Background
[002] As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. Information handling systems generally process, compile, store, and/or interact with information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because of the different technical and information processing needs and requirements between different users or applications, information handling systems also vary with respect to the information being processed, how the information is processed, how much information is processed, saved, or interacted with, and how quickly and efficiently the information should be processed, saved, or interacted with. The diversification of information handling systems allows for the information handling systems to be configured as general purpose or as specific users or for specific uses such as financial transactions, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, an information handling system may include various hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and interact with information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage devices, and networking devices.
[003] An information handling system is used in a network communication environment. The broadband network communications market continues to grow beyond expectations and is expected to reach 5 million users in 2005. High speed internet access has prompted the development of new applications and new usage patterns for traditional and non-traditional services and applications, particularly in the ongoing digital home, enterprise, and small and medium company (SMB) networking environments. One example of this is a new class of multimedia devices, supporting High Definition Television (HDTV) and high speed internet access.
[004] Currently, there are a variety of router-based products and wireless gateway products that can be used to form a bridge between high-speed broadband access networks (e.g., wired, DSL) and local wired and 802.11Wi-Fi networks in homes and other places. The technology of these products is specific to the access method used, the embedded controller, the Network Address Translation (NAT), the security and the routing software. There are many methods and apparatuses available for connecting high-speed devices to a wired network environment by using an ethernet-based protocol and a coaxial cable (cabling) system. However, many challenges are faced when using the wireless medium to provide roaming and location independent placement of multimedia and other digital home devices such as memory, displays, and I/O peripherals in the same structure.
[005] In modern wireless communication environments, there are various types of peripherals and devices that may be wirelessly connected to each other and to networks within the environment and communicate on unlicensed exempt (escape) RF frequencies. Included among the various wireless technologies that coexist in the same wireless communication environment are those that involve networks implemented as part of Wireless Wide Area Networks (WWANs), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WMANs), and Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs). There are other wireless devices (e.g., cordless phones, microwave ovens, military radar, etc.) that use non-network wireless technology to transmit or receive information within range of network-related devices and peripherals. The possible operating frequencies of these different network and non-network related technologies often overlap within the available unlicensed Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum, which creates interference potentials (potentials) between devices. Meanwhile, many wireless devices, such as cordless phones, WLANs, WPANs, etc., are added and deployed in the unlicensed spectrum. Since the unlicensed wireless RF spectrum is irregular and not protected by regulations, the probability of encountering interference problems is higher.
[006] Examples of particular networks involving wireless technologies that utilize, at least in part, the unlicensed RF spectrum include, but are not limited to, WLAN technologies such as 802.11 Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz), WPAN-based technologies such as Bluetooth (2.4GHz) and UWB (3.1-10.6GHz), WWAN-based technologies such as GSM/EDGE, HSDPA, W-CDMA, CDMA-2000(800MHz-900MHz, 1800MHz-1900MHz, and 2.1 GHz); WMAN-based technologies such as 802.16WiMax (2GHz-11GHz), and the like.
[007] In an attempt to address potential interference between 802.11a wlan network communications and other devices (e.g., other wifi wlan access point segments, and devices originally used such as military radar systems or satellite devices), the ieee802.1h + d standard was developed to implement Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) and Transmit Power Control (TPC). Other devices using the same RF channel are detected and DFS is used by the wireless network access point to switch the RF channel of the current WLAN operation to another RF channel to avoid interference. The TPC adjusts the RF transmit power to reduce interference to other devices and is used by the wireless network access point to manage power consumption and/or control the range between the access point and the wireless device.
