# US 10,772,111 B2 · Interference management in wireless network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,772,111 B2 - Document ID: US10772111B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/116,520 - Filed: 2012-03-29 - Published: 2014-03-27 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-05-13 - Assignees: Nokia Technologies Oy - Applicants: Padam Kafle; Mika Kasslin; Prabodh Varshney - Inventors: Padam Kafle; Mika Kasslin; Prabodh Varshney - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10772111B2 ## CPC - H04W 72/12: Wireless traffic scheduling - H04B 17/345: Interference values ({signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR]} H04B17/336) - H04W 74/085: {collision avoidance} - H04W 28/04: Error control - H04W 28/18: Negotiating wireless communication parameters - H04W 28/26: Resource reservation - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W 88/08: Access point devices - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract Interference management in a wireless network is disclosed in this document. Two networks with overlapping frequency bands and coverage areas are configured to cooperate in order to mitigate mutual interference. Some embodiments relate to medium reservation in a first network to protect a transmission in a second network, while other embodiments relate to aligning communication parameters between the networks. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: detecting, in a network apparatus, presence of a first network and a second network on overlapping frequency bands; determining a first operating bandwidth of the first network, where the first operating bandwidth comprises a first upper frequency and a different first lower frequency; determining a second operating bandwidth of the second network, where the second operating bandwidth comprises a second upper frequency and a different second lower frequency; detecting that the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth are at least partially different, where the detecting comprises determining that at least one of the first upper frequency is different from the second upper frequency or the first lower frequency is different from the second lower frequency; in response to detecting that the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth are at least partially different, causing at least a first access point of the first network to initiate a procedure to change at least one operating bandwidth of a set comprising the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth so that the operating bandwidths of the first network and the second network are the same after the change. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the procedure to change at least one operating bandwidth of the set comprises: causing the first access point to transmit to a second access point of the second network a request to change the second operating bandwidth of the second network to match with the first operating bandwidth of the first network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the network apparatus is an interworking network apparatus configuring operation of the first network and the second network, and wherein the procedure to change at least one operating bandwidth of the set comprises in the interworking network apparatus: instructing the first access point to change its first operating bandwidth so that the operating bandwidths of the first network and the second network are the same after the change. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: configuring the first access point to operate according to IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network specifications. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the first network to operate on a frequency band operable by a primary radio system and the procedure to change at least one operating bandwidth of the set operates to avoid utilization of frequency bands currently used by the primary radio system in a geographical area of the first network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein after the procedure to change the at least one operating bandwidth, frequency channels of the first network are overlapping with frequency channels of the second network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 where the first operating bandwidth comprises the entire frequency bandwidth over which the first network operates, and where the second operating bandwidth comprises the entire frequency bandwidth over which the second network operates. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 where the procedure causes frequency end points of the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth to become aligned. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 where the procedure causes frequency end points of the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth to become aligned. ### Claim 10 An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one non-transitory memory including a computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to: detect presence of a first network and a second network on overlapping frequency bands; determine a first operating bandwidth of the first network, where the first operating bandwidth comprises a first upper frequency and a different first lower frequency; determine a second operating bandwidth of the second network, where the second operating bandwidth comprises a second upper frequency and a different second lower frequency; detect that the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth are at least partially different, where the detecting comprises determining that at least one of the first upper frequency is different from the second upper frequency or the first lower frequency is different from the second lower frequency; in response to the detection that the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth are at least partially different, cause at least a first access point of the first network to initiate a procedure to change at least one operating bandwidth of a set comprising the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth so that the operating bandwidths of the first network and the second network are the same after the change. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is applicable to the first access point, and wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to: cause the first access point to transmit to a second access point of the second network a request to change the second operating bandwidth of the second network to match with the first operating bandwidth of the first network. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is an interworking network apparatus configuring operation of the first network and the second network, and wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to instruct the first access point to change its first operating bandwidth so that the operating bandwidths of the first network and the second network are the same after the change. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to operate according to IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network specifications. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to configure the first network to operate on a frequency band operable by a primary radio system, and wherein the procedure to change at least one operating bandwidth of the set operates to avoid utilization of frequency bands currently used by the primary radio system in a geographical area of the first network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein after the procedure to change the at least one operating bandwidth, frequency channels of the first network are overlapping with frequency channels of the second network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10 where the first operating bandwidth comprises the entire frequency bandwidth over which the first network operates, and where the second operating bandwidth comprises the entire frequency bandwidth over which the second network operates. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16 where the procedure causes frequency end points of the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth to become aligned. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory program storage device as in claim 17 where the first operating bandwidth comprises the entire frequency bandwidth over which the first network operates, and where the second operating bandwidth comprises the entire frequency bandwidth over which the second network operates. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory program storage device as in claim 18 where the procedure causes frequency end points of the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth to become aligned. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The non-transitory program storage device as in claim 17 where the procedure causes frequency end points of the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth to become aligned. ### Claim 21 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10 where the procedure causes frequency end points of the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth to become aligned. ### Claim 22 A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations, the operations comprising: detecting presence of a first network and a second network on overlapping frequency bands; determining a first operating bandwidth of the first network, where the first operating bandwidth comprises a first upper frequency and a different first lower frequency; determining a second operating bandwidth of the second network, where the second operating bandwidth comprises a second upper frequency and a different second lower frequency; determining that the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth are at least partially different, where the determining that the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth are at least partially different comprises at least one of determining that the first upper frequency is different from the second upper frequency or determining that the first lower frequency is different from the second lower frequency; in response to the determining that the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth are at least partially different, causing at least a first access point of the first network to initiate a procedure to change at least one operating bandwidth of a set comprising the first operating bandwidth and the second operating bandwidth so that the operating bandwidths of the first network and the second network are the same after the change.