U.S. patent application number 15/613726 was filed with the patent office on 2017-09-21 for method and apparatus for integrating radio agent data in network organization of dynamic channel selection in wireless networks.
The applicant listed for this patent is NETWORK PERFORMANCE RESEARCH GROUP LLC. Invention is credited to Erick Kurniawan, Terry F K Ngo, Kun Ting Tsai, Seung Baek Yi.
Application Number | 20170273086 15/613726 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57083054 |
Filed Date | 2017-09-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170273086 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ngo; Terry F K ; et
al. |
September 21, 2017 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATING RADIO AGENT DATA IN NETWORK
ORGANIZATION OF DYNAMIC CHANNEL SELECTION IN WIRELESS NETWORKS
Abstract
The present invention relates to wireless networks and more
specifically to a method and apparatus for integrating spectrum
data from a plurality of autonomous radio agents with a cloud-based
data fusion and computing element that enables network
self-organization and adaptive control of dynamic frequency
selection in 802.11 ac/n and LTE-U networks. In one embodiment, the
present invention provides a cloud intelligence engine
communicatively coupled to a plurality of multi-channel DFS masters
that is configured to receive spectral information from the
plurality of multi-channel DFS masters, integrate the spectral
information with other spectral information to generate integrated
spectral information, and determine communication channels for the
plurality of multi-channel DFS masters based at least on the
integrated spectral information.
Inventors: |
Ngo; Terry F K; (Bellevue,
WA) ; Yi; Seung Baek; (Norwich, VT) ;
Kurniawan; Erick; (San Francisco, CA) ; Tsai; Kun
Ting; (Fremont, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
NETWORK PERFORMANCE RESEARCH GROUP LLC |
Campbell |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57083054 |
Appl. No.: |
15/613726 |
Filed: |
June 5, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15171911 |
Jun 2, 2016 |
9699786 |
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15613726 |
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62215079 |
Sep 7, 2015 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 84/12 20130101;
H04W 72/0453 20130101; H04W 84/18 20130101; H04W 16/14 20130101;
H04L 67/10 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04W 72/04 20060101
H04W072/04; H04W 16/14 20060101 H04W016/14 |
Claims
1. A cloud intelligence engine communicatively coupled to a
plurality of multi-channel DFS masters and configured to receive
spectral information associated with a plurality of 5 GHz
communication channels from the plurality of multi-channel DFS
masters via one or more network devices, integrate the spectral
information with other spectral information to generate integrated
spectral information, and determine a communication channel
preference list for the plurality of multi-channel DFS masters from
the plurality of 5 GHz communication channels based at least on the
integrated spectral information.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of, and claims priority
to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/171,911 titled "METHOD AND
APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATING RADIO AGENT DATA IN NETWORK ORGANIZATION
OF DYNAMIC CHANNEL SELECTION IN WIRELESS NETWORKS" and filed on
Jun. 2, 2016, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 62/215,079 titled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
INTEGRATING RADIO AGENT DATA IN NETWORK ORGANIZATION OF DYNAMIC
CHANNEL SELECTION IN WIRELESS NETWORKS" and filed on Sep. 7, 2015.
The entireties of the foregoing applications listed herein are
hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present invention relates to wireless networks and more
specifically to a method and apparatus for integrating spectrum
data from a plurality of autonomous radio agents by a cloud-based
data fusion and computing element, thereby enabling network
self-organization and adaptive control of dynamic frequency
selection in 802.11 ac/n and LTE-U networks. Embodiments of the
present invention include a cloud-based data fusion and computation
element coupled to a plurality of wireless agility agents in a
split-intelligence architecture wherein embedded radios in the
agility agents collect real-time spectral information continuously,
such as radar detection information, and measurements of
interference, traffic, signatures of neighboring devices, and other
localized over-the-air information.
[0003] Wi-Fi networks are crucial to today's portable modern life.
Wi-Fi is the preferred network in the growing Internet-of-Things
(IoT). But, the technology behind current Wi-Fi has changed little
in the last ten years. The Wi-Fi network and the associated
unlicensed spectrum are currently managed in inefficient ways. For
example, there is little or no coordination between individual
networks and equipment from different manufacturers. Such networks
generally employ primitive control algorithms that assume the
network consists of "self-managed islands," a concept originally
intended for low density and low traffic environments. The
situation is far worse for home networks, which are assembled in
completely chaotic ad hoc ways. The underlying media access
protocols employed by 802.11 Wi-Fi are contention-based, meaning
that a high frequency of collisions is assumed as there is no
timing coordination of transmissions between access points and
their associated clients. This coupled together with the
fundamental need of 802.11 and LTE-U to co-exist in shared limited
spectrum leads to significant instances of interference and growing
problems of congestion. Further, with more and more connected
devices becoming commonplace, the net result is growing congestion
and slowed networks with unreliable connections.
[0004] Similarly, LTE-U networks operating in the same or similar
unlicensed bands as 802.11ac/n Wi-Fi suffer similar congestion and
unreliable connection issues and will often create congestion
problems for existing Wi-Fi networks sharing the same channels.
Additional bandwidth and better and more efficient utilization of
spectrum is key to sustaining the usefulness of wireless networks
including the Wi-Fi and LTE-U networks in a fast growing connected
world.
[0005] Additional bandwidth and better and more efficient
utilization of spectrum will be key to sustaining the usefulness of
Wi-Fi and LTE-U networks in a fast growing connected world. The
vast majority of Wi-Fi and LTE-U access point and small cell base
station designs today are standalone devices, in keeping with the
established concept of "self-managed islands." By necessity
(physical size and economics), they contain limited radio
resources, and limited embedded computing capabilities and memory.
Consequently such standalone designs suffer from limited ability to
sense their spectral environment and limited ability to adapt to
changing conditions, resulting in inefficient utilization of
spectrum and a growing problem.
SUMMARY
[0006] The present invention relates to wireless networks and more
specifically to systems and methods for selecting available
channels free of occupying signals from a plurality of radio
frequency channels. In its preferred embodiments, the present
invention utilizes a cloud-based data fusion and computation
element connected to a plurality of wireless agility agents in a
split-intelligence architecture wherein embedded radios in the
agility agents collect real-time spectral information continuously,
such as radar detection information, and measurements of
interference, traffic, signatures of neighboring devices, and other
localized over-the-air information.
[0007] Agility agents, due to their attachment to Wi-Fi access
points and LTE-U small cell base stations, are by nature deployed
over wide geographical areas in varying densities and often with
overlapping coverage. The spectrum information detected by the
embedded sensors in the agility agents, in particular the
signatures of DFS radar and congestion conditions of local
networks, represent multi-point overlapping measurements of the
radio spectrum covering wide areas, or viewed a different way, the
information represents spectrum measurements by random irregular
arrays of sensors measuring radar and sources of interference
and/or congestion from different angles.
[0008] The cloud intelligence engine collects the information from
each agility agent and geo-tags, stores, filters, and integrates
the data over time, and combines it together by data fusion
techniques with information from a plurality of other agility
agents distributed in space, and performs filtering and other
post-processing on the collection with proprietary algorithms, and
merges with other data from vetted sources (such as
GIS--Geographical Information System, FAA, FCC, and DoD databases,
etc.). The cloud intelligence engine having considerable processing
capabilities and scalable memory and storage, is able to store the
time-stamped spectrum information from each agility agent over very
long periods of time, thus enabling the cloud intelligence engine
to also integrate and correlate the signatures of DFS radar and
congestion conditions of the local network over time as well as
over geographic space. The overall system embodied by this
invention can be viewed as a large wide-area closed control
system.
[0009] Using this information, the cloud intelligence engine is
able to compute network self-organization decisions to optimize the
network, discover hidden nodes and hidden radar, and detect network
impairment conditions such as interference, congestion &
traffic etc. on a real time basis. The overall sensitivity (due to
time-space integration, array processing), and accuracy and
robustness (due to overlapping coverage, data fusion of other
reliable sources) of the collective system embodied in this
invention is significantly better and more reliable than any single
access point or small cell base station, which is the current
state.
[0010] Other embodiments and various examples, scenarios and
implementations are described in more detail below. The following
description and the drawings set forth certain illustrative
embodiments of the specification. These embodiments are indicative,
however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles
of the specification may be employed. Other advantages and novel
features of the embodiments described will become apparent from the
following detailed description of the specification when considered
in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The aforementioned objects and advantages of the present
invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof,
will be more fully understood herein after as a result of a
detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in
conjunction with the following drawings in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates portions of the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum
including portions that require active monitoring for radar
signals.