Disclosure of Invention
[008] Systems and methods disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for managing the RF spectrum (e.g., RF spectrum allocation, RF transmission power, etc.) used by two or more network computing wireless technologies operating in the same wireless communication environment (e.g., operating in the same physical location, etc.). In summary, the disclosed apparatus and methods may be used to intelligently monitor usage characteristics of a given RF spectrum of a given wireless communication environment (e.g., identify RF channels used and unused within the RF spectrum, at least one network operating in the RF spectrum compute transmission power characteristics of a wireless technology, the presence of non-network or interfering signals in the RF spectrum, etc.), and to dynamically adjust the given RF spectrum usage by computing wireless technologies by two or more co-existing networks communicating in the given wireless communication environment, adjusting the RF channel transmission power level of at least one of the two or more co-existing network computing wireless technologies based at least in part on the detected usage characteristics (e.g., adjusting the location of the RF spectrum between the two or more co-existing network computing wireless technologies, adjusting the RF channel transmission power level of at least one of the two or more co-existing network computing wireless technologies, etc.). In summary, the disclosed systems and methods may advantageously enable spectrum management for a wide variety of networked computing wireless technologies, as they may be deployed to facilitate network communications for a wide variety of network types, such as WWAN, WLAN, WMAN, WPAN, and so forth. The disclosed systems and methods may also be advantageously implemented for local spectrum management, i.e., spectrum management at a device site.
[009] The disclosed systems and methods may be implemented in one embodiment using a method and structural model to advantageously facilitate the sharing of data and multimedia content across heterogeneous wireless platform information handling systems operating in a common wireless communication environment (e.g., a home or office computing wireless communication environment) when other competing and interfering RF noise sources are present. For example, such structural models and methods can be implemented to provide guaranteed delivery of time-sensitive multimedia content and best-effort data access between terminal stations and base stations and corresponding information handling systems operating within a common wireless communication environment. The end station information processing system may be any of a wide variety of information processing systems suitable for use as a network computing end station, such as a multimedia PC, an intelligent HDTV subsystem, a multimedia adapter, and the like. The base station information processing system can be any of a wide variety of information processing systems suitable for use as a network computing base station, such as a wireless router, a wireless access point, a "smart switch" with multiple wireless technologies, a wireless set-top box, a wireless digital device (e.g., a wireless home gaming console), and so forth.
[0010] In a wireless communication environment, the disclosed systems and methods advantageously leverage one or more aspects of existing frequency selection approaches to manage spectrum allocation for a given wireless technology when using a given RF spectrum allocation for network computing communications. For example, in one example embodiment, the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented to manage RF spectrum allocation for 80211WiFi networks and ultra-wideband (UWB) communications in a specified wireless communication environment. In such example embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented to advantageously utilize one or more aspects of the ieee802.11h and/or 802.11d standards for spectrum management and/or channel reuse, thus leveraging high speed 802.11WiFi with its inherent 802.11h + d characteristics and UVB to facilitate the partitioning of the available spectrum, e.g., into the following two usage modes: 1) IEEE802.11a/b/g/n is used for high-speed WLAN data transmission; and 2) UWB is used for point-to-point indoor high-speed multimedia links. Accordingly, the disclosed apparatus and methods may be implemented to facilitate intelligent partitioning of wireless usage patterns for different application types according to a plurality of wireless transmission methods.
[011] In one embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods, a method of wireless communication spectrum management may be implemented as: 1) determining and negotiating wireless spectrum usage; 2) changing the wireless power and channel allocation (e.g., using 802.11h + d); and 3) using appropriate wireless transmissions to change applications according to one or more application characteristics such as priority, latency and bandwidth requirements. For example, the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented as one example embodiment to provide a wireless communication spectrum management architecture including an antenna array configured to detect spectrum that may be used to simultaneously operate two or more different wireless technologies (e.g., 802.11 and UWB technologies). With a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna structure, the construction is implemented to negotiate an available wireless spectrum and a pre-specified specific spectrum (frame) mask (mask) according to usage patterns and applications. In embodiments configured to manage spectrum allocation for 802.11 and UWB technologies, the fabric may utilize the 802.11abgn standard to provide wireless transmission operation over 2.4 and 5GHz licensed exempt bands for data access. An intelligent wireless switch may be implemented, for example, in a wireless network access point that utilizes 802.11h + d to support DFS and TPC as provided in the 802.11abgn standard to map out and manage the spectrum usage of two competing 802.11 and UWB wireless technologies while ensuring coexistence among multiple transmitters and receivers.
