
on contractual terms or on a real-time purchase negotiations and
settlements. A network may be enabled to monitor the use of
allocated resources on real-time basis and off-load or allow
additional users depending on the spectrum resources availability.
Public safety networks may be enabled to make spectrum resources
available to general public by allocating spectrum resources and
monitoring the use of those resources. During an emergency, when
traffic increases on a public safety network, the public safety
networks may off-load bandwidth traffic to make available necessary
resources for public safety users.
Inventors: |
Smith; Clint; (Warwick,
NY) ; Ganley; Declan; (Galway, IE) |
Assignee: |
Rivada Networks LLC
Arlington
VA
|
Family ID: |
45466929 |
Appl. No.: |
13/529245 |
Filed: |
June 21, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13181764 |
Jul 13, 2011 |
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13529245 |
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61364670 |
Jul 15, 2010 |
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61410721 |
Nov 5, 2010 |
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61479702 |
Apr 27, 2011 |
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61490471 |
May 26, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/404.1 ;
455/452.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 4/90 20180201; H04W
24/00 20130101; H04W 28/0268 20130101; H04W 72/085 20130101; H04W
72/04 20130101; H04W 16/14 20130101; H04W 24/08 20130101; H04W
28/04 20130101; H04W 72/00 20130101; H04W 36/0016 20130101; H04W
72/044 20130101; H04W 28/16 20130101; H04M 15/60 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/404.1 ;
455/452.1 |
International
Class: |
H04W 16/10 20090101
H04W016/10; H04W 72/04 20090101 H04W072/04; H04W 4/22 20090101
H04W004/22 |
Claims
1. A dynamic spectrum arbitrage (DSA) method, comprising:
determining, on a communications server, an amount of radio
frequency (RF) spectrum resources available for allocation within a
first communication network dedicated to one or more of police,
fire, emergency medical service or government agencies; dynamically
allocating a portion of available RF spectrum resources of the
first communication network for access and use by a second
communication network; informing the second communication network
that use of allocated RF spectrum resources may begin; recording a
transaction in a transaction database identifying an amount of RF
spectrum resources allocated for use by the second communication
network; determining whether at least some of the allocated RF
spectrum resources are required by the first communication network;
informing the second communication network that use of allocated RF
spectrum resources should be terminated in response to determining
that at least some of the allocated RF spectrum resources are
required by the one or more of police, fire, emergency medical
service or government agencies; and updating the transaction
database to include information identifying a time when use of the
allocated RF spectrum resources was terminated by the second
communication network.
2. The dynamic spectrum arbitrage (DSA) method of claim 1, wherein:
determining an amount of RF spectrum resources available for
allocation within a first communication network comprises receiving
a message in the communications server from the first communication
network identifying an amount of first communication network RF
spectrum resources available for reallocation.
3. (canceled)
4. The dynamic spectrum arbitrage (DSA) method of claim 1, further
comprising: conducting an auction for available RF spectrum
resources within the first communication network among a plurality
of network operators wherein the auction is accomplished according
to bidding rules related to at least one of a requested capacity of
a network, a network boundary, a network quality of service, a
network geographic parameter, a time for when resources are
requested, and a duration of services parameter, wherein
dynamically allocating a portion of available RF spectrum resources
of the first communication network for access and use by a second
communication network comprises dynamically allocating the portion
of available RF spectrum resources to a communication network
selected by the auction.
5. The dynamic spectrum arbitrage (DSA) method of claim 1, further
comprising: receiving a request for additional RF spectrum
resources from the second communication network, wherein
dynamically allocating a portion of available RF spectrum resources
is accomplished in response to receiving the request for additional
RF spectrum resources from the second communication network.
6. The dynamic spectrum arbitrage (DSA) method of claim 1, wherein
determining an amount of RF spectrum resources available for
allocation within a first communication network comprises:
monitoring communications in the first communication network to
determine an amount of RF spectrum resources in use; and
determining a difference between the amount of RF spectrum
resources controlled by the first communication network and the
determined amount of RF spectrum resources in use.
7. (canceled)
8. The dynamic spectrum arbitrage (DSA) method of claim 1, wherein
dynamically allocating a portion of available RF spectrum resources
of the first communication network for access and use by a second
communication network comprises allocating available RF spectrum
resources based on one or more of a time of day, bandwidth,
communication capacity, service treatment, geographic boundary and
duration.
9. The dynamic spectrum arbitrage (DSA) method of claim 1, further
comprising pooling available resources from the first communication
network and at least one other communication network, wherein
dynamically allocating a portion of available RF spectrum resources
of the first communication network for access and use by a second
communication network comprises allocating to the second
communication network RF spectrum resources from the pool of RF
spectrum resources.
10. The dynamic spectrum arbitrage (DSA) method of claim 1, further
comprising: sending payment information relating to use of
allocated resources to the second communication networks in
response to allocating a portion of available RF spectrum resources
of the first communication network for access and use by a second
communication network.
11. A communications server for accomplishing dynamic spectrum
arbitrage (DSA) of available radio frequency (RF) spectrum
resources between a first communication network dedicated to one or
more of police, fire, emergency medical service or government
agencies and a second communication network, comprising: network
communications circuitry for communicating with the first and
second communication networks; a memory; and a processor coupled to
the memory and the network communications circuitry, wherein the
processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to
perform operations comprising: determining an amount of RF spectrum
resources available for allocation within the first communication
network; dynamically allocating a portion of available RF spectrum
resources of the first communication network for access and use by
the second communication network; informing the second
communication network that use of allocated of RF spectrum
resources may begin; recording a transaction in a transaction
database identifying an amount RF spectrum resources allocated for
use by the second communication network; determining whether at
least some of the allocated RF spectrum resources are required by
the first communication network; informing the second communication
network that use of allocated RF spectrum resources should be
terminated in response to determining that at least some of the
allocated RF spectrum resources are required by the one or more of
police, fire, emergency medical service or government agencies; and
updating the transaction database to include information
identifying a time when use of the allocated RF spectrum resources
was terminated by the second communication network.
12. The communications server of claim 11, wherein the processor is
configured with processor-executable instructions such that
determining an amount of RF spectrum resources available for
allocation within the first communication network comprises
receiving a message from the first communication network
identifying an amount of first communication network RF spectrum
resources available for reallocation.
13. (canceled)
14. The communications server of claim 11, wherein the processor is
configured with processor-executable instructions to perform
operations further comprising conducting an auction for available
RF spectrum resources of the first communication network among a
plurality of network operators, wherein the auction is accomplished
according to bidding rules related to at least one of a requested
capacity of a network, a network boundary, a network quality of
service, a network geographic parameter, a time for when resources
are requested, and a duration of services parameter, and wherein
the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions
such that dynamically allocating a portion of available RF spectrum
resources of the first communication network for access and use by
the second communication network comprises dynamically allocating
the portion of available RF spectrum resources to a communication
network selected by the auction.
15. The communications server of claim 11, wherein the processor is
configured with processor-executable instructions to perform
operations further comprising receiving a request for additional RF
spectrum resources from the second communication network, and
wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable
instructions such that dynamically allocating a portion of
available RF spectrum resources is accomplished in response to
receiving the request for additional RF spectrum resources from the
second communication network.
16. The communications server of claim 11, wherein the processor is
configured with processor-executable instructions such that
determining an amount of RF spectrum resources available for
allocation within the first communication network comprises:
monitoring communications in the first communication network to
determine an amount of RF spectrum resources in use; and
determining a difference between the amount of RF spectrum
resources controlled by the first communication network and the
determined amount of RF spectrum resources in use.
17. (canceled)
18. The communications server of claim 11, wherein the processor is
configured with processor-executable instructions such that
dynamically allocating a portion of available RF spectrum resources
of the first communication network for access and use by the second
communication network comprises: allocating available RF spectrum
resources based on one or more of a time of day, bandwidth,
communication capacity, service treatment, geographic boundary and
duration.
19. The communications server of claim 11, wherein the processor is
configured with processor-executable instructions to perform
operations further comprising pooling available resources from the
first communication network and at least one other communication
network, and wherein the processor is configured with
processor-executable instructions such that dynamically allocating
a portion of available RF spectrum resources of the first
communication network for access and use by the second
communication network comprises allocating to the second
communication network RF spectrum resources from the pool of RF
spectrum resources.
20. The communications server of claim 11, wherein the processor is
configured with processor-executable instructions to perform
operations further comprising: sending payment information relating
to use of allocated resources to the second communication network
in response to allocating a portion of available RF spectrum
resources of the first communication network for access and use by
the second communication network.
21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored
thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to
cause a processor to perform dynamic spectrum arbitrage (DSA)
operations comprising: determining an amount of radio frequency
(RF) spectrum resources available for allocation within a first
communication network dedicated to one or more of police, fire,
emergency medical service or government agencies; dynamically
allocating a portion of available RF spectrum resources of the
first communication network for access and use by a second
communication network; informing the second communication network
that use of allocated RF spectrum resources may begin; recording a
transaction in a transaction database identifying an amount of RF
spectrum resources allocated for use by the second communication
network; determining whether at least some of the allocated RF
spectrum resources are required by the first communication network;
informing the second communication network that use of allocated RF
spectrum resources should be terminated in response to determining
that at least some of the allocated RF spectrum resources are
required by the one or more of police, fire, emergency medical
service or government agencies; and updating the transaction
database to include information identifying a time when use of the
allocated RF spectrum resources was terminated by the second
communication network.
22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim
21, wherein the stored processor-executable software instructions
are configured to cause a processor to perform operations such that
determining an amount of RF spectrum resources available for
allocation within a first communication network comprises:
receiving a message in the communications server from the first
communication network identifying an amount of first communication
network RF spectrum resources available for reallocation.
23. (canceled)
24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim
21, wherein the stored processor-executable software instructions
are configured to cause a processor to perform operations further
comprising conducting an auction for available RF spectrum
resources within the first communication network among a plurality
of network operators, wherein the auction is accomplished according
to bidding rules related to at least one of a requested capacity of
a network, a network boundary, a network quality of service, a
network geographic parameter, a time for when resources are
requested, and a duration of services parameter, wherein the stored
processor-executable software instructions are configured to cause
a processor to perform operations such that dynamically allocating
a portion of available RF spectrum resources of the first
communication network for access and use by a second communication
network comprises dynamically allocating the portion of available
RF spectrum resources to a communication network selected by the
auction.
25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim
21, wherein the stored processor-executable software instructions
are configured to cause a processor to perform operations further
comprising receiving a request for additional RF spectrum resources
from the second communication network, and wherein the stored
processor-executable software instructions are configured to cause
a processor to perform operations such that dynamically allocating
a portion of available RF spectrum resources is accomplished in
response to receiving the request for additional RF spectrum
resources from the second communication network.
26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim
21, wherein the stored processor-executable software instructions
are configured to cause a processor to perform operations such that
determining an amount of RF spectrum resources available for
allocation within a first communication network comprises:
monitoring communications in the first communication network to
determine an amount of RF spectrum resources in use; and
determining a difference between the amount of RF spectrum
resources controlled by the first communication network and the
determined amount of RF spectrum resources in use.
27. (canceled)
28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim
21, wherein the stored processor-executable software instructions
are configured to cause a processor to perform operations such that
dynamically allocating a portion of available RF spectrum resources
of the first communication network for access and use by a second
communication network comprises: allocating available RF spectrum
resources based on one or more of a time of day, bandwidth,
communication capacity, service treatment, geographic boundary and
duration.
29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim
21, wherein the stored processor-executable software instructions
are configured to cause a processor to perform operations
comprising pooling available resources from the first communication
network and at least one other communication network, and wherein
the stored processor-executable software instructions are
configured to cause a processor to perform operations such that
dynamically allocating a portion of available RF spectrum resources
of the first communication network for access and use by a second
communication network comprises allocating to the second
communication network RF spectrum resources from the pool of RF
spectrum resources.
30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim
21, wherein the stored processor-executable software instructions
are configured to cause a processor to perform operations further
comprising: sending payment information relating to use of
allocated resources to the second communication networks in
response to allocating a portion of available RF spectrum resources
of the first communication network for access and use by a second
communication network.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/181,764 entitled "Methods and Systems for
Dynamic Spectrum Arbitrage" filed on Jul. 13, 2011, which claims
the benefit of priority to each of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Serial Nos. 61/364,670 filed on Jul. 15, 2010;
61/410,721 filed on Nov. 5, 2010; 61/479,702 filed on Apr. 27,
2011; and 61/490,471 filed on May 26, 2011, the entire contents of
each of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all
purposes.
BACKGROUND
[0002] With the ever increasing use of wireless communication
devices for accessing networks and downloading large files (e.g.,
video files), there is an increasing demand for radio frequency
spectrum. Smart phone users complain about dropped calls, slow
access to the Internet and similar problems which are due largely
to too many devices trying to access finite RF bandwidth allocated
to such services. Yet parts of the RF spectrum, such as the RF
bands dedicated to emergency services (e.g., police, fire and
rescue, etc.) go largely unused due to the non-continuous and
episodic employment of such voice-radio communication bands.
SUMMARY
[0003] According to a first embodiment, a method for dynamically
managing radio frequency (RF) spectrum resources in frequency,
space and time includes monitoring the use of RF spectrum resources
at a first network and determining an amount of unused RF spectrum
resources in the first network. The method includes allocating a
portion of the amount of unused RF spectrum resources of the first
network for use by secondary users and receiving a request for
additional RF spectrum resources from a second network. The method
includes providing the second network access to the unused RF
spectrum resources of the first network. The method may include
off-loading a secondary user from the first network.
[0004] According to another embodiment, a communication system
comprising a server configured with server-executable instructions
to perform operations comprises a dynamic spectrum arbitrage and
management. The management enables radio frequency spectrum to be
made available to RF devices in frequency, space and time as
described herein. In another embodiment, a server configured with
server-executable instructions to perform operations comprises a
dynamic spectrum arbitrage and management. The management enables
radio frequency spectrum to be made available to RF devices in
frequency, space and time.
[0005] In another embodiment, radiofrequency spectrum clearinghouse
includes a server for monitoring the use of RF spectrum resources.
The clearinghouse determines an amount of unused RF spectrum
resources in a first communication system and allocates a portion
of the amount of unused RF spectrum resources for use by secondary
users. The server forms allocated shares of the unused RF spectrum
resources of the first communication system. The allocated shares
are to be utilized by a second communication system. The server may
communicate the availability of the allocated shares to the second
communication system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and
constitute part of this specification, illustrate exemplary
embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general
description given above and the detailed description given below,
serve to explain features of the invention.
[0007] FIG. 1 is a system block diagram illustrating call volume
requests made to a cellular communication network under normal
conditions.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a system block diagram illustrating call volume
requests made to a cellular communication network under an
emergency situation condition.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a system block diagram illustrating call volume
requests made to a cellular communication network under an
emergency situation condition when a first responder arrives on the
scene.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a system block diagram illustrating call volume
requests made to a cellular communication network as additional
emergency response personnel arrive on the scene.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a system block diagram illustrating call volume
requests made to a cellular communication network after an
emergency situation has been alleviated.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a process flow diagram of an embodiment method for
managing Tiered Priority Access (TPA) operations on a network.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a process flow diagram of another embodiment
method for managing TPA operations on a network.
[0014] FIG. 8 is an example hierarchical table of classes of users
given priority access to emergency communication resources.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a communication system block diagram of a Dynamic
Spectrum Arbitrage (DSA) communication system according to an
embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 10 is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system according to an embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 11 is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system according to an embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 12 is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating an embodiment for providing
master control for the arbitrage process.
[0019] FIG. 13A is a diagram of RF spectrum illustrating its
allocation according to an embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 13B is a diagram illustrating a manner in which RF
spectrum may be allocated for use according to an embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating the manner in which
RF spectrum may be allocated with a guard band for use according to
an embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a manner in which RF
spectrum may be pooled for use allocation according to an
embodiment.
[0023] FIGS. 16A-16C are block diagrams illustrating a manner in
which spectrum is allocated for Mobile Virtual Network Operators
(MVNO).
[0024] FIG. 17 is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating communication between components
of the system for allocating resources according to an
embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 18 is a communication system block diagram illustrating
communications between components of two networks in a DSA
communication system during resource reservation according to an
embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 19 is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating bifurcation of resources at an
eNodeB according to an embodiment.
[0027] FIG. 20 is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating Serving Gateway (SGW) and Gateway
(PGW) link bandwidth allocation and capacity control according to
an embodiment.
[0028] FIG. 21 is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating combining the x-furcation of
resources at an eNodeB and SGW and PGW link bandwidth allocation
with capacity control according to an embodiment.
[0029] FIG. 22 is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating spectrum allocation based on
license and regional area methods according to an embodiment.
[0030] FIG. 23A is a diagram illustrating typical RF spectrum
allocation in a licensed area according to an embodiment.
[0031] FIG. 23B is a diagram illustrating RF spectrum allocation in
a DSA communication system based on license area according to an
embodiment.
[0032] FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating spectrum allocation in a
DSA communication system based on regional area according to an
embodiment.
[0033] FIG. 25A is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating a situation where the subscriber
is using a first carrier (carrier A) according to an
embodiment.
[0034] FIG. 25B is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating a situation in which a subscriber
is using a second carrier (carrier B) in a de facto type roaming
arrangement for spectrum off-loading according to an
embodiment.
[0035] FIG. 26A is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating a situation in which the
subscriber is using a first carrier (carrier A) for both public
safety and commercial DSA schemes according to an embodiment.
[0036] FIG. 26B is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating a situation in which based on the
services being used, geographic location or time the subscriber can
use carrier B resources in a de facto short term lease using DLS
according to an embodiment.
[0037] FIG. 27A is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating a normal operation situation
according to an embodiment.
[0038] FIG. 27B is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating additional capacity and spectrum
made available for use by a subscriber according to an
embodiment.
[0039] FIG. 28 is a process flow diagram illustrating an embodiment
method for network selection and reselection in a DSA communication
system.
[0040] FIG. 29 is a communication block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating TAI routing areas where the home
non-DSA user equipment uses one TAI element (TAI) and DSA user
equipment use another TAI.
[0041] FIG. 30 is a communication block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating high level tracking and
monitoring of RF spectrum resource allocations and use according to
an embodiment.
[0042] FIG. 31 is a communication block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating integration required for full
mobility between visiting and home networks.
[0043] FIG. 32 is a communication block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating media independent handover of
user equipment from one network to another according to an
embodiment.
[0044] FIG. 33 is a communication block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating data flow for initiating a
network handover according to an embodiment.
[0045] FIG. 34 is a communication system block diagram of a DSA
communication system illustrating providing user equipment access
to several Radio Access Terminals (RAT) according to an
embodiment.
[0046] FIG. 35 is a message flow diagram illustrating message
communications between components of a DSA communication system
according to an embodiment.
[0047] FIGS. 36-40 are process flow diagrams of embodiment methods
for allocating and accessing resources using the DSA communication
system.
[0048] FIG. 41 is a message flow diagram illustrating in more
detail message communications between components of a DSA
communication system according to an embodiment.
[0049] FIGS. 42-44 are process flow diagrams of embodiment methods
for off-loading communication sessions from a host network.
[0050] FIGS. 45-49 are process flow diagrams of embodiment methods
for allocating and accessing resources in a public safety network
using the DSA communication system.
[0051] FIGS. 50-53 are process flow diagrams of embodiment methods
for off-loading communication sessions from a public safety
network.
[0052] FIGS. 54-56 are process flow diagrams of embodiment methods
for enabling an authorized public safety authority to access the
public safety network using a wireless device from another
network.
[0053] FIG. 57 is a component block diagram of a server suitable
for use with an embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0054] The various embodiments will be described in detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same
reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to
the same or like parts. References made to particular examples and
implementations are for illustrative purposes, and are not intended
to limit the scope of the invention or the claims.
[0055] As used herein, the terms "mobile device," "wireless device"
and "user equipment (UE)" may be used interchangeably and refer to
any one of various cellular telephones, personal data assistants
(PDA's), palm-top computers, laptop computers with wireless modems,
wireless electronic mail receivers (e.g., the Blackberry.RTM. and
Treo.RTM. devices), multimedia Internet enabled cellular telephones
(e.g., the iPhone.RTM.), and similar personal electronic devices. A
wireless device may include a programmable processor and memory. In
a preferred embodiment, the wireless device is a cellular handheld
device (e.g., a mobile device), which can communicate via a
cellular telephone communications network.
[0056] A high priority in responding to any emergency or disaster
situation is establishing effective communications. In large scale
emergency or disaster (both manmade and natural) situations, it is
paramount to maintain communications between all first responders
and emergency personnel in order to respond, manage, and control
the emergency situation effectively. In the absence of effective
communication among first responders and other emergency personnel,
resources may not be effectively mobilized to the areas which need
the resources most. Even in minor emergency situations (e.g.,
traffic accidents and fires), first responders must be able to call
on support assets and coordinate with other services (e.g., public
utilities, hospitals, etc.). With the ubiquity of wireless device
ownership and usage, emergency communication via wireless devices
using commercial cellular communication networks often are the most
efficient and effective means to mobilize emergency response
personnel and resources. Enabling wireless devices to provide
effective emergency communications obviates the technical
challenges and expense of coordinating radio frequencies among
various first responder agencies (e.g., police, fire, ambulance,
FEMA, public utilities, etc.). Also, qualified first responders to
an accident who are off duty or not ordinarily equipped with radios
(e.g., doctors, nurses, retired police, or military personnel) will
have or can quickly borrow a wireless device.
[0057] Emergency communications over cellular communication
networks is not without problems, however. As discussed above in
the Background, cellular communication networks ("networks") are
designed to accommodate access requests from only a fraction of the
total number of wireless devices in a particular cell. At times of
emergency or crisis, network resources may become overtaxed when
predictable human responses to the situation prompt an
extraordinary number of wireless device users within a particular
cell to access the network at the same time. Wireless device users
may be attempting to alert emergency personnel of the emergency
situation (such as a 911 emergency call) or to alert friends or
family members that the user is safe despite being in the area of
an emergency situation. Some users may be transmitting images of
the emergency condition (fire, accident, etc.) to news services or
friends. In a wide scale situation, emergency responders using
wireless devices for emergency communications will add to the call
volume. Regardless, the predictable increase in call volume during
an emergency situation can overwhelm a commercial cellular
communications network, particularly in the cell zone encompassing
the emergency, thus rendering the network unreliable for emergency
response personnel communication usage.
[0058] To illustrate the problem, consider the case of a traffic
accident occurring on the highway. FIG. 1 illustrates a cellular
communication network under normal conditions. As illustrated,
multiple wireless devices 101(a-g) are wirelessly connect to the
cellular communication network via a base station 102 servicing a
particular cell 100. The base station 102 connects via a base
station controller (BSC)/radio network controller (RNC) 103 to a
Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 104. The MSC 104 contains both a
public switched telephone network (PSTN) interface and an Internet
interface. Calls made to and from any of the multiple wireless
devices 101(a-g) may be routed via conventional landlines over the
PSTN 105 or Internet 106 using VOIP. Calls between conventional
landline telephone stations and any one of wireless devices
101(a-g) may be routed over via the PSTN or Internet. Calls between
wireless devices 101(a-g) may be routed over the PSTN or Internet
to similar MSC 104, BSC/RNC 103, and base station 102 located near
the initiating or intended wireless device 101(a-g).
[0059] FIG. 1 illustrates the typical situation in which a fraction
of the wireless devices within a cell access the network at the
same time. For example, FIG. 1 shows seven separate wireless
devices 101(a-g) located within the cell, only three of which
(101c, 101d, and 101e) are currently accessing the network. Thus,
the network is operating well within its operating parameters and
all requests to the network from wireless devices 101(a-g) are
granted. It is noted that all wireless devices 101(a-g) that are
turned on but not in use continue to communicate with the base
station 102 via a link management channel (not illustrated). The
network uses these communications to keep track of the wireless
devices 101(a-g) within each cell to support call routing. However,
the amount of information communicated between all wireless devices
101(a-g) and the base station 102 for such tracking purposes is
small (particularly in contrast to the bandwidth required for a
normal telephone call), so the number of on-but-inactive wireless
devices 101 within a cell normally will not overwhelm the
network.