[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates how such an exemplary cloud-based
intelligence engine may interface with an autonomous DFS master, a
conventional host access point, and client devices in accordance
with the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates how an exemplary cloud-based intelligence
engine may interface in a peer-to-peer network may interface with
client devices and the autonomous DFS master independent of any
access point, in accordance with the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 illustrates a system that includes a cloud
intelligence engine, agility agent(s), a host access point and data
source(s), in accordance with the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 5A illustrates exemplary signaling and interfacing
between a cloud intelligence engine, an agility agent and a host
access point, in accordance with the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 5B also illustrates exemplary signaling and interfacing
between a cloud intelligence engine, an agility agent and a host
access point, in accordance with the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 6A illustrates a cloud intelligence engine directed
method of performing a channel availability check phase and
in-service monitoring phase in a DFS scanning operation with an
autonomous DFS master to make multiple DFS channels of the 5 GHz
band simultaneously available for use.
[0019] FIG. 6B illustrates an exemplary beacon transmission duty
cycle and an exemplary radar detection duty cycle.
[0020] FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention in
which the cloud intelligence engine is connected to agility agents,
host devices, and a network.
[0021] FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the present
invention in which the cloud intelligence engine is connected to
agility agents, host devices, and a network.
[0022] FIG. 9 illustrates a method of determining an operating
channel for a plurality of multi-channel DFS masters using a cloud
intelligence engine, according to the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 10 also illustrates additional methods of determining
an operating channel for a plurality of multi-channel DFS masters
using a cloud intelligence engine, according to the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] The present invention relates to wireless networks and more
specifically to a method and apparatus for integrating spectrum
data from a plurality of autonomous radio agents by a cloud-based
data fusion and computing element, thereby enabling network
self-organization and adaptive control of dynamic frequency
selection in 802.11 ac/n and LTE-U networks. Embodiments of the
present invention provide a cloud-based data fusion and computation
element communicatively coupled to a plurality of wireless agility
agents in a split-intelligence architecture wherein embedded radios
in the agility agents collect real-time spectral information
continuously, such as radar detection information, and measurements
of interference, traffic, signatures of neighboring devices, and
other localized over-the-air information. The spectral information
may be location-tagged and/or time-stamped.
[0025] In accordance with an implementation of the present
invention, a cloud intelligence engine is communicatively coupled
to a plurality of multi-channel DFS masters and configured to
receive spectral information associated with a plurality of
communication channels (e.g., a plurality of 5 GHz communication
channels, a plurality of 5.9 GHz communication channels, a
plurality of 3.5 GHz communication channels, etc.) from the
plurality of multi-channel DFS masters via one or more network
devices. The cloud intelligence engine is configured to integrate
the spectral information with other spectral information to
generate integrated spectral information, and determine
communication channels for the plurality of multi-channel DFS
masters from the plurality of communication channels based at least
on the integrated spectral information. The integrated spectral
information may also be location-tagged and/or time-stamped.
[0026] In accordance with another implementation of the present
invention, a method provides for receiving with a cloud
intelligence engine spectral information associated with a
plurality of communication channels (e.g., a plurality of 5 GHz
communication channels, a plurality of 5.9 GHz communication
channels, a plurality of 3.5 GHz communication channels, etc.) from
a plurality of multi-channel DFS masters via one or more network
devices. The method further provides for integrating with the cloud
intelligence engine the spectral information with other spectral
information to generate integrated spectral information and
determining communication channels for the plurality of
multi-channel DFS masters from the plurality of communication
channels based at least on the integrated spectral information.
[0027] In accordance with yet another implementation of the present
invention, a system includes a cloud intelligence device coupled to
a dynamic frequency selection (DFS) device and configured to
receive spectral information associated with a plurality of radio
channels based on an analysis of the plurality of radio channels
from the DFS device via a wide area network. The cloud intelligence
device is also configured to integrate the spectral information
with other spectral information to generate integrated spectral
information and to determine a radio channel for a device (e.g., an
access point) from the plurality of radio channels based at least
on the integrated spectral information. The integrated spectral
information may also be location-tagged and/or time-stamped. The
device is in communication with the DFS device via a network (e.g.,
a wireless network), and the other spectral information is
generated by at least one other DFS device configured to analyze
the plurality of radio channels. The network can be, for example, a
local area network, a wide area network, an ad hoc network (e.g.,
an independent basic service set (IBSS) network), a peer-to-peer
network (e.g., an IBSS peer-to-peer network), a short range
wireless network (e.g., a Bluetooth network) and/or another type of
network.
[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates portions of a 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101.
FIG. 1 shows frequencies 102 and channels 103 that make up portions
of the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101. The channels 103 of the GHz Wi-Fi
spectrum 101 may be a plurality of 5 GHz communication channels
(e.g., a plurality of 5 GHz radio channels). A U-NII band is a
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulatory domain for 5-GHz
wireless devices and is part of the radio frequency spectrum used
by IEEE 802.11ac/n devices and by many wireless internet service
providers. The U-NII band operates over four ranges. For example, a
U-NII-1 band 105 covers the 5.15-5.25 GHz range of the 5 GHz Wi-Fi
spectrum 101, a U-NII-2A band 106 covers the 5.25-5.35 GHz range of
the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101, a U-NII-2C band 107 covers the
5.47-5.725 GHz range of the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101, and a U-NII-3
band 109 covers the 5.725-5.850 GHz range of the 5 GHz Wi-Fi
spectrum 101. The U-NII-2A band 106 is subject to DFS radar
detection and avoidance requirements. The U-NII-2C band 107 is also
subject to DFS radar detection and avoidance requirements. Use of
the U-NII-3 band 109 is restricted in some jurisdictions like the
European Union and Japan.
[0029] When used in an 802.11ac/n or LTE-U wireless network, an
agility agent connected to the cloud intelligence engine of the
present invention functions as an autonomous DFS master device. In
contrast to conventional DFS master devices, the agility agent is
not an access point or router, but rather the agility agent is a
standalone wireless device employing inventive scanning techniques
described herein that provide DFS scan capabilities across multiple
channels, enabling one or more access point devices and
peer-to-peer client devices to exploit simultaneous multiple DFS
channels. The standalone autonomous DFS master may be incorporated
into another device such as an access point, LTE-U host, base
station, cell, or small cell, media or content streamer, speaker,
television, mobile phone, mobile router, software access point
device, or peer to peer device but does not itself provide network
access to client devices. In particular, in the event of a radar
event or a false-detect, the enabled access point and clients or
wireless device are able to move automatically, predictively and
very quickly to another DFS channel.
[0030] FIG. 2 provides a detailed illustration of an exemplary
system of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the
cloud intelligence engine 235 may be connected to a plurality of
agility agents 200 and user devices 231, 232. It is to be
appreciated that the cloud intelligence engine can be a set of
cloud intelligence devices associated with cloud-based distributed
computational resources. For example, the cloud intelligence engine
can be associated with multiple devices, multiple servers, multiple
machines and/or multiple clusters. The cloud intelligence engine
235 includes a database 248 and memory 249 for storing information
from the agility agent 200, one or more other agility agents (e.g.,
the agility agent(s) 251) connected to the cloud intelligence
engine 235 and/or one or more external data source (e.g., data
source(s) 252). The database 248 and memory 249 allow the cloud
intelligence engine 235 to store information associated with the
agility agent 200, the agility agent(s) 251 and/or the data
source(s) 252 over a certain period of time (e.g., days, weeks,
months, years, etc.). The data source(s) 252 may be associated with
a set of databases. Furthermore, the data source(s) 252 may include
regulation information such as, but not limited to, GIS
information, other geographical information, FCC information
regarding the location of radar transmitters, FCC blacklist
information, NOAA databases, DOD information regarding radar
transmitters, DOD requests to avoid transmission in DFS channels
for a given location, and/or other regulatory information.
[0031] The cloud intelligence engine 235 also includes processors
250 to perform the cloud intelligence operations described herein.
