Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Paul W Mitchell

Amer A Hassan

Paul William Garnett

Mitesh K Desai

Aaron Wesley Cunningham

Edward Charles Giaimo, Iii

Edward Giaimo

Mark Clear

Jeffrey Z Yan

In a device including a processor and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory includes executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the device to perform functions of connecting a remote device to a network via a first channel associated with a first tier level; determining that a tier level switch condition is met; sending, to a controller of the network, a request for tier level switch from the first tier level to a second tier level; receiving, from the controller of the network, an authorization for switching from the first tier level to the second tier level; and connecting the remote device to the network via a second channel associated with the second tier level.

Spectrum sharing with switching of tier levels between networks and/or devices

Methods and apparatus in a wireless network that allow devices, such as client devices and access points (APs), having software defined radios (SDRs) to change operating behavior depending on network RF environment conditions are disclosed. The devices may be instructed to operate according to differently defined behavior profiles that may be chosen based on RF environment conditions. The profiles may be stored in a database. A particular profile may be obtained from the database for one or more devices based on an interference level within an RF environment of the devices. The profiles may be implemented to change device operating behavior so that interference is reduced or minimized in higher levels of interference. The profiles may also be implemented to change device behavior so that interference is reduced in lower levels of interference while also freeing up resources for more efficient use in the network during lower levels of interference.

Adaptive profiles with SDR

In a device including a processor and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory includes executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the device to perform functions of receiving, from a first network assigned to a first tier level, a request for tier level switch from the first tier level to a second tier level; determining that a second network assigned to the second tier level is capable of switching from the second tier level to another tier level; assigning, to the second network, a channel of the first tier level; and assigning, to the first network, a channel of the second tier level.

In a first device incorporating a processor and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory includes executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to control the first device to perform functions of receiving a bit error pattern of data traffic transmission from the first device to a second device, the bit error pattern including a number and locations of bit errors which occurred during the data traffic transmission; and adapting at least one transmission parameter of the first device based on the received bit error pattern. The error pattern allows more refined data traffic decisions.

Collaborative communications

A network controller is configured to receive a data packet from a core network for routing to a device in a wireless network. The controller may then select an antenna set from a plurality of antenna sets that are distributed across different base stations operable to transmit data packets to the destination device. The antenna set may be selected from the plurality of antenna sets based on a distribution pattern. For example, the distribution pattern may be a pseudo-randomly generated distribution pattern. The controller may then route the at least one data packet to the base station which the selected antenna set is implemented for transmission to the device. The antenna sets may be implemented on one base station, or implemented so that the antennas of an antenna set are distributed across multiple base stations. The antenna sets may also be configured to be of any number of antennas.

Spatial hopping using antenna sets across multiple base stations

An apparatus controlling channel assignments for a shared access system is disclosed. The apparatus generates a first registration in a database that indicates that a first channel is assigned to a device and sends the identity of the first channel to the device. The device may use the first channel to communicate with other devices in the system. The apparatus may receive a query from the device indicating the first channel is encumbered. In response to the query, the apparatus may send the identity of a second channel to the device, generate a second registration in the database that indicates that the second channel is assigned to the device, and generate an amendment to the database indicating that the first channel is encumbered. The apparatus may then verify whether the first channel is encumbered and remove or keep the amendment in the database based on the verification.

Multi-tier spectrum access channel assignment

Methods and apparatus in a wireless network that allow devices, such as client devices and access points (APs), having software defined radios (SDRs) to change operating behavior depending on network RF environment conditions are disclosed. The devices may be instructed to operate according to differently defined behavior profiles that may be chosen based on RF environment conditions. The profiles may be stored in a database. A particular profile may be obtained from the database for one or more devices based on an interference level within an RF environment of the devices. The profiles may be implemented to change device operating behavior so that interference is reduced or minimized in higher levels of interference. The profiles may also be implemented to change device behavior so that interference is reduced in lower levels of interference while also freeing up resources for more efficient use in network during lower levels of interference.

Data traffic routing and/or transmission parameter adaption decisions are made at a sending node by considering error patterns of one or more possible receiving nodes at the bit level. Data traffic routing and/or transmission parameter adaption decisions may be used to preemptively prevent data errors from occurring as data traffic is transmit by a sending node. The error pattern information may include information on numbers of bit errors in a code word or information on relative randomness or burstiness of bit error patterns at the one or more possible receiving nodes. The collaboratively shared error pattern information may be determined and updated over time intervals or upon selected conditions occurring. In one embodiment, a next hop node may be determined using bit error patterns of neighbor nodes. In another embodiment, transmission parameter adaption or channel selection may be determined using bit error patterns.

A spreading sequence generator for a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver receives an RF signal from a second RF transceiver. The first RF transceiver measures power levels of the received RF signal at a plurality of instants to generate respective digital power level values and uses the plurality of digital power level values to create a first spreading sequence. The second RF transceiver receives an RF signal from the first RF transceiver and performs the same functions to create a second spreading sequence. Due to the reciprocal nature of the RF channel between the first and second RF transceivers, the first and second cryptographic keys match.

Orthogonal spreading sequence creation using radio frequency parameters

Tier switching of spectrum access priority tier levels for networks in a multi-tier level spectrum access system is disclosed. The tier switching may be based on conditions in the networks to allow more efficient network/system operation. In an implementation, the switching of tier levels may be a swap of tier levels between a network/device and another network/device. In this case, the tier level of a network/device is switched or swapped with the tier level of another network/device and each network device operates at the tier level of the other network/device. In another implementation, the switching of tier levels may be a switching of tier levels used by a single network or a single device without any swap occurring with another network or device. In this case, the tier level of a network or device may be switched to another tier level for operation in the SAS.

Opportunistic use of spectrum is disclosed that allows a device access to a wireless local area network (WLAN) when necessary on a restricted frequency band and provides efficient scanning and switching of device communications to an unrestricted frequency band when channels become available in the unrestricted frequency band. A device operating in the network on the restricted frequency band may receive information on a channel set over a channel in the restricted frequency band. The channel set may be a subset of channels in the network and indicate network channels available for potential use in the unrestricted frequency band. The device may then only scan the subset of channels in the channel set to search for available channels in the unrestricted band. The channel set may be determined by the network based on the operation of the device in the coverage of the restricted frequency band.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Paul W Mitchell