[0060] This normal functioning of the cellular network can be
disrupted when, for example, an accident stops traffic, prompting
delayed drivers to simultaneously use their wireless devices to
alert emergency personnel of the traffic accident (emergency 911
call) or contact friends, family members, business associates,
etc., to inform them of the delay. FIG. 2 illustrates a cellular
communication network in such an emergency situation. In this
illustration, a truck 107 in the vicinity of base station 102 is on
fire. Predictably, the truck 107 fire prompts most of the wireless
devices 101(a-g) users within the vicinity to access the cellular
network at approximately the same time. This causes an overload
condition in the cell by exceeding the bandwidth of the carriers on
the local base station 102. Consequently, some of the wireless
devices 101b, 101f will not be granted access to the network, and
new network access requests may be denied until communication
channels open up. This communication bottleneck may worsen the
emergency situation by delaying the response by emergency personnel
and denying first responders with effective communication over the
network.
[0061] This problem is exacerbated in disaster situations involving
many victims and large areas, such as wildfires, floods,
hurricanes, tornadoes and terrorist attacks. As witnessed during
the September 11.sup.th attack and Hurricane Katrina, large
disasters can destroy part of the cellular and landline telephone
network infrastructure, leaving the remaining network more
vulnerable to overload conditions. Network overloads during
disaster events are particularly troublesome since such situations
naturally involve widespread confusion and require close
coordination among a large number of emergency and relief
personnel.
[0062] If a disaster situation will persist long enough (e.g., a
flood or hurricane situation), additional cellular communication
capacity can be added to a region by activating a deployable
cellular communication system to provide emergency response teams
and personnel with the ability to communicate. Such recently
developed deployable units, referred to herein as a "switch on
wheels," can include a CDMA2000 base station and switch, Land
Mobile Radio (LMR) interoperability equipment, a satellite Fixed
Service Satellite (FSS) for remote interconnection to the Internet
and PSTN, and, optionally, a source or remote electrical power such
as a gasoline or diesel powered generator. A more complete
description of an example deployable switch on wheels is provided
in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/249,143, filed Oct. 10,
2008, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference in their entirety.
[0063] These switch on wheels are effectively mobile cellular base
stations which may be deployed in a disaster area and operate as a
cellular tower antenna. The switch on wheels sends and receives
communication signals from a plurality of wireless devices 101 and
serves as a gateway portal to the rest of the conventional
communications infrastructure. Communications between the switch on
wheels and a wireless device 101 is broken down into packets for
transport as a VOIP communication, and may be transmitted via
satellite to a ground station outside the disaster area from which
the call is forwarded through the telephone network to the
recipient. Even with the added bandwidth provided by deployable
switch on wheels, network overloads may still cause communication
delay and frustration to emergency response personnel.
[0064] To overcome such problems in the event of a national
emergency, the WPA system was developed. Conventional WPA systems
provide selected emergency leadership with preemptive access to
cellular communication networks. However, conventional WPA systems
do not permit calls made to the wireless device of a registered WPA
authority. In other words, while wireless devices registered for
WPA service may be given priority access for placing calls on the
network, there are no provisions in the WPA system enabling those
very same wireless devices to receive calls. Incoming calls to
wireless devices in a command center may be just as important as
outgoing calls. Also, conventional WPA systems assume that if an
authorized user needs to make a call, the call will be made from
their pre-registered wireless device. However, there may be
instances where the authorized personnel do not have their
pre-registered wireless device. Alternatively, the wireless device
may be damaged. Provisions must be made to enable the authorized
personnel access to an overloaded network. Also, emergency
personnel who have not previously registered their wireless device
on the WPA system cannot access overloaded cellular communication
networks "on the fly." Many times, off duty, junior, volunteer
emergency response personnel may be the first responders on the
scene on an incident. Such personnel may not be entitled to
conventional WPA which is designed to address the needs of the
leadership. Thus, precisely the personnel who can quickly alleviate
a situation given their proximity on the scene are unlikely not
pre-registered and authorized for conventional WPA.
[0065] To overcome these limitations with conventional cellular
communication networks and conventional WPA, the various
embodiments provide Tiered Priority Access (TPA) capabilities to
deliver Quality of Service (QoS)/Grade of Service (GOS) wireless
device communications for first responders for calls both
originated and terminated at a mobile handset. The various
embodiments are particularly aimed at the needs of first responders
at the very start of an emergency event.
[0066] TPA as its name implies aims to provide a tiered response to
network capacity requirements. The tiered response mirrors typical
communication requirements at the incident scene as more responders
appear to help resolve the problem(s) at hand. When an incident
occurs first responders are either at the incident scene or begin
to respond. First responders reporting to an incident initially
arrive on scene in small numbers and may grow in direct response to
the magnitude and severity of the incident.
[0067] To accommodate this predictable response, TPA enables an
escalation and de-escalation process based upon call volume as
first responders arrive on scene and depart as the situation is
restored to normal.
[0068] In overview, the various embodiments work as follows. During
normal operation, cellular call volume through particular base
stations is monitored to determine if the network is reaching
capacity limits. Call volume may be monitored based on current
calls, attempts to access the network, engaged bandwidth, or other
methods known to cellular service providers. Call volume may be
locally monitored at the base station 102, at a BSC/RNC 103, or an
MSC 104 or, in an embodiment, centrally, such as in a Network
Operation Center (NOC). Such monitoring is at the cellular level,
since normal emergency situations are most likely to impact one or
two cell zones, although TPA will work in a similar fashion in the
event of a widespread emergency. When call volume in a cell exceeds
a threshold value preselected by the service provider and/or
emergency response planners, the system allocates one channel in
the affected cell tower to TPA operation.
[0069] FIG. 2 illustrates a situation in which call volume has
exceeded a threshold indicating that TPA should be implemented. As
shown in FIG. 2, more wireless devices 101 in the cell supported by
the base station 102 are attempting to access the network than the
network can connect. As a result, only some of the wireless devices
101a, 101c, 101d, 101e and 101g will be able to place or receive
calls (shown as solid black), while others will be denied access to
the network (shown as white). In this situation, call volume within
the cell served by the base station 102 has exceeded the threshold,
so one of the communication channels on the antenna will be
allocated to TPA operation. However, the channel remains available
to general public use until a TPA-authorized call is placed. Thus,
no change in the communication network is shown in FIG. 2.
[0070] The various embodiments address this overload condition in
order to allow emergency personnel to use the cellular
communication network as they arrive on scene, as is illustrated in
FIG. 3. When an emergency responder 108 arrives on scene, that
individual may initiate a wireless telephone call. If a
communications channel has been allocated to TPA operation and the
emergency responder's wireless device is pre-registered as a
TPA-authorized wireless device, the network can recognize the
pre-registered TPA authorized wireless device from the wireless
device's unique ID and recognizes the call as a TPA-call. The base
station 102, BSC/RNC 103 or the MSC 104 may ensure the TPA call is
connected. If necessary, the bandwidth allocated to civilian
wireless device users is reduced and one or more non-emergency
calls may be dropped to enable the TPA call to be connected. This
is illustrated in FIG. 3 as the connection to wireless device 101c
has been dropped and denied further access to the network
(illustrated as a white lightning bolt), and the TPA call
(illustrated as a dashed black lighting bolt) by the emergency
responder 108 is connected.
[0071] As additional emergency personnel 109 arrive on scene of the
emergency, additional TPA calls may need to be connected as
illustrated in FIG. 4. To accommodate the increase in TPA calls,
additional network resources may be automatically allocated to TPA
operation in order to provide emergency responders reliable
cellular communications. This is illustrated in FIG. 4 which shows
connected TPA calls with police 108 and fire 109 personnel
(illustrated as a dashed black lighting bolts), while wireless
devices 101c and 101d have been disconnect (illustrated as a white
lightning bolts). Automatically allocating more resources to TPA
use reduces the bandwidth available to the general public, which
will limit general access to the network. However, emergency
personnel are provided reliable access to the network so long as
the heavy call volume persists.
[0072] Eventually the emergency situation will be resolved and
emergency personnel will begin to scene. As conditions return to
normal, civilian call volume should return to normal levels while
the number of emergency responders requiring TPA-access will also
decline. This is illustrated in FIG. 5 which shows that the fire
has been extinguished and firemen have left the scene. As traffic
begins returning to normal flow fewer general population wireless
devices 101a-g access the network simultaneously. With cellular
communications returning to normal, cellular communications
resources may be released from TPA operations, restoring the
network to normal operations. As illustrated, the remaining
emergency personnel 108 are connected to the cellular communication
network in the normal fashion as the call volume has decreased to
the point that TPA operation has been terminated.
[0073] When TPA operation is implemented on one or more
communication channels, the cellular system (e.g., locally in the
base station, BSC/RNC, or MSC, or in a central location such as a
NOC) monitors incoming and outgoing calls to determine whether any
calls are coming from or directed to emergency response personnel.
This may be accomplished by recognizing an originating or
destination wireless device as being TPA pre-registered wireless
device. Alternatively, the system may recognize emergency response
personnel when they complete a special dialing procedure such as
the *272 dialing procedure described below.
[0074] Wireless devices can be pre-registered for TPA use by
authorized users. This may be accomplished by registering as a
qualified emergency responder (e.g., according to criteria
established by governmental authorities) with the cellular network
provider. As is well known in the telecommunications art, all
wireless devices 101 which access the cellular communication are
assigned a unique identification number. In the pre-registration
process, the cellular network provider stores the wireless device's
unique identification number in a database of authorized TPA
personnel. The cellular network provider may also issue the
individual a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN) for use in
implementing TPA preemption from a non-TPA wireless device as
described more fully below.
[0075] If the emergency responder's wireless device is not
pre-registered (such as a borrowed phone), and the network is
overload, the emergency responder may be unable to access network
resources. In this situation, the emergency responder can activate
the embodiment TPA from a non-registered wireless device 101 by
first dialing *272 followed by a personal identification number
(PIN) and the telephone number. The nearest base station 102 to the
non-registered wireless device 101 receives the transmission from
the wireless device 101 indicating that the wireless device is
initiating a call. The base station 102 (or BSC/RNC 103 connected
to the receiving base station) recognizes the *272 special dialing
prefix and starts to route the call to the appropriate destination.
Alternatively, recognition and routing of the #272 dialing prefix
may be accomplished at the MSC 104. This destination may be the
closest PSAP or central location with a database of PINs. The *272
call is similarly processed at the BSC/RNC 103 and later MSC 104 as
the call proceeds through the communication network system. The
BSC/RNC 103 and MSC 104 controlling the base station antenna 102
and other associated antennae are programmed to recognize the
special dialing procedure using a database of pre-registered first
responder PINs. This PIN database may be stored at the MSC 104 or
at another central location such as a NOC. If the received PIN
matches a record in the PIN database, the MSC 104 may immediately
give the caller preemptive access to the network just as if the
call had been made from a TPA-registered wireless device as
described above. In order to support this capability, a
TPA-allocated channel reserves sufficient open capacity during
TPA-operation to receive and recognize *272 dialed calls. If the
communication channel is at capacity and a dialed number does not
begin with *272, the call is promptly dropped with no attempt to
complete the call. However, if the dialed number begins with *272,
the MSC 104 completes the process of comparing the entered PIN to
the PIN database and the temporarily registering the call as a
TPA-authorized wireless device. Non-TPA calls may be dropped if
necessary in order to retain sufficient capacity to receive and
recognize *272 calls.
[0076] While reference is made throughout the application to the
MSC 104 monitoring and providing the TPA capability, it should be
appreciated by one of skill in the art that other elements of the
communication system may implement the various method steps. These
elements may include, but are not limited to equipment collocated
with the base station antenna 102, the BSC/RNC 103, or a NOC.
[0077] Once a wireless device has been recognized as a TPA-phone by
means of the *272 dialing procedure, the MSC 104 will track the
wireless device and continue to treat it as if it were a
TPA-registered wireless device so long as at least one
communication channel is allocated to TPA operation. Using the
unique identification number assigned to the wireless device, the
MSC 104 will recognize subsequent calls from the wireless device as
TPA-calls without the need for the user to repeat the *272 dialing
procedure. Similarly, the MSC 104 can identify incoming calls to
the first responder that should receive TPA preemption service.
Thus, a first responder 108 using a non-registered wireless device
can register the wireless device "on the fly" when TPA is
implemented for both incoming and outgoing calls by using the *272
dialing procedure to call one number (such as a dispatcher or
"911").
[0078] In an embodiment, a TPA authorized user with a PIN can
authenticate any number of wireless devices using the *272 dialing
procedure described above. This embodiment will enable first
responders, such as a policeman, fireman or emergency medical
technician, to "deputize" volunteers, such as military personnel,
doctors or retired policemen that they find on the scene, thus
creating a reliable ad hoc emergency communication network. Since
the temporary TPA-authorization of a wireless device established by
the *272 dialing procedure is rescinded as all communication
channels in the affected area return to normal operation (i.e.
cease TPA operation), there is limited concern that the TPA system
could be compromised for subsequent emergencies provided the
authorized user's PIN is not revealed. Even if the PIN is revealed,
the PIN can be easily changed without significant impact since TPA
implementation is expected to be an infrequent, random and episodic
event.
[0079] In a further embodiment, a user of a TPA-registered wireless
device who does not have (or forgot) a PIN can register another
phone "on the fly," thereby "deputizing" it for the duration of the
TPA event by simply initiating the special dialing procedure on any
wireless device. For example, the first responder may use a
TPA-registered wireless device to dial the number of the wireless
device to be "deputized" followed by *272 (any dialing prefix or
postscript may be used). When this call is received by the MSC 104,
the *272 prefix or postscript is recognized as indicating that the
dialed number is to be treated as a temporary TPA-authorized
wireless device, allowing it to store the unique ID of the called
wireless device in a database for tracking such temporary TPA
authorizations. Using this capability, a first responder can
quickly deputize one or more volunteers simply by calling their
numbers.
[0080] In still a further embodiment, emergency response personnel
whose position does rise to the level of qualifying for
pre-registration TPA service or PIN may still be the first
emergency personnel on the scene of an emergency situation. The
user may use his/her non pre-registered wireless device to initiate
a *272 special dialing procedure. The call may be forwarded to a
PSAP which may issue a temporary PIN and add the wireless device to
the database of temporary TPA authorizations.
[0081] Alternatively, if the user initiates a *272 special dialing
(or similar dialing procedure such as 911), the call may be
forwarded to a PSAP. In large scale crisis situations, the
answering PSAP may be disabled or unable to answer quickly due to
the large incoming call volume. In such situations, if the *272
call is not answered by the PSAP within a predetermined time frame
a temporary TPA authorization may be automatically issued. Since
the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the temporary TPA
authorization have not been fully analyzed by a PSAP operator, it
is unclear whether the user receiving the temporary TPA
authorization is properly authorized. Accordingly, the temporary
TPA authorization may be flagged on the PSAP monitor for possible
deactivation or investigation.
[0082] In a further embodiment, the cellular network is configured
to give calls from a TPA-registered wireless device and
(optionally) temporary TPA-authorized wireless devices priority
when dialing to a civilian (i.e., non-TPA authorized) wireless
device within the cell zone(s) implementing TPA operations. When
such a call is made, the MSC 104 is programmed to route the call to
the dialed wireless device through the communication channel or
channels allocated to TPA operation. If a TPA-allocated channel is
at capacity when the call from a TPA-authorized wireless device is
received for a civilian wireless device, another civilian wireless
device call is dropped in order to provide sufficient capacity to
complete the call, with the associated preemption process being
used to prevent another 911 call from being dropped. This
embodiment gives emergency personnel the ability to dial-into an
emergency. For example, emergency personnel can use this capacity
to call back a civilian who initially called 911 to report an
emergency in order to request an update from a potential eye
witness. As another example, a first responder can call volunteers
within the emergency scene without deputizing their phones, assured
of being able to reach the volunteers even though the
communications network is otherwise overwhelmed.
[0083] TPA operations may be implemented in two embodiments of the
present disclosure. In a first embodiment described below with
reference to FIG. 6, one or more cellular communication channels
are dedicating to TPA calls, providing emergency personnel with
dedicated communication capacity while leaving the remaining
communication channels to the general public. In a second
embodiment described below with reference to FIG. 7, call
preemption for TPA calls is implemented only as a TPA allocated
communication channel reaches capacity. These embodiments are
described separately below.
[0084] FIG. 6 illustrates an example process flow of steps that may
be taken to implement the first embodiment of TPA that may be
operable with a computing device having a processor. During normal
operations cellular communication network call volume is monitored,
block 201. In particular, the cellular communication network call
volume (or number of access requests or engaged bandwidth) are
compared against a predetermined threshold (for example 85% of
maximum capacity), block 202. If the call volume is below the
predetermined threshold a normal situation is assumed to exist, so
the monitoring process returns to block 201 to continue monitor
call volume. If, however, the call volume (or number of access
requests or engaged bandwidth) exceeds the predetermined threshold,
an abnormal situation exists which may indicate that an emergency
situation is unfolding. To prepare for an emergency situation,
network resources (e.g., communication channels on a particular
base station antenna) are partitioned and reserved for TPA use,
block 203. By automatically allocating a communication channel to
TPA use, the system permits a TPA-authorized wireless device to
gain access to the network, even when the network is otherwise
overloaded. However, TPA preemption does not occur until a
TPA-qualified caller attempts to access an overloaded network.
[0085] Since the increased call volume may or may not be in
response to an emergency situation, a communication channel
allocated to TPA continues to function normally, by handling
civilian (i.e., non-TPA) calls in the ordinary fashion. In
instances where the increased call volume is simply due to
coincidental network requests and no TPA-qualified user is
attempting to place a call, call preemption enabled by TPA is not
needed. Thus, the TPA threshold may be exceeded and TPA implemented
even when there is no actual emergency incident. Delaying actual
implementation of TPA preemption until the service is required by a
first responder increases the reliability of the network under
normal circumstances.
[0086] The system may be informed that an actual emergency
situation is occurring indicated by a TPA-authorized emergency
response personnel placing a TPA call within the affected cell
zone. When the communication channel is in TPA mode, the cellular
system (be it at the base station, BSC/RNC/MSC, or in a central
location such as a NOC) monitors incoming and outgoing calls to
determine whether any emergency response personnel is using a
TPA-pre-registered wireless device or has completed a special
dialing procedure invoking TPA preemption, block 204. If no
emergency response personnel has initiated a call using a
TPA-authorized wireless device or the special dialing procedure,
the system may continues to monitor access requests, in block 204,
as well as call volume, in block 201, to determine if the
communication channel should be released from TPA operation, block
202.
[0087] If a call is initiated by a TPA-authorized wireless device,
or if the call is generated from a non pre-registered wireless
device using the *272 dialing procedure, TPA is initiated, block
205. When TPA is initiated, block 205, only emergency personnel
previously registered or given clearance "on the fly" will be
permitted access to the partitioned and reserved network resources.
As noted above, TPA will normally be implemented on a single
communication channel initially, leaving the remaining channels to
general public use. Then, if TPA-use exceeds the capacity of the
TPA-allocated network resources another resource can be converted
to TPA operation. By dedicating network resources to emergency
personnel use one channel or one resource at a time, the remaining
network resources are left available for non-essential general
public use. In addition, by dedicating network resources for
emergency personnel communication, emergency personnel are able to
both send and receive calls on their wireless devices.
[0088] In an optional embodiment, upon the initiation of TPA, block
205, the MSC 104 may survey the wireless devices 101 located within
the affected cell or serviced by other base station antennae 102
within the same BSC/RNC 103, to identify all registered or
temporarily registered first responders. These first responders may
be advised via SMS message (or other methods) that they can utilize
the TPA service by placing a call or using the special dialing
procedure, block 206.
[0089] In a further optional embodiment, the base station 102,
BSC/RNC 103, or MSC 104 may also send messages to all non-emergency
wireless devices 101a-g within the affected area/cell 100 advising
them to avoid using their wireless device 101a-g except for
Emergency 911 calls and to indicate that emergency services have
been notified, block 207. This messaging may be initiated by the
PSAP responsible for the incident area, by the local incident
Command and Control authority, or by the network service provider.
Such messages may be delivered via SMS message or other
communication means. The system may also notify callers connected
to the channel allocated to TPA use that their calls are being
terminated prior to disconnecting the calls.
[0090] As the emergency situation continues to unfold and
additional emergency response personnel appear on the scene,
additional network resources may be required to support emergency
personnel communication. Accordingly, the partitioned and dedicated
network resource may be monitored to determine if additional
network resources should be partitioned and allocated to TPA. This
may be accomplished by comparing the call volume on the partitioned
and dedicated network resource to a predefined maximum or minimum
threshold, block 208. If call volume exceeds a predefined maximum
(indicating an escalating situation), for example 25% usage of the
partitioned and dedicated network resources in the cell
site/sector, additional dedicated network resources may be
partitioned to TPA operation, block 211, to allow emergency
response personnel to communicate.
[0091] In an embodiment, before terminating calls in order to
allocate the additional channel to TPA operation, non-essential
(i.e., non-emergency personnel) wireless devices 101 that have a
call or data sessions in progress with the allocated channel may be
informed with a warning tone and/or recorded announcement that
their call is being terminated unless a defined code is entered,
block 210. This permits first responders to maintain their calls by
quickly entering a code (e.g., their PIN). If an in process call is
an emergency 911 call, the defined code may be supplied by a
PSAP.
[0092] In an embodiment, the system will continue to automatically
retrieve and re-allocate network resources for emergency response
personnel communication until all available network resources are
dedicated to emergency response personnel use. Such an embodiment
will maximize communication capabilities of emergency response
personnel. Other embodiments may reserve at least a minimum portion
of network resource (e.g., one communication channel) to enable the
general public the ability to alert emergency response personnel to
new or developing emergency situation, such as by placing 911
calls. Accordingly, other embodiments may impose maximum limits to
the amount of network resources that are taken away from the
general population and dedicated to emergency response personnel
communication. To accomplish this, the MSC 104 may determine
whether the maximum amount of network resources have been
partitioned and dedicated to emergency response personnel
communication, in block 209. If the maximum amount of network
resources have already been partitioned and dedicated, the MSC 104
may continue to monitor the level of utilization of the partitioned
and dedicated network resources, in block 208. If the maximum
amount of network resources that can be partitioned and dedicated
has not been reached, the MSC 104 may (optionally) inform current
callers that calls are being terminated, block 210, and reallocate
network resources from general population usage to emergency
response personnel communication use, block 211. Once the
additional communication channel has been dedicated, the MCS 104
will return to monitoring the level of utilization of the
partitioned and dedicated network resources to determine if the
emergency situation is escalating or de-escalating, block 208.
[0093] As emergency response personnel work to alleviate the
emergency incident and return conditions to normal, the need for
network resources will decrease as emergency personnel exit the
scene. To enable the system to return to normal operations, the MSC
104 may continually monitor the call volume on the partitioned and
dedicated network resources for an indication of escalation or
de-escalation, block 208. When the level of use of the partitioned
and dedicated network resource drops below a predefined minimum,
the MSC 104 may begin to re-allocate network resources back to
general public usage, block 212. Network resources may be
automatically re-allocated channel by channel, incrementally
reducing the resources allocated to emergency personnel usage,
returning to normal operations in a stepwise fashion.
[0094] By demobilizing network resources one channel or network
resource at a time, the embodiment provides a flexible
communication system which may adapt to the situation as it
evolves. If the situation requires more or less network resources
for emergency personnel communication, the embodiment system and
method can meet the demand while still providing some network
resources for the general public to use. The system may wait for a
period of time after each release of a TPA-dedicated channel in
order to accommodate surges in emergency personnel use during the
event wind-down phase, thereby avoiding having to repeat the
process of dropping callers, block 210, unnecessarily.
[0095] Once the cellular communication channel has been
re-allocated for general public usage, the MSC 104 determines if
there are any more network resources that are currently partitioned
and dedicated for emergency personnel communication, block 213. If
additional network resources are currently partitioned and
dedicated for emergency personnel communication, the MSC 104
returns to block 208 to determine whether the emergency situation
is escalating or de-escalating. As the emergency situation further
de-escalates and returns to normal, emergency response personnel
require less and less network resources to support their
communications. Thus, the MSC 104 will continue to automatically
re-allocate network resources to general public usage in response
to call volume, block 212, until all network resources are in
normal operating configuration for general public use. The MSC 104
may return to block 201 and may monitor call volume waiting for the
next emergency situation.
[0096] In the second embodiment, illustrated in the process flow
diagram in FIG. 7, network resources are incrementally allocated to
TPA use at level of individual calls by way of call preemption so
that public access to the network is maximized while meeting
emergency personnel use requirements. During normal operations,
cellular communication network usage is monitored, block 302.