In an aspect, the processors 250 may be communicatively coupled to
the memory 249. Coupling can include various communications
including, but not limited to, direct communications, indirect
communications, wired communications, and/or wireless
communications. In certain implementations, the processors 250 may
be operable to execute or facilitate execution of one or more of
computer-executable components stored in the memory 249. For
example, the processors 250 may be directly involved in the
execution of the computer-executable component(s), according to an
aspect. Additionally or alternatively, the processors 250 may be
indirectly involved in the execution of the computer executable
component(s). For example, the processors 250 may direct one or
more components to perform the operations.
[0032] The cloud intelligence engine 235 also knows the location of
each agility agent (e.g., the agility agent 200 and/or the agility
agent(s) 251) and the access points proximate to the agility agents
that do not have a controlling agent as well as the channel on
which each of those devices is operating. With this information,
the spectrum analysis and data fusion engine 243 and the network
optimization self-organization engine 244 can optimize the local
spectrum by telling agility agents (e.g., the agility agent 200
and/or the agility agent(s) 251) to avoid channels subject to
interference. The swarm communications manager 245 manages
communications between agility agents, access points, client
devices, and other devices in the network. The cloud intelligence
engine includes a security manager 246. The control agents manager
247 manages all connected control agents. In an implementation, the
cloud intelligence engine 235 may enable the host access point 218
to coordinate network configurations with same networks (e.g., WiFi
to WiFi) and/or across different networks (e.g., WiFi to LTE-U).
Furthermore, the cloud intelligence engine 235 may enable agility
agents (e.g., agility agent 200 and agility agent(s) 251) connected
to different host access devices to communicate within a same
network (e.g., WiFi to WiFi) and/or across a different network
(e.g., WiFi to LTE-U).
[0033] Independent of a host access point 218, the agility agent
200, in the role of an autonomous DFS master device, may also
provide the channel indication and channel selection control to one
or more peer-to-peer client devices 231, 232 within the coverage
area by (a) signaling availability of one or more DFS channels by
simultaneous transmission of one or more beacon signals; (b)
transmitting a listing of both the authorized available DFS
channels, herein referred to as a whitelist and the prohibited DFS
channels in which a potential radar signal has been detected,
herein referred to as a blacklist along with control signals and a
time-stamp signal, herein referred to as a dead-man switch timer
via an associated non-DFS channel; and (c) receiving control,
coordination and authorized and preferred channel selection
guidance information from the cloud intelligence engine 235.
[0034] The capability and functions in (a) to (c) are enabled by
the centralized cloud intelligence engine which collects and
combines the DFS radar and other spectrum information from each
agility agent and geo-tags, stores, filters, and integrates the
data over time, and combines it together by data fusion technique
with information from a plurality of other agility agents
distributed in space, and performs filtering and other
post-processing on the collection with proprietary algorithms, and
merges with other data from vetted sources (such as
GIS--Geographical Information System, FAA, FCC, and DoD databases,
etc.).
[0035] Specifically, the cloud intelligence engine performs the
following; (a) continuously collects the spectrum, location and
network congestion/traffic information from all wireless agility
agents, the number and density of which grows rapidly as more
access points and small cell base stations are deployed; (b)
continuously applying sophisticated filtering, spatial and time
correlation and integration operations, and novel array-combining
techniques, and pattern recognition, etc. across the data sets; (c)
applying inventive network analysis and optimization techniques to
compute network organization decisions to collectively optimize
dynamic channel selection of access points and small cell base
stations across networks; and (d) directing the adaptive control of
dynamic channel selection and radio configuration of 802.11ac/n
access points and/or LTE-U small cell base stations via said
wireless agility agents.
[0036] Further, an agility agent 200, in the role of an autonomous
DFS master device, may control at least one access point or LTE-U
small cell base station to dictate selection of a channel (e.g., a
communication channel associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101)
for the access point. The channels may include other DFS channels
such as a plurality of 5.9 GHz communication channels, a plurality
of 3.5 GHz communication channels, etc., but for simplicity, the
examples below use 5 GHz channels. For example, the agility agent
200 may control a host access point 218 to dictate selection of a
channel for the host access point 218. In one example, the agility
agent 200 may be an agility agent device. In another example, the
agility agent 200 may be a DFS device (e.g., an autonomous DFS
master device). The agility agent 200 may dictate selection of a
channel for the access point or the LTE-U small cell base station
(e.g., the host access point 218) based on information provided to
and/or received from a cloud intelligence engine 235. For example,
the agility agent 200 may be an agility agent device in
communication with the host access point device 218. Furthermore,
the agility agent 200 may generate spectral information associated
with a plurality of 5 GHz communication channels for the host
access point device 218. The cloud intelligence engine 235 may be a
device (e.g. a cloud intelligence device) that receives the
spectral information via a wide area network 233 (e.g. via a
network device associated with the wide area network 233).
Furthermore, the cloud intelligence engine 235 may integrate the
spectral information with other spectral information associated
with other host access point devices (e.g., other access point
devices 223) to generate integrated spectral information. The
integrated spectral information may also be location-tagged and/or
time-stamped. Then, the cloud intelligence engine 235 may determine
a communication channel, or a communication channel preference list
(e.g., communication channels from the plurality of communication
channels associated with the DFS Wi-Fi spectrum 101 free of radar)
for the host access point device 218 and based at least on the
integrated spectral information. The communication channel
preference list is a cloud computed channel preference list based
on radar signal and spectral information. The preference list may
be used by the DFS master to focus its radar detection and spectral
scan as well as used by the network device to perform channel
fallback when it loses its primary communication channel.
[0037] The agility agent 200 may dictate channel selection by (a)
signaling availability of one or more DFS channels by simultaneous
transmission of one or more beacon signals; (b) transmitting a
listing of both the authorized available DFS channels, herein
referred to as a whitelist, and the prohibited DFS channels in
which a potential radar signal has been detected, herein referred
to as a blacklist, along with control signals and a time-stamp
signal, herein referred to as a dead-man switch timer via an
associated non-DFS channel; (c) transmitting the same signals as
(b) over a wired medium such as Ethernet or serial cable; and (d)
receiving control, coordination and authorized and preferred
channel selection guidance information from the cloud intelligence
engine 235. The agility agent 200 sends the time-stamp signal, or
dead-man switch timer, with communications to ensure that the
access points 218, 223 do not use the information, including the
whitelist, beyond the useful lifetime of the information. For
example, a whitelist will only be valid for certain period of time.
The time-stamp signal avoids using noncompliant DFS channels by
ensuring that an access point will not use the whitelist beyond its
useful lifetime. This allows currently available 5 GHz access
points without radar detection--which cannot operate in the DFS
channels--to operate in the DFS channels by providing the radar
detection required by the FCC or other regulatory agencies. In an
embodiment, the agility agent 200 may send a status signal (e.g., a
heartbeat signal) to the AP control agent 219 to indicate a current
status and/or a current state of the agility agent 200. The status
signal provided by the agility agent 200 may act as a dead-man
switch (e.g., in response to a local failure). Therefore, the AP
control agent 219 can safely operate on non-DFS channels. In
certain implementations, authorized available DFS channels can be
associated with a set of enforcement actions that are time limited
(e.g., authorized DFS channels for a certain geographic region can
become unavailable for a few hours, etc.).
[0038] The host access point 218 and any other access point devices
223 under control of the agility agent 200 typically have an access
point control agent portion 219, 224 installed within their
respective communication stacks. For example, the host access point
218 may have an access point control agent portion 219, 224
installed within a communication stack of the host access point
218. Furthermore, the network access point 223 may also have an
access point control agent portion 219, 224 installed within a
communication stack of the network access point 223. The access
point control agent 219, 224 is an agent that acts under the
direction of the agility agent 200 to receive information and
commands from the agility agent 200. The access point control agent
219, 224 acts on information from the agility agent 200. For
example, the access point control agent 219, 224 listens for
information like a whitelist or blacklist from the agility agent.
If a radar signal is detected by the agility agent 200, the agility
agent 200 communicates that to the access point control agent 219,
224, and the access point control agent 219, 224 acts to evacuate
the channel within a certain time interval (e.g., immediately). The
control agent can also take commands from the agility agent 200.
For example, the host access point 218 and network access point 223
can offload DFS monitoring to the agility agent 200 as long as they
can listen to the agility agent 200 and take commands from the
agility agent regarding available DFS channels.
