WO2012073059A1

WO2012073059A1 - Methods, apparatuses and computer program products for using downlink and uplink over separate radio channels or different operators

Info

Publication number: WO2012073059A1
Application number: PCT/IB2010/003068
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ari Hottinen; Mikko Aleksi Uusitalo; Jaakko Tapani Peltonen; Joni Kristian Pajarinen
Original assignee: Nokia Corporation .; Nokia, Inc.
Priority date: 2010-11-30
Filing date: 2010-11-30
Publication date: 2012-06-07

Abstract

An apparatus for enabling usage of different resources of different network operators in different duplex directions is provided. The apparatus may include a processor and a memory storing executable computer program code that causes the apparatus to at least perform operations including determining analyzing data related to at least one attribute of the apparatus and information received from at least one network device. The computer program code may cause the apparatus to enable utilization of at least one first resource of a network operator to facilitate communications in a first direction. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to enable utilization of at least one second resource of a different network operator to facilitate communications in a different direction. Corresponding computer program products and methods are also provided.

Description

METHODS, APPARATUSES AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR USING DOWNLINK AND UPLINK OVER SEPARATE RADIO CHANNELS OR DIFFERENT OPERATORS

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

An example embodiment of the invention relates generally to cognitive radio and, more particularly, relate to a method, apparatus and computer program product for utilizing different resources of one or more different operators in different duplex directions.

BACKGROUND

The modern communications era has brought about a tremendous expansion of wireline and wireless networks. Computer networks, television networks, and telephony networks are experiencing an unprecedented

technological expansion, fueled by consumer demand. Wireless and mobile networking technologies have addressed related consumer demands, while providing more flexibility and immediacy of information transfer.

Current and future networking technologies continue to facilitate ease of information transfer and convenience to users. Due to the now ubiquitous nature of electronic communication devices, people of all ages and education levels are utilizing electronic devices to communicate with other individuals or contacts, receive services and/or share information, media and other content. One area in which there is a demand to increase ease of information transfer relates to telecommunication industry service providers developing improvements to cognitive radio networks. At present, cognitive radio networks may be utilized to enable efficient communication between network operators and mobile devices. For instance, cognitive radio networks may actively monitor attributes in the radio environment such as, for example, frequency spectrum, user device behavior and network state to optimize functionality of the network.

Cognitive radio networks may also enable flexible use of different spectra. For instance, cognitive radio networks may enable detection of unused spectrum and sharing of the spectrum in a network and may facilitate the use of spectrum in a dynamic manner by allowing mobile devices to operate in a best available frequency band while maintaining seamless communication during the transition to the best available frequency. By enabling flexible use of different spectra, cognitive radio networks may enable dynamic optimization of connectivity in a network. Although current cognitive radio networks provide a manner in which to optimize connectivity in a network it may be beneficial to provide a manner in which to enhance the flexibility in the cognitive radio network for present and future wireless connectivity by providing additional degrees of freedom.

In this regard, it may beneficial to provide a mechanism in which to enable a cognitive radio network to utilize different resources of different network operators in different duplex directions to further optimize the efficiency, flexibility and connectivity of a communications network.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A method, apparatus and computer program product are therefore provided that enable usage of different resources of different network operators in different duplex directions. For example, an example embodiment may provide a mechanism in which a communication device may use resources of different network operators and/or different systems in different duplex directions for communication of data. In this regard, an example embodiment may enable separate optimization of uplink and downlink in wireless communication with both uplink and downlink utilizing different radio channels or different frequencies. In this regard, at least two channels may use different operators and/or different radio access technologies (e.g., cellular, WLAN, etc.).

Additionally, an example embodiment may enable utilization of the same technology in both uplink and downlink which may be provided by different network operators. An example embodiment may also predict the quality associated with one or more channels and/or one or more network operators. The quality may, but need not, be determined based on capacity, costs, reliability, bandwidth, delay, etc.

By utilizing an example embodiment, uplink and downlink may have different requirements based on the needs of a communication device of a user. Additionally, optimization with respect to using different radio access

technologies, different network operators or different resources (e.g., links, channels, frequencies, etc.) of the network operators may result in a better user experience in terms of enhanced speed, costs, quality and reliability. In one example embodiment, a method for enabling usage of different resources of different network operators in different duplex directions is provided. The method may include analyzing data related to at least one attribute of a device and information received from at least one network device. The method may further include enabling utilization of at least one first resource of a first network operator to facilitate communications in a first direction and enabling utilization of at least one second resource of a different network operator to facilitate communications in a different direction.

In another example embodiment, an apparatus for enabling usage of different resources of different network operators in different duplex directions is provided. The apparatus may include a processor and a memory including computer program code. The memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform operations including analyzing data related to at least one attribute of a device and information received from at least one network device. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to enable utilization of at least one first resource of a first network operator to facilitate communications in a first direction and enable utilization of at least one second resource of a different network operator to facilitate communications in a different direction.