Network access requests, call volume or engaged bandwidth may be
compared to a predetermined threshold (for example 85% of maximum
capacity), block 304. If the usage is below the predetermined
threshold, a normal situation is assumed to exist, so the
monitoring process returns to block 302 to continue monitoring call
volume. If, however, the usage exceeds the predetermined threshold,
an abnormal situation exists which may indicate that an emergency
situation is unfolding. To prepare for an emergency situation,
network resources, such as a communication channel on an affected
base station antenna, are partitioned and reserved for TPA use,
block 306. By automatically allocating a communication channel to
TPA use, the system permits a TPA-authorized wireless device to
gain access to the network, even when the network is otherwise
overloaded. However, TPA preemption does not occur until a
TPA-qualified caller attempts to access an overloaded network.
[0097] Since the increased call volume may or may not be in
response to an emergency situation, a communication channel
allocated to TPA continues to function normally by handling
civilian (i.e., non-TPA) calls in the ordinary fashion. In
instances where the increased call volume is simply due to
coincidental call volume and no TPA-qualified user is attempting to
place a call, call preemption enabled by TPA is not needed. Thus,
the TPA threshold may be exceeded and TPA implemented even when TPA
call preemption is not required. Delaying actual implementation of
TPA preemption until preemption is required by a first responder
increases the reliability of the network under normal
circumstances.
[0098] With a network resource allocated to TPA operation, the
cellular system (be it at the base station, BSC/RNC or in a central
location such as an MSC) monitors incoming and outgoing calls,
block 308. The TPA-allocated channel continues to function as a
normal cellular communication channel until (a) the channel is at
capacity (i.e., current call volume through the channel equals its
maximum capacity) and (b) a TPA-qualified wireless device attempts
to access the network to place or receive a call. Call volume on
the TPA-allocated communication channel is monitored to determine
if a call must be dropped in order to connect a TPA-qualified call.
Thus, when a new call is received (incoming or outgoing) that will
be allocated to the TPA-allocated channel, the system may first
determine if that channel is presently at capacity (i.e., has as
many calls connected as the channel can reliably maintain), block
310. If the channel is not at capacity (i.e., there is excess
capacity on the network), the call may be connected, block 315.
This monitoring of the TPA channel may prevent disconnecting a
civilian call if sufficient capacity exists on the channel to
enable connection of a new incoming or outgoing TPA call.
[0099] As discussed above, the system can recognize a
TPA-authorized call by determining if the source or destination
wireless device is a TPA-registered wireless device, block 312, and
if not by the caller completing a special dialing procedure. The
dialing procedure may invoke TPA preemption, block 316. In block
315, the call may be connected. For example, if the caller is using
(or the call is placed to) a TPA-registered wireless device the
call may be connected. The call may be connected if at least one
non-TPA call is connected on the TPA-allocated channel, block 314
and capacity is released to sufficient to connect the TPA call,
block 315. This allows the TPA-qualified first responder to make a
call without delay even though the network is at capacity.
Similarly, if an incoming call is directed to a TPA-qualified
wireless device, at least one non-TPA call on the TPA channel is
terminated in order to connect the incoming call to the
TPA-qualified wireless device. The process of terminating non-TPA
calls from the allocated channel may continue as more calls to
TPA-qualified wireless devices access the network.
[0100] If the caller is not using a TPA-registered phone and did
not enter a *272 type dialing sequence, the call may be blocked,
block 320, as a non-emergency call at a time when system resources
are at capacity. If the caller has entered the special dialing
sequence (such as *272 plus a PIN), the entered PIN is compared to
PIN values stored in a database (e.g., at the base station 102,
BSC/RNC 103, or MSC 104,) in block 318. If the PIN matches a
registered emergency personnel, a non-TPA call connected on the
TPA-allocated channel, block 314, in order to release capacity
sufficient to connect the TPA call, block 315.
[0101] The system may also monitor call volume on the TPA-allocated
channel, block 322 to ensure sufficient capacity remains to
accommodate further emergency personnel requirements. TPA-call
volume (i.e., the volume of calls to/from TPA-qualified wireless
devices) on a TPA-allocated communication channel may be compared
to a threshold value in block 322 to determine when to allocate
another communication channel to TPA use. If the TPA call volume
threshold is exceeded (i.e., test 322="Yes"), another channel will
be allocated to TPA functions block 306, which is discussed
above.
[0102] TPA-call volume on each TPA-allocated channel, block 322, as
well as call volume on all channels, block 324, may continue to be
monitored. This may determine when TPA calls are no longer being
made, as will occur when the emergency is resolved and first
responders leave the scene, or when total call volume returns to a
level at which TPA operation is no longer required. If call volume
continues to exceed the TPA threshold, the system may continue to
operate at least one channel in TPA mode, accepting calls, block
308, checking for TPA channel call volume, block 310 and connecting
calls, block 315, if the call is from/to a TPA authorized wireless
device block 312 or if call volume is less than capacity. As
TPA-call volume declines, the number of channels allocated to
TPA-operation can be reduced by releasing a TPA channel, block 326.
The monitoring call volume and releasing of channels from TPA
allocation will continue until all communication channels are
returned to normal operations. Also, if call volume on non-TPA
channels drops back to normal, the system may deactivate TPA
operation on all allocated channels since the normal capacity of
the network can accommodate TPA-qualified callers without the need
for TPA preemption.
[0103] This second embodiment allows TPA-allocated channels to be
operated in a fashion that ensures every TPA-authorized caller can
access the network while providing maximum bandwidth possible to
the general public. Monitoring of TPA channel call volume allows
the system to avoid dropping civilian calls if sufficient capacity
exists on the channel to enable connection of a new incoming or
outgoing TPA call. If no emergency response personnel initiated a
call using a TPA-authorized wireless device or the special dialing
procedure, the system may continue to monitor access requests,
block 308, and the call volume, block 324, to determine if the
communication channel should be released from TPA operation, block
326.
[0104] An additional embodiment provides prioritizing access to
TPA-dedicated network resources to enable highest priority callers
to use the cellular communication network. In a situation where the
number of emergency responders can exceed the capacity of the
cellular network resources, this embodiment may enable high
priority users, such as national leadership and on-site commanders,
to preempt other, lower priority users in order to gain instant
access to the network. High priority users can use their
pre-registered wireless devices to gain access to the network. The
unique ID of their wireless devices can be used to determine the
priority of the user from a database of unique IDs. Similarly, high
priority users can identify themselves to the network using the
special dialing procedure, with a code or PIN providing sufficient
information for the network (e.g., the MSC 104) to determine the
priority of the user from a database of PINs. Using the priority
value determined from a database, the network (e.g., the MSC 104)
can determine whether the present caller has a higher priority than
any callers already connected to TPA-allocated network resources.
Assuming the wireless device 101 is properly authorized, the call
may be given priority in the queue on the TPA-allocated network
resource so that the emergency personnel member using the
pre-registered authorized wireless device may be able to complete
the call. If the network resource is at capacity, a call from a
person with a lower priority level may be dropped in order to
free-up sufficient capacity to complete the call.
[0105] FIG. 8 illustrates an example hierarchy of emergency
response personnel. Various other configurations are possible and
other personnel may be included, and personnel roles or status may
change based on events, for example, the military commander 302 may
assume the role of executive leadership, etc. As shown in FIG. 8,
Executive Leaders and Policy Makers 301 may be given highest
priority status. Members of this class may pre-register their
wireless devices 101 such that the wireless device 101 unique
identifier is stored in a hierarchy database. If a call is placed
from any wireless device pre-registered to a member of the
executive leader and policy maker class 301, the call is placed
first in any queue of partitioned and dedicated network resources.
Similarly, Disaster Response/Military Command and Control personnel
302 may be provided the next highest priority class. Lower level
priority may be afforded to line police and firefighters 306 and
emergency medical technicians 307. In all cases, wireless devices
may be pre-registered so their unique identifiers and/or the user's
PIN can be stored in a hierarchy database to support this
embodiment.
[0106] The foregoing embodiments may also be implemented in a
cellular system using a deployable "switch on wheels" cellular
communication system. Since such systems may be implemented in
large scale emergency/disaster situations with access limited to
emergency responders and command authority, network overload will
occur from too many authorized (i.e., non-civilian) users placing
calls at the same time. To ensure reliable communications in such
cases, the deployable switch on wheels can implement the caller
priority embodiment so that callers with highest priority (e.g.,
national and regional commanders) have assured access to cellular
communications, while lowest priority authorized users may be
disconnected if necessary. In this embodiment, a database of
authorized users indicating individual priority (hierarchy) levels
(e.g., illustrated in FIG. 8) may be maintained in a server within
the deployable switch on wheels.
[0107] The foregoing embodiments have been described as being
implemented by the MSC 104. One of skill in the art would
appreciate that the foregoing embodiments may be implemented within
a number computer switching system elements within the cellular
communications network, including but not limited to the base
station 102, BSC/RNC 103 or NOC. Monitoring of call volume on
communication channels and within a cell is performed automatically
already. Such systems may be reprogrammed to implement the
foregoing embodiments so that the implementation of TPA operations
is performed automatically. Thus, the system can automatically
recognize when call volumes exceed thresholds so that a
communication channel should be allocated to TPA operation. The
system can further recognize TPA authorized calls as described
above and dedicate network resources and perform the call
connections and disconnections described above automatically.
Similarly, as call volume declines below the TPA threshold levels,
the systems can automatically return the network to normal
configuration. In this manner, the cellular communication network
can respond to emergency situations to enable assured
communications for emergency personnel without the need for human
action or intervention. For example, even if an event goes
unreported (e.g., no one bothers to dial 911), the system will
nevertheless respond to excess call volume to enable an emergency
responder to use the network. This capability also ensures police,
fire and EMT personnel (typical individuals who may be authorized
to implement TPA) can use the cellular communication network during
times of peak usage, such as during rush hour on the freeway or
following conclusion of a major sporting event.
[0108] The hardware used to implement the forgoing embodiments may
be processing elements and memory elements configured to execute a
set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions are for
performing method steps corresponding to the above methods. Such
processing and memory elements may be in the form of
computer-operated switches, servers, workstations and other
computer systems used in cellular communications centers and remote
facilities (e.g., base station antenna locations). Some steps or
methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific to a given
function.
[0109] Wireless devices use the portions of radio frequency (RF)
spectrum dedicated to cellular telephone communication. This RF
spectrum is shrinking at a fast pace primarily due to the
increasing number of wireless devices using the already burdened RF
bandwidth and inefficient allocation of bandwidth in the
marketplace. Since the total RF spectrum is finite, as the number
of users of the RF spectrum grows, more efficient methods of RF
spectrum management may be required to ensure that the growing need
for RF spectrum is properly addressed.
[0110] The currently available RF spectrum is divided among
cellular service providers based upon static allocation models such
as speculation models and archaic licensing deals. The currently
practiced static allocation models rely on a command and control
scheme allowing for allocation of spectrum to providers in defined
blocks of frequency and space. For example, one static method of
leasing RF spectrum includes assigning, based on a leasing
agreement, an entire block or sub-block of spectrum to one operator
for their exclusive use. Such wholesale allocation of spectrum is
inefficient because the licensee provider is purchasing spectrum
based on a speculation that the spectrum may be used in the
future.
[0111] However, the spectrum usage and traffic are dynamic and may
depend upon different variables including the time of the day the
spectrum is used and the geographic location of the wireless device
using that spectrum. Traffic usage may be time dependent since
usage may vary during peak as compared to non peak hours. Traffic
may also be geographically based since the location where
subscribers use the network may also vary. For instance, during the
day, time and geographically based usage of spectrum on a network
may vary while subscribers are traveling to work, at work,
traveling back from work or during off hours.
[0112] Because spectrum usage and traffic are dynamic and
impossible to predict, providers inevitably waste spectrum
resources by speculating regarding its future use. Thus, the
current spectrum allocation schemes fail to take into consideration
real-time data about traffic patterns, encourage under utilization
and segmentation of spectrum, and create further inefficiencies
through the implementation of guard bands and bandwidth throttling
or bandwidth intensive features and services.
[0113] The various embodiment methods and systems provide a Dynamic
Spectrum Arbitrage (DSA) system for dynamically managing the
availability, allocation, access and use of RF spectrum by using
real-time data. Currently, RF spectrum is licensed or purchased in
frequency and space based upon speculation of future usage and
without taking into account real-time data. The DSA communication
system makes RF spectrum available based on frequency, space (i.e.,
geographical regions) and time, thus, providing a flexible and
dynamic spectrum management method and system as compared to the
current static command and control methods. Since the RF spectrum
resources are available based on time, frequency and space,
spectrum allocated through the DSA communication system may be
available for short term leases and free from interference. Short
term leasing of spectrum may increase competition in a given market
area and improve spectrum efficiency without negatively impacting
the carriers' ability to deliver service. By efficiently and
dynamically managing spectrum availability, allocation, access and
use, the DSA communication system may in effect increase the RF
spectrum availability.
[0114] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system may be a
stand-alone business affiliated with the participating providers.
In such a scenario, components of the DSA communication system may
be integrated units participating network providers to allow
providers to monitor their resources vs. bandwidth traffic and
determine whether they need or can provide additional resources.
The non-integrated components of the DSA communication system may
manage the overall exchange of resources between participating
providers. Benefits of using the DSA communication system may
include optimizing commercial yield and providing wider and more
efficient use of bandwidth on physical (geographic) and time
bases.
[0115] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system may enable
allocation of/access to RF spectrum resources by requiring that the
participating providers subscribe to the DSA communication system.
For example, the subscription may be based on a pricing
arrangement. As a participant in the DSA communication system, the
RF spectrum requesting providers may be enabled to use any
available RF spectrum by slipping in and out of the RF spectrum's
"swim lanes" in accordance with their need for bandwidth and their
preparedness to pay for it. One spectrum's "swim lane" would be the
RF spectrum bandwidth that is owned/controlled by one provider.
[0116] To participate in the DSA communication system, initially
the carrier or carriers may agree to allow secondary use of their
spectrum in the market. DSA communication system may enable each
provider to purchase available spectrum in the network of providers
or offer to sell additional spectrum to a buyer provider.
[0117] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system may determine
the compatibilities of the subscriber wireless devices 101 for
using the secondary networks and clusters. Incompatible Radio
Access Networks (RAN) may be used if subscriber devices are
capable. Thus, if wireless devices 101 are capable of accessing
different RANs, the DSA communication system may facilitate the
devices' access to spectrum from other RANs even if the switch is
between incompatible RANs. DSA communication system is policy based
and may offer unique implementations for spectrum and capacity
management. The DSA communication system may be based on Long Term
Evolution (LTE), Evolution-Data Optimized or Evolution-Data only
(EVDO), Evolved High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) and any known
wireless access platform.
[0118] FIG. 9 illustrates a communication component diagram 900 of
an embodiment DSA communication system in a wireless access
platform based on Long Term Evolution, LTE. The DSA communication
system may include the Dynamic Spectrum Policy Controller (DPC) 902
connected to a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) 904 which may
communicate with network components of a provider network. The HSS
904 may be a master user database that supports the Dynamic
Spectrum Policy Controller (DPC) 902. The HSS 904 may include the
subscription-related information (i.e., subscription-profile),
perform authentication and authorize the secondary users, and can
optionally provide information about subscriber's location and IP
information. The HSS 904 may contain users' (SAE) subscription data
such as the EPS-subscribed QoS profile and any access restrictions
for roaming. It may also hold, store or retain information about
the PDNs to which the user can connect. This could be in the form
of an access point name (APN) (which is a label according to DNS
naming conventions describing the access point to the PDN) or a PDN
address (indicating subscribed IP address(es)). In addition the HSS
904 holds dynamic information such as the identity of the Mobility
Management Entity ("MME") to which the user is currently attached
or registered. The HSS 904 may also integrate the authentication
center (AUC), which generates the vectors for authentication and
security keys.
[0119] The HSS 904 may be connected to a Signaling Server 7 (SS7)
906. Both the Dynamic Spectrum Policy Controller (DPC) 902 and the
HSS 904 may be connected to the Internet 106. The HSS 904 may
independently communicate with the in-network components of a
network via the SS7 network 906.
[0120] The DPC 902 may also communicate with the network components
of a network provider through a commercial or private wireless
carrier 903 and Dynamic Spectrum Controller (DSC) 910 or directly
through the DSC 910 without using a commercial or private carrier.
The DSC 910 component may be added to network components for
networks which participate with the DSA communication system and
may communicate with the OMC/NMS 910.
[0121] Availability of Spectrum Resources
[0122] In the various embodiments, the DSA communication system may
enable a spectrum provider to monitor and assess its RF spectrum
usage and availability, and make available unused RF spectrum for
use by other providers or unsubscribed users (i.e., secondary
users). The DSA communication system may provide different methods
to determine RF spectrum availability, such as location and
database lookup, signal detectors and spectrum usage beacon. The
DSA communication system may enable one provider (host network) to
identify spectrum resources which may be offered for use by another
provider or provider subscribers (a secondary user), such as on a
pay per use or pay per minute basis.
[0123] In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the
DSA communication system 900 may enable a network to determine
availability of RF resources. At each network or sub-network, the
DSC 910 may monitor call traffic through OMC/NMS 912 to receive
detailed status of the various network elements in real-time
without inserting another device into the network. The DSC 910 may
carry out policy based QoS decisions based on the status of the
existing traffic, projected traffic margins and the system policies
to determine whether a network or sub-network has resources to
allocate for secondary use or requires resources from another
provider.
[0124] The DSC 910 may be configured with software to communicate
data regarding the availability of spectrum resources to the DPC
902 using capacity policy criteria. The data that is communicated
to the DPC 902 may include data relating to current excess capacity
and expected future capacity of the network or sub-network.
[0125] The available resources at a network provider may be
dynamically allocated and de-allocated. The resource poll
information may be controlled by the DSC 910 and relayed to the DPC
902 for central coordination. However, based on rule sets in the
DSA communication system, the DSC 910 may identify resources
available for secondary use on a system level and cluster level as
traffic in the system fluctuates by increasing and decreasing the
resource pool for secondary usage may increase and decrease and may
be reported to the DPC 902 via the DSC 910.
[0126] Allocation of Available Resources
[0127] In the various embodiments, the Dynamic Spectrum Arbitrager
(DSA) system may further manage allocation or assignment of RF
spectrum resources of a network provider for specific uses, such as
use by secondary users. The DSA communication system may manage RF
spectrum allocation based on the providers' varying criteria, such
as degrees of prioritization (e.g., low priority or no priority),
type of connection (e.g., "always on" and "surge" guaranteed access
and bandwidth), and price.
[0128] In contrast to the currently available spectrum allocation
techniques, allocation of spectrum resources by the DSA
communication system may rely on real-time traffic status of
participating providers. The DSA communication system resource
allocation may further depend on different factors, such as
availability of resources, the type of services that are being
delivered and the policies associated with those services. Some of
the key policy criteria that may be considered for allocating
resources in the DSA communication system may include Radio Access
Selection, Capacity Augmentation, Quality of Service (QoS), bearer
selection, Congestion Control, Routing, Security, and Rating. The
DPC and DSC 910 may perform policy definition and control.
[0129] Radio Access Selection: The DSA communication system may be
configured to make the best available spectrum assignment from the
available pool of resources. Factors considered in the selection of
spectrum assignment may include spectrum bandwidth, location of
spectrum in the frequency band, geographic zone along with the
requested service, and QoS.
[0130] Capacity Augmentation: The DSA communication system may be
configured to make the best available capacity augmentation
assignment from the available pool of resources. Factors considered
in the decision may include spectrum bandwidth, location of
spectrum in the frequency band, geographic zone along with the
requested service, and QoS.
[0131] Bearer Selection: The DSA communication system may be
configured to select the resources required to support the
requested QoS profile at the radio and transport bearer
services.
[0132] Admission Control: The DSA communication system may be
configured to maintain information of available/allocated resources
in both the radio and the IP transport network and perform resource
reservation/allocation in response to new service requests.
[0133] Congestion Control: The DSA communication system may be
configured to monitor traffic conditions on the primary network,
and seek alternative methods for capacity off load. Additionally,
The DSA communication system may be configured to monitor the
primary network and perform back-off of secondary users as traffic
demand increases on the primary network.
[0134] Routing: The DSA communication system may be configured to
ensure that the optimum route for the service is used based on the
bearer traffic and available network resources.
[0135] Security: The DSA communication system may be configured to
provide security for the traffic streams by segregating the traffic
into tunnels to ensure no cross pollination of information.
[0136] Rating: The DSA communication system may be configured to
coordinate rating schemes including prioritization and carrier
usage fee and other metering processes.
[0137] The DSA communication system resource allocation may be
based on different methods, such as stateless and stateful methods.
By employing different allocation methods, the DSA communication
system may enable providers to tailor spectrum allocation and
utilization based on their individual spectrum traffic demands. The
stateless method may involve coordinating spectrum usage between
networks on a real-time basis. The stateful method may include
storing and forwarding spectrum resources following defined time
intervals. RF spectrum resources may further be allocated on a need
basis, which may be based on committed and peak bandwidth/traffic
requirements. The need based allocation method may allow for the
greatest flexibility and spectrum utilization. The DSA
communication system may further employ a just-in-time allocation
method in enabling the providers to allocate spectrum resources. By
employing the just-in-time allocation method, the DSA communication
system may improve the overall spectrum utilization for a given
market and provide a revenue source for wireless carriers.
[0138] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system may provide
the command and control functions to enable spectrum to be leased
for the entire license area or for a defined sub-license area, and
for a term. For example, the DSA communication system may
facilitate spectrum resource allocation using a sub-spectrum block
approach with the ability to increase or decrease the spectrum
consumed dynamically. For example, multiple different communication
networks can allocate spectrum to the same user.
[0139] As shown in FIG. 9, the components of the DSA communication
system which are not part of a provider's network, such as the DPC
902, may manage spectrum allocation between different networks or
sub-networks.
[0140] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system may enable
host networks to allocate resources which are currently assigned
for use by primary users for use by secondary users. In such a
scenario, the secondary users may be granted access to the host
networks' spectrum capacity or resources regardless of existing
available capacity at of the host network.
[0141] Governance and Policy Management
[0142] The DSA communication system may operate based on
pre-determined rules and parameters which may be based on the
statistics of the channel availability. For example, operating
rules may enable the DSA communication system to monitor the level
of access to RF spectrum at any given time to allow the system to
determine whether capacity is available for allocation.
[0143] As described above, resource allocation may be done through
the DSA communication system components, such as the DPC 902 and
DSC 910 following the rules defined by the business arrangement,
device compatibility, target system RAN, and capacity and services
requested.
[0144] FIG. 9 further illustrates the network architecture 900 of
an embodiment method for implementing DSA policy governance. The
DSA communication system may require that the participating parties
adhere to the governing rules and policies.
[0145] In implementing the DSA policies, the Policy Control and
Charging Rules Function (PCRF) 905 of a participating network may
provide the policy and service control rules and the Rivada.RTM.
Policy Control Network (RPCN) may provide policy changes and
corrections based on the DSA rules and DPC 902 requirements. The
PCRF may be responsible for policy control decision-making, as well
as for controlling the flow-based charging functionalities in the
Policy Control Enforcement Function (PCEF), which resides in the
PGW. The PCRF provides the QoS authorization (QoS class identifier
[QCI] and bit rates) that decides how a certain data flow will be
treated in the PCEF and ensures that the data flow and
authorization meets and is in accordance with the user's
subscription profile. The RPCN may be a part of each network DSC
910. The RPCN may further maintain a Hot List for public safety
users who may also be linked to the commercial system.
[0146] For example, when resources of a host network is depleting,
the network PCRF 905/RPCN may instruct the host network to take an
action to recover additional resources for the preferred users of
the home network. The instructions sent by the PCRF 905/RPCN may be
used to determine the course of action needed to be taken to
free-up resources for the use of the preferred users. For example,
the PCRF 905/RPCN instructions may be to reduce QoS for secondary
user wireless devices 101 or certain applications, or shed
secondary user wireless devices 101 from the network based on a set
of conditions. While managing the level of its resources by
reducing traffic, the host network may implement time slot
allocations.