[0039] The host access point 218 is connected to the wide area
network 233 and includes the access point control agent 219 to
facilitate communications with the agility agent 200. The access
point control agent 219 includes a security module 220 and agent
protocols 221 to facilitate communication with the agility agent
200, and swarm communication protocols 222 to facilitate
communications between agility agents, access points, client
devices and/or other devices in the network. The agility agent 200
connects to the cloud intelligence engine 235 via the host access
point 218 and the wide area network 233. The host access point 218
may set up a secure communications tunnel to communicate with the
cloud intelligence engine 235 through, for example, an encrypted
control channel associated with the host access point 218 and/or an
encrypted control API in the host access point 218. The agility
agent 200 may transmit (e.g., though the secure communications
tunnel) the spectral information to the cloud intelligence engine
235. The spectral information may include information such as, for
example, a whitelist (e.g., a whitelist of each of the plurality of
5 GHz communication channels associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi
spectrum 101 that does not contain a radar signal), a blacklist
(e.g., a blacklist of each of the plurality of 5 GHz communication
channels associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101 that contains
a radar signal), scan information associated with a scan for a
radar signal in the plurality of 5 GHz communication channels
associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101, state information,
location information associated with the agility agent device
and/or the access point device, time signals, scan lists (e.g.,
scan lists showing neighboring access points, etc.), congestion
information (e.g., number of re-try packets, type of re-try
packets, etc.), traffic information, other channel condition
information, and/or other spectral information.
[0040] The cloud intelligence engine 235 may combine the spectral
information with other spectral information (e.g., other spectral
information associated with agility agent(s) 251) to generate
combined spectral information. Then, the cloud intelligence engine
235 may determine a particular communication channel (e.g., a
particular communication channel associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi
spectrum 101) and may communicate the particular communication
channel to the agility agent 200 (e.g., via the secure
communications tunnel). Additionally or alternatively, the cloud
intelligence engine 235 may communicate other information to the
agility agent 200 (e.g., via the secure communications tunnel) such
as, for example, access point location (including neighboring
access points), access point/cluster current state and history,
statistics (including traffic, congestion, and throughput),
whitelists, blacklists, authentication information, associated
client information, regional information, regulatory information
and/or other information. The agility agent 200 uses the
information from the cloud intelligence engine 235 to control the
host access point 218, other access points and/or other network
devices.
[0041] The agility agent 200 may communicate via wired connections
or wirelessly with the other network components. In the illustrated
example, the agility agent 200 includes a primary radio 215 and a
secondary radio 216. The primary radio 215 is for DFS and radar
detection. The primary radio 215 is typically a 5 GHz radio. In one
example, the primary radio 215 can be a 5 GHz transceiver. The
agility agent 200 may receive radar signals, traffic information,
and/or congestion information through the primary radio 215. And
the agility agent 200 may transmit information, such as DFS
beacons, via the primary radio 215. The secondary radio 216 is a
secondary radio for sending control signals to other devices in the
network. The secondary radio 216 is typically a 2.4 GHz radio. The
agility agent 200 may receive information such as network traffic,
congestion, and/or control signals with the secondary radio 216.
And the agility agent 200 may transmit information, such as control
signals, with the secondary radio 216. The primary radio 215 is
connected to a fast channel switching generator 217 that includes a
switch and allows the primary radio 215 to switch rapidly between a
radar detector 211 and beacon generator 212. The fast channel
switching generator 217 allows the radar detector 211 to switch
sufficiently fast to appear to be on multiple channels at a time.
In certain implementations, the agility agent 200 may also include
coordination 253. The coordination 253 may provide cross-network
coordination between the agility agent 200 and another agility
agent (e.g., agility agent(s) 251). For example, the coordination
253 may provide coordination information (e.g., precision location,
precision position, channel allocation, a time-slice duty cycle
request, traffic loading, etc.) between the agility agent 200 and
another agility agent (e.g., agility agent(s) 251) on a different
network. In one example, the coordination 253 may enable an agility
agent (e.g., agility agent 200) attached to a Wi-Fi router to
coordinate with a nearby agility (e.g., agility agent(s) 251)
attached to a LTE-U small cell base station.
[0042] The standalone multi-channel DFS master may include a beacon
generator 212 to generate a beacon in each of a plurality of 5 GHz
radio channels (e.g., a plurality of 5 GHz radio channels
associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101), a radar detector 211
to scan for a radar signal in each of the plurality of 5 GHz radio
channels, a 5 GHz radio transceiver (e.g., the primary radio 215)
to transmit the beacon in each of the plurality of 5 GHz radio
channels and to receive the radar signal in each of the plurality
of 5 GHz radio channels, and a fast channel switching generator 217
coupled to the radar detector, the beacon generator, and the 5 GHz
radio transceiver. The fast channel switching generator 217
switches the 5 GHz radio to a first channel of the plurality of 5
GHz radio channels and then causes the beacon generator 212 to
generate the beacon in the first channel of the plurality of 5 GHz
radio channels. Then, the fast channel switching generator 217
causes the radar detector 211 to scan for the radar signal in the
first channel of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels. The fast
channel switching generator 217 then repeats these steps for each
other channel of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels during a
beacon transmission duty cycle and, in some examples, during a
radar detection duty cycle. The beacon transmission duty cycle is
the time between successive beacon transmissions on a given channel
and the radar detection duty cycle which is the time between
successive scans on a given channel. Because the agility agent 200
cycles between beaconing and scanning in each of the plurality of 5
GHz radio channels in the time window between a first beaconing and
scanning in a given channel and a subsequent beaconing and scanning
the same channel, it can provide effectively simultaneous beaconing
and scanning for multiple channels.
[0043] The agility agent 200 also may contain a Bluetooth radio 214
and/or an 802.15.4 radio 213 for communicating with other devices
in the network. The agility agent 200 may include various radio
protocols 208 to facilitate communication via the included radio
devices.
[0044] The agility agent 200 may also include a location module 209
to geolocate or otherwise determine the location of the agility
agent 200. Information provided by the location module 209 may be
employed to location-tag and/or time-stamp spectral information
collected and/or generated by the agility agent 200. As shown in
FIG. 2, the agility agent 200 may include a scan and signaling
module 210. The agility agent 200 includes embedded memory 202,
including for example flash storage 201, and an embedded processor
203. The cloud agent 204 in the agility agent 200 facilitates
aggregation of information from the cloud agent 204 through the
cloud and includes swarm communication protocols 205 to facilitate
communications between agility agents, access points, client
devices, and other devices in the network. The cloud agent 204 also
includes a security module 206 to protect and secure the cloud
communications of the agility agent 200, as well as agent protocols
207 to facilitate communication with the access point control
agents 219, 224.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 2, the agility agent 200 may control other
access points, for example networked access point 223, in addition
to the host access point 218. The agility agent 200 may communicate
with the other access points 223 via a wired or wireless connection
236, 237. In one example, the agility agent 200 may communicate
with the other access points 223 via a local area network. The
other access points 223 include an access point control agent 224
to facilitate communication with the agility agent 200 and other
access points. The access point control agent 224 includes a
security module 225, agent protocols 226 and swarm communication
protocols 227 to facilitate communications with other agents
(including other access points and client devices) on the
network.
[0046] The roaming and guest agents manager 238 in the cloud
intelligence engine 235 provides optimized connection information
for devices connected to agility agents that are roaming from one
access point to another access point (or from one access point to
another network). The roaming and guest agents manager 238 also
manages guest connections to networks for agility agents connected
to the cloud intelligence engine 235. The external data fusion
engine 239 provides for integration and fusion of information from
agility agents with information from the data source(s) 252. For
example, the external data fusion engine 239 may integrate and/or
fuse information such as, but not limited to, GIS information,
other geographical information, FCC information regarding the
location of radar transmitters, FCC blacklist information, NOAA
databases, DOD information regarding radar transmitters, DOD
requests to avoid transmission in DFS channels for a given
location, and/or other information. The cloud intelligence engine
235 further includes an authentication interface 240 for
authentication of received communications and for authenticating
devices and users. The radar detection compute engine 241
aggregates radar information from the agility agent 200, the
agility agent(s) 251 and/or the data source(s) 252. The radar
detection compute engine 241 also computes the location of radar
transmitters from those data to, among other things, facilitate
identification of false positive radar detections or hidden nodes
and hidden radar. The radar detection compute engine 241 may also
guide or steer multiple agility agents to dynamically adapt
detection parameters and/or methods to further improve detection
sensitivity. The location compute and agents manager 242 determines
the location of the agility agent 200 and other connected devices
(e.g., agility agent(s) 251) through Wi-Fi lookup in a Wi-Fi
location database, querying passing devices, triangulation based on
received signal strength indication (RSSI), triangulation based on
packet time-of-flight, scan lists from agility agents, and/or
geometric inference.
