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US-12627995-B2 - Systems and methods for efficiently reallocating a PAL channel in which a PAL user's radio transmits

US12627995B2US 12627995 B2US12627995 B2US 12627995B2US-12627995-B2

Abstract

Techniques are provided for more reliably selecting an available secondary channel for a PAL user when the PAL user must relinquish its primary channel to an incumbent user for use in a geographic region. An indication is received that the incumbent user is utilizing or will utilize at least one PAL channel. It is determined whether the at least one PAL channel is utilized by at least one PAL user. Upon determining that the at least one PAL channel is utilized by at least one PAL user, then each PAL channel, used by the PAL user and for which the indication has been received, is shifted higher or lower in frequency to an available PAL channel.

Inventors

  • Ariful HANNAN

Assignees

  • Outdoor Wireless Networks LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20230103

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A method is performed to determine a new Priority Access License (PAL) channel for a PAL radio configured to use a primary PAL channel, the method comprising: receiving an indication that an incumbent user is utilizing or will utilize at least one PAL channel in PAL frequency spectrum; determining whether some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated by the PAL radio because of use by the incumbent user; determining that the some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated because of the incumbent user use, then: determining whether there are (a) a PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum; determining that there are (a) the PAL user utilizing the two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then moving, by circularly shifting higher or lower in frequency in the PAL frequency spectrum, from a corresponding primary pair of adjacent PAL channels, for which the indication indicated are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum; determining that there are not (a) the PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then determining whether there is (a) a PAL user utilizing a PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and determining that there is (a) the PAL user utilizing the PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum, then moving by circularly shifting one PAL user from a corresponding primary PAL channel, for which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and transmitting each new PAL channel to a corresponding PAL radio configured to change its PAL channel, in which the corresponding PAL radio transmits, to a corresponding new PAL channel; wherein each PAL user operates a set of one or more PAL radios; wherein available pair of adjacent PAL channels means a first PAL channel and a second PAL channel, wherein a lowest frequency of the first PAL channel is adjacent to a highest frequency of the second PAL channel, and wherein each of the first PAL channel and the second PAL channel is an available PAL channel; wherein a primary pair of adjacent PAL channels means adjacent PAL channels assigned to the PAL user and for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user; wherein the available PAL channel means a PAL channel (a) (i) which is not licensed in a corresponding geographic region to a PAL user and/or (ii) in which the PAL user is licensed to use in the corresponding geographic region and in which a citizens broadband radio service device (CBSD) of the PAL user can be authorized to transmit in the PAL channel but in which the CBSD is not authorized to transmit on the PAL channel, and (b) which the indication did not indicate was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, where the incumbent user, or a dynamic protection area in which the incumbent user operates or would operate, has a neighborhood which geographically encompasses a geographic location of a PAL CBSD in the corresponding geographic region and operated by the PAL user; wherein the primary PAL channel means a PAL channel assigned to the PAL user for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user; wherein circular shifting higher or lower in the PAL frequency spectrum means upon reaching an upper edge or a lower edge of the PAL frequency spectrum, then continue shifting from an opposite edge.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting each new PAL channel from a spectrum access system to at least one other spectrum access system.
  3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication is received by a spectrum access system from at least one of an environmental sensing capability system communicatively and a database communicatively coupled.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by a spectrum access system (SAS) during coordinated periodic activities among SASes.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the some of the at least one PAL channel is utilized further comprises determining a number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received; wherein then moving the corresponding PAL user to the new PAL channel by circularly shifting further comprises: determining whether the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one; and determining that the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one, then moving each corresponding PAL user in order of lowest to highest center frequency or highest to lowest center frequency of the corresponding primary PAL channel.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the available PAL channel is a first available PAL channel identified during circular shifting.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the available PAL channel is a first available PAL channel identified during circular shifting and is not adjacent to a PAL channel used by another PAL user which is different than the PAL user using the corresponding primary PAL channel being shifted.
  8. 8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing at least one processor of a spectrum access system (SAS) to execute a process to determine a new Priority Access License (PAL) channel for a PAL radio configured to use a primary PAL channel, the process comprising: receiving an indication that an incumbent user is utilizing or will utilize at least one PAL channel in PAL frequency spectrum; determining whether some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated by the PAL radio because of use by the incumbent user; determining that the some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated because of the incumbent user use, then: determining whether there are (a) a PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum; determining that there are (a) the PAL user utilizing the two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then moving, by circularly shifting higher or lower in frequency in the PAL frequency spectrum, from a corresponding primary pair of adjacent PAL channels, for which the indication indicated are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum; determining that there are not (a) the PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then determining whether there is (a) a PAL user utilizing a PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and determining that there is (a) the PAL user utilizing the PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum, then moving by circularly shifting one PAL user from a corresponding primary PAL channel, for which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and cause transmission of each new PAL channel to a corresponding PAL radio configured to change its PAL channel, in which the corresponding PAL radio transmits, to a corresponding new PAL channel; wherein each PAL user operates a set of one or more PAL radios; wherein available pair of adjacent PAL channels means a first PAL channel and a second PAL channel, wherein a lowest frequency of the first PAL channel is adjacent to a highest frequency of the second PAL channel, and wherein each of the first PAL channel and the second PAL channel is an available PAL channel; wherein a primary pair of adjacent PAL channels means adjacent PAL channels assigned to the PAL user and for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user; wherein the available PAL channel means a PAL channel (a) (i) which is not licensed in a corresponding geographic region to a PAL user and/or (ii) in which the PAL user is licensed to use in the corresponding geographic region and in which a citizens broadband radio service device (CBSD) of the PAL user can be authorized to transmit in the PAL channel but in which the CBSD is not authorized to transmit on the PAL channel, and (b) which the indication did not indicate was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, where the incumbent user, or a dynamic protection area in which the incumbent user operates or would operate, has a neighborhood which geographically encompasses a geographic location of a PAL CBSD in the corresponding geographic region and operated by the PAL user; wherein the primary PAL channel means a PAL channel assigned to the PAL user for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user; wherein circular shifting higher or lower in the PAL frequency spectrum means upon reaching an upper edge or a lower edge of the PAL frequency spectrum, then continue shifting from an opposite edge.
  9. 9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising causing transmission of each new PAL channel from the spectrum access system to at least one other spectrum access system.
  10. 10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the indication is received by the spectrum access system from at least one of an environmental sensing capability system communicatively and a database communicatively coupled.
  11. 11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the process is performed by the spectrum access system during coordinated periodic activities among SASes.
  12. 12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein determining whether the some of the at least one PAL channel is utilized further comprises determining a number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received; wherein then moving the corresponding PAL user to the new PAL channel by circularly shifting further comprises: determining whether the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one; and determining that the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one, then moving each corresponding PAL user in order of lowest to highest center frequency or highest to lowest center frequency of the corresponding primary PAL channel.
  13. 13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the available PAL channel is a first available PAL channel identified during circular shifting.
  14. 14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the available PAL channel is a first available PAL channel identified during circular shifting and is not adjacent to a PAL channel used by another PAL user which is different than the PAL user using the corresponding primary PAL channel being shifted.
  15. 15 . A spectrum access system (SAS), configured to determine a new Priority Access License (PAL) channel for a PAL radio configured to use a primary PAL channel, the SAS comprising: processing circuitry comprising processor circuitry coupled to memory circuitry and configured to: receive an indication that an incumbent user is utilizing or will utilize at least one PAL channel in PAL frequency spectrum; determine whether some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated by the PAL radio because of use by the incumbent user; determine that some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by the PAL radio and must be vacated because of the incumbent user use, then: determine whether there are (a) a PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum; determining that there are (a) the PAL user utilizing the two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then move, by circularly shifting higher or lower in frequency in the PAL frequency spectrum, from a corresponding primary pair of adjacent PAL channels, for which the indication indicated are being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to a remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum; determining that there are not (a) the PAL user utilizing two adjacent PAL channels which the indication indicates is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available pair of adjacent PAL channels in the PAL frequency spectrum, then determine whether there is (a) a PAL user utilizing a PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) a remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and determining that there is (a) the PAL user utilizing the PAL channel which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user and (b) the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum, then move by circularly shifting one PAL user from a corresponding primary PAL channel, for which the indication indicated is being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, to the remaining available PAL channel in the PAL frequency spectrum; and cause transmission of each new PAL channel to a corresponding PAL radio configured to change its PAL channel, in which the corresponding PAL radio transmits, to a corresponding new PAL channel; wherein each PAL user operates a set of one or more PAL radios; wherein available pair of adjacent PAL channels means a first PAL channel and a second PAL channel, wherein a lowest frequency of the first PAL channel is adjacent to a highest frequency of the second PAL channel, and wherein each of the first PAL channel and the second PAL channel is an available PAL channel; wherein a primary pair of adjacent PAL channels means adjacent PAL channels assigned to the PAL user and for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user; wherein the available PAL channel means a PAL channel (a) (i) which is not licensed in a corresponding geographic region to a PAL user and/or (ii) in which the PAL user is licensed to use in the corresponding geographic region and in which a citizens broadband radio service device (CBSD) of the PAL user can be authorized to transmit in the PAL channel but in which the CBSD is not authorized to transmit on the PAL channel, and (b) which the indication did not indicate was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user, where the incumbent user, or a dynamic protection area in which the incumbent user operates or would operate, has a neighborhood which geographically encompasses a geographic location of a PAL CBSD in the corresponding geographic region and operated by the PAL user; wherein the primary PAL channel means a PAL channel assigned to the PAL user for which the indication indicated was being utilized or will be utilized by the incumbent user; wherein circular shifting higher or lower in the PAL frequency spectrum means upon reaching an upper edge or a lower edge of the PAL frequency spectrum, then continue shifting from an opposite edge.