[0147] Some optional subcomponents of the EPC may include the MME
914 (Mobility Management Entity), which is a key control-node for
the LTE access-network and may be responsible for idle mode UE
(User Equipment) tracking and paging procedure including
retransmissions and may be involved in the bearer
activation/deactivation process and is also responsible for
choosing the SGW for a UE at the initial attach and at time of
intra-LTE handover involving Core Network (CN) node relocation. MME
914 may be responsible for authenticating the user (by interacting
with the HSS). The Non Access Stratum (NAS) signaling terminates at
the MME 914 and may also be responsible for generation and
allocation of temporary identities to UEs. MME 914 may check the
authorization of the UE to camp on the service provider's Public
Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and enforces UE roaming restrictions.
SGW 922 (Serving Gateway) may route and forward user data packets,
while also acting as the mobility anchor for the user plane during
inter-eNodeB handovers and as the anchor for mobility between LTE
and other 3GPP technologies. The PGW 908 (PDN Gateway) provides
connectivity from the UE to external packet data networks by being
the point of exit and entry of traffic for the UE. A UE may have
simultaneous connectivity with more than one PGW 908 for accessing
multiple PDNs. HSS 926 may be a central database that contains
user-related and subscription-related information. The functions of
the HSS 926 include, for example, mobility management, call and
session establishment support, user authentication and access
authorization. ANDSF 918 (Access Network Discovery and Selection
Function) provides information to the UE about connectivity to 3GPP
and non-3GPP access networks (such as Wi-Fi). The purpose of the
ANDSF 918 is to assist the UE to discover the access networks in
their vicinity and to provide rules (policies) to prioritize and
manage connections to these networks. Network 900 may also include
ePDG (Evolved Packet Data Gateway) is to secure the data
transmission with a UE connected to the EPC over an untrusted
non-3GPP access.
[0148] DSA communication system policy and governance may have the
same attributes as those found in a commercial network. However, in
the DSA communication system, the combination of policy driven QoS
with dynamic spectrum arbitrage/allocation may enhance both the
primary and secondary (e.g., lessor and lessee) spectrum
utilization and reduce the overall costs.
[0149] In an embodiment DSA system, the policy/governance may be
set for specific levels of network resources per session, per
"pipe," per user or a group of users. The policy may also relate to
the priorities, such as emergency calls getting highest priority,
or preferences, such as allowing degrading quality for ongoing
calls or rejecting new ones at near congestion time. DSA policy and
governance may also invoke routine policies which may be applied to
facilitate the best route for a particular type of communication
session and service offering.
[0150] Access to Allocated Resources of Another Network
[0151] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system may manage
the access of users to available RF spectrum resources of a
network. For example, the DSA communication system may manage the
access of secondary users to spectrum resources of a primary host
network that are allocated for secondary use.
[0152] The secondary users may access spectrum resources of a
primary host network using different methods such as, by acting as
a dynamic roamer or using a coordinated spectrum scheme with
compatible access techniques. In allowing the secondary user to
access a primary host spectrum resources, the DSA communication
system may enable the wireless device 101 of a subscriber of one
provider to change bandwidths from the spectrum belonging to the
home network provider of the wireless device 101 to one belonging
to a host network provider based on different parameters such as
price, quality of reception, geographic area and location.
[0153] The DSA communication system may provide access to a
secondary user based on different access conditions. The DSA
communication system may provide access to available spectrum
either temporarily or by sharing traffic throughput for a radio
access technique with a primary user of a primary provider.
Temporary access may involve accessing defined spectrum that was
allocated for usage based on the policies of the DSA communication
system. Sharing spectrum may involve allowing the subscribers of
one provider to access radio spectrum at a host provider on a
secondary basis.
[0154] Secondary users' home network providers may employ different
methods to dynamically contract for allocated RF spectrum resources
of a primary provider. For example, the primary provider may
auction and the secondary provider may bid for available spectrum
resources. The bidding may be a fee based process; which may
involve managing the reselling of unused spectrum on temporary or
permanent basis to efficiently manage excess resources that might
otherwise go unused for that time; or managing leasing of excess RF
spectrum on temporary or permanent basis.
[0155] FIG. 10 illustrates network architecture 1000 of two
wireless network providers using the DSA communication system to
share spectrum resources. The DSA communication system may be
comprised of two general components: Out-of-network and in-network
components. The out-of-network component of the DSA communication
system may include a DPC 902 connected to a HSS 904. The DPC 902
may enable the DSA communication system to dynamically manage the
access to the allocated spectrum resources of a network. For
example, the DPC 902 may manage the access of secondary users of a
network provider to the allocated spectrum resources of a primary
network provider.
[0156] The DPC 902 may further coordinate DSA communication system
policies and effectuate sharing of relative information between
network providers. The DPC 902 may further facilitate the charging
policy and resource requests which may be communicated with the
networks.
[0157] The DPC 902 may be configured to communicate with one or
several networks (e.g., Network 1 and Network 2) through in-network
DSC 910 component of each DSA communication system participating
provider. In an embodiment, each Network 1 and Network 2 may
include a DSC 910a, 910b which may be an add-on to the online
management center/network management system (OMC/NMS) 912a, 912b of
a wireless carrier. At each network, the DSC 910a, 910b may manage
traffic and capacity of each network and continuously monitor nodes
for capacity constraints based upon commands received from or
policies and rule sets of the DPC 902. The DSC 910 may communicate
its findings with the DPC 910.
[0158] Each network may include an OMC/NMS 912a, 912b which may be
in communication with a wireless network 1002a, 1002b. The wireless
network 1002a, 1002b may be in communication with wireless access
nodes 102a, 102b. Subscriber wireless devices 101 may communicate
with a wireless access node 102a, 102b. The relationship and
interconnectivity of these components of the network are known.
[0159] In an embodiment, the DSC 910a of Network 1 may determine
that additional resources may be required by Network 1. The DSC
910a of Network 1 may be configured to send a request for
additional resources to the DPC 902. The DPC 902 may receive
information regarding a secondary user wireless device 101a
location and the network.
[0160] The DPC 902 may be configured to also receive data from
other affiliated networks such as from the DSC 910b of Network 2.
The DSC 910b of Network 2 may be further configured to report to
the DPC 902 that specified amounts of resources are available in
Network 2.
[0161] The DPC 902 may be configured to process data received from
the requesting network (i.e., Network 1) and the supplying network
(i.e., Network 2) and facilitate a real-time access to the
resources of Network 2 by the requesting Network 1. Once spectrum
resources from Network 2 are made available for access by users of
Network 1, the DSC 910a may instruct the wireless devices 101a to
change networks and access the spectrum resources provided by
Network 2. For example, when a wireless device 101a of Network 1
requests communication resources, its rule set may be validated by
the DSC 910 of Network 2. Network 2 may receive the wireless
device's 101a updated information in the PCRF 905 (shown in FIG.
9). The PCRF 905, with other platforms, may allow the secondary
user wireless device 101a to access the allocated resources of
Network 2.
[0162] In an embodiment, the accessibility of resources to a
secondary user through the DSA communication system may also depend
on Host Network Operators policy and use criteria for those
resources. The criteria can include both Radio Access and Core
Network Resources.
[0163] For example, some of the policy and resource criteria
imposed by the Host Network Operator may include: Availability of
spectrum (e.g., separate or co-existence); availability of
capacity/bandwidth (e.g., RF and Core); overhead criteria (e.g.,
percent total available capacity versus used capacity); existence
of back-off criteria (e.g., reselection, handover (intra system and
inter-system), termination); treatment (how specific
services/applications are treated/routed); barred treatments (e.g.,
services/applications which are barred for use); rating (e.g., how
services are rated, i.e., possible special discount for off-peak
usage); geographic boundary (e.g., defining zones or cells for
inclusion); time (e.g., defining time and day(s) for inclusion
including); duration (e.g., defining incremental allocation based
on time and geographic boundary); user equipment types.
[0164] The DSA communication system may enable a secondary network
to request spectrum resources based on: time (e.g., when are
resources requested); required capacity/bandwidth; treatment (e.g.,
what services are desired, including QoS); geographic boundary
(e.g., where services are requested); and duration (e.g., for how
long are the resources requested).
[0165] In an embodiment, the communications that may be performed
by the DSC 910a, 910b may be transparent to the secondary users. In
another embodiment, the communication may not be transparent.
[0166] FIG. 11 illustrates a network component diagram 1100 of an
embodiment DSA communication system where spectrum usage and
traffic data may be processed by a third party or spectrum
clearinghouse. The out-of-network component 1102 of the DSA
communication system may include sub-components such as the DPC 902
(shown in FIG. 9). The DPC 902 may communicate with the wireless
Networks 1 and 2, by communicating with sub-components of the core
network 1104a, 1104b. The out-of-network component 1102 may also
communicate with one or both networks using the Internet or a
private network 106. For example, the DSA communication system
out-of-network component 1102 may communicate with the core network
1104b of Network 2 via the Internet 106 while directly
communicating with the core network 1104a of Network 1. The core
networks 1104a, 1104b may include sub-components such as the DSC
910, Long Term Evolution (LTE), (EVDO), (HSPA) and OMC/NMS
912a.
[0167] When Network 1 becomes overburdened and requires additional
spectrum resources, the core network 1104a, may determine a need
for spectrum and request for additional spectrum resources from the
DSA communication system out-of-network component 1102. Network 2
may determine that it has available an excess amount of spectrum
resources due to low call traffic. Network 2 may also report the
availability of excess resources to the out-of-network component
1102. Communication between the DSA out-of-network component 1102
and Network 2 may be through the Internet 106. Alternatively, the
out-of-network component 1102 and Network 2 may communicate
directly as shown by dashed line 1106. The DSA out-of-network
component 1102 may facilitate the allocation of spectrum resources
from Network 2 to Network 1 which is shown here by the dashed line
1108.
[0168] The wireless device 101b may access the allocated resources
by different methods. Network 1 may instruct the wireless device
101h to switch networks to Network 2 to use the allocated resources
as a secondary user on Network 2. Alternatively, the allocated
resources of Network 2 may be made available through Network 1
enabling the wireless device 101b to use the resources of Network 2
without having to change communications session from Network 1 to
Network 2. For example, networks 1, 2, and 3 may pool spectrum that
can be allocated for use by multiple entities.
[0169] FIG. 12 illustrates a communication system 1200 of an
embodiment DSA network. The DPC 902 may provide the master control
for the arbitrage process while serving several different networks.
The DPC 902 may include the policy and time dependent arbitrage
rules for current allocations. The DSC 910 may be configured to
also have a local copy of the policy and time dependent arbitrage
rules for the current allocation. The local copy of the policy and
time dependent arbitrage rules may ensure that the local control of
the network resources may be maintained. In addition, the DSCs
910a-910c may be separate platforms interfacing with the network
operations system providing a demarcation point for future network
operation issues.
[0170] In an embodiment, to ensure disaster recovery of the system
in the event of an incident, the DPC 902 may be configured as a
dual mirrored server site (e.g., DPC 902a and DPC 902b) or include
several servers in a geographically dispersed cluster. To secure
the network, the DPC 902a, 902b may have a secured link to defined
and pre approved network operators 1204a, 1204b, 1204c (e.g.,
spectrum resource providers) and system resource requesters 1206,
1208, 1210 (e.g., bidders).
[0171] In the event of a failure of communication between, the DPC
902a, 902b and DSC 910a, 910b, 910c, the DSC 910 a, 910b, 910c may
be configured to use its locally saved policy and rule contents to
maintain continuity in an arbitrage process that has been initiated
by the DPC 902a, 902b. However, because of the lack of connection
with the DSC 902a, 902b, the DSC 910a, 910b, 910c may not be able
to facilitate additional new resource allocations or bids. To
ensure that local control is always maintained, the DSC 910a, 910b,
910c may be further configured to control and locally override
components and functions that enable the local operators to
prematurely terminate or back-off resources from a secondary
user.
[0172] For example, DSC 910a may locally store policy and rules of
any communicating DPCs 902a, 902b. As such, if communication
between the DPCs 902a, 902b and DSC 910a is compromised after a hid
has been processed by a DPC 902a, 902b, the DSC 910a may continue
to provide resources to secondary users of bidder 1 1206 without
having to terminate the secondary users. Additionally, when Network
A 1204a requires more resources to provide service to its own
primary users, the DSC 910a may locally control the off-loading of
secondary users from Network A to free-up resources based on the
policies and rules of the DPC 902a, 902b.
[0173] In an embodiment, the process involved in the DSA
communication system may be similar in all cases for flow. As
illustrated in FIG. 13A, resources of a block of spectrum 1300A may
be categorized based on how they are used by a network. Resources
for a given spectrum may be categorized as occupied resources,
uncertain resources and available resources. The occupied resources
may be those resources which are currently in use by the carrier
and may not be allocated by the DSA communication system. The
uncertain resources may provide a margin for the carrier to manage
peak loads. The uncertain resources may be used up during the peak
loads and not used during low peak loads. The available resources
may be the subset of resources which are not used at all by the
network. The available resources may be made available for
allocation to other secondary providers.
[0174] In an embodiment, spectrum resources may be allocated to
secondary users by different methods. FIG. 13B illustrates
allocation of spectrum resources of a block of spectrum 1300
licensed by a host network, according to an embodiment. The host
network may license a RF spectrum block 1300a including four
channels. The host network may dedicate three of the four channels
of the RF spectrum block for use by the network 1 subscribers. The
dedicated channels 1-2 are shaded in the RF spectrum block 1300b.
As shown by RF spectrum 1300b, Channel 4 may remain unassigned by
the provider. Channel 3 may be partially allocated, partially
transitional and partially unassigned as illustrated by spectrum
block 1300c. The transitional section of the spectrum block 1300c
may be reserved for use during high traffic periods by the
provider's subscriber. The unassigned portions of the licensed
spectrum 1300c may never be used.
[0175] In an embodiment, the host network may sublicense the
unassigned portion of the licensed spectrum to secondary users
using the DSA communication system. In such a scenario, the host
operator may make available to secondary users the unassigned
portion of channel 3 and all of channel 4.
[0176] FIG. 14 illustrates allocation of spectrum resources
including a guard band channel of a licensed spectrum 1400,
according to an embodiment. The licensed spectrum 1400 may include
a guard band 1404 that is either defined or set aside by operators
as part of a spectrum deployment policy and program. Such guard
bands may include usable resources that currently remain unused.
The host network may allow the resources available in the guard
bands to be used by secondary users using the DSA communication
system. By using the DSA the host network may make available for
use the unused guard band resources by combining the guard band
into a single usable channel 1402 for resource allocation.
[0177] FIG. 15 illustrates pooling and allocation of spectrum
resources of more than one host networks using the DSA
communication system, according to an embodiment. In an embodiment,
the DSA communication system may be configured to survey the
available spectrum from different networks and pool the available
together for allocation. In an exemplary embodiment as shown by
spectrum block (1), each of the host networks, network A and
network B, may license a block of spectrum including four channels
each. For example, the block of spectrum 1502A licensed by network
A may include channels 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A. The block of spectrum
1502B licensed by network B may include channels 1B, 2B, 3B, and
4B.
[0178] In the exemplary embodiment as shown by spectrum block (2),
the spectrum block 1504A of network A may include available channel
4A and partially assigned channel 3A. Channel 3A may be partially
assigned for use by the network, partially transitional and
partially available for use by other networks. The spectrum block
1504B of network B may include available channels 1B and 4B and
partially assigned channel 3B. Channel 3B may be partially assigned
for use by the network, partially transitional and partially
available for allocation to other networks.
[0179] In an exemplary embodiment as shown by spectrum block (3),
each spectrum block 1506A, 1506B of network A and network B may
make available their resources using the DSA communication system.
The DSA communication system may pool the available resources from
each network and allocate them for secondary use. For example, the
DSA communication system may pool the resources available in
channels 1B and 4B and make them available to secondary users. The
DSA communication system may pool the resources available in
channel 4A and the partial resources available in channel 3A and
make them available to secondary users.
[0180] The DSA communication system may pool available resources
from different networks for allocation to secondary users. In an
exemplary embodiment, as shown in spectrum block (4), the DSA
communication system may pool available resources from channel 4A
in network A, spectrum block 1508A and channels 1B and 4B in
network B, spectrum block 1508B, and make them available to
secondary users.
[0181] In an exemplary embodiment, as shown by spectrum block (5),
the DSA communication system may pool available resources from all
channels in different networks, including channels with resources
that are fully committed for use by the network and channels which
include available resources. The DSA communication system may pool
spectrum resources from channels 3A and 4A in network A, spectrum
block 1510A, and channels 1B, 3B and 4B in network B, spectrum
block 1510B, and make them available to secondary users.
[0182] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system may enable
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) to utilize unused spectrum
capacity. For example, the DPC 902 may aggregate multiple MVNO's to
utilize unused spectrum capacity in a prioritization scheme. This
would enable an MVNO to sell its unused or under used capacity to
another MVNO thereby ensuring that both MVNO's operating
efficiently.
[0183] FIGS. 16A-16C illustrate MVNO spectrum aggregation according
to an embodiment. FIG. 16A illustrates the allocation or capacity
of spectrum for MVNO A 1602A and MVNO B 1602B where both operators
possess unassigned spectrum capacity. FIG. 16B illustrates an
exemplary embodiment method by which the DSA communication system
may enable the MVNO B 1604B to increase or augment its available
spectrum capacity by receiving unassigned spectrum from MVNO A
1604A. FIG. 16C illustrates an exemplary embodiment method by which
the DSA communication system may be enabled one MVNO C 1606C to
receive additional spectrum capacity from two other MVNO's 1606A,
1606B. The MVNO C 1606C may be a new or additional MVNO and may
obtain the available unassigned spectrum capacity from MVNO A and B
1606A, 1606B for its potential use. In this scenario, MVNO A and
MVNO B 1606A, 1606B may or may not operate on the same host carrier
and may or may not have the same Radio Access Technology (RAT). In
another embodiment, a conversion may be provided to provide access
between different RAT.
[0184] In an embodiment, to measure the quantity of the resources
that are used by secondary users, the host network may use similar
processes as used for pre-paid users to facilitate the
time/duration and usage metering of secondary uses which can be
done at an individual or global account basis.
[0185] Depending on the method used by secondary users to access
available resources, several fundamental types of DSA allocation
methods may be implemented, including: 1) virtual-best effort
method; 2) virtual-secondary users method; and 3) spectrum
allocation method which may include License area and Regional area
spectrum allocation. Each of these allocation methods may have
several variations. For example, in a virtual-best effort method,
the DSA communication system may be configured to make available
spectrum resources for an entire license area or on a regional,
sub-license area basis. Classes of the users may also be defined in
user's wireless devices 101 by their home network providers and may
be assigned either secondary user or best effort user statuses.
[0186] In an embodiment, Resources in the virtual-best effort
method may be available to the MVNO through a grant of access to
the network involved. Prioritization may occur within the host
network based on PCRF rules of the home and host networks.
[0187] In the virtual-best effort method, the host network may
enable the secondary user wireless devices 101 to use the same
network as the host network but on a virtual basis, i.e., an MVNO
type of arrangement. Different variations of this arrangement may
include situations when 1) the secondary user uses the host network
with the same rights as the host network subscribers and 2) the
secondary user uses the host network as a secondary user or on a
secondary basis where primary users (host subscribers) have higher
priority and rights than the secondary user subscribers. Access
priority for primary users may be established in networks where the
primary users are public safety users. During emergency situations,
the host network may drop secondary users due to an increase in use
of its spectrum by other users such as public safety primary
users.
[0188] FIG. 17 illustrates a communication system 1700 of a DSA
communication system for allocating resources according to an
embodiment. In a virtual-best effort method, the wireless device
101 may be considered a valid roamer as shown in FIG. 17.
[0189] During the bidding process, the DSA communication system may
implement a rule sets which may be used to define the types of
services, treatments and duration of services for the wireless
devices that are granted access to the host network. The rule sets
may include information such as: 1) requested capacity/boundary; 2)
treatment of services such as when they are required and the QoS;
3) geographic boundaries based on the requested service; 4) time
for when resources are requested; and 5) duration for which
requested resources would be used by the secondary user. It is
contemplated that all or a sub-set of these rules may be used
depending on the arbitrage scheme.
[0190] In the virtual-best effort method, the DSA communication
system may follow the industry roaming process in that access to
spectrum may be granted to the secondary users provide the service
requesting wireless devices meet the required authentication
processes. Validation/authentication of the secondary user wireless
devices 101 may be performed following standard MAP/IS-41 processes
through the use of the host's HSS 926 and AAA.
[0191] Additional criteria that the DSA communication system may
add to the process of roaming may include different billing
schemes. For example, secondary user's wireless device's 101 access
duration or total usage permissions may be governed by the host
network. Such governing schemes enable the host network to control
the access of the secondary users locally and on a real-time basis.
In the virtual-best effort method, the DSA communication system may
not reserve resources and merely track the consumption of
resources.
[0192] In the virtual-best effort method, the primary or host
network provider may not grant prioritization to the secondary
users except through differentiation afforded by the PCRF 905 and
PDN Gateway (PGW) 908 of the host network provider. To use the
resources of a DSA communication system using the virtual-best
effort method, the secondary users may either use the PGW(s) 908 of
the host network of or the secondary network's PGW which may be
either connected to the appropriate Serving Gateway (SGW) 922 of
the host network or connected to the PGW of the host through an
intermediate PGW 908 that is governed by the host network.
[0193] The PGW is responsible for IP address allocation for the
wireless device 101, as well as QoS enforcement and flow-based
charging according to rules from the PCRF. It is responsible for
the filtering of downlink user IP packets into the different
QoS-based bearers. This is performed based on Traffic Flow
Templates (TFTs). The PGW performs QoS enforcement for guaranteed
bit rate (GBR) bearers. It may also serve as the mobility anchor
for interworking with non-3GPP technologies such as CDMA2000 and
WiMAX.RTM. networks.
[0194] All user IP packets may be transferred through the SGW,
which serves as the local mobility anchor for the data bearers when
the wireless device moves between eNodeBs. The local mobility
anchor point for inter-eNodeB handover includes downlink packet
buffering and initiation of network-triggered service requests,
lawful interception, accounting on user and QCI granularity, and
UL/DL charging per wireless device. SGW also retains the
information about the bearers when the wireless devices are in the
idle state (known as "EPS Connection Management-IDLE" [ECM-IDLE])
and temporarily buffers downlink data while the Mobility Management
Entity (MIME) initiates paging of the wireless devices to
reestablish the bearers. In addition, the SGW performs some
administrative functions in the visited network such as collecting
information for charging (for example, the volume of data sent to
or received from the user) and lawful interception. It may also
serve as the mobility anchor for interworking with other 3GPP
technologies such as general packet radio service (GPRS) and
UMTS.
[0195] The MME is the control node that processes the signaling
between the wireless device and the CN. The protocols running
between the wireless device and the CN are known as the Non Access
Stratum (NAS) protocols (eMM, eSM) and security, AS security,
tracking area list management, PDN GW and S-GW selection, handovers
(intra- and inter-LTE), authentication, bearer management. The MME
also contains mechanisms for avoiding and handling overload
situations.
[0196] An eNodeB performs Radio Resource Management functions, such
as radio bearer control, radio admission control, radio mobility
control, scheduling and dynamic allocation of resources to wireless
devices in both uplink and downlink. eNodeB may perform Header
Compression which refers to the process of compressing the IP
packet headers that could otherwise represent a significant
overhead, especially for small packets such as VoIP to help ensure
efficient use of the radio interface. The eNodeB may perform
Security functions by ensuring that all data sent over the radio
interface is encrypted.
[0197] In an embodiment, the virtual-best effort method may enable
the DSA communication system to manage resources allocation by
using different methods. For example, the host network's PCRF 905
may control the secondary users' wireless devices 101 that access
the host network and track the usage of the resources. The host
network's billing system may be used to bill the secondary
user.
[0198] Alternatively, the host network's billing system may
control/track the usage of the resources by the secondary user, and
the secondary user's home network PCRF 905 may provide preferred
services. In such a scenario, the PCRF 905 of the host network may
retain final control.
[0199] Alternatively, the host network may provide access and
secondary user's home network's PCRF 905 may define the preferred
services. Additionally, as part of the allocation process using the
virtual-best effort method, different TAI's may be assigned to the
secondary user's wireless devices which roam onto the host network.
The TAIs may provide differential service areas or defined
geographic zones for potential usage.
[0200] In an embodiment, the subscriber wireless devices may be
allowed to access the home network through identification of a
valid PLMN that it has in USIM that is either pre-programmed or
provided through OTA provisioning. The home network may direct
subscribers to use a host network as secondary users for different
reasons. Additionally, if the wireless device 101 is capable of
accessing two networks at the same time, the wireless device 101
may potentially use the home network for one type of service and be
directed to use a host network for other services.