[0047] The spectrum analysis and data fusion engine 243 and the
network optimization self-organization engine 244 facilitate
dynamic spectrum optimization with information from the agility
agent 200, the agility agent(s) 251 and/or the data source(s) 252.
Each of the agility agents (e.g., the agility agent 200 and/or the
agility agent(s) 251) connected to the cloud intelligence engine
235 have scanned and analyzed the local spectrum and communicated
that information to the cloud intelligence engine 235.
[0048] The agility agent 200 sends the time-stamp signal, or
dead-man switch timer, with communications to ensure that the
devices do not use the information (for example, certain
enforcement actions like blacking out a region for a few hours)
beyond the useful lifetime of the information. The time-stamp
signal avoids using noncompliant DFS channels by ensuring that a
device will not use the whitelist beyond its useful lifetime.
Additionally, the agility agent can send a heartbeat to access
point control agents to indicate the health and status of the
agility agent. This also may act as a dead man switch in the event
of a local failure, and thereby the control agents can safely
operate on non-DFS channels. The concept of a whitelist that has a
time limit is not practical. The FCC would never accept it as
detection of radar is a continual monitoring task.
[0049] Such peer-to-peer devices may have a user control interface
228. The user control interface 228 includes a user interface 229
to allow the client devices 231, 232 to interact with the agility
agent 200 via the cloud intelligence engine 235. For example, the
user interface 229 allows the user to modify network settings via
the agility agent 200 including granting and revoking network
access. The user control interface 228 also includes a security
element 230 to ensure that communications between the client
devices 231, 232 and the agility agent 200 are secure. The client
devices 231, 232 are connected to a wide area network 234 via a
cellular network for example. In certain embodiments, peer-to-peer
wireless networks are used for direct communication between devices
without a dedicated access point (in Wifi-Direct networks, one
client device is the group owner and operates as an access point,
but is not a dedicated access point). For example, video cameras
may connect directly to a computer to download video or images
files using a peer-to-peer network. Also, device connections to
external monitors and device connections to drones currently use
peer-to-peer networks. Therefore, in a peer-to-peer network without
an access point, DFS channels cannot be employed since there is no
access point to control DFS channel selection and/or to tell the
devices which DFS channels to use.
[0050] FIG. 3 illustrates how the cloud intelligence engine 235 in
a peer-to-peer network 300 (a local area network for example) would
interface to client devices 231, 232, 331 and the agility agent 200
acting as an autonomous DFS master independent of any access point.
As shown in FIG. 3, the cloud intelligence engine 235 may be
connected to a plurality of network-connected agility agents 200,
310. The agility agent 200 in the peer-to-peer network 300 may
connect to the cloud intelligence engine 235 through one of the
network-connected client devices 231, 331 by, for example,
piggy-backing a message to the cloud intelligence engine 235 on a
message send to the client devices 231, 331 or otherwise co-opting
a connection of the client devices 231, 331 to the wide area
network 234. In the peer-to-peer network 300, the agility agent 200
sends over-the-air control signals 320 to the client devices 231,
232, 331 including indications of channels free of occupying
signals such as DFS channels free of radar signals. Alternatively,
the agility agent communicates with just one client device 331
(e.g., a single client device 331) which then acts as the group
owner to initiate and control the peer-to-peer communications with
other client devices 231, 232. The client devices 231, 232, 331
have peer-to-peer links 321 through which they communicate with
each other. The agility agent 200 may operate in multiple modes
executing a number of DFS scan methods employing different
algorithms.
[0051] FIG. 4 illustrates a system that includes the cloud
intelligence engine 235, the agility agent 200 and the host access
point 218. The agility agent 200 may be directed by the cloud
intelligence engine 235 (e.g., a cloud-based data fusion and
computation element) to enable adaptive control of dynamic channel
selection for the host access point 218 and/or other functions
(e.g., dynamic configuration of radio parameters, etc.) associated
with the host access point 218. As disclosed herein, in an aspect,
the agility agent 200 includes the cloud agent 204. For example,
the cloud agent 204 may enable the agility agent 200 to communicate
with the host access point 218. The cloud agent 204 may
additionally or alternatively communicate with one or more other
devices (not shown) such as, for example, a base station (e.g., a
small cell base station), a DFS slave device, a peer-to-peer group
owner device, a mobile hotspot device, a radio access node device
(e.g., an LTE-small cell device), a software access point device
and/or another device. In an implementation, the cloud agent 204
includes cloud control 402. The cloud control 402 may further
enable the agility agent 200 to communicate with the cloud
intelligence engine 235. Furthermore, the cloud control 402 may
facilitate dynamic selection of radio channels and/or other radio
frequency parameters for the host access point 218. For example,
the agility agent 200 may analyze a plurality of 5 GHz radio
channels (e.g., a plurality of 5 GHz radio channels associated with
the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101) for the host access point 218.
Additionally or alternatively, the agility agent 200 may analyze a
plurality of 5 GHz radio channels (e.g., a plurality of 5 GHz radio
channels associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101) for the DFS
slave device, the peer-to-peer group owner device, the mobile
hotspot device, the radio access node device (e.g., the LTE-small
cell device), the software access point device and/or another
device. In an aspect, the agility agent 200 may actively scan the
plurality of 5 GHz radio channels (e.g., the plurality of 5 GHz
radio channels associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101) during
a CAC phase and/or during an ISM phase.
[0052] Then, the agility agent 200 may generate spectral
information based on the analysis of the plurality of 5 GHz radio
channels (e.g., the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels for the host
access point 218, the DFS slave device, the peer-to-peer group
owner device, the mobile hotspot device, the radio access node
device, the software access point device and/or another device).
For example, the agility agent 200 may provide information (e.g.,
spectral information) to the cloud intelligence engine 235 that
indicates a set of channels from the plurality of 5 GHz radio
channels which are clear of radar and are thus available to use by
nearby devices (e.g., the host access point 218). The spectral
information may include information such as, for example, a
whitelist (e.g., a whitelist of each of the plurality of 5 GHz
radio channels that does not contain a radar signal), a blacklist
(e.g., a blacklist of each of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels
that contains a radar signal), scan information associated with a
scan for a radar signal in the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels,
state information, location information associated with the agility
agent 200 and/or the host access point 218, time signals, scan
lists (e.g., scan lists showing neighboring access points, etc.),
congestion information (e.g., number of re-try packets, type of
re-try packets, etc.), traffic information, other channel condition
information, and/or other spectral information. The cloud control
402 may transmit the spectral information to the cloud intelligence
engine 235. In an aspect, the agility agent 200 may transmit the
spectral information to the cloud intelligence engine 235 via a
wide area network. Additionally or alternatively, the agility agent
200 may transmit the spectral information to the cloud intelligence
engine 235 via a set of DFS slave devices in communication with the
agility agent 200 (e.g., via a backhaul of DFS slave devices in
communication with the agility agent 200). In another aspect, the
agility agent 200 may be in communication with the host access
point 218 via a local area network (e.g., a wireless local area
network). Additionally or alternatively, the agility agent 200 may
be in communication with the host access point 218 via a wide area
network (e.g., a wireless wide area network), an ad hoc network
(e.g., an IBSS network), a peer-to-peer network (e.g., an IBSS
peer-to-peer network), a short range wireless network (e.g., a
Bluetooth network), another wireless network and/or another wired
network.
[0053] The cloud intelligence engine 235 may integrate the spectral
information with other spectral information (e.g., other spectral
information associated with the agility agent(s) 251) to generate
integrated spectral information. For example, the cloud
intelligence engine 235 may receive the other spectral information
from the agility agent(s) 251. The other spectral information may
be generated by the agility agents(s) 251 via an analysis of the
plurality of 5 GHz radio channels (e.g., an analysis similarly
performed by the agility agent 200). In an aspect, the cloud
intelligence engine 235 may include a cloud-based data fusion and
computation element for intelligent adaptive network organization,
optimization, planning, configuration, management and/or
coordination based on the spectral information and the other
spectral information. The cloud intelligence engine 235 may
geo-tag, filter and/or process the integrated spectral information.
