Method and device for policy-based control of radio

A method of configuring a radio for communication, the method comprising:

• constructing a request to identify an available frequency spectrum, the request including network environment information;
• comparing the request to a transmission frequency constraint described in a spectrum access policy;
• based on the comparison, identifying at least one candidate transmission frequency;
• translating the at least one candidate transmission frequency to at least one corresponding device state;
• configuring the radio for transmission at the candidate transmission frequency by placing the radio in the corresponding device state;
• and
• during continuous operation of the radio:
• executing a first command by the radio to transmit at the first candidate transmission frequency;
• receiving updated policy data from an external source;
• based upon the updated policy data and subsequent to executing the first command to transmit at the first candidate transmission frequency, modifying the spectrum access policy to generate a modified spectrum access policy;
• and
• responsive to a determination that a second command to be executed by the radio is not allowed by the modified spectrum access policy, preventing execution of the second command by the radio by interrupting the second command.

A device comprising:

• a tuner capable of transmitting at a plurality of frequencies;
• an optimizer configured to send a command to the tuner instructing the tuner to transmit within a selected frequency spectrum;
• a policy manager configured to receive updated policy data and, during operation of the tuner within the selected frequency spectrum, modify a policy restricting the frequencies at which the tuner is allowed to transmit and
• a controller, operating on the device, configured to operate the device to enforce the policy restricting the frequencies at which the tuner is allowed to transmit, the controller further comprising:
• a database storing the policy;
• a conformance reasoner configured to determine whether the command is allowed by the policy;
• and
• a policy enforcer configured to interrupt commands sent by the optimizer that violate the policy as determined by the conformance reasoner.