Abstract: The invention comprises a method and a corresponding apparatus (53). A candidate set of sensors that are available to participate in an occasion of cooperative spectrum sensing is obtained. For each sensor in the candidate set, its radial distance to a central coordinating node in a communication system is also obtained (73). A sequence of minimum radii is produced (75,79). For each minimum radius in the sequence, an accommodation number is determined (75,87). The accommodation number associated with a minimum radius is the greatest number of sensors that can be placed on circle having this radius without a probability that all these sensors are mutually uncorrelated falling below a design probability threshold. Sensors from the candidate set are then selectively added (91,95) to an active set of sensors based on the minimum radii, the corresponding accommodation numbers and the obtained radial distances.

Abstract: This document discloses solutions for using a mix of reference signal types in a wireless communications network, e.g., a first type and a second type, in making positioning-related measurements. In one example, a UE uses a “mix” of CRS and PRS. As an example case, a UE receives PRS and, possibly, CRS from one or more cells, while it receives only CRS from one or more other cells. In this case, the UE determines, e.g., received signal timing values for CRS as received from some cells, on a per-cell basis, and for PRS as received from other cells, on a per-cell basis. The UE can measure and report on per-signal/per-cell basis and can perform calculations involving a mix of timing measurements made for both CRS and PRS. In a further aspect, reference signal transmissions are controlled or coordinated on a per-port basis in cells that use multiple antenna ports for transmitting within each such cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solution for wireless communication and in particular for facilitating connection to a radio access network. This is provided in a number of aspects such as method, devices, and system. The solution comprises using a local short range communication connection between two user equipments, UEs, (101, 102) for assisting each other in connecting to a radio access network, RAN (103). One UE is often an always on UE and one is often a sporadic use UE. The always on UE has normally an active connection with the RAN and has knowledge about valid radio access technologies, RAT. The sporadic use UE may connect with the always on UE with a trusted connection and negotiate for information about available RATs and use this information for faster connection with the RAN. The two UEs may together scan for available RATs by dividing frequency bands and each searching different parts and thus reducing the scan process and reducing resource use.

Abstract: Mobility-based radio resource assignment methods, systems and devices can assign user equipment to different nonoverlapping groups of radio resources depending on mobility of the user equipment. The groups of radio resources are nonoverlapping in time, frequency and/or code. For example, the groups of radio resources can include different pilot symbol densities, link adaptation and/or scheduling algorithms. The radio resources may be Long Term Evolution (LTE) radio resources.

Abstract: A local radio access information transmitter for use in a communications area serviced by multiple different radio access technologies (RATs) allocated to different radio resources in different locations in the communications area. Each RAT is associated with one or more RAT radio transceivers for serving user equipments (UEs) at least in some portion of the communications area using one of the multiple RATs. The local radio access information transmitter is in addition to the RAT radio transceivers and located near an associated hotspot service area at least partly inside the communications area.

Abstract: The technology described in this application provides a wide-area radio access information transmission scheme where the wide-area radio access information transmitter shares its radio resources with local radio access information transmitters. The radio resources may be divided for example in one or more of the time, frequency, space, and/or code domains. The wide-area radio access information transmitter sets aside and does not use some portions or “chunks” of its radio resources and allocates those unused portions or chunks for use by local radio access information transmitters to transmit local radio access information signals. In one non-limiting example embodiment, the radio resources include time slots, and during those time slots allocated to the local radio access information transmitters, the wide-area radio access information transmitter does not transmit, and thus, is quiet.

Abstract: According to aspects of the invention, a radio signal that constitutes a secondary use is provided with a predefined identifier (11) that identifies the radio signal as a secondary use. The identifier (11) can be any suitable signal characteristic that somehow can be detected by a suitable radio receiver. The identifier (11) enables identification of an origin of the radio signal. That is, whether it originates from a primary user or a secondary user. It therefore becomes possible to give all secondary users a more equal status, facilitating resource sharing. A transmitter is provided with an identifier inserter (25) for providing the identifier (11) in a transmitted radio signal. In a corresponding manner, a receiver is provided with identifier detector (29) for detecting a presence of the identifier in a received signal.