[0201] In an embodiment, available resources may be allocated to
secondary users using a virtual-secondary user method (e.g., an
Intra-System (i.e., Intra freq--lessor, or Intra freq
prime--lessee)). In the virtual-secondary user method, the primary
host network may allow the secondary users of the secondary network
to operate using the primary network's system spectrum resources
with different usage rights as compared to the primary users, such
as on a de facto lease but with a different SID. This may be
achieved by allowing the secondary users to include spectrum
allocation from the primary host network when there is technology
compatibility between the primary network systems and the secondary
user wireless device 101. This allocation may be applied to the
mobile virtual network operator mobile virtual network operator
that provides mobile phone services but does not have its own
licensed frequency allocation of radio spectrum, nor infrastructure
required to provide mobile telephone service.
[0202] In a virtual-secondary user method, the prioritization of
the secondary users may follow the host network's PCRF 905 and PGW
908 rules. The PGW(s) 908 that may be used by the secondary
wireless devices 101 may either be controlled by the host network
or available through the secondary user's home network. If the PGW
908 is available through the secondary users' home network, it may
either be connected to the appropriate SGW 922 or provided through
an intermediate PGW 908 that is governed by the host network. In
such a scenario, a secondary user may be considered a valid roamer
in the DSA communication system using the virtual-secondary user
method as shown in FIG. 17.
[0203] In a virtual-secondary user method, the DSA communication
system may use five fundamental bidding rule sets, which are used
to define the types of services, treatment and duration for the
secondary user wireless devices 101. The rule sets may include
information such as: 1) requested capacity/boundary; 2) treatment
of services such as when they are required and the QoS; 3)
geographic boundaries based on the requested service; 4) time for
when resources are requested; and 5) duration for which requested
resources would be used by the secondary user, and other rule sets
as applicable. It is contemplated that all or a sub-set of these
rules may be used depending on the arbitrage scheme.
[0204] In an embodiment, when employing the virtual-secondary user
method, a host network may grant access to a secondary user
wireless device 101 provided it meets a predetermined required
authentication process. The host network using a virtual-secondary
user method may use different billing schemes where the wireless
devices 101 access or usage total is governed by the rules and
specifications of the host network, allowing the secondary user
devices 101 to be controlled locally. As secondary users in the
system, the wireless devices' 101 access to the host network can be
restricted, reduced, or barred depending on the conditions of the
host network. The restrictions, reduction or barring may be imposed
on a call, on a regional or system wide basis depending on the
conditions set forth by the host network in the bidding system. The
restrictions, reductions or barring may further be performed on
dynamic basis by overriding the bidding conditions (e.g., in public
safety networks).
[0205] Authentication or validation of the secondary wireless
device user may be performed following the standard MAP/IS-41.
Using MAP/IS-41, the host HSS 926 and AAA may authenticate
secondary user wireless device.
[0206] In an embodiment, when using the virtual-secondary user
method, the DSA communication system may require that different
components of the host and/or home networks be used for resource
allocation. For example, the host network billing system and PCRF
905 may control the secondary user's access to the network and
track its usage. Alternatively, the host network's billing system
may control and/or track usage and the secondary users' home
network PCRF 905 may provide preferred services and the network
PCRF 905 may perform the final control. Alternatively, the host
network may provide access in the home network PCRF 905 may define
the preferred services.
[0207] When resources that are allocated using the
virtual-secondary user method are near exhaustion either based on
time, usage or other criteria, the DPC 902 may notify the home
network operator in the host network that the resources may expire.
The home network operator, if allowed, may be enabled to top off or
replenish the resources available to the secondary user by
requesting foreign bidding on additional resources at the host
network or otherwise provide additional RF spectrum resources. To
provide additional flexibility to the resource allocation process,
different TAI's may be assigned to the secondary user's wireless
device that is roaming the host network. The TAI's may provide
differential service areas or different geographic zones for
potential use.
[0208] In an embodiment, the secondary user's wireless device may
be able to access the home network through identification of a
valid public land mobile network or PLMN that it may have stored in
its universal subscriber identity module ("USIM"). The USIM may be
either pre-programmed or provided through OTA provisioning. When
using the home network, the secondary user's wireless device 101
may be redirected to search for a host network from which it can
receive services. Once a host network is identified, the secondary
user wireless device 101 may use the host network for all services,
or use the host network for one type of service. Additionally, the
use the home network can be for other services if the wireless
device 101 has the capability of accessing two networks at the same
time. Various configurations are possible and within the scope of
the present disclosure.
[0209] FIG. 18 illustrates a communication system block diagram
1800 illustrating communications between components of two networks
in a DSA communication system during resource reservation according
to an embodiment. In an embodiment, the host network's (i.e.,
lessor) configuration may be controlled by the OMC 912.
Additionally the home network (i.e., lessee) 1802 may be separate
from the host network 1804.
[0210] In an embodiment, the host network using the
virtual-secondary user method, may reserve resources by using
different methods, including: 1) X-furcating of the eNodeB; 2) SGW
and PGW link bandwidth; 3) combined resource allocation (PGW and
eNodeB); and 4) PCRF (host) control. These resource reservation
methods may be used in combination or may be mutually exclusive
depending on the host networks requirements and the bidding
process.
[0211] By x-furcating the eNodeB, resources may be reserved for
secondary users. In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG.
19, the eNodeB 916b may be bifurcated to reserve resources for
secondary users. The eNodeB 916b may receive bifurcating
instructions from the PCRF 905, MME 914 and SGW 922 to partition a
percentage if its resources which may be used for another PLMN
network. The PGW 908 may be located at the host network or may be
located remotely. According to the received instructions, the
eNodeB 916b may reserve X % of the resources for the use of the
primary users and Y % of the resources for use by secondary users.
The eNodeB 916b may transmit an enhanced PLMH (ePLMN) which may be
recognizable to the secondary user wireless device 101b and camp on
the cell.
[0212] In an embodiment, resources may also be reserved through
controlling of the connectivity between the SGW 922 and the PGW 908
to which the secondary user wireless device is assigned.
[0213] FIG. 20 illustrates an embodiment method for controlling the
SGW 922 and PGW 908a, 908b link bandwidth allocation scheme
according to an embodiment. Resource reservation may be controlled
by controlling the host SGW 922 connectivity to the various PGW
908a, 908b. The SGW 922 connectivity to the PGW 908a, 908b may be
controlled through altering the available bandwidth between SGW 922
and PGW 908a, 908b on a dynamic basis. The PGW 908a, 908b may be
local and/or remote with respect to the host network. The SGW 922
and PGW 908 link bandwidth may be altered through the OMC/NMS 912
which may be connected to the DSC 910. PGW 908a may be located at a
host network or remotely.
[0214] In an embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 21, resources may be
reserved for allocation purposes by combining eNodeB x-furcation
and SGW-PGW link bandwidth control methods.
[0215] In an embodiment, the host PCRF 905 may control resource
reservation for allocation to secondary users. The host PCRF 905
may prioritize the secondary user wireless device 101 based on the
services requested using a combination of the QCI/ARQ ARQ may be an
automatic repeat request. In this scenario, the PCRF 905 may assign
a QCI/ARQ to the primary user wireless devices 101a and the
secondary user wireless devices 101b.
[0216] In an embodiment, the RF spectrum allocation method may be
used to make resources available for allocation. In the spectrum
allocation method (e.g., Inter-System (Inter freq--lessor, Inter
freq prime--lessee)) the primary network may assign spectrum
resources for the use of the secondary users in a geographic
region. Based on this, the secondary network providers may make
available the primary network resources as channels/spectrum of
their own normal operational network (i.e., can be compatible or
IRAT). This, also, may be applied to MVNO. Thus, secondary users
may access the primary network resources on their home networks and
without having to roam onto the primary network.
[0217] The spectrum allocation method may be based on a) licensed
area; or b) regional area. In both the license and regional area
methods of spectrum allocation, spectrum available for use by the
primary network provider operators (i.e., lessor or Network 1) may
be programmable through the OMC/NMS 912. Spectrum allocation method
may enable the host network to allocate spectrum based on desired
bandwidth, geographic boundary of the secondary user, time the
secondary user request resources, and duration of time for which
the secondary user request resources.
[0218] In an embodiment, the spectrum allocation method may make
spectrum resources available to secondary users on a dynamic basis.
The billing process for the spectrum allocation method may not
involve the use of the host or the visiting networks billing
platforms. Instead, the DPC 902 may coordinate the billing for this
effort.
[0219] In contrast to the virtual-best effort or virtual-secondary
user methods, the spectrum allocation method may enable the home
network operator (Network 2) to use the allocated resources for the
secondary user wireless device 101 and not share the allocated
resources with the primary host network. Therefore, the allocated
spectrum resources may be used by the secondary users for the
duration of the lease. The secondary user home networks may also be
enabled to control the allocated resources for the duration of the
lease by using their radio access network nodes 102.
[0220] FIGS. 23A and 23B illustrate an embodiment for allocating
spectrum resources to a license area 2300 using the spectrum
allocation method. When allocating spectrum resources to a license
area 2300, the primary host network may allocate a defined amount
of spectrum resources to be used by secondary user home networks.
Each network operator of the secondary home network may be granted
use of the allocated spectrum over a geographically defined license
area. As illustrated in FIG. 23A, a block of spectrum license 2300
may belong to a specific license area 2300.
[0221] The license area spectrum allocation method may involve
partitioning the block of spectrum 2302 which may be used over the
entire license area. Partitioning may be accomplished in various
different channels, by sharing channels, or by other methods. As
shown in FIG. 23B, the block of spectrum 2302 may be partitioned to
provide three channels 2304a, 2304b, 2304c for use by the primary
users and channel 2304d for leasing.
[0222] FIG. 24 illustrates an embodiment for allocating spectrum
resources to a regional area using the spectrum allocation method.
The regional area spectrum allocation may involve allocating
spectrum within the host network's defined license area 2300. The
primary host network may allocate certain defined geographic areas.
The areas border the secondary users which may use the allocated
spectrum resources. Therefore, the geographic area designated for
the use of the allocated resources may be a sub-area of the entire
license area 2300 in which operators have access to the spectrum.
The host network (i.e., lessor) may lease, sell, option, or
otherwise transfer resources on a temporary basis to other
secondary operators for their use in the geographically defined
sub-areas. This may allow the primary host operator to reserve the
use of other geographic areas to the use of their primary users or
for leasing to other secondary networks.
[0223] A single resource allocation may be defined for possible use
in an operator's license area 2300. For example, Channel (4) 2302d
may be licensed through the DSA communication system to a
successful secondary user bidder for regions A 2402. The same
Channel 4 may also be licensed to another secondary user bidder for
region B 2404. Outside of regions A 2402 and B 2404, the full
spectrum (Channels 1-4) 2302 may be used by the primary network. In
regions A 2402 and B 2404, only Channels (1-3) 2302a, 2302b, 2302c
may be used by the primary network operators. In regions A 2402 and
B 2404, the primary user may not use Channel (4) 2302d which is
licensed to secondary network providers. For example, a bidder for
a resource may engage in many different contractual relationships
for spectrum including leasing, buying, optioning, trading, pool,
or otherwise transfer spectrum.
[0224] Once available resources are allocated, they may be accessed
based on different methods. The spectrum access methods may depend
on the method of allocation used by the network which is providing
the resources. In general, spectrum access methods may be divided
into two categories of roaming and non-roaming methods. When
resources are accessed based on a roaming method, a secondary user
wireless device 101 may be required to use the available resources
by roaming onto the primary network. When resources are accessed
based on non-roaming methods, the secondary user wireless device
101 may be allowed to remain on its home network while using the
allocated resources.
[0225] FIGS. 25A and 25B illustrate two network diagrams showing
access to resources using roaming arrangements to allow a wireless
device 101 to use resources of another network according to an
embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 25A, a wireless device 101 may
currently use the spectrum of Network 1. Network 1 may communicate
to DPC 902 that the additional spectrum resources may be required
to continue service to the wireless device 101. DPC 902 may also
receive information from Network 2 which may have additional or
excess spectrum resources that may be allocated for use to the
wireless device 101 from other networks.
[0226] As illustrated in FIG. 25B, once the DPC 902 confirmed that
Network 2 has spectrum for allocation, based on the services being
used, time and/or geographic location, the wireless device 101 may
be instructed to switch carriers from Network 1 to Network 2.
[0227] In an embodiment, a secondary user network provider may
license or lease the right to use spectrum resources that are
allocated by a primary network. In such a scenario, the secondary
user device 101 may not be required to roam onto the primary
network to use the allocated spectrum resources. The secondary user
device 101 may remain on the secondary home network which may make
available the resources of the primary network through the
secondary network access points based on the licensing terms.
[0228] FIGS. 26A and 26B illustrate a further spectrum allocation
method using short term leasing of resources according to an
embodiment. Available spectrum may be leased to other networks by
employing the DSA communication system, based on a license area,
sub-license area or by individual nodes, cell site. DSA
communication system may make available such leased spectrum for
secondary use through other networks following a geographic and
space boundary determination. In an embodiment, a secondary user
may access allocated spectrum of a host network through its own
secondary network and without having to switch to the host
network.
[0229] FIG. 26A illustrates a wireless device 101 in communication
with the wireless access node 102a of Network 1. Network 1 may have
a licensing agreement with Network 2 to use a designated block of
the spectrum of Network 2. In such a scenario, when the spectrum
resources of Network 1 are exhausted and additional resources are
required, Network 1 may use the licensed secondary spectrum
resources to communicate with the subscriber wireless devices 101.
FIG. 26B illustrates a wireless device 101 in communication with
Network 1 using licensed secondary spectrum resources of Network
2.
[0230] Licensing of spectrum resources may enhance the capacity of
a network as illustrated in FIGS. 27A and 27B. As shown in FIG.
27A, network provider A may serve a wireless device 101 through
different wireless access points 102a, 102b, 102c depending on the
geographic location of the wireless device 101. The wireless access
points 102a, 102b, 102c may serve the wireless device 101 using
spectrum resources from network provider A.
[0231] Due to increased traffic, network provider A may requires
additional spectrum resources to properly serve its subscribers.
Network provider A may license or lease spectrum resources from
network provider B to enhanced and augment its available spectrum
resources. As illustrated in FIG. 27B, spectrum capacity
enhancement of provider A may be achieved through co-use of the
radio access platform with provider B. In such a scenario, the
wireless access point 102a, 102b, 102c may broadcast spectrum
signals received from both providers A and B.
[0232] Initial Cell Selection
[0233] Cell selection or origination may involve the situation
where the wireless device 101 of one network is directed to another
network for accessing additional resources available on the new
network. Currently, wireless devices 101 are programmed to
establish connection with the correct networks for receiving
services. To find the correct networks, once the wireless device
101 is powered on, it may search preferred Public Land Mobile
Networks (PLMN), preferred roaming list (PRL) and radio carriers
that the device is authorized to use. The PLMN/PRL and list of
radio carriers may be provisioned on the wireless device. The
PLMN/PRL list may include PLMN identifications of authorized
networks and carrier in ranked order.
[0234] Because the DSA communication system may provide dynamic and
real-time access to spectrum resources, when using the DSA system,
spectrum resources may be available at networks which are not
listed on the wireless device's PLMN/PRL.
[0235] As part of the DSA communication system process the wireless
device 101 may be programmed in advance with the appropriate PLMN
list. Further, the wireless device 101 may also be provisioned
over-the-air on the secondary home network. The over-the-air
provisioning may provide instructions to one or a group of wireless
devices 101 to reinitiate the cell selection process with an
updated PLMN list.
[0236] Alternatively, the wireless device 101 may be configured
with a client application which upon receipt of a WAP/SMS message
enables the wireless device 101 to search for a PLMN that has been
made available in the DSA process.
[0237] Several methods may be used to allow the wireless devices to
access available resources on different networks. In the DSA
communication system, there are at least two types of networks or
source systems: virtual or existing networks. Virtual networks may
include networks that utilize the Radio Access Network (RAN) of the
primary network. When wireless devices 101 are required to access
virtual networks, the regulatory features and requirements for
emergency calls (e.g., 911 calls) and other regulatory stipulations
may need to be addressed.
[0238] When connecting to virtual networks, the DPC 902 of the
primary network may control the access of the secondary user
wireless device 101 and access RF spectrum resources and the
subscriber records of the primary system to allow the secondary
users to appear as roamers on the primary network. The secondary
user wireless devices 101 may use a list of preferred networks to
access virtual networks.
[0239] Alternatively, when originating using existing networks, the
secondary user wireless device 101 may make a cell selection based
upon a priority list of networks participating in the DSA
communication system. Once the secondary user wireless device 101
is authenticated, the DPC 902 of the primary host network may
validate the secondary user to access resources on the primary
network. If authentication or validation is not successful, the DPC
902 of the primary user may send a request to the secondary
wireless device 101 via a client in the device to re-originate onto
the proper system.
[0240] Wireless devices 101 may include a universal subscriber
identity module or USIM. The USIM may be a single or dual USIM.
Critical information such as data required to select the correct
network may be stored on the USIM. By using a USIM, a wireless
device 101 may be enabled to no longer use a PLMN. USIM may have
stored upon it information such as home International Mobile
Subscriber Identity, or IMSI (HPLMN), prioritization list of
permitted VPLMNs and forbidden PLMNs list.
[0241] If a wireless device 101 uses a dual USIM, it may be enabled
to immediately access spectrum resources available in an
alternative network. The dual USIM may further enable a multiband,
multimode wireless device 101 to access a variety of networks in
the DSA as well as using standard roaming arrangements.
[0242] FIG. 28 illustrates an embodiment method 2800 for network
and cell initialization by a wireless device 101 in the DSA system.
The initial network and cell selection may begin with the wireless
device 101 when it is either powered on or trying to reestablish
connectivity, block 2802. The wireless device 101 may initially
search the PLMN/PRL list that is stored on the device, block 2804,
and select a cell by receiving, reading and determining the
strength of nearby cell site broadcast channels, block 2806.
[0243] The wireless device 101 may read the cell site broadcast
channel and determine whether the cell site offers the correct
system, determination 2808. The wireless device 101 may select and
establish a connection to the best cell site available. To identify
the best cell site available, the wireless device 101 may measure
the adjacent cells based upon the access technology to determine
which cell is the best to utilize.
[0244] If, at initiation, a suitable cell is not available (i.e.,
determination 2808="No"), the wireless device 101 may use the Any
Cell Selection process/stage and continue to search for a suitable
cell site by selecting the next PLMN/PRL listing until it finds a
site that allows normal access following the access protocol in the
appropriate PLMN list, block 2810.
[0245] If the correct system is available through the selected cell
site (i.e., determination 2808="Yes"), the wireless device 101 may
receive and read the System Information Block (SIB)/Master
Information Block (MIB) transmitted by the selected cell site,
block 2812. The SIB/MIB may include information about the network
that the cell site is serving and available services through that
network.
[0246] In an embodiment, SIB/MIB may include a host of information
such as PLMN ID(s), Cell ID, traffic allocation identifiers (TAI)
(routing area), LTE neighbor list, LTE non system sites, GSM
cCells, UMTS cells, and CDMA cells. This information may be used by
the wireless device 101 for different purposes. For example, when
the wireless device 101 moves from eNodeB to eNodeB, it may use the
SIB/MIB information sent from the new eNodeB to determine that a
change has occurred in the serving eNodeB. To detect the change in
eNodeB, the wireless device 101 may identify the change in SIB/MIB
information which may include a change in change in the PLMN
availability and TAI parameters. TAI defines specific routing areas
that can further be used to refine a geographic region in which the
wireless device 101 can use available resources.
[0247] SIB/MIB information may be transmitted to the cell site by
the network. The cell site may receive the network information
through the HSS 926 of the network. In addition to the data
transmitted through the SIB, the HSS 926 of the network may also
provide the information as to which PGW(s) 908 the wireless device
101 may use to access resources on the network.
[0248] Upon reading the SIB/MIB, the wireless device 101 may
determine whether reselection is required, at determination block
2814. If no reselection is required (i.e., determination block
2814="Yes"), the wireless device 101 may camp on the cell channel,
in block 2816. If system reselection is required (i.e.,
determination block 2814="No"), the wireless device 101 may be
instructed to reselect a new cell or system based on the cell
selection/reselection process, block 2818.
[0249] While camping on the selected cell site, the wireless device
101 may receive additional information and instructions over the
air from the selected network, such as updated list of public land
mobile network or PLMN/PRL. The wireless device 101 may also
continue to monitor the SIB/MIB for any changes or additional
information.
[0250] In an embodiment, the SIB/MIB may provide a Secondary Access
Class which may enable the wireless device 101 to determine which
channels based on the DSA process it can use for access through the
reselection process. The SIB/MIB may also include data to enable
the camping wireless device 101 to reselect another radio access
technology (IRAT) and attempt to acquire a control channel on the
new Radio Access Terminal (RAT). The information in the SIB/MIB
may, thus, be used to instruct a wireless device 101 to reselect
another RAT that is associated with the same or another network
which may be on a another frequency band.
[0251] Cell reselection, which may trigger PLMN selection, may be
controlled via specific parameters. For example, the DSA
communication system may employ barred PLMN-id to prevent a
wireless device 101 using resources from one network to attempt to
roam on to other networks. For example, the DSA communication
system may prevent a secondary user wireless device 101 using
resources of a primary host network to roam back to or establish
connection with the secondary home network. Similarly, the DSA
communication system using a PLMN id prioritization scheme that is
over the air (OTA), client activated or dual USIM driven may also
prevent a wireless device 101 using resources of a network to
reestablish connection with other networks unless the DSA
communication system rules permit.
[0252] In an embodiment, a wireless device 101 that is camping at a
cell site may be instructed to perform cell reselection when the
capacity of the current cell reaches a predetermined level. In such
a scenario, the DSC 910 of the current camping network, using the
OMC 912, may change the SIB/MIB of the current network to include
instructions the camping wireless device 101 to perform a cell
reselect and search for another TAI area or system. The
instructions to perform a cell reselect may also be forwarded by
the WAP/SMS message to the wireless device 101.
[0253] FIG. 29 illustrates an embodiment network diagram for cell
reselection using changes in the TAI. When using a network,
different wireless devices 101 may be assigned different TAI's
depending on their particular uses and device types. For example, a
network may assign one TAI to DSA communication system users. The
network may also assign another TAI to devices which do not use the
DSA communication system. The advantage of using multiple and
layered TAI's may enable the TAI assigning network to selectively
tailor usage traffic. The multiple and layered TAI's may further
enable the TAI assigning networks to prevent the wireless devices
101 that may have correct PLMN-id but are not supposed to use the
selected area from selecting the cells but may be denied service or
may be forced into cell reselection.
[0254] In an embodiment, a special client may be installed on DSA
communication system compatible wireless devices 101 to enable the
wireless devices 101 to determine which system and RAT is supposed
to use on secondary bases. The PLMN/PRL list of the client
application may be updated by receiving an SMS or WAP that may be
transmitted to the handset via a text message or through a data
(IP) session. The updated client application may instruct the
wireless device 101 to go to the proper channel for accessing
allocated resources of a primary network.
[0255] Using a client application may facilitate the implementation
of the DSA communication system in legacy networks and systems
which may or may not possess the ability (e.g., due to software
load) to have a secondary access channel defined in the SIB.
[0256] In idle mode, the wireless device 101 may be instructed to
perform intra and inter frequency measurements in the cell
reselection process. Using information in the SIB/MIB or from the
client application, the wireless device 101 may perform
intra-frequency search, inter-frequency, or inter-radio access tech
(iRAT). This process may be controlled by UTRAN. The Intra and
Inter frequency measurements or inter-radio access technologies may
be on a region or cell/sector bases, depending on configuration of
the wireless device 101.
[0257] Authentication of Secondary User Wireless Devices:
[0258] Once the wireless device 101 selects the appropriate cell
site and before it enters an idle mode, the wireless device may
need to be authenticated by the system on which it is camping. The
selected network requires validation and authentication of the
wireless device 101 to ensure that the device possesses the
required permissions to access the network.
[0259] The DSA communication system may authenticate a wireless
device 101 using different methods. Authentication of the wireless
device with the DSA may depend on the business arrangements between
different providers and the DSA system. For example, authentication
may be based on general or prioritization levels. The
authentication process may be followed using the DPC 902 HSS 904 as
the anchor and this may be accessed by the AAA/AuC of the 3G/2.5G
networks of the PCRF 904 in LTE or similar platform. The Host
Network may authenticate the secondary users by using standard
MAP/IS-41 signaling.
