# US 12,120,654 B2 · Methods and apparatus for managing spectrum allocation in wireless networks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,120,654 B2 - Document ID: US12120654B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/432,024 - Filed: 2024-02-04 - Published: 2024-06-27 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-09 - Assignees: Charter Communications Operating, LLC - Applicants: Charter Communications Operating, LLC - Inventors: Volkan Sevindik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120654B2 ## CPC - H04W 72/0453: Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA - H04W 72/51: based on terminal or device properties - H04W 8/24: Transfer of terminal data - H04W 16/14: Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04W 72/563: of the wireless resources - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Methods and apparatus for managing spectrum in a wireless communications system. In an exemplary method embodiment, a wireless base station: (i) receives user equipment capability information from a first user equipment device; (ii) determines whether to allocate licensed or unlicensed spectrum to the first user equipment device based on the received user equipment capability information; and (iii) communicates a first spectrum allocation grant to the first user equipment device identifying the allocated spectrum for use by the first user equipment device. In various embodiments, the licensed and unlicensed spectrum are divided into bandwidth parts that are scored or ranked based on the quality and/or quantity of the spectrum bandwidth part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communications method comprising: receiving, at a first wireless base station from a Spectrum Access System, first spectrum availability information identifying Priority Access License (PAL) spectrum and General Availability Access (GAA) spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station; receiving user equipment capability information at the first wireless base station from a first user equipment device; determining, by the first wireless base station, which spectrum bandwidth parts of a plurality of PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts corresponding to the identified PAL spectrum and GAA spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station to allocate to the first user equipment device based on the received user equipment capability information; and wherein the first wireless base station and the first user equipment device are part of a wireless network which supports bandwidth parts. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communications method of claim 1, further comprising: communicating, by the first wireless base station, a first spectrum allocation grant to the first user equipment device identifying the determined allocated spectrum bandwidth parts for use by the first user equipment device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The communications method of claim 2, wherein determining, by the first wireless base station, which spectrum bandwidth parts of the plurality of PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts corresponding to the identified PAL spectrum and GAA spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station to allocate to the first user equipment device is further based on a quality score of the PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The communications method of claim 3, further comprising: generating, by the wireless base station, the quality score of the PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts based on a bandwidth part's spectrum type, number of user equipment devices allocated to the bandwidth part by the first wireless base station, and spectrum interference information for the bandwidth part spectrum. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The communications method of claim 4, further comprising: receiving, at the first wireless base station, spectrum interference information for the spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The communications method of claim 1, wherein the first spectrum availability information identifying the PAL spectrum and GAA spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station includes: information identifying the PAL spectrum bandwidth parts and the GAA spectrum bandwidth parts available for use by the first wireless base station. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The communications method of claim 1, further comprising: dividing, by the first wireless base station, the PAL and GAA spectrum identified as available for use by the first wireless base station into the plurality of PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The communications method of claim 7, wherein each spectrum bandwidth part of the plurality of PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts identifies a contiguous set of resource blocks. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The communications method of claim 1, wherein said user equipment capability information includes: user equipment device power requirement information for the first user equipment device, dominant traffic type consumed information for the first user equipment device, user equipment device throughput capability information for the first user equipment device, and user equipment device latency requirements information for the first user equipment device; and wherein said determining, by the first wireless base station, which spectrum bandwidth parts of a plurality of PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts corresponding to the identified PAL spectrum and GAA spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station to allocate to the first user equipment device based on the received user equipment capability information includes: using said user equipment device power requirement information for the first user equipment device, said dominant traffic type consumed information for the first user equipment device, said user equipment device throughput capability information for the first user equipment device, and said user equipment device latency requirements information for the first user equipment device in determining which spectrum bandwidth parts of the plurality of PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts corresponding to the identified PAL spectrum and GAA spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station to allocate to the first user equipment device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The communications method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) network; and wherein the first wireless base station is a Citizens Broadband Radio Service Device (CBSD). ### Claim 11 A communication system comprising: a first wireless base station including: memory, and a processor that controls the first wireless base station to perform the following operations: receiving, at the first wireless base station from a Spectrum Access System, first spectrum availability information identifying Priority Access License (PAL) spectrum and General Availability Access (GAA) spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station; receiving user equipment capability information at the first wireless base station from a first user equipment device; determining, by the first wireless base station, which spectrum bandwidth parts of a plurality of PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts corresponding to the identified PAL spectrum and GAA spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station to allocate to the first user equipment device based on the received user equipment capability information; and wherein the first wireless base station and the first user equipment device are part of a wireless network which supports bandwidth parts. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The communications system of claim 11, wherein said processor further controls the first wireless base station to perform the following additional operation: communicating, by the first wireless base station, a first spectrum allocation grant to the first user equipment device identifying the determined allocated spectrum bandwidth parts for use by the first user equipment device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The communications system of claim 12, wherein determining, by the first wireless base station, which spectrum bandwidth parts of the plurality of PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts corresponding to the identified PAL spectrum and GAA spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station to allocate to the first user equipment device is further based on a quality score of the PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The communications system of claim 13, wherein said processor further controls the first wireless base station to perform the following additional operation: generating, by the first wireless base station, the quality score of the PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts based on a bandwidth part's spectrum type, number of user equipment devices allocated to the bandwidth part by the first wireless base station, and spectrum interference information for the bandwidth part spectrum. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The communications system of claim 14, wherein said processor further controls the first wireless base station to perform the following additional operation: receiving, at the first wireless base station, spectrum interference information for the spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The communications system of claim 11, wherein the first spectrum availability information identifying the PAL spectrum and GAA spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station includes: information identifying the PAL spectrum bandwidth parts and the GAA spectrum bandwidth parts available for use by the first wireless base station. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The communications system of claim 11, wherein said processor further controls the first wireless base station to perform the following additional operation: dividing, by the first wireless base station, the PAL and GAA spectrum identified as available for use by the first wireless base station into the plurality of PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The communications system of claim 17, wherein each spectrum bandwidth part of the plurality of PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts identifies a contiguous set of resource blocks. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The communications system of claim 11, wherein the wireless network is a Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) network; and wherein the first wireless base station is a Citizens Broadband Radio Service Device (CBSD). ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer readable medium including a first set of computer executable instructions which when executed by a processor of a first wireless base station cause the first wireless base station to perform the steps of: receiving, at the first wireless base station from a Spectrum Access System, first spectrum availability information identifying Priority Access License (PAL) spectrum and General Availability Access (GAA) spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station; receiving user equipment capability information at the first wireless base station from a first user equipment device; determining, by the first wireless base station, which spectrum bandwidth parts of a plurality of PAL and GAA spectrum bandwidth parts corresponding to the identified PAL spectrum and GAA spectrum available for use by the first wireless base station to allocate to the first user equipment device based on the received user equipment capability information; and wherein the first wireless base station and the first user equipment device are part of a wireless network which supports bandwidth parts.