Centralized Whitespace Spectrum Allocation for Enterprise Wi-Fi
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition from analog to digital television broadcasts has freed up significant spectrum in the DTV whitespace, but existing technologies lack efficient methods for allocating this spectrum for unlicensed access in enterprise settings, leading to suboptimal wireless broadband deployment and congestion in the 2.4 GHz ISM band.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that includes an access point with modules for reporting signal strength, aggregating user demands, and allocating frequency bands based on central controller decisions, utilizing algorithms to manage frequency-dependent radio propagation and out-of-band emissions, ensuring efficient spectrum allocation and minimizing interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If unlicensed access is implemented in DTV whitespace, then data rates and coverage are improved, but spectrum allocation efficiency deteriorates due to lack of centralized management
Solution Approach 1:
A centralized controller is introduced as an intermediary between access points and users to manage spectrum allocation. The controller receives signal strength reports from access points and demand information from users, then makes optimal spectrum allocation decisions, resolving the contradiction by providing centralized management without preventing improved data rates through whitespace utilization
2Area of stationary object
If multiple access points operate in DTV whitespace, then coverage area is expanded, but interference between access points increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system allocates different frequency bands to different access points based on their local signal strength conditions and user demands. The centralized controller assigns specific frequency bands (e.g., lower, middle, or upper bands) to each access point, allowing coverage expansion while minimizing interference through localized frequency assignment
3Productivity
If centralized spectrum allocation is implemented, then spectrum usage efficiency is optimized, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into three functional modules: access points that report signal strength, a centralized controller that performs spectrum allocation, and users that report demand. This segmentation allows centralized optimization of spectrum usage while distributing system functions to reduce overall complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for allocating a whitespace spectrum associated with a plurality of access points. The method includes reporting a signal strength associated with each of a plurality of other access points to a central controller. The method includes aggregating a plurality of demands to produce an aggregate demand. Each of the plurality of demands is associated with one of a plurality of users. The method includes reporting the aggregated demand to the central controller. The method includes associating one of the plurality of users with the access point based on a user setting or associating one of the plurality of users based on an allocation by the central controller. The allocation from the central controller is based on the signal strength and the aggregated demand. The allocation indicates a frequency band from the set of frequency bands to be allocated by the access point to the user.