[0012] By utilizing existing supporting dynamic frequency allocation and power spectral density provided by the 802.11h + d standard, the disclosed system and method may be implemented in one embodiment to provide scalable wireless intelligent RF spectrum management, e.g., intelligent radio switching features, for WLAN operation in multiple regulatory-constrained domains, and for providing intelligent radio activity in avoiding radar and transmit power control. Thus, the features of the 802.11WLAN standard can be advantageously leveraged in conjunction with frequency overlap in UWB to provide intelligent reuse and management of the RF spectrum. In this regard, UWB with its inherent quality of service (QoS) support, combined with its low power and noise thresholds, makes it a typical wireless transmission latency sensitive multimedia content, especially over relatively short distances from about 1 to 5 meters (e.g., in a room).
[0013] In one example embodiment, the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented to facilitate remote multimedia platforms distributed around a personal room to share multimedia content from a base station entity, or similar broadband terminating platforms. Intelligent reuse of the shared spectrum by both wireless technology architectures advantageously ensures dual operation and delivery of time sensitive high bandwidth content over short distances, and also ensures the availability of reliable WLAN networks, which is required for high speed internet sharing in both fixed and mobile modes.
[0014] In one aspect, disclosed herein is a wireless network access point comprising an information handling system configured to manage RF spectrum usage by two or more network computing wireless technologies operating in the same wireless communication environment.
[0015] In another aspect, disclosed herein is an information handling system configured as a wireless network access point, the information handling system comprising a first wireless network technology communication component configured to communicate using a first network technology wireless technology; a second wireless network technology communication component configured to communicate using a second network computer wireless technology; and an RF spectrum controller coupled to control operation of the first and second wireless network technology communication components.
[0016] In another aspect, disclosed herein is an RF spectrum management method that includes using an information handling system configured as a wireless network access point to manage RF spectrum used by one or more network computing wireless technologies operating in the same wireless communication environment.
Detailed Description
[0021] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless communication environment 100 in which the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented according to an example embodiment to manage the use of unlicensed RF spectrum (e.g., RF spectrum allocation, RF transmission power, etc.). As shown, the wireless communication environment 100 includes an information handling system 102, a network computing access point device configured as a smart switch coupled to communicate with an external network in the form of the internet 120 (e.g., via a broadband connection such as DSL, satellite, or cable modem) and with a plurality of example network computing client wireless devices 104, 106, 108, 110, and 112 that are devices encountered by a user of a specified wireless network at a particular physical location (e.g., home, office, etc.). In this regard, it is to be appreciated that wireless network access points (such as access point 102) can be configured in accordance with the disclosed systems and methods to couple to one or more external networks (which may or may not include the Internet), or alternatively, not couple to such external networks (i.e., one access point can be configured to operate in a standalone mode). While the embodiments are described with respect to the management of unlicensed RF spectrum usage, it is to be understood that the disclosed systems and methods may also be implemented to manage licensed RF spectrum usage.
[0022] As shown in the example embodiment of fig. 1, access point 102 is configured to communicate with and manage inter-device communications between client wireless devices via UWB and WiFi wireless technologies, such as, for example, communications between client wireless devices 104 and 106, such as shown in fig. 1, and/or communications between any of the other devices 104, 106, 108, 110, and 112 of fig. 1. In this way, communications between individual client wireless devices are routed through access point 102 via appropriate wireless and processing components. Specifically, the access point 102 includes a UWB communications component 150, the UWB communications component 150 communicating with the multimedia Personal Computer (PC)104 and the multimedia and data PC106 via UWB wireless technology. Access point 102 also includes WiFi communication component 140, WiFi communication component 140 communicating with multimedia and data PC106, printer 108, data PC110, and Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)112 via 802.11WiFi wireless technology. As shown, access point 102 also includes a wireless environment monitor in the form of an antenna array that includes antenna elements 130a-130n that monitor RF characteristics of wireless communication environment 100 (e.g., the presence and strength of RF signals, the presence and strength of RF interference, etc.). It should be appreciated that the wireless environment monitor may take the form of any other monitoring structure described elsewhere herein or a device adapted to monitor a wireless communication environment.