[0260] Upon authentication, each entrant may be assigned: (a)
defined usage level allowed on host network; duration permitted on
system; purchase type (e.g., wholesale or a range of IMI's); HSS
would allow redirecting of inbound calls; applications would
continue where they relied on a server which is accessible from the
backend.
[0261] Monitoring and Tracking of Allocated Resources:
[0262] The DSA communication system may ensure that the primary
network provider always has adequate resources to manage traffic on
the primary provider network (e.g., Network 2). Therefore,
depending on the volume of traffic, the DSA communication system
may dynamically on a real-time and/or statistical basis alter the
spectrum/capacity available to secondary users.
[0263] For example, at peak hours, call traffic may increase in the
primary network. When call traffic increases in the primary
network, the DSA communication system may reduce the amount of
spectrum available for allocation to secondary users to ensure that
the primary users have adequate resources.
[0264] The DSA communication system may manage allocation of and
access to resources based on different factors including priority
level of the users, time the spectrum is used and the geographic
location of the user. In an embodiment, when the secondary access
to the primary network is related to certain events such as
disasters, emergencies, first responders or public safety, the DSA
communication system may manage the secondary use of the primary
system by using different prioritization. For example, when
secondary users are first responders who are using the primary
network resources, the DSA communication system may maintain or
increase the resources allocated to the secondary users by the
primary network provider to allow the emergency calls to go through
successfully, even to the detriment of the primary network
users.
[0265] In an embodiment, the use of spectrum resources of one
network by a secondary user may be managed and controlled by
different components of the DSA communication system such as the
DPC 902. For example, the DPC 902 of a primary network may monitor
the use of the allocated spectrum resources to ensure appropriate
steps are taken when allocated resources are exhausted or no longer
available for secondary use.
[0266] The DSC 910 of the primary network may be configured to
monitor or receive data regarding the traffic levels associated
with the primary network on which the wireless devices 101 is
operational as a secondary user. The DSC 910 may further be
configured to off-load the secondary user by downgrading resources,
forcing to terminate (i.e., off-load) a connection of a secondary
user or redirecting a secondary user to another carrier or channel
set if the primary network capacity threshold is reached.
[0267] The DSC 910 of a primary network may also inform the DPC 902
when off-loading of secondary users may be required. For example,
an unexpected surge of primary callers may cause the DSC 910 to
request that secondary users be off-loaded to make available
resources for the primary users. When off-loading of secondary
users is initiated, technical access parameters may be sent to
(OTA) to the wireless device 101. Alternatively, the system may
dynamically assign resources via LTE using the X2 link instructing
the defined wireless device 101 to handover to the new LTE
network.
[0268] Off-loading of secondary users may include redirecting the
secondary users' connections back to the secondary user's own
network, to another provider network or channel or disconnecting
the secondary users' connections with the primary provider network.
For example, when a primary host network may be required to
terminate a secondary user due to increased demand on the primary
network, the DPC may be configured to determine whether other
networks are available to redirect the secondary user's connection
instead of terminating. The DPC 902 may inquire for resources from
DSC 910 of other networks. If the resources are available for use
in other networks, the DPC 902, using a rule set, may determine the
most cost effective connection with another host network which
satisfies the resource request requirements. Once the DPC 902 has
identified another host network to which the secondary user
wireless device 101 may be redirected, the DPC 902 may instruct the
wireless device 101 to transition over to the new host network for
the communication session. The process of off-loading of secondary
users may include handover or back-off processes which are
explained in more detail below.
[0269] In a further exemplary embodiment, the DPC 902 of the host
network may also be configured to instruct the primary host network
to release the secondary user wireless device 101 back to the
secondary home network after the use of the primary network
resources is completed. The DPC 902 may further be configured to
force terminate the secondary user's connection with the primary
network if the DPC 902 determines that additional capacity is
required for use by primary users.
[0270] If sufficient capacity is available, the DPC 902 may force
the secondary user to continue to use the resources of the primary
host network until the traffic volume on the primary host network
requires additional action based on rule sets.
[0271] In the various embodiments, the DSA may further manage the
use of the allocated and accessed spectrum. For example, the DSA
communication system may manage the use of the host network's RF
spectrum by employing a back-off mechanism. When the host spectrum
network is accessed by high priority users, the spectrum may rid of
lower priority users to make available spectrum to higher priority
users.
[0272] FIG. 30 illustrates a network architecture diagram 3000 for
monitoring and tracking of spectrum usage according to an
embodiment. Tracking and monitoring of the use of spectrum
resources may be performed using different methods. In a DSA
communication system using the virtual-best effort method of
resource allocation, the DSC 910 may monitor usage of spectrum
resources based on pre-arranged billing information and
communication with the primary network billing platform.
[0273] The DSC 910 may monitor the usage level for the group and
also track usage level with the PGW 908. The usage may be compared
and monitored against what was anticipated or rather successfully
bid. Once a predefined amount of the allocated resources are used
by a secondary user, the DSC 910 of the primary network may be
configured to generate a notice that resources are reaching a
critically low level and send it to the secondary network provider
through the DPC 902. The secondary user may receive the notice
through its own DSC 910. Upon receipt of the notice, the secondary
user provider network may rebid for additional resources or simply
let the remaining resources to run out.
[0274] In the event that a secondary user is actively using a
primary network when allocated resources are fully consumed, the
primary network may instruct the secondary user wireless device 101
to reconnect to the home network (secondary user network provider),
terminate the wireless device's connection, or charge an overage or
supplemental fee to the secondary network based on a previously
negotiated contract. Upon termination of connection, the secondary
user wireless device may not be able to access the primary network
resources unless additional resources are allocated for the
secondary user.
[0275] In a DSA communication system using the virtual-secondary
user method, the DSC 910 may monitor the usage of the allocated
resources based on pre-arranged billing information and
communication with the host primary network billing platform. The
process of monitoring the usage of the allocated resources based on
a virtual-secondary user method may involve mentoring the usage
level for the group and also tracking usage of the level with the
PGW 908.
[0276] Similar to the DSA communication system using the
virtual-best effort method, the DSA communication system using the
virtual-secondary user method may monitor the usage by comparing
the usage against the amount of resources that was allocated to the
secondary user network provider. Once a predefined amount of the
allocated resources are used by the secondary user, the DSC 910 of
the primary network may be configured to generate a notice that
resources are reaching a critically low level and send it to the
secondary network provider through the DPC 902. The secondary user
may receive the notice through its own DSC 910. Upon receipt of the
notice, the secondary user provider network may rebid for
additional resources or simply let the remaining resources to run
out.
[0277] In the DSA communication system that is using the
virtual-secondary user method, after allocated resources are
exhausted, the secondary user may be terminated by different
methods, for example by 1) No prioritization back-off; or 2)
prioritization back-off as discussed below.
[0278] In the no prioritization back-off method, when the allocated
spectrum resources at the pre-determined level are consumed, no
further usage may be permitted. Once allocated spectrum resources
are exhausted, the primary network DSC 910 may instruct the
secondary user wireless device to connect to the secondary user
home network, terminate the secondary user wireless device's
connection with the primary network, or charge an overage free
based on previously negotiated contracts. Upon termination from the
primary network, the secondary user wireless device may not be able
to access the primary network resources unless additional resources
are obtained by the secondary home network provider.
[0279] In the prioritization back-off method, when the allocated
spectrum resources are at critically low levels and before the
resources are completely consumed, the primary network may commence
a back-off process during which the primary network may place the
secondary user wireless device 101 on another suitable network. If
not, other suitable networks are available to accept the secondary
user wireless device 101, the primary network may handover the
secondary user wireless device 101 back to the secondary user home
network. The primary network may credit the secondary network for
any allocated resources that were not used by the secondary
users.
[0280] When using the resource allocation method, the primary host
network may monitor allocated resources differently depending on
whether resources are allocated based on a license area or regional
area method.
[0281] If the allocation of resources is preformed based upon a
license area method, the primary network may monitor the usage of
the resources by the secondary users. When the allocated resources
are near exhaustion, the DSC 910/DPC 902 may inform the secondary
user network that the temporary lease of the resources is about to
expire and provide an opportunity to the secondary network to bid
for and purchase additional resources.
[0282] If the secondary network fails to or refuses to obtain
additional resources, the primary network may terminate or back-off
the secondary user from the primary network using different
methods, such as, 1) no prioritization back-off; or 2)
prioritization method.
[0283] In the no prioritization back-off method, when the lease of
the resources is expired, the spectrum resources may no longer be
available to the secondary users. The primary network may instruct
the secondary user wireless devices 101 to either handover to
another radio access system in their network or terminate their
use.
[0284] In the prioritization back-off method, the primary network's
DSC 910/DPC 902 may coordinate resources with the DSC 910 of the
secondary network with respect to the affected sites. The secondary
network may attempt to handover the secondary user wireless network
to another network, base station, radio access channel or system
for the affected area. The primary network may credit the secondary
network for unused allocated resources.
[0285] If the allocation of resources is preformed based upon a
regional area method, the primary network may monitor the usage of
the resources by the secondary users. When the allocated resources
are to expire and near a predetermined completion level, the DSC
910/DPC 902 of the primary host network may inform the secondary
home network that the impending termination of resources. The
primary network may provide the secondary network an opportunity to
rebid for additional resources.
[0286] If the secondary network fails or refuses to obtain
additional resources, the primary network may terminate or back-off
the secondary user from the primary network using different
methods, such as, 1) no prioritization back-off; or 2)
prioritization method.
[0287] In the no prioritization back-off method, when the leased
term for the allocated resources is expired, the secondary user may
no longer have access to the spectrum resources of the primary
network. The primary network may either hand over the secondary
user to another radio access system in their network, which can be
a host network or another network or terminate the secondary user's
access to the primary network resources.
[0288] In the prioritization back-off method, the DSC 910 and DPC
902 of the primary network and the DSC 910 of the secondary network
may coordinate resources with the affected sites and commence the
back-off process before the lease of allocated resources is
expired. The secondary network may attempt to handover the
secondary user wireless network to another network, base station,
radio access channel or system for the affected area. The primary
network may credit the secondary network for unused allocated
resources.
[0289] Handover of Secondary Users During Off-Loading:
[0290] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system may employ
handover methods to prevent interruptions during or maintain
communication sessions between wireless devices 101, the DSA
communication system and/or network providers. For example, a
communication session may include a wireless device 101
establishing connection with a network. Handover may occur when the
wireless device's 101 connection migrates from the home network to
a host network and back to the home network during the period of
one communication session. The SIB/MIB generated by the network may
include the list of cells and networks that may be used to handover
a communication session.
[0291] Outside of the DSA communication system, mobile assisted
handovers may involve the wireless device 101 informing the
servicing network that a better server is available and changing
the connection from the current server to the better server. Such
mobile assisted handovers may be performed when wireless devices
are roaming on host networks. However, the DSA communication system
may not allow such mobile assisted handovers, because the best
server for roaming purposes may not be the most optimum cell for
capacity relief. Communication sessions with the DSA communication
system may involve circuit switch or packet switched services.
[0292] FIG. 31 illustrates a network component diagram of an
embodiment network capable of performing handover of communication
sessions. To implement a handover of a communication session,
certain connectivity between components of the host and home
networks (e.g., network A and network B) may exist. For example,
the PGW 908 of the host and the home networks may be connected. The
PGW 908 of the host and home networks may communicate through the
Internet or a private data network. The PGW 908 of the host may
also be connected to the SGW 922 of the home network. The ANDSF 918
of the host and home networks may also be connected to allow
handover to the legacy system and to invoke the back-off process
when the wireless device is required to migrate from the host to
the home network.
[0293] Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) is
used to manage intersystem mobility policy and access network
discovery information stored in a wireless device supporting
provisioning of such information from an ANDSF. The ANDSF may
initiate the provision of information from the ANDSF to the
wireless device as specified in 3GPP TS 24.302 [3AA].
[0294] FIG. 32 illustrates a network diagram of an embodiment
method for media independent handover. The ANDSF through the DSA
process may initiate the handover by sending a SMS/WAP message to
the wireless device 101 instructing it to go a gap or non-gap
handover. The handover process may be initiated under different
circumstances and for different reasons. For example, a network may
commence a handover process based on contract specifications
between the host and the home network, based on the level of
resources at the host network and whether the resource has reached
a predetermined threshold, based on resources leased by the home
network being exhausted or based on whether a back-off process is
initiated.
[0295] When the host resources are no longer available for use or a
back-off process is initiated, the DSA communication system may
employ additional components or schemes to handover a communication
session. In such a scenario, the eNodeB of the host network may
perform a back-off process based on the QCI and ARP designations.
The eNodeB 916 back-off may involve handing over the current
communication session from the host eNodeB 916b to another eNodeB
through the use of the X2 link between the exchanging networks.
This process may also be achieved by using the DSMPTA process with
the ANDSF.
[0296] To initiate and implement a handover process, the host
network may generate and send certain commands to the wireless
device 101. For example, three different types of handover include:
1) Interfreq; 2) intrafreq; and 3) IRAT.
[0297] In the interfreq handover, the network currently serving a
wireless device 101 (i.e., the current network) may initiate
handover of the wireless device 101 from the current network to
another network. In the intrafreq handover, the current network may
initiate a handover of the wireless device 101 from one cell in the
one network to another cell in the same network for capability
offload. In the IRAT handover, the current network may initiate
wireless device 101 handover to another RAT.
[0298] The interfreq handover may be initiated when the current
network sends instruction to the secondary user wireless device 101
to begin using the resources of another network. For example, a
wireless device 101 on a home network may be instructed to use a
host network for large upload/downloads of files.
[0299] The interfreq handover may be used to offload a secondary
user from a host network based on the policy decision in place. The
interfreq handover may further be used when a wireless device 101
no longer needs to use the services of the host network as a
secondary user and thus may be sent back to the its home
network.
[0300] The interfreq handovers may further be used when a wireless
device 101 leave the DSA communication system cluster or cell area
and requires to continue its communication session. In such a
scenario, the wireless device 101 may be either transferred to
another network/cluster or sent back to the home network. The
interfreq handovers may further be used to relieve network capacity
constraints by allowing some primary users to use the services of
another network as secondary users.
[0301] The intrafreq handovers may be used in current network to
relieve cell congestion by shedding traffic from one cell to
another. To avoid a ping-pong effect which may prevent resolving
capacity issues, the intrafreq handover commands may bar wireless
devices 101 from using the neighboring cell/sector, as appears on
the PLMN/PRL list, for defined periods of time.
[0302] IRAT handovers may be used to redirect wireless devices 101
to another RAT. During a handover from one IRAT to another, both
ratio access technology and frequency of operation may be changed.
This type of handover may be used when the DSA communication system
is available and the wireless device 101 is initially active on a
particular channel. The current network may instruct the wireless
device 101 to change to another RAT through the IRAT handover
process. In one embodiment, the handover command may be initiated
from a current network, or alternatively the handover command may
be initiated from a different network or entity. Thus, if the
wireless device 101 communication session is dropped during the
handover process, the wireless device 101 may be able to
reestablish the communication session with the target RAT and not
revert back to the previous network.
[0303] In one non-limiting embodiment, the session may be dropped
during INTERFREQ and/or INTRAFREQ handovers. In this embodiment,
the device may reestablish connections by reverting back to a
previous network.
[0304] FIG. 33 illustrates a network component diagram of an
embodiment system required for initiating a network handover as
part of the DSA process. The handover process may be initiated by
the DSC 910 based on its rule sets which are established prior to
the bidding or during the bidding process. The use of the ANDSF 918
may enable both intrafreq, interfreq and IRAT handovers to take
place allow for maximum flexibility.
[0305] Back-Off of Secondary Users from the Host Network:
[0306] The DPC 902 may continuously monitor the host network
resources to ensure that sufficient levels of resources are
available for the use of the primary users of the host network.
When the capacity of available resources at the host network
reaches a predefined threshold, the host network may instruct the
wireless device 101 to begin a back-off process of the secondary
users. The back-off process may be initiated to free-up resources
at the hosting network.
[0307] When resources need to be made available to primary users or
subscribers of a network, the DSA may initiate a back-off of the
secondary users to free-up additional resources. The back-off
process may involve different or combined methods depending on the
DSA configuration. However, commonality of the back-off policy is
done using the wireless device 101 type and any special flags
associated with the device, policy decision for redirecting active
and idle traffic, policy decision as to whom and the order to shed
traffic, and re-provisioning either OTA or via activating a client
application.
[0308] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system may be
configured to employ tiered priority access (TPA) rules (as
explained in detail above with respect to FIGS. 1-8) when
initiating back-off processes. For example, the back-off process
may be initiated when a resource level reaches a predetermined
threshold level which may be user defined. The threshold detection
process may include traffic monitoring of the Radio Access Network
(RAN) and Core Network resources and determining whether a
predetermined threshold level is reached which may trigger QoS or
require shedding of secondary users to free-up resources.
[0309] Threshold levels for RAN and Core Network resources may be
determined based on the traffic usage that secondary users may
generate. For example, when more than 85% of the RAN resources are
used, back-off process may be implemented to either reduce the
throughput of the secondary users or shed secondary users from the
host network or both. By initiating the back-off process, the host
network ensures that amount of available RAN and Core Network
resources always remain above 15%.
[0310] In an embodiment, the back-off process of the DSA which
would allow each host network to maintain certain amount of
resources free at all times may be proactive and independent of
actual incidents. In the event of an incident, such as a natural
disaster, the DSA communication system may have the capacity to
make available free resources to first responders and employ the
TPA process if additional resources are necessary.
[0311] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system may monitor
the traffic during the back-off process and begin to release RAN
resources for secondary use at user defined intervals.
[0312] In an embodiment, each host network may employ certain
back-off policies and resource criteria in deciding whether to
initiate a back-off process. These policy and resource criteria may
include: spectrum availability (separate or co-existence);
capacity/bandwidth availability (RF and Core); overhead criteria
(percent total available capacity vs. used capacity); back-off
criteria (reselection, handover--intra system and inter-system)
termination); treatment (how specific services/applications are
treated/routed); barred treatments (which services/applications are
barred for use); rating (how services are rated, i.e., possible
special discount for off-peak usage); geographic boundary (define
zone or cell for inclusion); time (define time and day(s) for
inclusion); duration (define incremental allocation based on time
and geographic boundary); user equipment types.
[0313] Back-off process may be implemented differently for
different resource allocation methods. In an embodiment, the
back-off process for the virtual-best effort (pure roaming)
allocation method may be governed by the PCRF 905 policy rules set
forth in the (EPC). The eNodeB may also be configured to initiate
traffic reducing actions based on capacity loads by using the X2
link. In such a scenario, the eNodeB may enable the host network to
shed secondary users by handing off traffic to the adjacent cell
sites. In one embodiment, the eNodeB may send instructions to one
or more entities including the UE. In another embodiment, the
eNodeB may initiate the process.
[0314] Additionally the back-off process for DSA may also involve
one or more items which will be governed or instituted through the
DSC following the agreed upon policy based rule sets and are meant
to ensure session continuity or re-allocation of the UE to another
access method in an attempt to ensure the user experience is
maintained during the back-off process.
[0315] In an embodiment, the (DSMPTA) back-off process for
virtual-best effort may be above and beyond the typical rule sets
which are part of the Access and EPC. When traffic reaches a
pre-defined threshold, the DSA communication system may initiate
one or a combination of processes to implement a DSMPTA back-off
process. The PCRF 905 may dynamically adjust the QCI/ARQ values for
the secondary user wireless device 101. This may involve
restricting the bandwidth or placing usage onto a best effort or
lower priority scheme. The cells which are experiencing capacity
constraint may be placed on a barred cell list so that no
additional secondary user may access the cells. The updates to the
barred cell list may be communicated to the wireless devices 101
through re-provisioning the broadcast message that is sent to the
wireless devices 101. The broadcast message may be updated with
information regarding the barred cells and the neighboring
available cells.
[0316] To ensure that the wireless devices 101 receive and read the
broadcast messages regarding the barred cells and the available
neighboring cells, the DSA communication system may send WAP/SMS
messages to the configured wireless devices 101 to force them to
reselect. The wireless devices 101 will have to read the broadcast
messages when they enter the reselection process.
[0317] In an embodiment, the DSA may initiate close service groups
to restrict the use of particular cells sites to the roaming
wireless devices 101. The combination of CSG and TAI's which may be
involved with the capacity issue may restrict the secondary user
wireless device 101 from accessing the network. For example, the
CSG and TAI may drop callers, may reduce quality, may expand the
network, or may provide other items to deal with the capacity
issue.
[0318] In an embodiment, during a back-off session, the ANDSF 918
may facilitate a handover of the secondary users to another network
or back to the secondary user home network. ADDSF 918 may initiate
a network handover if connectivity is available with another
network. The wireless devices 101 may be handed over to another
network or another access network (RAT/IRAT).
[0319] In an embodiment, the back-off process in DSA using a
virtual-secondary user method of resources allocation may be
governed by the PCRF 905 policy rules set forth in the EPC and DPC
902. The PCRF 905 policy rules of a primary host network which
apply to the secondary users may take priority over those enforced
by the DPC 902. However, the PCRF 905 policy rules of the primary
host network may be dynamically changed or amended based on the
conditions set forth by the primary host network operations
requirements. Additionally, the back-off process in a DSA
communication system may involve additional items. The
implementation of these additional items may be controlled and
governed through the DSC 910 of the primary host network based on
the agreed upon policies and rules sets. The DSC 910 policies and
rules are designed to ensure communication session continuity and
good user experience during the back-off process.
[0320] In the event that the existing policies and rule sets in the
Access and EPC fail to apply to a back-off process, the DSMPTA
back-off process for secondary users may be implemented. For
example, when primary host network traffic reaches a predetermined
threshold level, the host DSC 910 may instruct the host eNodeB to
handover the secondary user to adjacent cell sites within the host
network using the X2 link and based upon the secondary user
wireless device 101 QCI/ARQ rule sets. Alternatively, the DSC 910
may instruct the host eNodeB to handover the secondary user to the
home network using the X2 link when the host and home networks are
connected for full mobility.
[0321] Based upon instructions received from the host DSC 910, the
host PCRF 905 may dynamically adjust the QCI/ARQ values for the
secondary user wireless devices 101. For example, the host PCRF 905
may restrict the bandwidth, change resources allocation method to
virtual-best effort, or change priority schemes to low
priority.
[0322] The DSC 910 may instruct the host network to update or
generate a list of barred cells and include the cells which are
currently experiencing traffic capacity that is above the
predetermined traffic capacity threshold. The DSC 910 may further
instruct the host network to broadcast a message to re-provision
the secondary user wireless devices 101 with the updated barred
cell list. The broadcast message may further include information
regarding the next ring or multiple rings of cells adjacent to the
constrained cell or group of cells. The broadcast message may
include changed and valid PLMN-ids, altered TAI for the cell or
cells, and altered neighbor lists for the use of the secondary user
wireless device 101 to perform a handover process or network
reselection. To ensure that secondary user wireless devices 101
check for the re-provisioning broadcast messages, the host network
may send a WAP/SMS message to configured wireless devices 101 to
force them to perform network reselection.
[0323] The host DSC 910 may further instruct the host network to
initiate Close Service Groups (CGS) to restrict the use of
particular cell sites to the roaming secondary user wireless
devices 101. The combination of CGS and TAI involved with the
network capacity may restrict access of the roaming secondary user
wireless devices 101 to the host network. The access restriction
effectuated by the combination of CGS and TAI may render the host
network only accessible to designated primary users.
[0324] In the event that connectivity exists between the primary
host and another network (e.g., the secondary home network), the
host DSC 910 may instruct the host ANDSF 918 to initiate a network
handover of the secondary user wireless device 101 to another
connected network or access network (RAT/IRAT).
[0325] To reduce capacity overload when eNodeB is x-furcated for
resources allocation and access, the host OMC 912 (or other policy
based controls configured to manage capacity) may instruct the
eNodeB to shed the resources accessible to the secondary user
wireless devices 101. Accordingly, the resources designated for
secondary use and associated with an eNodeB for the affected area
may be reduced. The reduction in available resources of an eNodeB
may be force handovers to or reselection of adjacent cell with
resources.
[0326] The reallocation of eNodeB resources may be balanced by host
network initiated handovers to force the secondary user wireless
devices 101 to handover to another network on which they can roam
and be provided with adequate resources. For example, the handovers
may be interfreq RAT or IRAT handovers.
