Apparatus and methods of whitespace communication

At least one processor configured to provide communication services, comprising:

• a first module for receiving, at a first base station and on a licensed frequency, a communication request for network access from a wireless access terminal;
• a second module for determining at least one available unlicensed frequency corresponding to a location of the wireless access terminal;
• a third module for partitioning at least a portion of the network access for the wireless access terminal to be via the at least one available unlicensed frequency;
• and
• a fourth module for informing the wireless access terminal of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use to obtain at least the portion of the network access.

A computer program product configured to provide communication services, comprising:

• a computer readable medium, comprising:
• at least one instruction operable to cause a computer to receive, at a first base station and on a licensed frequency, a communication request for network access from a wireless access terminal;
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to determine at least one available unlicensed frequency corresponding to a location of the wireless access terminal;
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to partition at least a portion of the network access for the wireless access terminal to be via the at least one available unlicensed frequency;
• and
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to inform the wireless access terminal of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use to obtain at least the portion of the network access.

An apparatus for providing communication services, comprising:

• means for receiving, at a first base station and on a licensed frequency, a communication request for network access from a wireless access terminal ;
• means for determining at least one available unlicensed frequency corresponding to a location of the wireless access terminal;
• means for partitioning at least a portion of the network access for the wireless access terminal to be via the at least one available unlicensed frequency;
• and
• means for informing the wireless access terminal of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use to obtain at least the portion of the network access.

A base station, comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive, on a licensed frequency, a communication request for network access from a wireless access terminal;
• determine at least one available unlicensed frequency corresponding to a location of the wireless access terminal;
• partition at least a portion of the network access for the wireless access terminal to be via the at least one available unlicensed frequency;
• and
• inform the wireless access terminal of the at least one available unlicensed frequency for use to obtain at least the portion of the network access.

A method of performing a handoff of a communication call, comprising:

• receiving notification, at a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, of a need to perform a handoff of a communication call of a wireless access terminal, wherein the communication call is on a first unlicensed frequency and is serviced by a second base station;
• obtaining a location of the wireless access terminal;
• identifying any base station operating in an unlicensed frequency spectrum and having a service area corresponding to the location of the wireless access terminal;
• and
• providing to the wireless access terminal identification information for a target base station for use in handing off the communication call based on the identifying.

At least one processor configured to perform a handoff of a communication call, comprising:

• a first module for receiving notification, at a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, of a need to perform a handoff of a communication call of a wireless access terminal, wherein the communication call is on a first unlicensed frequency and is serviced by a second base station;
• a second module for obtaining a location of the wireless access terminal;
• a third module for identifying any base station operating in an unlicensed frequency spectrum and having a service area corresponding to the location of the wireless access terminal;
• and
• a fourth module for providing to the wireless access terminal an identification information for a target base station for use in handing off the communication call based on the identifying.

A computer program product configured to perform a handoff of a communication call, comprising:

• a computer-readable medium, comprising:
• at least one instruction operable to cause a computer to receive notification, at a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, of a need to perform a handoff of a communication call of a wireless access terminal, wherein the communication call is on a first unlicensed frequency and is serviced by a second base station;
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to obtain a location of the wireless access terminal;
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to identify any base station operating in an unlicensed frequency spectrum and having a service area corresponding to the location of the wireless access terminal;
• and
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to provide to the wireless access terminal identification information for a target base station for use in handing off the communication call based on the identifying.

An apparatus configured for performing a handoff of a communication call, comprising:

• means for receiving notification, at a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, of a need to perform a handoff of a communication call of a wireless access terminal, wherein the communication call is on a first unlicensed frequency and is serviced by a second base station;
• means for obtaining a location of the wireless access terminal;
• means for identifying any base station operating in an unlicensed frequency spectrum and having a service area corresponding to the location of the wireless access terminal;
• and
• means for providing to the wireless access terminal identification information for a target base station for use in handing off the communication call based on the identifying.