[0023] It will be appreciated that the embodiment shown in fig. 1 is merely exemplary and that the features of the intelligent switch may be implemented in other embodiments to communicate with the illustrated type of client wireless device and/or other types of client wireless devices using the illustrated type of wireless technology and/or any other type of wireless technology suitable for network communications. It is further understood that the features of the intelligent switch may be implemented using a wireless component configured to communicate with the client wireless devices in a specified wireless communication environment using a combination of any two or more different types of wireless technologies (e.g., three or more different types of wireless technologies, four or more different types of wireless technologies, etc.).
[0024] Shown in fig. 1 are RF devices 114 and 116, which represent non-network related sources of RF energy, within the range of the wireless devices of fig. 1 operating in the network computing environment 100. These RF devices/sources may include, for example, microwave ovens 116 and commercial or military radars 114 that have operating frequencies that overlap with the UWB and WiFi RF spectra used by the wireless network devices of fig. 1, creating interference potentials for these wireless network devices. The RF emissions of such devices are generally uncontrollable from a network computing environment perspective. It is to be appreciated that devices 114 and 116 are only examples and that any one or more of these or other types of non-network related sources of RF energy (e.g., other interfering broadband communication technologies) may be present in all or part of the wireless networked communication environment shown in fig. 1.
[0025] As will be further described herein, one or more wireless network access points (e.g., access point 102) may be configured in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed apparatus and methods to manage RF spectrum usage by two or more wireless communication technologies (e.g., UWB and WiFi) and associated wireless client devices (e.g., wireless client devices 104, 106, 108, 110, and 112) operating in the same wireless communication environment (e.g., wireless communication environment 100). As such, the wireless network access point may be configured to control the communication channel used by one or more connected wireless client devices to communicate, e.g., to implement local dynamic spectrum allocation by dynamically initiating communication channel changes in such a way that one or more connected wireless client devices follow the channel changes.
[0026] Fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an example implementation of access point 102 of fig. 1. As illustrated, access point 102 includes a UWB communications component 150, which in this embodiment includes UWB wireless (e.g., transceiver) circuitry 202 coupled between a UWB antenna 250 and UWB network software stack processing circuitry 204. Access point 102 also includes WiFi communication component 140, which in this embodiment includes WiFi radio (e.g., transceiver) circuitry 206, coupled between WiFi antenna 240 and WiFi network software stack processing circuitry 208. As shown, UWB wireless circuitry 202 communicates with WiFi wireless circuitry 206 via hardware communication path 210, for example, for purposes of exchanging RF spectrum planning information. To exchange RF information and usage/application information, UWB software stack 204 communicates with WiFi software stack 208 via software communication path 212. In the illustrated embodiment, UWB communications component 150 communicates with UWB client wireless devices using UWB antenna 250, and WiFi communications component 140 communicates with WiFi client wireless devices using WiFi antenna 240. As shown, access point 102, which is present in the illustrated example embodiment, is an optional external network interface 220 that may be present to interact with external network communications (e.g., such as the Internet 120 or other wired Ethernet device or network, etc.) between an external network (e.g., the Internet 120) and each of UWB communications component 150 and WiFi communications component 140 via signal paths 222 and 224.