[0327] The host PGW 908 may also be used as part of the back-off
process. The SG of the secondary user wireless devices 101 may be
connected to the appropriate host PGW 908 based on the policies and
rules of the host HSS 904 and PCRF 905. The host DSC 910 may
control the bandwidth of the connection between the host PGW 908
and wireless device's 101 SG. During the back-off process, the host
DSC 910 may initiate the host network to reduce the bandwidth
between the PGW 908 and secondary user wireless device's 101 SG
which are being moved out of the host network. The process by which
the DSC 910 may reduce bandwidth between the PGW 908 and SG may be
governed by predetermined policy and rules. The host DSC 910 may
continue to monitor the host network cells which may be
overburdened by high traffic and assess additional bandwidth
reduction to the host PGW 908-device SG connection to reduce
traffic.
[0328] Not all the processes initiated by the DSC 910 as part of
the DSMPT back-off process may be necessary and the implementation
of these processes and the order in which they may occur may depend
on the agreements between the host and home networks.
[0329] In an embodiment, the back-off process may be implemented in
the DSA communication system using a spectrum allocation method of
resources allocation. The spectrum allocation method may include
the license area and regional area methods for resources
allocation.
[0330] In an embodiment, the back-off process for a DSA using a
license area method may involve the reallocation of the spectrum
resources from the secondary home network (i.e., lessee) to primary
host network (i.e., lessor). The host network using the license
area method may initiate the back-off process to handover all the
existing secondary user wireless devices 101 from the lessor's
spectrum to another network or back to the home network. The time
frame for the reallocation will be predetermined based on rule sets
defined by the lessor and lessee agreements. Depending on the time
frame defined in the rule sets, not all the secondary users may be
migrated out the host network in time and as a result, some
secondary users may be dropped.
[0331] Based upon pre-negotiated agreements between the lessor and
the lessee, the host network may determine whether the back-off
process may be applied to a portion of or the entire license area.
Based on the geographic region involved for capacity relief,
spectrum reallocation may not be required for every cell of the
entire license area. Accordingly, back-off processes may be
implemented in sub-license areas of the licensed area.
[0332] In implementing the back-off process for an entire license
area, the host DSC 910 may inform the DPC 902 that the host network
has reached a predefined threshold of traffic capacity. The DPC 902
may communicate that message to the home DSC 910. The home DSC 910
may reduce the host resources available to the home eNodeB in a
stepwise manner and handover the secondary user traffic to a
non-leased spectrum. The steps of reducing the available resources
to the eNodeB may be performed on a predefined time intervals
bases. If traffic is not migrated in a timely manner, the home DPC
902 may initiate network handovers to migrate the secondary users
from the host network to another appropriate channel. Once the
resources are freed, the home eNodeB may remove the channel from
its available channel lists.
[0333] In implementing the back-off process for sub-license areas
(in opposed to the entire license area), the process above may be
implemented except that defined cells or TAI's may be used instead
of the entire license area.
[0334] Once the capacity restrictions are resolved by the host
network, the spectrum may be reallocated to the home network. To
reallocate resources, the host DSC 910 may inform the DPC 902 that
spectrum resources are again available for use by the home network.
The home DPC 902 may inform the home DSC 910 that resources are
again available. The resources may be reallocated to the home
network based upon predetermined policies and rule sets.
[0335] For back-off processes which are not governed by rules and
policies in the Access and EPC, the host may initiate a DSMPTA
back-off process. It may be possible that based on the rules
sets.
[0336] In an embodiment, the back-off process for a DSA
communication system using a Regional area method may depend on the
policies and rule sets agreed upon by the lessor and the
lessee.
[0337] The back-off process in a DSA using the Regional area method
of resources allocation may include handing over all the existing
secondary wireless devices 101 using the host spectrum in the
regional area or sub-regional area back to the home or another
network. The host DSC 910 and DPC 902/DSC 910 rule sets may define
whether the secondary users should be moved from the entire or a
sub-set of regional area.
[0338] The timeframe for the reallocation of resources during the
back-off process may be predetermined based on policies and rule
sets agreed upon by the lessor and lessee. Not all the traffic may
be successfully migrated to the home or another network during the
back-off process if the timelines set forth in the agreement is not
met. In such a scenario, some connections may be dropped or lost as
soon as the predetermined timeframe is expired.
[0339] Upon initiation of the back-off process, the lessee network
resources associated with the home eNodeB may be reduced in a
stepwise manner. The home OMC 912 may initiate reduction of the
resources by the eNodeB. Other policy based components of the home
network, such as the DPC 902 may also initiate the reduction of
resources by the eNodeB. The home network may facilitate the
handover of the secondary users from the host network spectrum to
the home network spectrum. If the home network does not have the
capacity to handle the traffic volume or handover is not being
performed in a timely fashion, it may either handover the
communication session to another network or channel or force the
secondary user wireless devices 101 to perform a reselection
process. Once the eNodeB has handed over all the secondary users
from the host spectrum, it may remove the spectrum channel from the
available list of channels accessible to secondary users.
[0340] Once the capacity restrictions are resolved by the host
network, the spectrum may be reallocated to the home network. To
reallocation resources, the host DSC 910 may inform the DPC 902
that spectrum resources are again available for use by the home
network. The home DPC 902 may inform the home DSC 910 that
resources are again available. The resources may be reallocated to
the home network based upon predetermined policies and rule
sets.
[0341] FIG. 34 shows a smart phone 101a, a laptop 101b, and a cell
phone 101c communicating with an element 3402 that is connected to
a prime 3404 and a secondary 2306 and which communicates with a
base station 102a and 102b via a primary RAT and a secondary RAT.
The base station 102a connects with a primary network and the base
station 102b connects with a secondary network 102b. In an
embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 34, the DSA communication system
may allow wireless devices 101a-101c to access several Radio Access
Technologies (i.e., primary and secondary RATs) simultaneously. For
example, the DSA may enable a wireless device 101 using a primary
RAT of a primary network to access a secondary RAT on a secondary
network only for certain types of services. For example, when the
wireless device 101 use of the primary network causes high volume
or bursty traffic, the DSA communication system may enable the
primary network to offload and send the high volume and bursyt
traffic to the secondary network. For example, prime and secondary
element 2306 and 3404 may provide data to route traffic over to the
primary and secondary wireless networks and base stations using a
header. Switching may occur using a DSA to switch between the
networks. In another embodiment, the switching may occur using the
element 3402, prime component or secondary component 3404 or 3406.
In yet another embodiment, the switching may be initiated by the
prime or secondary DSA networks, or by another entity that views
the capacity of the network.
[0342] FIG. 35 illustrates a message flow diagram 3500 of the
arbitrate process in a DSA communication system according to an
embodiment. In this embodiment, one bidder (i.e., Network 1) is
used for simplicity, however, it is contemplated that multiple
bidders may use this process. Network 1 3501 may send a request for
resources message 3502 to the DPC 902. The DPC 902 may receive the
request message and send queries 3504, 3506 to participating DSCs
910a, 910b of Network 2 and Network 3 based on pre-defined criteria
which may include types and capabilities of the user wireless
device 101 in addition to the geographic criteria of the requesting
wireless device 101. Geographic criteria may include geographic
location, geographic polygon or license area of the user wireless
device 101. The geographic criteria request may include parameters
that are greater than those that the host network may permit. The
DPC 902 may receive resource inquiry responses 3508, 35010 from
each DSC 910a, 910b that was contacted.
[0343] The DPC 902 may send a resource availability message 3512 to
inform Network 1 that the requested resources are available through
DSC 910a. Network 1 3501 may receive the resource availability
message 3510 and in response send a resources request message 3514
to the DPC 902 to reserve the available resources at DSC 910a. The
DPC 902 may the send a resource reservation request 3516 to the DSC
910a. Upon receiving the resource reservation request 3516, the DSC
910a may reserve the required spectrum and send a resources
reserved message 3518 back to the DPC 902. The DPC 902 may receive
a resource bid message 3520 from Network 1, accept the bid (if the
bid complies to the policies and rules of the DPC 902) and send a
bid accepted message 3522 to Network 1 3501. Upon accepting the bid
from the bidder, the DPC 902 may also send an assign resources
request 3524 to the DSC 910a to allocate the reserved resources to
Network 1 3501. The DSC 910a may receive the assign resources
request 3524, allocate the resources to be used by Network 1 3501
and send a resources allocated message 3526 to the DPC 902. The DPC
902 may inform Network 1 3501 that the requested resources are now
allocated to be used by the wireless device 101 subscriber Network
1 3501 by sending a resources allocated message 3528 to Network 1
3501. The resources may be available for use by Network 1 3501.
Once the resources are used, the DSC 910a may send a resources
consumed/released message 3530 to the DPC 902. The DPC 902 may
receive the resources consumed/released message 3530 and send a
resources consumed/released message 3532 to Network 1 3501. Network
1 3501 may settle the charges for the spectrum that it used.
[0344] FIGS. 36-40 illustrate flow diagrams of an embodiment method
for allocating and accessing resources using the DSA communication
system. As illustrated in FIG. 36, the Network 1 DSC 910a may
monitor call traffic as compared to the total spectrum resources
available to Network 1, block 3602. The DSC 910a may record and
report the resource status of Network 1 to the DPC 902. The DPC 902
may receive the resource status report from Network 1, block 3702,
and store it, block 3704. The DSC 910a of Network 1 may determine
based on the resources status report whether additional resources
may be required to provide service to the existing users of Network
1, determination 3606. If additional resources are not required
(i.e., determination 3606="No"), the DSC 910a may continue to
monitor resources available vs. bandwidth traffic by going back to
block 3602. If additional resources are required (i.e.,
determination 3606="Yes"), the DSC 910a may send a request for
additional resources to the DPC 902, block 3608.
[0345] The Network 2 DSC 910b may also monitor resources available
vs. bandwidth traffic in Network 2, block 3602, and report the
resource status to the DPC 902, block 3804. The DPC 902 may receive
the resource status report from DSC 910b, block 3702 and store the
received data, block 3704. The DSC 910b may determine whether
excess amount of resources are available in Network 2,
determination 3804. If excess amounts of resources are not
available in Network 2 (i.e., determination 3804="No"), the DSC
910b may continue to monitor resources available vs. bandwidth
traffic by going back to block 3602. If excess amounts of resources
are available (i.e., determination 3804="Yes"), the DSC 910b may
allocate the excess resources or a sub-part of the excess resources
for secondary use, block 3806, and report to the DPC 902 that
resources are allocated for use by secondary users, block 3808. The
DPC 902 may receive the resource allocation report from DSC 910b,
block 3702, and store the received data, block 3704.
[0346] The DPC 902 may receive resource status reports from many
different networks. However, in this embodiment, for ease of
illustration, only interactions of DPC 902 with two networks are
shown. The status reports received from the networks may further
include additional information such as network rules and policies
with respect to access and use to allocated resources. For example,
the status reports from Network 2 may include system requirements
for Network 2 which must be met before a wireless device 101 can
successfully access the allocated resources on Network 2 as a
secondary user.
[0347] The DPC 902 receives the request for additional resources
from DSC 910a of Network 1, block 3706, and based on data received
from other networks selects the best available network from which
Network 1 may purchase additional resources, in block 3708. In this
example, the DPC 902 may select Network 2 as the most suitable
network to provide resources to Network 1. The DPC 902 may send a
resource inquiry to the Network 2, block 3710, to determine the
availability and quantity of allocated excess resources of Network
2.
[0348] The DSC 910b of Network 2 may receive the resource inquiry,
block 3810, and determine resource availability, block 3812. The
DSC 910b may send a resource inquiry response to the DPC 902. The
resource inquiry response may include information about the
quantity and quality of resources available for use by secondary
users. The DPC 902 may receive the resources inquiry response,
block 3712.
[0349] As illustrated in FIG. 37, the DPC 902 may determine whether
resources are available based on the data received from the DSC
910b of Network 2, block 3714. If data is not available (i.e.,
determination block 3714="No"), the DPC 902 may send a no resource
available message to Network 1, block 3722. Resources may not be
available for use by a network for different reasons. For example,
resources may be purchased to other bidders before they were
reserved by the network. The DSC 910a of Network 1 may receive the
no resource available message, block 3614, and search for other
available spectrum resources or terminate connection sessions with
users to free-up resources on Network 1, block 3618.
[0350] If data is available (i.e., determination 3714="Yes"), the
DPC 902 may send a resource available message to the DSC 910a to
inform Network 1 about the quality and quantity of resources
available for secondary use at Network 2, block 3716. The DSC 910a
may receive the resources available message and send a request
resource message to reserve the allocated resources of Network 2
for use by subscribers of Network 1, block 3612. The request
resource message may include data such as the quantity of resources
that Network 1 may require in this transaction.
[0351] The DPC 902 may receive the resources request message, block
3718, and send a reserve resources request message to Network 2,
block 3720. The DSC 910b at Network 2 may receive the reserve
resource request, block 3816, and reserve the requested quantity of
the allocated resources for use by Network 1 subscribers, block
3818. The DSC 910b of Network 2 may confirm that the requested
quantity of allocated resources is reserved for use by Network 1 by
sending a resource reserved message, block 3820. The DPC 902 may
receive the resource reserved message from Network 2 and prepare
for the bidding process as described in FIG. 38.
[0352] As illustrated in FIG. 38, the DSC 910a of Network 1 may
send a resource bid to negotiate access to the reserved resources
of Network 2, block 3620. The DPC 902 may receive the resource bid
and process it, block 3726. The DPC 902 may determine whether the
bid received from Network 1 may be accepted, at determination block
3728. The DPC 902 may evaluate a bid from a network provider based
upon policies and rule sets of the DSA communication system in
addition to requirements set forth by the resource offering
network, such as prices and allocation or access methods or by
other methods. If the bid is accepted (i.e., determination
3728="Yes"), the DPC 902 may send an accept bid message to Network
1, block 3730. The DSC 910a may receive the accept bid message and
await resource access instructions, in block 3622. Once the bid is
accepted, the DPC 902 may also send an assign resources message to
the DSC 910b of Network 2, block 3732. The DSC 910b may receive the
assign resources message, block 3822, and assign reserved resources
for use by Network 1, block 3824. The DSC 910b may send a resources
access message to enable Network 1 to access the assigned resources
of Network 2, block 3826, and configure to establish communication
session with the wireless device 101 of Network 1, block 3828.
[0353] The DPC 902 may relay the resources access message to
Network 1, block 3734. The DSC 910a may receive the resources
access message, block 3624. The resource access message may include
data, such as, access parameters that may be used by secondary user
wireless devices 101 to access resources on Network 2. The DSC 910a
may send access parameters for Network 2 to wireless devices 101
which have communication sessions with Network 1 and Network 1 has
designated to migrate to Network 2, block 3626. The designated
wireless devices 101 may receive the access parameters for Network
2, block 3902, and establish a communication session with wireless
device 101 of Network 1, steps 3904 and 3830. Network 2 may
commence the settlement process as described in more detail below
with reference to FIG. 40.
[0354] If the bid is rejected (i.e., determination block
3728="No"), the DPC 902 may send a rejected bid message to Network
1, block 3736 (shown in FIG. 39). As illustrated in FIG. 39, the
DSC 910a may receive the rejected bid message, block 3736, and
determine whether to rebid, determination 3640. If no rebid (i.e.,
determination 3640="No"), the DSC 910a may send a cancel resource
request message, block 3644. The DPC 902 may receive the cancel
resource request message, block 3742, and send a release of
resources message to Network 2, block 3744. The DSC 910b of Network
2 may receive the release of resources message, block 3832, release
the reserved resources for use by other networks, block 3834, and
report the allocated resource status to DPC 902 by going back to
block 3808 as shown in FIG. 36 and follow the steps as described
above with respect to FIG. 36.
[0355] If rebid (i.e., determination 3640="Yes"), the DSC 910a may
send a new bid for the same resources, block 3642. The DPC 902 may
receive the new bid, block 3738, and determine whether to accept
the new bid, determination 3740. If the new bid is rejected again
(i.e., determination 3740="No"), the DPC 902 may send a rejected
bid message by going back to block 3736. If the bid is accepted
(i.e., determination 3740="Yes"), the DPC 902 may send an accept
bid message by going back to block 3730 as shown in FIG. 38 and
follow the same steps as described above with respect to FIG.
38.
[0356] FIG. 40 illustrates the settlement process after Network 2
provides access to the secondary user wireless devices 101 of
Network 1. DSC 910b of Network 2 may send invoices and payment
instructions relating to the use of allocated resources by Network
1 to the DPC 902, block 3836. The DPC 902 may relay the invoice and
payment instructions from Network 2 to Network 1, block 3746. DSC
910a may receive the invoices and payment instructions, block 3644,
and settle the charges with Network 2, steps 3648 and 3840.
[0357] Optionally, the DSC 910b of Network 2 may send usage
parameters and payment instructions to the DPC 902, block 3838. The
DPC 902 may receive the usage parameters and payment instructions,
block 3748, create an invoice, block 3750, and send the invoice to
Network 2, block 3752. The DSC 910a may receive the invoice and
payment instructions, block 3646, and settle the charges with
Network 2, steps 3648 and 3840.
[0358] FIG. 41 illustrates a message flow diagram 4100 of message
communication between components of a network provider which is
allocating available resources to other resources requesting
networks. The DSC 910a at Network 1 3501 may send a request for
resources from, message 3502. The DPC 902 may receive the request
for resources message and send a resource inquiry to Network 2,
message 3504. At Network 2, the resource inquiry may be received at
the DSC 910b. The DSC 910b may send a resource inquiry to the OMC
912 in Network 2 to determine whether resources are available for
Network 1, message 4106. The OMC 912 may receive the resource
inquiry message from the DSC 910b and send a resource inquiry
message to the Access Resources 4102, message 4108. The OMC 912 may
also send a resource inquiry message to the Core Resources 4204,
message 4110. The Access Resource 4102 and the Core Resources 4204
each receive the resource inquiry messages from OMC 912 and send a
resource response to the OMC 912, messages 4112, 4114 respectively.
The resources response from the Access Resources 4102 may include
message parameters. The resources response from the Access
Resources 4102 may include other message parameters.
[0359] The OMC 912 may receive the resource responses from the
Access Resource 4102 and Core Resource 4104 and send a resource
response message to the DSC 910b indicating status of resources
availability in Network 2, message 4116. The DSC 910b may receive
the resource response message from the OMC 912 and send a resource
inquiry response to the DPC 902, message 3508. The DPC 902 may
receive the a resource inquiry response from the DSC 910b,
determine whether the type of resources requested are available at
Network 2 and send a resources available message to the DSC 910a of
Network 1, message 3512. The DSC 910a may receive the resources
available message and send a resources request message to direct
the DPC 902 to request the available resources from Network 2,
message 3514. The DPC 902 may receive the resources request message
and send a resources reservation request message to the DSC 910b to
request that the available resources in Network 2 be reserved for
use by Network 1, message 3516. The DSC 910b may receive the
resources reservation request message and, via the OMC 912, send a
resource reservation request to the Access Resource 4102, message
4118, and a resource reservation request to the Core Resources
4104, message 4120.
[0360] The Access Resource 4102 may receive the resource
reservation request from the OMC 912, reserve the available
resources and send a resources reserved message back to the DSC
910b via the OMC 912, message 4122. Similarly, the Core Resources
4104 may receive the resource reservation request from the OMC 912,
reserve the available resources and send a resources reserved
message back to the DSC 910b via the OMC 912, message 4124. The DSC
910b may receive the resources reserved message from the Access
Resources 4102 and Core Resources 4104 and send resources reserved
message to the DPC 902 to inform the DPC 902 and Network 1 that the
requested resources are reserved for use by Network 1, message
3518. The DPC 902 may receive a resource bid message from the DSC
910a of Network 1, message 3520. The DPC 902 may send a bid
accepted message to the DSC 910a if the bid received by DPC 902
satisfies the price and contract requirements of Network 2, message
3522. If the bid is accepted, the DPC 902 may send an assign
resources request to the DSC 910b, message 3524. The DSC 910b may
receive the assign resources request to the Access Resources 4102,
message 4126, and an assign resources request to the Core Resources
4104, message 4128. The DSC 910b may further send a policy for
resources assigned message to the Policy Controller 905, which can
be the same or different relative to the PCFF, message 4130. The
DSC 910b may further send a metering for resources assigned to the
AAA/AuC 4106, message 4132.
[0361] FIGS. 42-44 illustrate process flow diagrams of an
embodiment method for backing off secondary users by handing them
over back to their home network or terminating their communication
session with the host network. A wireless device 101 from Network 1
may establish a secondary user communication session with Network 2
via the DSC 910b, steps 3904, 3830. The DSC 910b of Network 2 may
continuously monitor traffic on the network versus the available
resources, block 3602, and send a report to the DPC 902, block
3604. DPC 902 may receive the resource status report from the DSC
910b. The DSC 910b may further determine whether the network volume
is greater than the capacity of the network based on its available
resources, determination 4404. If the network volume is not greater
than the capacity of the network (i.e., determination 4404="No"),
the DSC 910b may continue to monitor the network traffic versus the
available resources by returning to block 3602. If the network
volume is greater than the capacity of the network (i.e.,
determination 4404="Yes"), the DSC 910b may identify a user on the
network, block 4406, and determine whether the user is a secondary
user, determination 4408.
[0362] If the user is a secondary user (i.e., determination
4408="Yes"), the DSC 910b may send disconnect session at t message,
t being the amount of time left before the secondary user
communication session will be terminated by Network 2, block 4410.
The disconnect session at t message may be received by the DPC 902
as illustrated in FIG. 43, block 4306. Optionally, instead of
sending a disconnect session at t message, the DSC 910b may
terminate the communication session of the secondary user to
immediately provide additional resources for primary or other
important users, block 4412. The decision regarding whether to
immediately terminate or transmit a warning before termination of a
secondary user may be based on contractual terms between the
primary and secondary network providers and the DSA communication
system policies and rule sets.
[0363] If the user is not a secondary user (i.e., determination
4408="No"), the DSC 910b may determine whether any other secondary
users are present on the network, step 4414. If there are other
secondary users still connected to Network 1 (i.e., determination
4414="Yes"), the DSC 910b may send try to disconnect their sessions
first before the primary users by returning to steps 4410, 4412. If
there are no other secondary users on the primary network (i.e.,
determination 4414="No"), the DSC 910b may keep or drop the primary
user communication session based on tiered priority access rules,
block 4416. For example, premium primary users (i.e., those with
more expensive subscription plans) may be dropped last.
Alternatively, in an embodiment (not shown), instead of terminating
the primary user communication sessions, the DSC 910b may try to
handover the users to another network as secondary users, thus,
preserving the communication session connection while reducing
volume of Network 1. The DSC 910b may return to monitoring the
network volume versus capacity to determine whether additional
callers need to be off-loaded by returning to block 4404.
[0364] As illustrated in FIG. 43, the DPC 902 may relay the
disconnect session at t message to the DSC 910a, block 4306. The
DSC 910a may receive the disconnect session at t message, block
4206, set a timer to count down from t, block 4208, and monitor its
available resources, block 4210, to determine whether there is
resources available on Network 1 to receive the secondary user
communication session from Network 2, determination 4212. If
resources are not available on Network 1 (i.e., determination
4212="No"), the DSC 910a may send a request for resources to the
DPC 902, block 3808, to reserve and purchase available resources
from network providers by returning to block 3706 of FIG. 36 and
following the resources allocation steps as described above with
respect to FIGS. 36-40.
[0365] If resources are available on Network 1 (i.e., determination
4212="Yes"), the DSC 910a may allocate resources to the secondary
user that is going to be terminated from Network 2, block 4212, and
send instructions for the wireless device 101 to disconnect from
Network 2 and connect to Network 1 to the DPC 902 as shown in FIG.
44, block 4308. The DSC 910a may also configure/prepare the Network
1 system to connect to the secondary user wireless device 101,
block 4218.
[0366] As illustrated in FIG. 44, the DPC 902 may relay the
instructions for the wireless device 101 to disconnect from Network
2 and connect to Network 1 to the DSC 910b of Network 2, block
4308. The DSC 910b may receive the instructions, block 4418, and
send them to the secondary user wireless device 101 which currently
has a communication session with Network 2, block 4420. The
wireless device 101 may receive the instructions to disconnect from
Network 2 and connect to Network 1, block 4220, and end
communication session with Network 2, block 4222, and establish
communication session with Network 1, steps 4224, 4226.