  16. 16 . The SAS of claim 15 , further comprising causing transmission of each new PAL channel from the spectrum access system to at least one other spectrum access system.
  17. 17 . The SAS of claim 15 , wherein the indication is received by the spectrum access system from at least one of an environmental sensing capability system communicatively and a database communicatively coupled.
  18. 18 . The SAS of claim 15 , wherein determine whether the some of the at least one PAL channel are utilized by a PAL radio and must be vacated by the PAL radio because of use by the incumbent user is performed during coordinated periodic activities among SASes.
  19. 19 . The SAS of claim 15 , wherein determine whether the some of the at least one PAL channel is utilized further comprises determining a number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received; wherein then moving the corresponding PAL user to the new PAL channel by circularly shifting further comprises: determining whether the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one; and determining that the number of PAL users utilizing each PAL channel for which the indication has been received is greater than one, then moving each corresponding PAL user in order of lowest to highest center frequency or highest to lowest center frequency of the corresponding primary PAL channel.
  20. 20 . The SAS of claim 15 , wherein the available PAL channel is a first available PAL channel identified during circular shifting.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 63/305,376, filed Feb. 1, 2021; the entire contents of the aforementioned patent application are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in its entirety. BACKGROUND A citizens broadband radio service (CBRS) includes incumbent users of shared spectrum and secondary users of shared frequency spectrum. Shared frequency spectrum, or shared spectrum, means frequency spectrum in which at least one incumbent user and at least one secondary user are permitted to transmit. An incumbent user may also be referred to as a primary user or an incumbent. Incumbent users have priority access to transmit in the spectrum shared with the secondary users. An incumbent user may be, for example, naval radar. Such naval radar may intermittently operate in a dynamic protection area (DPA).1 Alternatively, the incumbent user may be a new fixed satellite service (FSS); typically, an FSS is a static service upon commencement of transmissions, and a DPA is inapplicable to an FSS. 1 A DPA is a geographic region in which protection of an incumbent user only occurs when the incumbent user transmits in the geographic region. Optionally, a DPA is a portion of a body of water and the incumbent user is a ship using radar transmitting in the shared spectrum. When an incumbent user commences transmitting in certain frequency spectrum of the shared spectrum, aggregate interference at the incumbent user or in a region in which the incumbent user may be located must be maintained below an interference threshold. As a result, a secondary user authorized to transmit in the certain frequency spectrum may have to diminish its maximum transmit power or cease transmitting in the certain frequency spectrum. If required to cease transmitting, the secondary user may be permitted to transmit in other frequency spectrum in the shared spectrum not used by the incumbent user. Such secondary users may use citizens broadband radio service device(s) (CBSD(s)). A CBSD is a radio including a transmitter coupled to an antenna. A CBRS system may include at least one spectrum access system (SAS). Each SAS regulates the transmissions of certain CBSD(s) in the shared spectrum under the SAS's control, e.g., whether each CBSD of a SAS can transmit in the shared spectrum, and if so, then at what frequency spectrum and power level, to ensure that aggregate interference at incumbent user(s), geographic region(s), and/or other CBSDs is within appropriate interference limits. In CBRS, a secondary user can either be a PAL user and/or a GAA user. Each CBSD can operate as Priority Access License (PAL) CBSD if the owner of the CBSD owns a PAL license in the geographic area where CBSD is deployed. For CBRS, each PAL license is granted access to a PAL channel (which for CBRS has a 10 MHz bandwidth) in PAL frequency spectrum (which for CBRS is the first 100 MHz of CBRS band). A user which does not have a PAL license may be granted access to transmit in a PAL channel which is not used by a PAL user or an incumbent user. SAS(s) must regulate interference from GAA CBSD(s) not only at each PAL CBSD transmitting on a PAL channel but also a region around one or more PAL CBSD transmitting on the PAL channel. A PAL user means a user who has a license to operate in PAL frequency spectrum in a geographic region (e.g., a county). A PAL CBSD means a CBSD operated by a PAL user. The region around one or more PAL CBSDs using PAL channels is referred to as a PAL protection area (PPA).2 For CBRS, the PPA is defined by a contour around each PAL CBSD which the PPA protects from interference and in which aggregate interference from GAA CBSDs and PAL CBSDs (outside of the PPA) in each PAL channel of the PAL frequency spectrum must be less than −80 dBm/10 MHz. The PPA may be formed by a union of such contours for nearby PAL CBSDs. The PPA may be defined with protection points which may be equally spaced from one another. The neighborhood of a protection point means a geographic region centered around the protection point. Optionally, the neighborhood is a circle having a radius of 40 km. 2 Analogous to a PPA, interference must also be regulated within an area known as a grandfathered wireless protection zone (GWPZ). A GWPZ is a geographic area and frequency range in which grandfathered wireless licensees receive protection from CBSD transmission. PAL CBSDs operate in certain portion of the shared spectrum, e.g., the lower one hundred megahertz of the CBRS band. The portion of the shared spectrum may be referred to as the PAL shared spectrum. The PAL shared spectrum is divided into a finite number of channels, i.e., blocks of frequency spectrum which comprise the PAL shared spectrum. Channel means a frequency spectrum with a center frequency and a bandwidth; thus, the channel has an upper frequency and a lower frequency. For CBRS, the PAL shared spectrum comprises ten channels each o