Adjusting coverage area of a radio using shared spectrum to reduce interference to other users of the shared spectrum

A method, comprising:

• receiving a request from a radio to utilize spectrum shared with at least one higher priority user, where the at least one higher priority user has priority to receive in the shared spectrum over the requesting radio to transmit in the shared spectrum;
• identifying at least one higher priority user having a region of interest within which the requesting radio is located;
• determining a first aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level at each identified higher priority user, wherein the first aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level comprises a sum of interference power, or power spectral density, levels at a corresponding identified higher priority user from the requesting radio and any other radio authorized to transmit in the shared spectrum within the region of interest of the corresponding identified higher priority user;
• determining if the first aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level, at any identified higher priority user, exceeds a corresponding interference threshold level;
• upon determining that the first aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level at any identified higher priority user exceeds the corresponding interference threshold level, then seeking a value of at least one adjustable antenna parameter of the requesting radio so that a reduced coverage area of the requesting radio includes at least one of:
• (a) a number of user equipment configured to communicate with the radio that is greater than a user equipment threshold level, and (b) at least one specific area, while a corresponding other aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level, at any identified higher priority user, does not exceed the corresponding interference threshold level, wherein the corresponding other aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level comprises a sum of interference power, or power spectral density, levels at a corresponding identified higher priority user from the requesting radio and any other radio authorized to transmit in the shared spectrum and within the region of interest of the corresponding identified higher priority user, and wherein a coverage area is an electromagnetic radiation pattern of the requesting radio which has a power, or power spectral density, level at or above a level that is a minimum detectable level of a receiver of an user equipment;
• and
• upon finding a sought value of the at least one adjustable antenna parameter of the requesting radio, then transmitting to the requesting radio an authorization to transmit in the shared spectrum and the found sought value of the at least one adjusted adjustable antenna parameter.

A spectrum access system, comprising:

• processing circuitry configured to:
• receive a request from a radio to utilize spectrum shared with at least one higher priority user, where the at least one higher priority user has priority to receive in the shared spectrum over the requesting radio to transmit in the shared spectrum;
• identify at least one higher priority user having a region of interest within which the requesting radio is located;
• determine a first aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level at each identified higher priority user, wherein the first aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level comprises a sum of interference power, or power spectral density, levels at a corresponding identified higher priority user from the requesting radio and any other radio authorized to transmit in the shared spectrum within the region of interest of the corresponding identified higher priority user;
• determine if the first aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level, at any identified higher priority user, exceeds a corresponding interference threshold level;
• upon determining that the first aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level at any identified higher priority user exceeds the corresponding interference threshold level, then seek a value of at least one adjustable antenna parameter of the requesting radio so that a reduced coverage area of the requesting radio includes at least one of:
• (a) a number of user equipment configured to communicate with the radio that is greater than a user equipment threshold level, and (b) at least one specific area, while a corresponding other aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level, at any identified higher priority user, does not exceed the corresponding interference threshold level, wherein the corresponding other aggregate interference power, or power spectral density, level comprises a sum of interference power, or power spectral density, levels at a corresponding identified higher priority user from the requesting radio and any other radio authorized to transmit in the shared spectrum and within the region of interest of the corresponding identified higher priority user, and wherein a coverage area is an electromagnetic radiation pattern of the requesting radio which has a power, or power spectral density, level at or above a level that is a minimum detectable level of a receiver of an user equipment;
• and
• upon finding a sought value of the at least one adjustable antenna parameter of the requesting radio, then transmit to the requesting radio an authorization to transmit in the shared spectrum and the found sought value of at least adjustable antenna parameter.