[0027] As shown in fig. 2, access point 102 also includes an RF spectrum controller 216 for controlling the operation of each of UWB communications component 150 and WiFi communications component 140, e.g., controlling RF channel selection and controlling RF transmission strength, among other things. In this embodiment, the RF-spectrum controller 216 is also illustrated as being coupled to the antenna array elements 130a-130n through receiver circuitry 218. As will be further described, the RF spectrum controller 216 may be coupled via control paths 219 and 217 to control the associated communication components 150 and 140 based at least in part on characteristics of the surrounding wireless communication environment monitored by the antenna array elements 130. Alternatively or additionally, the RF spectrum controller 216 may control operation of the associated communication components 150 and 140 based at least in part on characteristics of the surrounding wireless communication environment monitored by the antenna array elements 240 and 250. As shown, an optional user interface 230 may be provided to allow a user to communicate with the RF spectrum monitor 216. Alternatively or additionally, the RF spectrum controller may be configured to communicate with the user or users in any other suitable manner, for example, via an external network and/or a UWB or WiFi network.
[0028] It will be appreciated that the processing logic of each of the UWB network software stack 204, WiFi network software stack 208, external network interface 220, and RF spectrum controller 216 may be implemented using any suitable configuration of one or more microprocessors and any suitable associated components, such as memory, storage, and the like. The processing logic of each of the UWB network software stack 204, WiFi network software stack 208, external network interface 220, and RF spectrum controller 216 may also be implemented on separate microprocessors, and/or any other two or more other processing logic entities that may be implemented on a general purpose microprocessor. For example, although illustrated in fig. 2 as a separate processing component, it is to be understood that the functionality of the spectrum controller 216 may be implemented as part of the UWB communications component 150 or the WiFi communications component 140. In such alternative embodiments, a selected one of the UWB communications component 150 or the WiFi communications component 140 may be configured to operate as a master device (master) that controls the operation of the other communications components, for example, via the hardware communications path 210 and/or the software communications path 212.
[0029] Fig. 3 illustrates an RF spectrum management method 300 as it may be implemented in accordance with an example embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods, e.g., using access point 102 of wireless communication environment 100. The example method 300 begins at step 302, where operational parameters are configured by a user, for example, by interacting information from the user to the spectrum controller 216 of the access point 102 using the user interface 230. The operational parameters may include information relating to one or more inherent characteristics of the designated network computing wireless network communication environment, information relating to the identity or other characteristics of wireless devices that are encountered in the network computing wireless network communication environment, wireless network operational protocol information, and the like. For example, at step 302, a user may specify a country of current operation and a list of UWB and WiFi wireless clients that are to be encountered in a network computing wireless network communication environment.
[0030] Based on the information provided at step 302, one or more allowed RF frequency ranges in which wireless network communications operate may be determined at step 304. For example, the allowable one or more allowed (legal) frequency ranges may be determined from regulatory data for the currently specified designated countries that operate wireless technologies (e.g., UWB and WiFi). In the fig. 2 embodiment, such rule-limited information may be contained in memory (e.g., firmware) accessed by spectrum controller 216 of access point 102. The range of allowable frequencies may also be determined based on other information, such as a user specified particular frequency capacity of the wireless client device, a particular user specified limit on frequency range, a specified wireless networking protocol (e.g., 802.11h 802.11d), combinations thereof, and the like.
[0031] The current network computing wireless network communication environment is optionally monitored for radar signals, interference signals, or other non-network signals that may be present, as shown in step 306. As such, it is understood that the method 300 is described herein with respect to monitoring radar signals, but similar methods may be implemented to monitor other types of signals and combinations of signals (e.g., signals generated by other sources of RF interference present in the local spectrum used by wireless communication technologies incorporated at a given access point configured as a multi-wireless technology smart switch in the manner described herein). In any case, monitoring of the wireless communication environment, external and/or internal to a wireless network access point or other information handling system device in which the spectrum controller is deployed, may be performed using any suitable RF detection device or combination of RF detection devices, such as, for example, antenna unit 130 of FIG. 2 that feeds received RF signal information to spectrum controller 216 through receiver circuitry 218.