A base station, comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive notification, at a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, of a need to perform a handoff of a communication call of a wireless access terminal, wherein the communication call is on a first unlicensed frequency and is serviced by a second base station;
• obtain a location of the wireless access terminal;
• identify any base station operating in an unlicensed frequency spectrum and having a service area corresponding to the location of the wireless access terminal;
• and
• provide to the wireless access terminal identification information for a target base station for use in handing off the communication call based on the identifying.

A method of obtaining whitespace information, comprising:

• caching a first version of the whitespace information at a first network infrastructure device located at a first infrastructure hierarchical level;
• receiving an invalidation message corresponding to the first version of the whitespace information;
• invalidating the first version of the cached whitespace information based on the invalidation message;
• obtaining an updated, second version of the whitespace information at the network infrastructure device, wherein the obtaining is based on an infrastructure update protocol;
• and
• informing a second infrastructure device located at a second infrastructure hierarchical level, according to the infrastructure update protocol, of the updated, second version of the whitespace information.

At least one processor configured for obtaining whitespace information, comprising:

• a first module for caching a first version of the whitespace information at a first network infrastructure device located at a first infrastructure hierarchical level;
• a second module for receiving an invalidation message corresponding to the first version of the whitespace information;
• a third module for invalidating the first version of the cached whitespace information based on the invalidation message;
• a fourth module for obtaining an updated, second version of the whitespace information at the network infrastructure device, wherein the obtaining is based on an infrastructure update protocol;
• and
• a fifth module for informing a second infrastructure device located at a second infrastructure hierarchical level, according to the infrastructure update protocol, of the updated, second version of the whitespace information.

A computer program product configured for obtaining whitespace information, comprising:

• a computer-readable medium, comprising:
• at least one instruction operable to cause a computer to cache a first version of the whitespace information at a first network infrastructure device located at a first infrastructure hierarchical level;
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to receive an invalidation message corresponding to the first version of the whitespace information;
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to invalidate the first version of the cached whitespace information based on the invalidation message;
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to obtain an updated, second version of the whitespace information at the network infrastructure device, wherein the obtaining is based on an infrastructure update protocol;
• and
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to inform a second infrastructure device located at a second infrastructure hierarchical level, according to the infrastructure update protocol, of the updated, second version of the whitespace information.

An apparatus for obtaining whitespace information, comprising:

• means for caching a first version of the whitespace information at a first network infrastructure device located at a first infrastructure hierarchical level;
• means for receiving an invalidation message corresponding to the first version of the whitespace information;
• means for invalidating the first version of the cached whitespace information based on the invalidation message;
• means for obtaining an updated, second version of the whitespace information at the network infrastructure device, wherein the obtaining is based on an infrastructure update protocol;
• and
• means for informing a second infrastructure device located at a second infrastructure hierarchical level, according to the infrastructure update protocol, of the updated, second version of the whitespace information.

A computer device, comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• cache a first version of the whitespace information at a first network infrastructure device located at a first infrastructure hierarchical level;
• receive an invalidation message corresponding to the first version of the whitespace information;
• invalidate the first version of the cached whitespace information based on the invalidation message;
• obtain an updated, second version of the whitespace information at the network infrastructure device, wherein the obtaining is based on an infrastructure update protocol;
• and
• inform a second infrastructure device located at a second infrastructure hierarchical level, according to the infrastructure update protocol, of the updated, second version of the whitespace information.

A method of peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, comprising:

• receiving, at a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, a communication request for a communication session in an unlicensed frequency spectrum, wherein the communication request corresponds to a first wireless communication device having first location information and wherein the communication request identifies a second wireless communication device having second location information as a destination for the communication session;
• transmitting one or more available unlicensed frequencies corresponding to the first location information and the second location information;
• receiving an interference level for each of the available unlicensed frequencies;
• and identifying one or more available unlicensed frequencies based on the determined interference level of each of the available unlicensed frequencies for establishing a peer-to-peer (P2P) communication.