Abstract: In a radio system where wireless nodes are in contact, the wireless nodes are enabled to exchange information, with adjacent nodes. In addition distant nodes out of range for direct communication can in accordance with one embodiment be communicated with by forwarding data over multiple hops. The wireless nodes are adapted to perform sensing of at least one radio resource in response to a request from a node. Based on the collective information from at least one other wireless nodes a wireless node can make an improved decision if a particular radio resource is free to use or not.

Abstract: In a radio system where wireless nodes are in contact, the wireless nodes are enabled to exchange information with adjacent nodes. In addition, distant nodes out of range for direct communication can be communicated with by forwarding data over multiple hops. The wireless nodes are configured to perform sensing of at least one radio resource. A node can be adapted to combine the sensing measurement data into a sensing result, such as an estimate of the probability of whether the resource is free or not. The sensing performed in a node is distributed to at least one other wireless node. Each wireless node can, therefore, access sensing information from at least one other wireless node located in the vicinity of the wireless node. Based on the collective information from at least one other node, a wireless node can make an improved decision if a particular radio resource is free to use or not.

Abstract: In a radio system where wireless nodes are in contact, the wireless nodes are enabled to exchange information with adjacent nodes. In addition, in one embodiment distant nodes out of range for direct communication can be communicated with by forwarding data over multiple hops. When a user, in particular a primary user, is detected by a node, a spectrum access blocking message is sent, to other nodes in the vicinity of the node thereby enabling blocking of the radio resource in a geographical area in which the other usage is detected. This means that the radio resource is blocked in that area from being accessed by other users than the primary user. The blocking message can be distributed in any suitable manner and can be tailored for the application at hand.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a secondary user enabling secondary usage of radio resources owned by a primary party. The present invention also relates to a primary party and a broker. The secondary user is adapted to obtain radio resource allocation information transmitted from the primary party. It is further adapted to identify radio resources available for secondary usage based upon the radio resource allocation information. It is finally adapted to engage in communication over at least part of the radio resources identified as available for secondary usage.

Abstract: The technology disclosed provides the ability for a subframe to be configured as a “flexible” subframe. As a result, at least three different types of subframes in a TDD system may be configured: a downlink (“DL”) subframe, an uplink (“UL”) subframe, and a “flexible” subframe. While the DL and UL subframes are preconfigured for each frame instance, the flexible subframes are dynamically allocated to be an uplink subframe in one instance of a frame and a downlink subframe in another instance of the frame.

Abstract: The invention presents methods and corresponding device relating to cooperative spectrum sensing. First a candidate set of sensors that can participate in an occasion of cooperative spectrum sensing is obtained. A cost formula for calculating a cost associated with using sensors from the candidate set in the cooperative spectrum sensing is then defined (75; 107, 97). The candidate set is partitioned (29; 14, 145) into an active set and a passive set. The active set contains any sensor (s) from the candidate that is to participate in the cooperative spectrum sensing. The passive set includes any sensor (s) that is not to participate in the cooperative spectrum sensing. The partitioning of the candidate set is done by applying an optimization procedure (79, 81, 83; 111, 113, 115) which performs a constrained optimization of the cost in accordance with the defined cost formula.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and a corresponding apparatus (53). A candidate set of sensors that are available to participate in an occasion of cooperative spectrum sensing is obtained. For each sensor in the candidate set, its radial distance to a central coordinating node in a communication system is also obtained (73). A sequence of minimum radii is produced (75,79). For each minimum radius in the sequence, an accommodation number is determined (75,87). The accommodation number associated with a minimum radius is the greatest number of sensors that can be placed on circle having this radius without a probability that all these sensors are mutually uncorrelated falling below a design probability threshold. Sensors from the candidate set are then selectively added (91,95) to an active set of sensors based on the minimum radii, the corresponding accommodation numbers and the obtained radial distances.

Abstract: The invention presents methods and corresponding devices for improving cooperative spectrum initiating sensing. A device (61;61.1) first receives an invitation (17;35) to participate in cooperative spectrum sensing. The device performs an autonomous decision (19) on whether or not to participate in the cooperative spectrum sensing in response to the invitation. If it is determined to participate in the cooperative spectrum sensing to which the invitation relates, spectrum sensing is then performed (21;45). With the invention, sensor selection becomes “distributed”, i.e. it is up to the device itself to decide on participation in the cooperative sensing, rather than having, for example, a central entity determining what devices should act as sensors in the cooperative spectrum sensing. One advantage is that the amount of signalling required for sensor selection can be kept at a minimum, thereby saving communication resources.