In an implementation, the cloud intelligence engine 235 may combine
the integrated spectral information with regulation information
associated with the data source(s) 252. For example, the regulation
information (e.g., non-spectral information) associated with the
data source(s) 252 may include information such as, but not limited
to, geographical information system (GIS) information, other
geographical information, FCC information regarding the location of
radar transmitters, FCC blacklist information, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) databases, Department of Defense
(DOD) information regarding radar transmitters, DOD requests to
avoid transmission in DFS channels for a given location, and/or
other regulatory information. Based on the integrated spectral
information and/or the regulation information associated with the
data source(s) 252, the cloud intelligence engine 235 may select a
radio channel from the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels for the
host access point 218 associated with the agility agent 200.
Additionally or alternatively, the cloud intelligence engine 235
may select other radio frequency parameters for the host access
point 218 based on the integrated spectral information and/or the
regulation information associated with the data source(s) 252.
[0054] The cloud control 402 may receive control information and/or
coordination information (e.g., authorized and/or preferred channel
selection guidance) from the cloud intelligence engine 235. For
example, the cloud control 402 may receive the radio channel
selected by the cloud intelligence engine 235. Additionally or
alternatively, the cloud control 402 may receive the other radio
frequency parameters selected by the cloud intelligence engine 235.
The agility agent 200 (e.g., the cloud agent 204) may communicate
the control information and/or the coordination information (e.g.,
the control information and/or the coordination information
received from the cloud intelligence engine 235) to the host access
point 218 (and/or any other access points within a certain distance
from the agility agent 200), enabling direct control of the host
access point 218 by the cloud intelligence engine 235. For example,
the agility agent 200 (e.g., the cloud agent 204) may then
configure the host access point 218 to receive data via the radio
channel selected by the cloud intelligence engine 235 and/or based
on the other radio frequency parameters selected by the cloud
intelligence engine 235. In an alternate implementation, the
control agent 402 may be employed in an access point not directly
connected to the agility agent 200, or in a peer-to-peer capable
mobile device, to enable faster and/or improved access to DFS
channels.
[0055] The agility agent 200 may generate the spectral information
based on an analysis of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels
associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101. For example, the
agility agent 200 may switch a 5 GHz transceiver (e.g., the primary
radio 215) of the agility agent 200 to a channel of the plurality
of 5 GHz radio channels associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum
101, generate a beacon in the channel of the plurality of 5 GHz
radio channels associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101, and
scan for a radar signal in the channel of the plurality of 5 GHz
radio channels associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101.
Additionally, the agility agent 200 may switch a 5 GHz transceiver
(e.g., the primary radio 215) of the agility agent 200 to another
channel of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels associated with
the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101, generate a beacon in the other
channel of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels associated with
the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101, and scan for a radar signal in the
other channel of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels associated
with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101. The agility agent 200 may repeat
this process for each channel of the plurality of 5 GHz radio
channels associated with the 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum 101. The cloud
intelligence engine 235 may receive the spectral information via a
wide area network. Furthermore, the cloud intelligence engine 235
may integrate the spectral information with other spectral
information generated by the agility agents(s) 251 (e.g., to
generate integrated spectral information). Then, the cloud
intelligence engine 235 may determine a radio channel from the
plurality of 5 GHz radio channels based at least on the integrated
spectral information. In certain implementations, the cloud
intelligence engine 235 may receive the regulation information from
the data source(s) 252. Therefore, the cloud intelligence engine
235 may determine a radio channel for the and from the plurality of
5 GHz radio channels based on the integrated spectral information
and the regulation information associated with the data source(s)
252.
[0056] FIG. 5A illustrates an interface between the cloud
intelligence engine 235, the agility agent 200 and the host access
point 218. For example, signaling and/or messages may be exchanged
between the cloud intelligence engine 235 and the agility agent
200. The signaling and/or messages between the cloud intelligence
engine 235 and the agility agent 200 may be exchanged during a DFS
scan operation, during an ISM operation and/or when a radar event
occurs that results in changing of a radio channel. In an aspect,
the signaling and/or messages between the cloud intelligence engine
235 and the agility agent 200 may be exchanged via a WAN (e.g., WAN
234) and/or a secure communication tunnel.
[0057] An authentication registration process 502 of the cloud
intelligence engine 235 may be associated with a message A. The
message A may be exchanged between the cloud intelligence engine
235 and the agility agent 200. Furthermore, the message A may be
associated with one or more signaling operations and/or one or more
messages. The message A may facilitate an initialization and/or
authentication of the agility agent 200. For example, the message
may include information associated with the agility agent 200 such
as, but not limited to, a unit identity, a certification associated
with the agility agent 200, a nearest neighbors scan list
associated with a set of other agility agents within a certain
distance from the agility agent 200, service set identifiers, a
received signal strength indicator associated with the agility
agent 200 and/or the host access point 218, a maker identification
associated with the host access point 218, a measured location
(e.g., a global positioning system location) associated with the
agility agent 200 and/or the host access point 218, a derived
location associated with the agility agent 200 and/or the host
access point 218 (e.g., derived via a nearby AP or a nearby
client), time information, current channel information, status
information and/or other information associated with the agility
agent 200 and/or the host access point 218. In one example, the
message A can be associated with a channel availability check
phase.
[0058] A data fusion process 504 of the cloud intelligence engine
235 may facilitate computation of a location associated with the
agility agent 200 and/or the host access point 218. Additionally or
alternatively, the data fusion process 504 of the cloud
intelligence engine 235 may facilitate computation of a set of DFS
channel lists. The data fusion process 504 may be associated with a
message B and/or a message C. The message B and/or the message C
may be exchanged between the cloud intelligence engine 235 and the
agility agent 200. Furthermore, the message B and/or the message C
may be associated with one or more signaling operations and/or one
or more messages. The message B may be associated with spectral
measurement and/or environmental measurements associated with the
agility agent 200. For example, the message B may include
information such as, but not limited to, a scanned DFS white list,
a scanned DFS black list, scan measurements, scan statistics,
congestion information, traffic count information, time
information, status information and/or other measurement
information associated with the agility agent 200. The message C
may be associated with an authorized DFS, DFS lists and/or channel
change. For example, the message C may include information such as,
but not limited to, a directed (e.g., approved) DFS white list, a
directed (e.g., approved) DFS black list, a current time, a list
valid time, a computed location associated with the agility agent
200 and/or the host access point 218, a network heartbeat and/or
other information associated with a channel and/or a dynamic
frequency selection.
[0059] A network optimization process 506 of the cloud intelligence
engine 235 may facilitate optimization of a network topology
associated with the agility agent 200. The network optimization
process 506 may be associated with a message D. The message D may
be exchanged between the cloud intelligence engine 235 and the
agility agent 200. Furthermore, the message D may be associated
with one or more signaling operations and/or one or more messages.
The message D may be associated with a change in a radio channel.
For example, the message D may be associated with a radio channel
for the host access point 218 in communication with the agility
agent 200. The message D can include information such as, but not
limited to, a radio channel (e.g., a command to switch to a
particular radio channel), a valid time of a list, a network
heartbeat and/or other information for optimizing a network
topology.
[0060] A network update process 508 of the cloud intelligence
engine 235 may facilitate an update for a network topology
associated with the agility agent 200. The network update process
508 may be associated with a message E. The message E may be
exchanged between the cloud intelligence engine 235 and the agility
agent 200. Furthermore, the message E may be associated with one or
more signaling operations and/or one or more messages. The message
E may be associated with a network heartbeat and/or a DFS
authorization. For example, the message E may include information
such as, but not limited to, a nearest neighbors scan list
associated with a set of other agility agents within a certain
distance from the agility agent 200, service set identifiers, a
received signal strength indicator associated with the agility
agent 200 and/or the host access point 218, a maker identification
associated with the host access point 218, a measured location
update (e.g., a global positioning system location update)
associated with the agility agent 200 and/or the host access point
218, a derived location update (e.g., derived via a nearby AP or a
nearby client) associated with the agility agent 200 and/or the
host access point 218, time information, current channel
information, status information and/or other information. In one
example, the message B, the message C, the message D and/or the
message E can be associated with an ISM phase.