At least one processor configured for peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, comprising:

• a first module for receiving, at a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, a communication request for a communication session in an unlicensed frequency spectrum, wherein the communication request corresponds to a first wireless communication device having first location information and wherein the communication request identifies a second wireless communication device having second location information as a destination for the communication session;
• a second module for transmitting one or more available unlicensed frequencies corresponding to the first location information and the second location information;
• a third module for receiving an interference level for each of the available unlicensed frequencies;
• and
• a fourth module for identifying one of the one or more available unlicensed frequencies based on the determined interference level of each of the available unlicensed frequencies for establishing a peer-to-peer (P2P) communication.

A computer program product configured for peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, comprising:

• a computer-readable medium, comprising:
• at least one instruction operable to cause a computer to receive, at a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, a communication request for a communication session in an unlicensed frequency spectrum, wherein the communication request corresponds to a first wireless communication device having first location information and wherein the communication request identifies a second wireless communication device having second location information as a destination for the communication session;
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to transmit one or more available unlicensed frequencies corresponding to the first location information and the second location information;
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to receive an interference level for each of the available unlicensed frequencies;
• and
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to identify one of the one or more available unlicensed frequencies based on the determined interference level of each of the available unlicensed frequencies for establishing a peer-to-peer (P2P) communication.

An apparatus for peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, comprising:

• means for receiving, to a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, a communication request for a communication session in an unlicensed frequency spectrum, wherein the communication request corresponds to a first wireless communication device having first location information and wherein the communication request identifies a second wireless communication device having second location information as a destination for the communication session;
• means for transmitting one or more available unlicensed frequencies corresponding to the first location information and the second location information;
• means for receiving an interference level for each of the available unlicensed frequencies;
• and
• means for identifying one of the one or more available unlicensed frequencies based on the determined interference level of each of the available unlicensed frequencies for establishing a peer-to-peer (P2P) communication.

A base station, comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive, at a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, a communication request for a communication session in an unlicensed frequency spectrum, wherein the communication request corresponds to a first wireless communication device having first location information and wherein the communication request identifies a second wireless communication device having second location information as a destination for the communication session;
• transmit one or more available unlicensed frequencies corresponding to the first location information and the second location information;
• receive an interference level for each of the available unlicensed frequencies;
• and
• identify one of the one or more available unlicensed frequencies based on the determined interference level of each of the available unlicensed frequencies for establishing a peer-to-peer (P2P) communication.

A method of receiving venue-specific information, comprising:

• obtaining, at an access terminal and from a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, broadcast channel information for a second base station operating in an unlicensed spectrum;
• tuning to the broadcast channel of the second base station based on the broadcast channel information;
• receiving a venue-specific message on the broadcast channel;
• and
• storing or presenting the venue-specific message.

At least one processor for receiving venue-specific information, comprising:

• a first module for obtaining, at an access terminal and from a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, broadcast channel information for a second base station operating in an unlicensed spectrum;
• a second module for tuning to the broadcast channel of the second base station based on the broadcast channel information;
• a third module for receiving a venue-specific message on the broadcast channel;
• and
• a fourth module for storing or presenting the venue-specific message.

A computer program product for receiving venue-specific information, comprising:

• a computer-readable medium, comprising:
• at least one instruction operable to cause a computer to obtain, from a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, broadcast channel information for a second base station operating in an unlicensed spectrum;
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to tune to the broadcast channel of the second base station based on the broadcast channel information;
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to receive a venue-specific message on the broadcast channel;
• and
• at least one instruction operable to cause the computer to store or present the venue-specific message.

An apparatus for receiving venue-specific information, comprising:

• means for obtaining, at an access terminal and from a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, broadcast channel information for a second base station operating in an unlicensed spectrum;
• means for tuning to the broadcast channel of the second base station based on the broadcast channel information;
• means for receiving a venue-specific message on the broadcast channel;
• and
• means for storing or presenting the venue-specific message.

An access terminal, comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• obtain, from a first base station operating on a licensed frequency, broadcast channel information for a second base station operating in an unlicensed spectrum;
• tune to the broadcast channel of the second base station based on the broadcast channel information;
• receive a venue-specific message on the broadcast channel;
• and
• store or present the venue-specific message.