[0032] In monitoring a current network computing wireless network communication environment for non-network signals, such as radar, one or more policies may be implemented to manage spectrum allocation for wireless communication technologies based on the presence and identification of detected non-network signals, using attributes such as signal strength, frequency band, power level, signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), and the like. These policies may be standard policies (e.g., the 802.11h rule implemented in the presence of an interfering signal such as a radar signal, a satellite signal, or another overlapping signal near a WLAN, or another wireless network operating in a next-door office or home), or may be customized policies (e.g., customized policies designed to optimize wireless network communications by avoiding frequencies on which non-network interfering signals are detected to be operating). Referring back to step 306 of fig. 3, if a radar signal (e.g., military radar, commercial radar, airborne radar, etc.) is detected, action is taken at step 308 to eliminate interference with the radar, by commanding wireless client devices of the affected wireless communication technology to avoid or move from those channels that would interfere with the detected radar signal, for example, by changing to an alternate network communication frequency that is not plagued by interference, or by blocking all network communications if no such alternate frequency is available. In an example embodiment, frequency controller 216 of access point 102 may implement step 308 by using a messaging protocol to command UWB and/or WiFi wireless client devices to move to a channel that does not interfere with detected radar signals. A similar method may be implemented to command the wireless client to move to a UWB and/or WiFi channel that appears not to interfere with the detected non-network interfering signal (e.g., a signal such as from a microwave oven, etc.).
[0033] In addition to allocating the RF spectrum of wireless network communications to avoid interference with non-network signals detected in a given network computing wireless network communication environment, it will be appreciated that other features of wireless network communications may additionally or alternatively be managed, for example, at step 308 and/or other steps of fig. 3. In this way, policies may be implemented to adjust the RF transmission power levels of wireless client devices to minimize interference potential to other separate wireless communication systems (e.g., WLANs, etc.) that may be detected or suspected of operating nearby. In this way, standardized policies (e.g., 802.11h) and/or customized policies may be implemented to perform this function.
[0034] At step 312, channels may be allocated among a plurality of wireless technologies supported by a wireless network access point or other information handling system device configured with a spectrum controller, for example using spectrum allocation policies such as those described herein and below. The wireless client device is instructed at step 314 which channel/channels are blocked for use by the specified wireless technology and which channels are utilized according to the channel allocation of step 312. In one embodiment, such instructions may be executed using known UWB and/or WiFi technology (e.g., 802.11h, 802.d, etc.), or using any other protocol suitable for communicating channel change instructions to wireless client devices. The wireless client device then changes channels at step 316 in accordance with the instructions of step 314. As illustrated by loop 320 of fig. 3, monitoring of the wireless environment continues so that channels may be reallocated as necessary to accommodate changes in wireless network conditions.
[0035] Referring to step 312, interference between network devices (e.g., wireless client devices) communicating using these techniques may be minimized or substantially eliminated, for example, based on one or more predetermined/default policies or one or more user-specified policies. For example, fig. 4 illustrates an example embodiment of a spectrum management method that may be utilized in step 312. Thus, FIG. 4 illustrates the wireless technology over which the wireless network access point 102 of FIG. 1 and associated wireless client devices operate, including the available UWB spectrum range 402 (in this example, the available range of 2.1-10.7 GHz) and the available 802.11WiFi WLAN frequency range 404 (i.e., the available range of 2.4-2.4835 GHz) and 406 (i.e., the available range of 4.9-5.9 GHz). In the embodiment shown in fig. 4, WiFi channels around operating ranges 408 and 410 are currently being used by portions of the wireless client devices of fig. 1 for wireless communications. It is to be understood that the spectral ranges of fig. 4 are merely examples, and that the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented with other spectral ranges. Thus, the spectral range may change with changes in the rules over time, with changes in the environment subject to the rules (e.g., in different countries of the world), and so forth. For example, current FCC regulations specify the UWB spectrum range from 3.1-10.6GHz, although there are recommendations in other countries for low power UWB operation at frequencies below 3.1GHz and above 10.6 GHz.