[0061] A manage DFS lists process 510 of the agility agent 200 may
facilitate storage and/or updates of DFS lists. The manage DFS
lists process 510 may be associated with a message F. The message F
may be exchanged between the agility agent 200 and the host access
point 218. In one example, the message F may be exchanged via a
local area network (e.g., a wired local area network and/or a
wireless local area network). Furthermore, the message F may be
associated with one or more signaling operations and/or one or more
messages. The message F may facilitate a change in a radio channel
for the host access point 218. For example, the message F may
include information such as, but not limited to, a nearest
neighbors scan list associated with a set of other agility agents
within a certain distance from the agility agent 200, service set
identifiers, a received signal strength indicator associated with
the agility agent 200 and/or the host access point 218, a maker
identification associated with the host access point 218, a
measured location update (e.g., a global positioning system
location update) associated with the agility agent 200 and/or the
host access point 218, a derived location update (e.g., derived via
a nearby AP or a nearby client) associated with the agility agent
200 and/or the host access point 218, time information, current
channel information, status information and/or other information.
In one example, the message F may be associated with a cloud
directed operation (e.g., a cloud directed operation where DFS
channels are enabled).
[0062] FIG. 5B also illustrates an interface between the cloud
intelligence engine 235, the agility agent 200 and the host access
point 218. For example, FIG. 5B may provide further details in
connection with FIG. 5A. As shown in FIG. 5B, signaling and/or
messages may be exchanged between the cloud intelligence engine 235
and the agility agent 200. The signaling and/or messages between
the cloud intelligence engine 235 and the agility agent 200 may be
exchanged during a DFS scan operation, during ISM and/or when a
radar event occurs that results in changing of a radio channel. In
an aspect, the signaling and/or messages between the cloud
intelligence engine 235 and the agility agent 200 may be exchanged
via a WAN (e.g., WAN 234) and/or a secure communication tunnel.
[0063] As also shown in FIG. 5B, the network update process 508 of
the cloud intelligence engine 235 may facilitate an update for a
network topology associated with the agility agent 200. The network
update process 508 may be associated with the message E. Then, a
DFS list update process 514 of the cloud intelligence engine 235
may facilitate an update to one or more DFS channel lists. The DFS
list update process 514 may be associated with a message G. The
message G may be exchanged between the cloud intelligence engine
235 and the agility agent 200. In one example, the message G may be
exchanged via a WAN (e.g., WAN 234) and/or a secure communication
tunnel. Furthermore, the message G may be associated with one or
more signaling operations and/or one or more messages. The message
G may be associated with a radar event. For example, the message G
may signal a radar event. Additionally or alternatively, the
message G may include information associated with a radar event.
For example, the message G may include information such as, but not
limited to, a radar measurement channel, a radar measurement
pattern, a time associated with a radar event, a status associated
with a radar event, other information associated with a radar
event, etc. The radar event may associated with one or more
channels from a plurality of 5 GHz communication channels (e.g., a
plurality of 5 GHz communication channels associated with the 5 GHz
Wi-Fi spectrum 101). In one example, the message G can be
associated with an ISM phase. The DFS list update process 514 may
also be associated with the message C.
[0064] Moreover, as also shown in FIG. 5B, the manage DFS lists
process 510 may be associated with the message F. The message F may
be exchanged between the agility agent 200 and the host access
point 218. A radar detection process 516 of the agility agent 200
may detect and/or generate the radar event. Additionally, the radar
detection process 516 may notify the host access point 218 to
change a radio channel (e.g., switch to an alternate radio
channel). The message F and/or a manage DFS lists process 512 may
be updated accordingly in response to the change in the radio
channel. In an aspect, signaling and/or messages may be exchanged
between the cloud intelligence engine 235 and the host access point
218 during a DFS scan operation, during an ISM operation and/or
when a radar event occurs that results in changing of a radio
channel for the host access point 218.
[0065] FIG. 6A shows the frequencies 602 and channels 603 that make
up portions of the DFS 5 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum. U-NII-2A 606 covers
the 5.25-5.35 GHz range. U-NII-2C 607 covers the 5.47-5.725 GHz
range. The first channel to undergo CAC scanning is shown at
element 607. The subsequent CAC scans of other channels are shown
at elements 608. And the final CAC scan before the ISM phase 601 is
shown at element 609.
[0066] In the ISM phase 601, the DFS master switches to the first
channel in the whitelist. In the example in FIG. 6A, each channel
603 for which a CAC scan was performed was free of radar signals
during the CAC scan and was added to the whitelist. Then the DFS
master transmits 610 a DFS beacon on that channel. Then the DFS
master scans 620 the first channel in the whitelist for the dwell
time. Then the DFS master transmits 611 a beacon and scans 621 each
of the other channels in the whitelist for the dwell time and then
repeats starting 610 at the first channel in the whitelist in a
round robin fashion for each respective channel. If a radar pattern
is detected, the DFS master beacon for the respective channel is
stopped, and the channel is marked in the blacklist and removed
from the whitelist (and no longer ISM scanned).
[0067] FIG. 6A also shows an exemplary waveform 630 of the multiple
beacon transmissions from the DFS master to indicate the
availability of the multiple DFS channels to nearby host and
non-host (ordinary) access points and client devices.
[0068] FIG. 6B illustrates a beacon transmission duty cycle 650 and
a radar detection duty cycle 651. In this example, channel A is the
first channel in a channel whitelist. In FIG. 6B, a beacon
transmission in channel A 660 is followed by a quick scan of
channel A 670. Next a beacon transmission in the second channel,
channel B, 661 is followed by a quick scan of channel B 671. This
sequence is repeated for channels C 662, 672; D 663, 673; E 664,
674; F 665, 675; G 666, 676, and H 667, 677. After the quick scan
of channel H 677, the DFS master switches back to channel A and
performs a second beacon transmission in channel A 660 followed by
a second quick scan of channel A 670. The time between starting the
first beacon transmission in channel A and starting the second
beacon transmission in channel A is a beacon transmission duty
cycle. The time between starting the first quick scan in channel A
and starting the second quick scan in channel A is a radar
detection duty cycle. In order to maintain connection with devices
on a network, the beacon transmission duty cycle should be less
than or equal to the maximum period between the beacons allowable
for a client device to remain associated with the network.
[0069] The standalone multi-channel DFS master may include a beacon
generator 212 to generate a beacon in each of a plurality of 5 GHz
radio channels, a radar detector 211 to scan for a radar signal in
each of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels, a 5 GHz radio
transceiver (e.g., the primary radio 215) to transmit the beacon in
each of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels and to receive the
radar signal in each of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels, and
a fast channel switching generator 217 and embedded processor 203
coupled to the radar detector, the beacon generator 212, and the 5
GHz radio transceiver. The fast channel switching generator 217 and
embedded processor 203 switch the 5 GHz radio transceiver (e.g.,
the primary radio 215) to a first channel of the plurality of 5 GHz
radio channels and cause the beacon generator 212 to generate the
beacon in the first channel of the plurality of 5 GHz radio
channels. The fast channel switching generator 217 and embedded
processor 203 also cause the radar detector 211 to scan for the
radar signal in the first channel of the plurality of 5 GHz radio
channels. The fast channel switching generator 217 and embedded
processor 203 then repeat these steps for each of the other
channels of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels. The fast channel
switching generator 217 and embedded processor 203 perform all of
the steps for all of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels during a
beacon transmission duty cycle which is a time between successive
beacon transmissions on a specific channel and, in some cases, a
radar detection duty cycle which is a time between successive scans
on the specific channel.
[0070] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the present invention may be used
for selecting available channels free of occupying signals from a
plurality of radio frequency channels. The system includes a cloud
intelligence engine 755, at least an agility agent 700, and a host
device 701. For example, the agility agent 700 may correspond to
the agility agent 200, the host device 701 may correspond to the
host access point 218, and/or the cloud intelligence engine 755 may
correspond to the cloud intelligence engine 235. In an aspect, the
agility agent 700 may function as an autonomous frequency selection
master that has both an embedded radio receiver 702 to detect the
occupying signals in each of the plurality of radio frequency
channels and an embedded radio transmitter 703 to transmit an
indication of the available channels and/or an indication of
unavailable channels not free of the occupying signals. For
example, the embedded radio transmitter 703 can transmit the
indication of the available channels and/or the indication of
unavailable channels not free of the occupying signals to the cloud
intelligence engine 755.
