Method and access point for allocating whitespace spectrum

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for allocating a whitespace spectrum associated with a plurality of access points. The method includes reporting a signal strength associated with each of a plurality of other access points to a central controller. The method includes aggregating a plurality of demands to produce an aggregate demand. Each of the plurality of demands is associated with one of a plurality of users. The method includes reporting the aggregated demand to the central controller. The method includes associating one of the plurality of users with the access point based on a user setting or associating one of the plurality of users based on an allocation by the central controller. The allocation from the central controller is based on the signal strength and the aggregated demand. The allocation indicates a frequency band from the set of frequency bands to be allocated by the access point to the user.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.