Method to request resources in tv white spaces type environment

Abstract

Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed for independent wireless resource sharing on a fair basis to enable selecting the most suitable coexistence between wireless networks. Example embodiments of the invention include a hierarchical resource request process that enables reallocation of radio resources in a coexistence band. When new resources are requested by a network, a search is made for free resources in the coexistence band. If this does not succeed, a check is made for any allocated but unused resources in the coexistence band that have been advertised by neighboring networks. If there are insufficient advertised resources, then the allocation of resources in neighboring networks is analyzed and compared with the requesting network's need for network resources. There are two graduated stages to the analysis. In an example light analysis stage, an analysis of the allocation of resources is limited to neighboring networks within the same network allocation group as the requesting network's. In a more extensive analysis stage, all of the neighboring networks are analyzed. In this manner, a more complete resource reallocation may be achieved.

1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a coexistence manager, at least one of environment information, network information and coexistence-related information for at least two wireless networks;   determining, by the coexistence manager, operational parameters for at least one of the at least two wireless networks based at least partially on the at least one of environment information, network information and coexistence-related information; and   transmitting, by the coexistence manager, the operational parameters to enable resource allocation for at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the coexistence manager, the coexistence-related information from at least one other coexistence manager;   wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on the received coexistence-related information.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the network information comprises information on at least one of resource need and resource usage by at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the environment information comprises local information on networks neighbouring at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on information received from another wireless network or information received from another coexistence manager.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the operational parameters comprise information on a portion of at least one of space resources, frequency spectrum resources, and time resources allocated for at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the receiving is by the coexistence manager collecting the at least one of environment information, and network information from at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the coexistence manager, the coexistence-related information describing resource usage from at least one other coexistence manager;   wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on the received coexistence-related information.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the coexistence manager, coexistence-related information from a coexistence band database;   wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on the received coexistence-related information.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the operational parameters to enable resource allocation in a white space coexistence band for at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the coexistence manager, the operational parameters to at least one other coexistence manager to enable resource allocation for at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein at least one of the at least two wireless networks is interfaced with the coexistence manager by a coexistence enabler.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the at least one of environment information, network information and coexistence-related information the coexistence manager receives comprises at least one of spectrum sensing results and network parameters from a coexistence enabler that is interfaced with at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the at least one of environment information, network information and coexistence-related information comprises at least one of user requirements, spectral information, and network policies.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the coexistence manager, information related to secondary channels in a TV white space band, from a database;   wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on the received information from the database.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the coexistence manager, information related potential neighbor networks to at least one of the at least two wireless networks;   wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on the received information from the database.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the determining operational parameters comprises determining a resource reallocation for at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         18 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor;   at least one memory including computer program code;   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:   receive at least one of environment information, network information and coexistence-related information for at least two wireless networks;   determine operational parameters for at least one of the at least two wireless networks based at least partially on the at least one of environment information, network information and coexistence-related information; and   transmit the operational parameters to enable resource allocation for at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:   receive the coexistence-related information from at least one other coexistence manager;   wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on the received coexistence-related information.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 wherein the network information comprises information on at least one of resource need and resource usage by at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 wherein the environment information comprises local information on networks neighboring at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on information received from another wireless network or information received from another coexistence manager.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 wherein the operational parameters comprise information on a portion of at least one of space resources, frequency spectrum resources, and time resources allocated for at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 wherein the receiving is by the apparatus collecting the at least one of environment information, and network information from at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:   receive the coexistence-related information describing resource usage from at least one other coexistence manager;   wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on the received coexistence-related information.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:   receive coexistence-related information from a coexistence band database;   wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on the received coexistence-related information.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 wherein the operational parameters to enable resource allocation in a white space coexistence band for at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:   transmit the operational parameters to at least one other coexistence manager to enable resource allocation for at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 wherein at least one of the at least two wireless networks is interfaced with the apparatus by a coexistence enabler.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 wherein the at least one of environment information, network information and coexistence-related information the apparatus receives comprises at least one of spectrum sensing results and network parameters from a coexistence enabler that is interfaced with at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 wherein the at least one of environment information, network information and coexistence-related information comprises at least one of user requirements, spectral information, and network policies.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:   receive information related to secondary channels in a TV white space band, from a database;   wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on the received information from the database.   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:   receive information related potential neighbor networks to at least one of the at least two wireless networks;   wherein the determining of the operational parameters is at least partly based on the received information from the database.   
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 wherein the determining operational parameters comprises determining a resource reallocation for at least one of the at least two wireless networks.   
     
     
         35 . A computer readable medium storing program instructions, which when executed by a computer processor, perform the steps comprising:
 receiving, by a coexistence manager, at least one of environment information, network information and coexistence-related information for at least two wireless networks;   determining, by the coexistence manager, operational parameters for at least one of the at least two wireless networks based at least partially on the at least one of environment information, network information and coexistence-related information; and   transmitting, by the coexistence manager, the operational parameters to enable resource allocation for at least one of the at least two wireless networks.