System and Method for Management of a Shared Frequency Band

Abstract

A system, method, software and related functions are provided for managing activity in a radio frequency band that is shared, both in frequency and time, by signals of multiple types. An example of such a frequency band is an unlicensed frequency band. Radio frequency energy in the frequency band is captured at one or more devices and/or locations in a region where activity in the frequency band is happening. Signals occurring in the frequency band are detected by sampling part or the entire frequency band for time intervals. Signal pulse energy in the band is detected and is used to classify signals according to signal type. Using knowledge of the types of signals occurring in the frequency band and other spectrum activity related statistics (referred to as spectrum intelligence), actions can be taken in a device or network of devices to avoid interfering with other signals, and in general to optimize simultaneous use of the frequency band with the other signals. The spectrum intelligence may be used to suggest actions to a device user or network administrator, or to automatically invoke actions in a device or network of devices to maintain desirable performance.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving radio frequency energy in a frequency band;   analyzing the radio frequency energy to classify signals determined to be occurring the received radio frequency energy;   displaying an alert to a user based on said analyzing;   displaying a prompt to a user to containing a set of questions;   receiving answers from a user to the set of questions; and   generating one or more policies and associated actions to be taken based on parameters derived from the answers received from the user.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising automatically executing the one or more policies based on said analyzing of radio frequency energy received subsequent to said generating. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , and further comprising displaying information to a user when a policy is automatically executed, and displaying a list of one or more actions taken when the policy was automatically executed. 
   
   
       4 . A method comprising:
 receiving radio frequency energy in a frequency band;   analyzing the radio frequency energy to classify devices determined to be operating in the frequency band based on the received radio frequency energy;   displaying an alert to a user based on said analyzing when a signal is detected that is of a type that interferes with a wireless device or network; and   generating a capacity rating parameter that indicates capacity for wireless communication activity in the frequency band based on types of devices and traffic determined to be occurring on the basis of said analyzing.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , and further comprising displaying an indication of said capacity rating parameter. 
   
   
       6 . A method comprising:
 receiving a command from a user to capture and analyze radio frequency energy in a frequency band;   in response to receiving the command, analyzing spectral characteristics associated with radio frequency energy received during a time interval in the frequency band, and generating data characterizing pulses of radio frequency energy determined to be occurring in the frequency band;   displaying data characterizing the pulses in three dimensions, wherein a first dimension represents a time of occurrence of the pulse, a second dimension represents a center frequency of the pulse and a third dimension represents a power of the pulse.   
   
   
       7 . A method comprising:
 receiving radio frequency energy in a frequency band;   analyzing the radio frequency energy to classify devices determined to be operating in the frequency band based on the received radio frequency energy;   distinguishing occurrence of a primary user device in the frequency band from other users of the frequency band based on said analyzing; and   allocating usage of the frequency band to a secondary user device when it is determined than the primary user device is not operating in the frequency band.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said analyzing is performed periodically in order to check for presence of the primary user device in the frequency band. 
   
   
       9 . A method comprising:
 receiving radio frequency energy in a frequency band;   analyzing the radio frequency energy to classify devices determined to be operating in the frequency band based on the received radio frequency energy;   when a communication device using a frequency hopping communication protocol does not have an adaptive hop set capability, idling slots in a frequency hopping set where transmissions of data or acknowledgments by a non-frequency hopping wireless communication network would occur when the non-frequency hopping wireless communication network is determined to be operating in the frequency band based on said analyzing;   when the communication device using a frequency hopping communication protocol has an adaptive hop set capability, removing frequency hops that occur in the frequency band of operation of the non-frequency hopping wireless communication network when the non-frequency hopping wireless communication network is determined to be operating in the frequency band based on said analyzing.   
   
   
       10 . A method comprising:
 receiving radio frequency energy in a frequency band;   analyzing the radio frequency energy to classify devices determined to be operating in the frequency band based on the received radio frequency energy;   adjusting an amount of dynamic rate adaptation with respect to a plurality of channels in the frequency band when a frequency hopping device is determined to be operating in the frequency band based on said analyzing.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein adjusting comprises limiting a degree of dynamic rate adaptation that may be employed by a non-frequency hopping communication device to a first portion of the frequency band. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein adjusting comprises limiting a degree of dynamic rate adaptation that may be employed by a non-frequency hopping communication device to a second portion of the frequency band that is larger than said first portion when it is determined by said analyzing that the frequency hopping device has an adaptive hop set capability. 
   
   
       13 . A method comprising:
 receiving radio frequency energy in a frequency band;   analyzing the radio frequency energy to classify devices determined to be operating in the frequency band based on the received radio frequency energy;   storing data in a wireless network device that defines context specific policies for operation of the wireless network device in a wireless network, wherein the context specific policies are dependent on contexts associated with location and time of operation of the wireless network device; and   controlling operation of the wireless network device based on said analyzing and said data defining the context specific policies.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the data for said context specific policies comprises data that configures the access point device to prioritize wireless network download traffic during a first portion of the day and to prioritize video streaming data during a second portion of the day. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the data for said context specific policies is expressed in terms of grammar rules for wireless device activity parameters including one or more of receive signal strength level, clear channel access percentage, traffic type, protocol type, active channel and alternate channel. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the data for said context specific policies represents a set of if/then rules of a form “If [condition] then [activation rule]. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein storing comprises storing data for said context specific policies in each of a plurality of different types of wireless network devices such that a different set of if/then rules are stored in the respective types of wireless network devices.