[0036] Still referring to the example embodiment of fig. 4, the spectrum allocation policy is set to allocate RF spectrum between wideband (e.g., UWB) and narrowband (e.g., WiFi) wireless technologies according to the RF channels 408 and 410 selected for use by the narrowband (e.g., WiFi) wireless technologies. As such, UWB channels 420 and 422 corresponding to the frequencies of the corresponding in-use WiFi channels 408 and 410 have been blocked or otherwise disallowed for use by UWB wireless technology, as indicated by the "X" in FIG. 4. In this way, all other channels of the UWB spectrum 402 are available for use unless blocked or otherwise not allowed for use for another reason. Such spectrum allocation policies are desirable, for example, because the available UWB spectrum range 402 is much wider than the available narrowband WiFi spectrum ranges 404 or 406, which means that it is easier to find an alternate UWB channel than to find an alternate WiFi channel when it is necessary to avoid channels overlapping each other between the two technologies. However, it will be appreciated that any other policy suitable for reducing or substantially eliminating overlap between two or more wireless technologies may be used, including allocating RF spectrum between wideband (e.g., UWB) and narrowband (e.g., WiFi) wireless technologies, the allocation being in accordance with RF channels selected for use by the wideband wireless technology rather than the narrowband wireless technology. Spectrum allocation policies may alternatively and additionally be implemented to select an appropriate wireless technology (e.g., UWB versus WiFi) based at least in part on application-specific parameters executing on the network device and communicated in the wireless environment, e.g., to select an appropriate wireless communication technology to meet priority, latency, and/or bandwidth requirements of a particular application.
[0037] Fig. 4 also illustrates UWB channel 430 and WiFi channel 432 that may optionally be blocked for other reasons, for example, to avoid interference from non-network sources or to prevent interference with radar signals detected at step 306. As described above, the wireless client device may be instructed at step 314 from the channel assignment of step 312 which channel/channels (e.g., channel 432) are blocked for use by the WiFi wireless technology and which channel/channels (e.g., channels 420, 422, and 430) are blocked for use by the UWB wireless technology. The wireless client device is also instructed which reserved available channel/channels to use for each WiFi and UWB communication (e.g., so that all UWB wireless client devices communicate on the same selected UWB frequency and so that all WiFi wireless client devices communicate on the same selected WiFi frequency) at step 314. In one embodiment, instructions may be communicated from a spectrum controller of an information processing system (e.g., wireless network access point 102) to wireless client devices using well-known protocols for UWB and/or WiFi technology (e.g., 802.11h, 802.11d, etc.), or using other suitable protocols suitable for communicating channel change instructions to wireless client devices. The wireless client device may then change channels at step 316 in accordance with the instructions of step 314.
[0038] It is to be appreciated that the method 300 of fig. 3 is merely an example, that a combination of more or fewer steps may be utilized, and/or that the illustrated steps may be performed in any other order, suitable for implementing one or more spectrum management features of the disclosed systems and methods, as described herein or elsewhere. It is further understood that the wireless technology spectrum embodiment illustrated and described with respect to fig. 4 is merely exemplary and that the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented to manage multiple wireless technology spectrums for multiple networked wireless technologies, as they may be implemented to facilitate network computing wireless communications for any wireless computing network type and combination thereof, including but not limited to WWANs, WLANs, WMANs, and the like. Specific examples include, but are not limited to, WLAN-based technologies such as 802.11WiFi (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz), WPAN-based technologies such as Bluetooth (2.4GHz) and UWB (3.1-10.6 GHz); WWAN-based technologies such as GSM/EDGE, HSDPA, W-CDMA, CDMA-2000 (800-1900 MHz, 1800-1900MHz, and 2.1 GHz); WMAN-based technologies such as 802.16WiMax (2-11GHz), and the like.
[0039] For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system includes any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, entertainment, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a PDA, a consumer electronic device, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. An information handling system may include memory, one or more processing resources such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or hardware or software control logic. Other components of the information handling system may include one or more storage devices, one or more communication ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.
[0040] While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims. Moreover, the different aspects of the disclosed apparatus and methods may be used in various combinations and/or alone. The invention is thus not limited to the combinations shown here but may include other combinations.