# US 10,455,427 B2 · Frequency allocation method and device for unauthorized frequency band > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,455,427 B2 - Document ID: US10455427B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/572,565 - Filed: 2016-04-13 - Published: 2018-05-17 - Granted: 2019-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-15 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Qimei Cui; Jiahui Liu; Xiang Zhou; Xiaofeng Tao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10455427B2 ## CPC - H04W 16/10: Dynamic resource partitioning - H04W 16/14: Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} - H04W 24/10: Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports} - H04W 28/0268: {using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] (negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24)} - H04W 28/082: among bearers or channels - H04W 28/26: Resource reservation - H04W 72/0453: Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA - H04W 74/0808: using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA] - H04W 84/045: {using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A frequency allocation method and device for an unauthorized frequency band. The method includes: a controller acquires a business load status of plural macro base stations having similar coverage ranges and operated by different operators, and generates, based on the business load status, allocation information about an unauthorized frequency band, to mutually exclusively allocate the unauthorized frequency band to plural macro base stations; the macro base stations receive the allocation information about the unauthorized frequency band, to determine the unauthorized frequency band monopolized by the macro base stations from an unauthorized frequency band resource, and generate indicative information about the monopolized unauthorized frequency band; and a small base station receives the indicative information, detects state of the unauthorized frequency band monopolized by the macro base stations, and dynamically accesses, according to a detecting result, a specific unauthorized frequency baud in the unauthorized frequency band monopolized by the macro base stations. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A controller in a communication system, comprising one or more processors configured to: acquire statuses of traffic load with a predetermined quality-of-service (QoS) requirement of a plurality of macro base stations having coverage ranges overlapping with one another; detect interference statuses of unlicensed frequency bands; allocate the unlicensed frequency bands to the plurality of macro base stations in a mutually exclusive manner based on the statuses of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement and the detected interference statuses of the unlicensed frequency bands, such that a first unlicensed frequency band with a first interference status is allocated to a first macro base station with a first status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement, and that a second unlicensed frequency band with a second interference status is allocated to a second macro base station with a second status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement, the first interference status indicating lower interference than the second interference status, the first status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement being heavier than the second status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement; and generate unlicensed frequency band allocation information indicating the allocation of the unlicensed frequency bands, wherein the plurality of macro base stations are operated by different operators. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The controller according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to rank the unlicensed frequency bands based on the detected interference statuses. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The controller according to claim 2, wherein the interference status of the unlicensed frequency band comprises signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR) of the unlicensed frequency band. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The controller according to claim 1, further comprising a transceiver configured to acquire the status of the traffic load with low QoS requirement from the plurality of macro base stations and allocate the unlicensed frequency bands to the macro base stations, via an S1 interface. ### Claim 5 A device at a macro base station side in a communication system, comprising one or more processors configured to: acquire unlicensed frequency band allocation information from a controller in the communication system, to determine unlicensed frequency bands exclusively occupied by the macro base station among unlicensed frequency band resources; and generate information indicating the unlicensed frequency bands exclusively occupied by the macro base station, and notify one or more small base stations within a coverage of the macro base station of the unlicensed frequency bands exclusively occupied, wherein the unlicensed frequency bands are allocated to a plurality of macro base stations including the device having coverage ranges overlapping with one another in a mutually exclusive manner based on statuses of traffic load with a predetermined QoS requirement and interference statuses of the unlicensed frequency bands, such that a first unlicensed frequency band with a first interference status is allocated to a first macro base station with a first status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement, and that a second unlicensed frequency band with a second interference status is allocated to a second macro base station with a second status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement, the first interference status indicating lower interference than the second interference status, the first status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement being heavier than the second status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device at the macro base station side according to claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to detect a radar signal for the unlicensed frequency bands exclusively occupied, and notify the small base stations of information indicating available unlicensed frequency bands on which no radar signal exists among the unlicensed frequency bands exclusively occupied. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device at the macro base station side according to claim 6, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to update the available unlicensed frequency bands based on feedback information from the small base stations. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The device at the macro base station side according to claim 6, wherein the device at the macro base station side operates as the macro base station, and further comprises a transceiver configured to transmit the information indicating the unlicensed frequency bands exclusively occupied by the macro base station or the information indicating the available unlicensed frequency bands to the small base stations via an X2 interface. ### Claim 9 A device at a small base station side in a communication system, comprising one or more processors configured to: determine accessible unlicensed frequency bands for the small base station based on information which is transmitted from a macro base station managing the small base station and which indicates unlicensed frequency bands exclusively occupied by the macro base station or available unlicensed frequency bands; and detect statuses of the accessible unlicensed frequency bands, and dynamically access to a specific unlicensed frequency band among the accessible unlicensed frequency bands based on a result of the detection, wherein the unlicensed frequency bands are allocated to a plurality of macro base stations including the macro base station having coverage ranges overlapping with one another in a mutually exclusive manner based on statuses of traffic load with a predetermined QoS requirement and interference statuses of the unlicensed frequency bands, such that a first unlicensed frequency band with a first interference status is allocated to a first macro base station with a first status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement, and that a second unlicensed frequency band with a second interference status is allocated to a second macro base station with a second status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement, the first interference status indicating lower interference than the second interference status, the first status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement being heavier than the second status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device at the small base station side according to claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, in a case where the specific unlicensed frequency band is detected to be idle, generate a discovery reference signal, and map the discovery reference signal onto the specific unlicensed frequency band for transmission. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The device at the small base station side according to claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, in a case where the specific unlicensed frequency band is detected to be idle, generate downlink control information containing information indicative of the specific unlicensed frequency band, and map the downlink control information onto licensed frequency band to transmit to a user equipment managed by the small base station. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device at the small base station side according to claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine whether to access to another unlicensed frequency band other than the accessed specific unlicensed frequency band based on unlicensed frequency band status information transmitted from the user equipment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The device at the small base station side according to claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: periodically detect channel status of the accessed specific unlicensed frequency band, and feed back the detected channel status to the macro base station; and determine whether to access to another unlicensed frequency band other than the accessed specific unlicensed frequency band based on the channel status. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device at the small base station side according to claim 13, wherein the channel status indicates radar interference on the accessed specific unlicensed frequency band. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The device at the small base station side according to claim 9, wherein the device at the small base station side operates as the small base station, and further comprises a transceiver configured to receive, from the macro base station via an X2 interface, the information indicating unlicensed frequency bands exclusively occupied by the macro base station or the information indicating available unlicensed frequency bands. ### Claim 16 A frequency allocation method for unlicensed frequency bands, comprising: acquiring, by a controller, statuses of traffic load with a predetermined quality-of-service (QoS) requirement of a plurality of macro base stations having coverage ranges overlapping with one another; detecting interference statuses of unlicensed frequency bands; allocating the unlicensed frequency bands to the plurality of macro base stations in a mutually exclusive manner based on the statuses of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement and the detected interference statuses of the unlicensed frequency bands, such that a first unlicensed frequency band with a first interference status is allocated to a first macro base station with a first status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement, and that a second unlicensed frequency band with a second interference status is allocated to a second macro base station with a second status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement, the first interference status indicating lower interference than the second interference status, the first status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement being heavier than the second status of the traffic load with the predetermined QoS requirement; and generating unlicensed frequency band allocation information indicating the allocation of the unlicensed frequency bands, wherein the plurality of macro base stations are operated by different operators. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, further comprising: ranking the unlicensed frequency bands based on the detected interference statuses. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, further comprising: detecting, by the macro base station, a radar signal for the unlicensed frequency bands exclusively occupied, and notifying a small base station of information indicating available unlicensed frequency bands on which no radar signal exists among the unlicensed frequency bands exclusively occupied. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, further comprising: determining, by a small base station, whether to access to another unlicensed frequency band other than the accessed specific unlicensed frequency band based on unlicensed frequency band status information fed back by a user equipment; and periodically detecting, by the small base station, radar interference status for the accessed specific unlicensed frequency band, and determining whether to access to another unlicensed frequency band other than the accessed specific unlicensed frequency band based on the radar interference status.