[0071] The agility agent 700 is programmed to connect to the host
device 701 and control a selection of an operating channel
selection of the host device by transmitting the indication of the
available channels and the indication of the unavailable channels
to the host device 701. The host device 701 communicates wirelessly
with client devices 720 and acts as a gateway for client devices to
a network 710 such as the Internet, other wide area network, or
local area network. The host device 701, under the control of the
agility agent 700, tells the client devices 720 which channel or
channels to use for wireless communication. Additionally, the
agility agent 700 may be programmed to transmit the indication of
the available channels and the indication of the unavailable
channels directly to client devices 720.
[0072] The agility agent 700 may operate in the 5 GHz band and the
plurality of radio frequency channels may be in the 5 GHz band and
the occupying signals are radar signals. The host device 701 may be
a Wi-Fi access point or an LTE-U host device.
[0073] Further, the agility agent 700 may be programmed to transmit
the indication of the available channels by transmitting a channel
whitelist of the available channels to the cloud intelligence
engine 235 and/or to transmit the indication of the unavailable
channels by transmitting a channel blacklist of the unavailable
channels to the cloud intelligence engine 235. In addition to
saving the channel in the channel blacklist, the agility agent 700
may also be programmed to determine and save in the channel
blacklist information about the detected occupying signals
including signal strength, traffic, and type of the occupying
signals.
[0074] The agility agent 700 is connected to the cloud intelligence
engine 855. The agility agent 700 may connect to the cloud
intelligence engine 855 directly or through the host device 701 and
network 710. The cloud intelligence engine 855 integrates time
distributed information from the agility agent 700 and combines
information from a plurality of other agility agents 850
distributed in space and connected to the cloud intelligence engine
855. The agility agent 700 is programmed to receive control and
coordination signals and authorized and preferred channel selection
guidance information from the cloud intelligence engine 755.
[0075] As shown in FIG. 8, the agility agent 700 contains a channel
whitelist 810 of one or more channels scanned and determined not to
contain an occupying signal. The agility agent 700 may receive the
channel whitelist 810 from another device including a cloud
intelligence engine 755. Or the agility agent 700 may have
previously derived the channel whitelist 810 through a continuous
CAC for one or more channels. In this example, the agility agent
700 is programmed to cause the embedded radio receiver 702 to scan
each of the plurality of radio frequency channels non-continuously
interspersed with periodic switching to the channels in the channel
whitelist 810 to perform a quick occupying signal scan in each
channel in the channel whitelist 810. The agility agent 700 is
further programmed to cause the embedded radio transmitter 703 to
transmit a first beacon transmission in each channel in the channel
whitelist 810 during the quick occupying signal scan and to track
in the channel whitelist 810 the channels scanned and determined
not to contain the occupying signal during the non-continuous scan
and the quick occupying signal scan. The agility agent 700 is also
programmed to track in a channel blacklist 815 the channels scanned
and determined to contain the occupying signal during the
non-continuous scan and the quick occupying signal scan and then to
perform in-service monitoring for the occupying signal, including
transmitting a second beacon for each of the channels in the
channel whitelist 810, continuously and sequentially. In an aspect,
the embedded radio transmitter 703 may transmit the channel
whitelist 810 and/or the channel blacklist 815 to the cloud
intelligence engine 755.
[0076] In view of the subject matter described supra, methods that
can be implemented in accordance with the subject disclosure will
be better appreciated with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.
9-10. While for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methods
are shown and described as a series of blocks, it is to be
understood and appreciated that such illustrations or corresponding
descriptions are not limited by the order of the blocks, as some
blocks may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other
blocks from what is depicted and described herein. Any
non-sequential, or branched, flow illustrated via a flowchart
should be understood to indicate that various other branches, flow
paths, and orders of the blocks, can be implemented which achieve
the same or a similar result. Moreover, not all illustrated blocks
may be required to implement the methods described hereinafter.
[0077] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary method 900 according to the
present invention for determining the communication channels that
will be used in a plurality of multi-channel DFS masters. First, at
910 the cloud intelligence engine receives spectral information
associated with a plurality of 5 GHz communication channels from a
plurality of multi-channel DFS masters via one or more network
devices. Optionally, at 911 receiving the spectral information
includes receiving scan information associated with scanning for a
radar signal in the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels. The spectral
information may be generated using an agility agent device (e.g.,
agility agent 200 or agility agent 700) based on an analysis of the
plurality of 5 GHz communication channels. Analysis of the
plurality of 5 GHz communication channels may include switching a 5
GHz radio transceiver of the agility agent device to a channel of
the plurality of 5 GHz communication channels, generating a beacon
in the channel of the plurality of 5 GHz communication channels,
and scanning for a radar signal in the channel of the plurality of
5 GHz communication channels. The spectral information may include
information such as, for example, a whitelist (e.g., a whitelist of
each of the plurality of 5 GHz communication channels that does not
contain a radar signal), a blacklist (e.g., a blacklist of each of
the plurality of 5 GHz communication channels that contains a radar
signal), scan information associated with a scan for a radar signal
in the plurality of 5 GHz communication channels, state
information, location information associated with the agility agent
device and/or the access point device, time signals, scan lists
(e.g., scan lists showing neighboring access points, etc.),
congestion information (e.g., number of re-try packets, type of
re-try packets, etc.), traffic information and/or other spectral
information. Next, at 920, the cloud intelligence engine integrates
the spectral information with other spectral information to
generate integrated spectral information. The other spectral
information may generated by at least one other agility agent
device. In one example, the spectral information may be integrated
with the other spectral information via one or more data fusion
processes.
[0078] Then, at 930, the cloud intelligence engine determines the
communication channels for the plurality of multi-channel DFS
masters from the plurality of 5 GHz communication channels based at
least on the integrated spectral information. For example, a
communication channel may be selected from the plurality of 5 GHz
communication channels based at least on the integrated spectral
information. In an aspect, regulation information associated with
the plurality of 5 GHz communication channels and/or stored in at
least one database may be received by the cloud intelligence
device. Furthermore, the communication channel may be further
determined based on the regulation information. In another aspect,
an indication of the communication channel may be provided to the
agility agent device and/or the access point device.
[0079] FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary method 1000 according to
the present invention for determining the communication channels
that will be used in a plurality of multi-channel DFS masters. The
method illustrated in FIG. 10 includes the steps described in
relation to FIG. 9 above but also includes the following optional
additional steps. At 1010, the method includes transmitting a
whitelist of each of the plurality of 5 GHz radio channels that
does not contain a radar signal to the plurality of multi-channel
DFS masters via the one or more network devices. At 1020 the method
includes transmitting a blacklist of each of the plurality of 5 GHz
radio channels that contains a radar signal to the plurality of
multi-channel DFS masters via the one or more network devices. At
1030 the method includes receiving regulation information stored in
at least one database. The regulation information may include, but
is not limited to, GIS information, other geographical information,
FCC information regarding the location of radar transmitters, FCC
blacklist information, NOAA databases, DOD information regarding
radar transmitters, DOD requests to avoid transmission in DFS
channels for a given location, and/or other regulatory information.
At 1040, the method may include determining the communication
channels based on the integrated spectral information and the
regulation information.
[0080] In the present specification, the term "or" is intended to
mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or." That is,
unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, "X employs A or
B" is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations.
That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B,
then "X employs A or B" is satisfied under any of the foregoing
instances. Moreover, articles "a" and "an" as used in this
specification and annexed drawings should generally be construed to
mean "one or more" unless specified otherwise or clear from context
to be directed to a singular form.
[0081] In addition, the terms "example" and "such as" are utilized
herein to mean serving as an instance or illustration. Any
embodiment or design described herein as an "example" or referred
to in connection with a "such as" clause is not necessarily to be
construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or
designs. Rather, use of the terms "example" or "such as" is
intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion. The terms
"first," "second," "third," and so forth, as used in the claims and
description, unless otherwise clear by context, is for clarity only
and does not necessarily indicate or imply any order in time.
[0082] What has been described above includes examples of one or
more embodiments of the disclosure. It is, of course, not possible
to describe every conceivable combination of components or
methodologies for purposes of describing these examples, and it can
be recognized that many further combinations and permutations of
the present embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the embodiments
disclosed and/or claimed herein are intended to embrace all such
alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the
spirit and scope of the detailed description and the appended
claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term "includes" is used
in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is
intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term
"comprising" as "comprising" is interpreted when employed as a
transitional word in a claim.
* * * * *