[0367] Public Safety Network:
[0368] In an embodiment, the primary network provider of the DSA
communication system may be a public safety network. A public
safety network may be the holder or owner of public safety
spectrum. Public safety spectrum is generally reserved for used by
public safety authorities. The assigned public safety bandwidth
typically includes more spectrum than is used by public safety
authorities on an average bases. An excess amount of spectrum is
assigned for public safety use in anticipation of its use during
public safety emergencies such as disasters.
[0369] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system may allow the
public safety networks to lease spectrum resources to other
networks when the public safety spectrum is available and not in
use. During public safety emergency situations when all of the
network resources may be required for use by public safety
authorities, the DSA communication system may allow the network to
retrieve all of its allocated resources from other networks by
off-loading traffic from the public safety network to free-up
resources.
[0370] In addition, if the assigned spectrum of a public safety
network proves inadequate to handle a large volume of use by public
safety authorities during an emergency, the DSA communication
system may enable the public safety network to lease or take
resources from other networks which are participating in the DSA
communication system. For example, the DSA communication system may
require that all participating networks to continuously keep a
certain percentage (e.g., 10%) of their resources unassigned. The
public safety networks may use the unassigned resources of the
participating networks to augment their resources for public safety
communications during emergencies. The DSA communication system may
further off-load primary and/or secondary users of a primary
network to free-up resources for use by the public safety
authorities.
[0371] In an embodiment, access to public safety spectrum may be
based on tiered priority access methods described above with
respect to FIGS. 1-8. For example, police dispatchers may always
have access to the spectrum. However, access of other
non-governmental users of the public safety resources may be
limited to certain times periods or dates depending on the
contracts between the users and the public safety network
providers.
[0372] In an embodiment, off-loading of non-public safety users
from the public safety or other networks may be performed using a
tiered priority access methods described above with respect to
FIGS. 1-8. For example, in a public safety network, when resources
are required for public safety use, the DSA communication system
may enable the public safety network to off-load users in order of
preferences such as first, off-loading secondary non-public safety
users, second, off-loading primary non-public safety users, third,
off-loading, lower ranked public safety users, etc. Similar tiered
priority access method may be used to off-load users of another
network the resources of which may be used by the public safety
network.
[0373] In an embodiment, during an emergency, the DSA communication
system may restrict access to any resources of a public safety
network which is allocated for secondary use. For example, once the
DSA communication system determines that there is a public safety
emergency, the DSA communication system may no longer consider the
allocated resources from the public safety network which is
involved in the emergency as available resources for use by other
networks.
[0374] In an embodiment, the DSA communication system policies and
rule sets may require that participating networks allocate a
percent of their resources for public safety use and disasters
response purposes. During an emergency, the DSA communication
system may enable public safety networks to access additional
resources which each non-public safety network may allocate for
public safety use. In this scenario, if the allocated resources are
in use, tiered priority access methods may be used to off-load
users from the allocated resources. Other resources of the
non-public safety network may not be used for public safety unless
properly negotiated.
[0375] FIGS. 45-49 illustrate flow diagrams of an embodiment method
for allocating and accessing resources of a public safety network
using the DSA communication system. As illustrated in FIG. 45, the
DSC 910a may monitor resources versus bandwidth traffic in Network
1, block 3602. The DSC 910a may record and report the resource
status of Network Ito the DPC 902. The DPC 902 may receive the
resource status report from Network 1, block 3702, and store it,
block 3704. The DSC 910a of Network 1 may determine, based on the
resources status report, whether additional resources may be
required to provide service to the existing users of Network 1,
determination 3606. If additional resources are not required (i.e.,
determination 3606="No"), the DSC 910a may continue to monitor
available resources as versus bandwidth traffic by going back to
block 3602. If additional resources are required (i.e.,
determination 3606="Yes"), the DSC 910a may send a request for
additional resources to the DPC 902, block 3608.
[0376] The public safety network DSC 910b may reserve a
predetermined amount of unused spectrum resources as a back-up for
use only by public safety authorities, in block 4502. This may
ensure that if there is a need for resources during an emergency,
such as a natural disaster, resources are readily available to be
dedicated for public safety use until additional resources are
released by off-loading secondary users from the network. The
Public safety network DSC 910b may also monitor resources available
vs. bandwidth traffic in Public safety network, block 3602, and
report the resource status to the DPC 902, block 3804. The DPC 902
may receive the resource status report from DSC 910b, block 3702
and store the received data, block 3704. The DSC 910b may determine
whether excess amount of resources are available in Public safety
network, determination 3804. If excess amounts of resources are not
available in Public safety network (i.e., determination 3804="No"),
the DSC 910b may continue to monitor resources available vs.
bandwidth traffic by going back to block 3602. If excess amounts of
resources are available (i.e., determination 3804="Yes"), the DSC
910b may allocate the excess resources or a sub-part of the excess
resources for secondary use, block 3806, and report to the DPC 902
that resources are allocated for use by secondary users, block
3808. The DPC 902 may receive the resource allocation report from
DSC 910b, block 3702, and store the received data, block 3704.
[0377] The status reports received from the networks may further
include information such as network rules and policies with respect
to access and use to allocated resources. For example, the status
reports from Public safety network may include system requirements
for Public safety network which must be met before a wireless
device 101 can successfully access the allocated resources on
Public safety network as a secondary user.
[0378] The DPC 902 receives the request for additional resources
from DSC 910a of Network 1, block 3706, and based on data received
from other networks selects the best available network from which
Network 1 may purchase additional resources, block 3708. In this
example, the DPC 902 may select Public safety network as the most
suitable network to provide resources to Network 1. The DPC 902 may
send a resource inquiry to the Public safety network, in block
3710, to determine the availability and quantity of allocated
excess resources of Public safety network.
[0379] The DSC 910b of Public safety network may receive the
resource inquiry, block 3810, and determine resource availability,
block 3812. The DSC 910b may send a resource inquiry response to
the DPC 902. The resource inquiry response may include information
about the quantity and quality of resources available for use by
secondary users. The DPC 902 may receive the resources inquiry
response, block 3712.
[0380] As illustrated in FIG. 46, the DPC 902 may determine whether
resources are available based on the data received from the DSC
910b of Public safety network, block 3714. If data is not available
(i.e., determination 3714="No"), the DPC 902 may send a no resource
available message to Network 1, block 3722. Resources may not be
available for use by a network for different reasons. For example,
resources may be sold to other bidders before they were reserved by
a requesting network. The DSC 910a of Network 1 may receive the no
resource available message, block 3614, and search for other
available spectrum resources or terminate connection sessions with
users to free-up resources on Network 1, block 3618.
[0381] If data is available (i.e., determination 3714="Yes"), the
DPC 902 may send a resource available message to the DSC 910a to
inform Network 1 about the quality and quantity of resources
available for secondary use at Public safety network, block 3716.
The DSC 910a may receive the resources available message and send a
request resource message to reserve the allocated resources of
Public safety network for use by subscribers of Network 1, block
3612. The request resource message may include data such as the
quantity of resources that Network 1 may require in this
transaction. The DPC 902 may receive the resources request message,
block 3718, and send a reserve resources request message to Public
safety network, block 3720. The DSC 910b at Public safety network
may receive the reserve resource request, block 3816, and reserve
the requested quantity of the allocated resources for use by
Network 1 subscribers, block 3818. The DSC 910b of Public safety
network may confirm that the requested quantity of allocated
resources is reserved for use by Network 1 by sending a resource
reserved message, block 3820. The DPC 902 may receive the resource
reserved message from Public safety network and prepare for the
bidding process as described in FIG. 47.
[0382] As illustrated in FIG. 47, the DSC 910a of Network 1 may
send a resource bid to negotiate access to the reserved resources
of Public safety network, block 3620. The DPC 902 may receive the
resource bid and process it, block 3726. The DPC 902 may determine
whether the bid received from Network 1 may be accepted, in
determination block 3728. The DPC 902 may evaluate a bid from a
network provider based upon policies and rule sets of the DSA
communication system in addition to requirements set forth by the
resource offering network, such as prices and allocation or access
methods.
[0383] If the bid is accepted (i.e., determination 3728="Yes"), the
DPC 902 may send an accept bid message to Network 1, block 3730.
The DSC 910a may receive the accept bid message and await resource
access instructions, block 3622. Once the bid is accepted, the DPC
902 may also send an assign resources message to the DSC 910b of
Public safety network, block 3732. The DSC 910b may receive the
assign resources message, block 3822, and assign reserved resources
for use by Network 1, block 3824. The DSC 910b may send a resources
access message to enable Network 1 to access the assigned resources
of Public safety network, block 3826, and configure to establish
communication session with the wireless device 101 of Network 1,
block 3828.
[0384] The DPC 902 may relay the resources access message to
Network 1, block 3734. The DSC 910a may receive the resources
access message, block 3624. The resource access message may include
data such as access parameters that may be used by secondary user
wireless devices 101 to access resources on Public safety network.
It should be appreciated that other data may be included in the
resources access message. The DSC 910a may send access parameters
for Public safety network to wireless devices 101 which have
communication sessions with Network 1 and Network 1 has designated
to migrate to Public safety network, block 3626. The designated
wireless devices 101 may receive the access parameters for Public
safety network, block 3902, and establish a communication session
with wireless device 101 of Network 1, steps 3904 and 3830. Public
safety network may commence the settlement process as described in
more detail below with reference to FIG. 49.
[0385] If the bid is rejected (i.e., determination 3728="No"), the
DPC 902 may send a rejected bid message to Network 1, block 3736
(shown in FIG. 48). As illustrated in FIG. 48, the DSC 910a may
receive the rejected bid message, block 3736, and determine whether
to rebid, determination 3640. If no rebid (i.e., determination
3640="No"), the DSC 910a may send a cancel resource request
message, block 3644. The DPC 902 may receive the cancel resource
request message, block 3742, and send a release of resources
message to Public safety network, block 3744. The DSC 910b of
Public safety network may receive the release of resources message,
block 3832, release the reserved resources for use by other
networks, block 3834, and report the allocated resource status to
DPC 902 by going back to block 3808 as shown in FIG. 45 and follow
the steps as described above with respect to FIG. 45.
[0386] If rebid (i.e., determination 3640="Yes"), the DSC 910a may
send a new bid for the same resources, block 3642. The DPC 902 may
receive the new bid, block 3738, and determine whether to accept
the new bid, determination 3740. If the new bid is rejected again
(i.e., determination 3740="No"), the DPC 902 may send a rejected
bid message by going back to block 3736. If the bid is accepted
(i.e., determination 3740="Yes"), the DPC 902 may send an accept
bid message by going back to block 3730 as shown in FIG. 47 and
follow the same steps as described above with respect to FIG.
47.
[0387] FIG. 49 illustrates the settlement process after Public
safety network provides access to the secondary user wireless
devices 101 of Network 1. DSC 910b of Public safety network may
send invoices and payment instructions relating to the use of
allocated resources by Network 1 to the DPC 902, block 3836. The
DPC 902 may relay the invoice and payment instructions from Public
safety network to Network 1, block 3746. DSC 910a may receive the
invoices and payment instructions, block 3644, and settle the
charges with Public safety network, steps 3648 and 3840.
[0388] Optionally, the DSC 910b of Public safety network may send
usage parameters and payment instructions to the DPC 902, block
3838. The DPC 902 may receive the usage parameters and payment
instructions, block 3748, create an invoice, block 3750, and send
the invoice to Public safety network, block 3752. The DSC 910a may
receive the invoice and payment instructions, block 3646, and
settle the charges with Public safety network, steps 3648 and
3840.
[0389] FIGS. 50-53 illustrate process flow diagrams of an
embodiment method for backing off secondary users by handing them
over back to their home network or terminating their communication
session with the host network. A wireless device 101 from Network 1
may establish a secondary user communication session with Public
safety network via the DSC 910b, steps 3904, 3830. The DSC 910b of
Public safety network may continuously monitor traffic on the
network versus the available resources, block 3602, and send a
report to the DPC 902, block 3604. DPC 902 may receive the resource
status report from the DSC 910b. The DSC 910b may further determine
whether the network volume is greater than the capacity of the
network based on its available resources, determination 4404. If
the network volume is not greater than the capacity of the network
(i.e., determination 4404="No"), the DSC 910b may continue to
monitor the network traffic versus the available resources by
returning to block 3602. If the network volume is greater than the
capacity of the network (i.e., determination 4404="Yes"), the DSC
910b may identify a user on the network, block 4406, and determine
whether the user is a secondary user, determination 4408.
[0390] If the network volume exceeds the allocated capacity
threshold of the network (i.e., determination 4408="Yes"), an
abnormal situation exists which may indicate that an emergency
situation is unfolding. In this scenario, the DSC 910b may follow
the processes illustrated in the process flow diagrams of FIG. 50
to free-up resources for public safety use and FIG. 54 to
incrementally allocate network resources based on a Tiered Priority
Access regime.
[0391] As shown in FIG. 50, to free-up resources for public safety
use, the Public safety network may send disconnect session at t
message, t being the amount of time left before the secondary user
communication session will be terminated by Public safety network,
block 4410. The disconnect session at t message may be received by
the DPC 902 as illustrated in FIG. 43, block 4306. Optionally,
instead of sending a disconnect session at t message, the DSC 910b
may terminate the communication session of the secondary user to
immediately provide additional resources for primary or other
important users, block 4412. The decision regarding whether to
immediately terminate or transmit a warning before termination of a
secondary user may be based on contractual terms between the
primary and secondary network providers and the DSA communication
system policies and rule sets.
[0392] If the user is not a secondary user (i.e., determination
4408="No"), the DSC 910b may determine whether any other secondary
users are present on the network, block 4414. If there are other
secondary users still connected to Network 1 (i.e., determination
4414="Yes"), the DSC 910b may send try to disconnect their sessions
first before the primary users by returning to steps 4410, 4412. If
there are no other secondary users on the primary network (i.e.,
determination 4414="No"), the DSC 910b may keep or drop the primary
user communication session based on tiered priority access rules,
block 4416. For example, premium primary users (i.e., those with
more expensive subscription plans) may be dropped last.
Alternatively, in an embodiment (not shown), instead of terminating
the primary user communication sessions, the DSC 910b may try to
handover the users to another network as secondary users, thus,
preserving the communication session connection while reducing
volume of Network 1. The DSC 910b may return to monitoring the
network volume versus capacity to determine whether additional
callers need to be off-loaded by returning to block 4404.
[0393] As illustrated in FIG. 51, the DPC 902 may relay the
disconnect session at t message to the DSC 910a, block 4306. The
DSC 910a may receive the disconnect session at t message, block
4206, set a timer to count down from t, block 4208, and monitor its
available resources, block 4210, to determine whether there is
resources available on Network 1 to receive the secondary user
communication session from Public safety network, determination
4212. If resources are not available on Network 1 (i.e.,
determination 4212="No"), the DSC 910a may send a request for
resources to the DPC 902, block 3808, to reserve and purchase
available resources from network providers by returning to block
3706 of FIG. 45 and following the resources allocation steps as
described above with respect to FIGS. 45-49.
[0394] If resources are available on Network 1 (i.e., determination
4212="Yes"), the DSC 910a may allocate resources to the secondary
user that is going to be terminated from Public safety network,
block 4212, and send instructions for the wireless device 101 to
disconnect from Public safety network and connect to Network 1 to
the DPC 902 as shown in FIG. 52, block 4308. The DSC 910a may also
configure/prepare the Network 1 system to connect to the secondary
user wireless device 101, block 4218.
[0395] As illustrated in FIG. 52, the DPC 902 may relay the
instructions for the wireless device 101 to disconnect from Public
safety network and connect to Network 1 to the DSC 910b of Public
safety network, block 4308. The DSC 910b may receive the
instructions, block 4418, and send them to the secondary user
wireless device 101 which currently has a communication session
with Public safety network, block 4420. The wireless device 101 may
receive the instructions to disconnect from Public safety network
and connect to Network 1, block 4220, and end communication session
with Public safety network, block 4222, and establish communication
session with Network 1, steps 4224, 4226.
[0396] In a further embodiment, the Public safety network may
monitor all new reserve resource requests and inquiries received
from the DPC 902 to ensure that resources are provided only to
those requests that are initiated by public safety authorities
based on TPA at least until resource capacity is back to below the
threshold levels. The Public safety network may receive a reserve
resource request at the DSC 910b, block 3810, and determine whether
the resources inquiry is from a TPA-authorized device,
determination 312. If the resources requested are from a
TPA-authorized device (i.e., determination 312="Yes"), the DSC 910b
may disconnect a non-TPA communication session, such as a secondary
user communication session, block 314, and connect the TPA call,
block 315. The DSC 910b may again monitor the resources versus
bandwidth available by returning to block 3602 of FIG. 50. If the
resource reserve message is received from a wireless device 101
other than an authorized device (i.e., determination 312="No"), the
Public safety network may block the call until excess resources are
again available for use by secondary users, block 5302.
[0397] In an embodiment, for TPA-authorized personnel who may try
to establish a communication session with the Public safety network
using a wireless device which is subscribed to a network provider
other than the public safety network provider, the Public safety
authorities may be provided a prefix number which may alert the
receiving network provider about a request to transfer
communication session to a public safety network and an access PIN.
By using the prefix number and PIN, a Public safety user may access
the Public safety network using any device, even if the device is
considered a secondary user wireless device 101 on the Public
safety network.
[0398] As illustrated in FIG. 54 to FIG. 56, when an authorized
public safety officer requires to establish connection with a
specific public safety network, he may place a call using any
unauthorized wireless device 101 of Network 1 and dialing a special
prefix number, such as *272, block 5402. The DSC 910a may receive
and process the call, block 5404, and identify the prefix number as
a request to transfer the communication session to a public safety
network, block 5406. The DSC 910a may send a PIN request to the
wireless device 101, block 5408. The wireless device 101 may
receive the PIN request, block 5410, display the PIN request to the
user using Graphical User Interface (GUI) and receive the user's
PIN input, block 5412. The wireless device 101 may send the
inputted PIN to the DSC 910a for processing, block 5414. The DSC
910a may receive the PIN, block 5416, and send a request for a
network transfer along with the PIN to the DPC 902, block 5418. The
DPC 902 may receive the request for network transfer, block 5420,
and determine whether the PIN matches a PIN database, determination
318. If the PIN does not match an entry in the PIN database (i.e.,
determination 318="No"), the DPC 902 may block the call, block
5302. If the PIN matches an entry in the PIN database (i.e.,
determination 318="No"), the DPC 902 may identify the target Public
safety network based on the received PIN, block 5422.
[0399] As illustrated in FIG. 55, the DPC 902 may determine whether
the wireless device 101 of Network 1 includes compatible technology
with the target Public safety network, block 5424. If the device
and the public safety network are not technologically compatible
(i.e., determination 5424="No"), the DPC 902 may send a network
incompatible message back to the device via the DSC 910a, block
5426. The DSC 910a may relay the network incompatibility message,
block 5428, and terminate connection with the wireless device 101,
block 5432. The wireless device 101 may receive the network
incompatible message, block 5430, display the message to the user,
block 5434, and terminate connection with the Network 1, block
5436. If the device and the public safety network technologies are
compatible (i.e., determination 5424="Yes"), the DPC 902 may send a
reserve resources request with PIN to the public safety network DSC
910b, block 5438. The DSC 910b may receive the reserve resources
request with PIN, block 5440.
[0400] In an embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 56, access to a
public safety networks by authorized public safety authorities may
be on a priority level. For example, the higher ranking officials
of a public safety organization may have priority access to the
network as compared lower ranking officials from the same
organization. At any given time, depending on the level of traffic
and resources available, the public safety network may determine
what level of authority may have access to the network.
Accordingly, the DSC 910b may be configured to allow those with
required levels of priority and reject those with levels of
priority lower than required. The DSC 910b may continuously
reevaluate the resource availability and change the access level of
officials based on the availability of resources. The DSC 910b may
determine, based on the PIN, the level of priority of the user of
the wireless device 101, block 5442. The DSC 910b may determine
whether the level of priority of the device 101 is allowed to
access the public safety network at that time, determination 5444.
If the device 101 priority level is authorized (i.e., determination
5444="Yes"), the DSC 910b may disconnect a non-TPA session or a
lower priority TPA session to free-up resources for the new request
for resources, block 5446, and connect the new TPA session, block
5448, and return back to monitoring the resources of the network
versus the bandwidth traffic, block 3602 of FIG. 45. If the request
is from a TPA-authorized device which does not have the priority
level to access the network at that time (i.e., determination
5444="No"), the DSC 910b may block the call, block 5302.
[0401] The embodiments described above, including the spectrum
arbitrage functions, may be implemented within a broadcast system
on any of a variety of commercially available server devices, such
as the server 5700 illustrated in FIG. 57. Such a server 5700
typically includes a processor 5701 coupled to volatile memory 5702
and a large capacity nonvolatile memory, such as a disk drive 5703.
The server 5700 may also include a floppy disc drive and/or a
compact disc (CD) drive 5706 coupled to the processor 5701. The
server 5700 may also include network access ports 5704 coupled to
the processor 5701 for establishing data connections with a network
5705, such as the Internet and local networks for communicating
with broadcast system equipment.
[0402] The processor 5701 may be any programmable microprocessor,
microcomputer or multiple processor chip or chips that can be
configured by software instructions (applications) to perform a
variety of functions, including the functions of the various
embodiments described herein. In some receiver devices, multiple
processors 5701 may be provided, such as one processor dedicated to
wireless communication functions and one processor dedicated to
running other applications. Typically, software applications may be
stored in the internal memory 5702 before they are accessed and
loaded into the processor 5701. In some servers, the processor 5701
may include internal memory sufficient to store the application
software instructions. In some receiver devices, the secure memory
may be in a separate memory chip coupled to the processor 5701. The
internal memory 5702 may be a volatile or nonvolatile memory, such
as flash memory, or a mixture of both. For the purposes of this
description, a general reference to memory refers to all memory
accessible by the processor 5701, including internal memory 5702,
removable memory plugged into the device, and memory within the
processor 5701 itself.
[0403] Embodiments include methods for managing, allocating and
arbitraging RF bandwidth as described above. Embodiments also
include the communication systems that enable the DPC methods.
Embodiments also include the non-transitory computer-readable
storage media storing computer-executable instructions for
performing the methods described above.
[0404] The foregoing method descriptions and the process flow
diagrams are provided merely as illustrative examples and are not
intended to require or imply that the steps of the various
embodiments must be performed in the order presented. As will be
appreciated by one of skill in the art the order of steps in the
foregoing embodiments may be performed in any order. Words such as
"thereafter," "then," "next," etc. are not intended to limit the
order of the steps; these words are simply used to guide the reader
through the description of the methods. Further, any reference to
claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles
"a," "an" or "the" is not to be construed as limiting the element
to the singular.
[0405] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits,
and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments
disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware,
computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate
this interchangeability of hardware and software, various
illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have
been described above generally in terms of their functionality.
Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software
depends upon the particular application and design constraints
imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the
described functionality in varying ways for each particular
application, but such implementation decisions should not be
interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present
invention.
[0406] The hardware used to implement the various illustrative
logics, logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in
connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented
or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal
processor (DPC), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC),
a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic
device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware
components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the
functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a
microprocessor, but, in the alternative, the processor may be any
conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state
machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of
computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DPC and a
microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more
microprocessors in conjunction with a DPC core, or any other such
configuration. Alternatively, some steps or methods may be
performed by circuitry that is specific to a given function.
[0407] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions
described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or
any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions
may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or
code on a computer-readable medium. The steps of a method or
algorithm disclosed herein may be embodied in a
processor-executable software module which may reside on a
tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.
Tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage media may be any
available media that may be accessed by a computer. By way of
example, and not limitation, such as, non-transitory
computer-readable media may comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or
other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic
storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to store
desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures
and that may be accessed by a computer. Disk and disc, as used
herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc,
digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk, and blu-ray disc where
disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce
data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also
be included within the scope of non-transitory computer-readable
media. Additionally, the operations of a method or algorithm may
reside as one or any combination or set of codes and/or
instructions on a tangible, non-transitory machine readable medium
and/or computer-readable medium, which may be incorporated into a
computer program product.
[0408] The preceding description of the disclosed embodiments is
provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the
present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will
be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic
principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments
without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus,
the present invention is not intended to be limited to the
embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope
consistent with the following claims and the principles and novel
features disclosed herein.
* * * * *