Software-Defined Spectrum Broker for Heterogeneous Network Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing and sharing wireless spectrum access among different users, applications, and service providers due to limitations in spectral efficiency, regulatory constraints, and the difficulty in acquiring additional licensed bands, leading to increased reliance on unlicensed bands and the need for innovative spectrum sharing solutions.
Innovation Solution
A software-defined architecture (SDA) that enables seamless interoperability between various wireless communication technologies, such as LTE, Wi-Fi, and 3G/5G, by using a centralized controller to facilitate spectrum access and usage, establishing logical control paths agnostic to underlying networks, and allowing for dynamic configuration of network parameters and offloading of data traffic without requiring changes to existing infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple wireless technologies (LTE, Wi-Fi, 3G, 5G) are used by independent service providers, then network capacity and coverage are improved, but spectrum management complexity and coordination difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralized spectrum broker as an intermediary entity that manages spectrum allocation among multiple independent service providers. The broker receives spectrum access requests, evaluates available spectrum resources, and grants access permissions, thereby simplifying the coordination complexity that would otherwise exist between numerous independent providers using different wireless technologies.
2Reliability
If licensed bands are used for wireless communication, then spectral efficiency and reliability are improved, but regulatory approval requirements and acquisition difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal spectrum access framework that works across both licensed and unlicensed bands through a common broker architecture. The spectrum broker can manage spectrum resources in different band types using unified procedures, allowing service providers to access spectrum resources regardless of band classification, thereby reducing the complexity of acquiring and managing different types of spectrum resources.
3Quantity of substance
If unlicensed bands are used to increase network capacity, then spectrum availability is improved, but spectral efficiency and interference management deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The spectrum broker implements feedback mechanisms where service providers report their spectrum usage, channel conditions, and interference levels. The broker uses this feedback information to dynamically adjust spectrum allocations, modify access parameters, and coordinate transmissions among different providers, thereby improving spectral efficiency in unlicensed bands while maintaining high spectrum availability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If different applications have different bandwidth requirements, then application-specific performance is improved, but network resource allocation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spectrum broker implements local quality management by allocating spectrum resources with specific characteristics to different applications based on their requirements. For example, bandwidth-intensive applications like video streaming receive allocations optimized for high data rates, while latency-sensitive applications receive allocations with different parameters. This allows each application to receive tailored spectrum resources without requiring complex end-to-end resource management across the entire network.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of systems, architecture, and/or methods are described for negotiating accesses to wireless spectrum of heterogeneous networks (e.g., Wifi, cellular 3G, cellular LTE, cellular 5G etc.) among multiple users, service providers, and services. As such, a software defined architecture is disclosed. In some embodiments, the disclosed software defined architecture can include establishing a (dedicated) logical control path from a central controller remotely located from an end device of a user. Such a logical control path is agnostic to the type and/or number of underlying wireless networks and is supplemental to conventionally known data paths, i.e., paths for exchanging data.