In another example embodiment, a computer program product for enabling usage of different resources of different network operators in different duplex directions is provided. The computer program product includes at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein. The computer-executable program code instructions may include program code instructions configured to analyze data related to at least one attribute of a device and information received from at least one network device. The computer program product may further include program code instructions configured to enable utilization of at least one first resource of a first network operator to facilitate communications in a first direction and enable utilization of at least one second resource of a different network operator to facilitate communications in a different direction. Embodiments of the invention take advantage of the flexibility of cognitn _ radio networks for connectivity. In this manner, an example embodiment may optimize the connectivity of a device which may enable cost efficiencies as well as enhanced speed and quality. As such, mobile terminal users may enjoy improved mobile device functionality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a system according to an example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus according to an example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is schematic diagram of a system for exchanging data between base stations according to an example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a system for enabling usage of different resources of different network operators in different duplex directions according to an example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the benefits of channel switching across multiple operators according to an example embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a flowchart according to an example method for enabling usage of different resources of different network operators in different duplex directions according to an example embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Some embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, various embodiments of the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the terms "data," "content," "information" and similar terms may be used interchangeably to refer to data capable of being transmitted, received and/or stored in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Moreover, the term "exemplary", as used herein, is not provided to convey any qualitative assessment, but instead merely to convey an illustration of an example. Thus, use of any such terms should not be taken to limit the spirit and scope of embodiments of the present invention.

Additionally, as used herein, the term 'circuitry' refers to (a) hardware-only circuit implementations (e.g., implementations in analog circuitry and/or digital circuitry); (b) combinations of circuits and computer program product(s) comprising software and/or firmware instructions stored on one or more computer readable memories that work together to cause an apparatus to perform one or more functions described herein; and (c) circuits, such as, for example, a microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that require software or firmware for operation even if the software or firmware is not physically present. This definition of 'circuitry' applies to all uses of this term herein, including in any claims. As a further example, as used herein, the term 'circuitry' also includes an implementation comprising one or more processors and/or portion(s) thereof and accompanying software and/or firmware. As another example, the term 'circuitry' as used herein also includes, for example, a baseband integrated circuit or applications processor integrated circuit for a mobile phone or a similar integrated circuit in a server, a cellular network device, other network device, and/or other computing device.

As defined herein a "computer-readable storage medium," which refers to a non-transitory, physical or tangible storage medium (e.g., volatile or non-volatile memory device), may be differentiated from a "computer-readable transmission medium," which refers to an electromagnetic signal.

FIG. 1 illustrates a generic system diagram in which a device such as a mobile terminal 10 is shown in an example communication environment. As shown in FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a system in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention may include a first communication device (e.g., mobile terminal 10) and a second communication device 20 capable of

communication with each other via a network 30. In some cases, an embodiment of the present invention may further include one or more additional communication devices, one of which is depicted in FIG. 1 as a third communication device 25. In one embodiment, not all systems that employ an embodiment of the present invention may comprise all the devices illustrated and/or described herein. While an embodiment of the mobile terminal 10 and/or second and third communication devices 20 and 25 may be illustrated and hereinafter described for purposes of example, other types of terminals, such as portable digital assistants (PDAs), pagers, mobile televisions, mobile telephones, gaming devices, laptop computers, cameras, video recorders, audio/video players, radios, global positioning system (GPS) devices, Bluetooth headsets, Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices or any combination of the aforementioned, and other types of voice and text

communications systems, can readily employ an embodiment of the present invention. Furthermore, devices that are not mobile, such as servers and personal computers may also readily employ an embodiment of the present invention.

The network 30 may include a collection of various different nodes (of which the second and third communication devices 20 and 25 may be examples), devices or functions that may be in communication with each other via

corresponding wired and/or wireless interfaces. As such, the illustration of FIG. 1 should be understood to be an example of a broad view of certain elements of the system and not an all inclusive or detailed view of the system or the network 30. Although not necessary, in one embodiment, the network 30 may be capable of supporting communication in accordance with any one or more of a number of First-Generation (1G), Second-Generation (2G), 2.5G, Third-Generation (3G), 3.5G, 3.9G, Fourth-Generation (4G) mobile communication protocols, Long Term Evolution (LTE) or Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E- UTRAN), Self Optimizing/Organizing Network (SON) intra-LTE, inter-Radio Access Technology (RAT) Network and/or the like. In one embodiment, the network 30 may be a point-to-point (P2P) network.

One or more communication terminals such as the mobile terminal 10 and the second and third communication devices 20 and 25 may be in communication with each other via the network 30 and each may include an antenna or antennas for transmitting signals to and for receiving signals from one or more base sites. The base sites could be, for example one or more base stations (BS) (which in E- UTRAN are referred to as node-Bs) that is a part of one or more cellular or mobile networks or an access point that may be coupled to a data network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), and/or a Wide Area Network (WAN), such as the Internet. In turn, other devices such as processing elements (e.g., personal computers, server computers or the like) may be coupled to the mobile terminal 10 and the second and third communication devices 20 and 25 via the network 30. By directly or indirectly connecting the mobile terminal 10 and the second and third

communication devices 20 and 25 (and/or other devices) to the network 30, the mobile terminal 10 and the second and third communication devices 20 and 25 may be enabled to communicate with the other devices or each other. For example, the mobile terminal 10 and the second and third communication devices 20 and 25 as well as other devices may communicate according to numerous communication protocols including Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and/or the like, to thereby carry out various communication or other functions of the mobile terminal 10 and the second and third communication devices 20 and 25, respectively.

Furthermore, although not shown in FIG. 1 , the mobile terminal 10 and the second and third communication devices 20 and 25 may communicate in accordance with, for example, radio frequency (RF), near field communication (NFC), Bluetooth (BT), Infrared (IR) or any of a number of different wireline or wireless communication techniques, including Local Area Network (LAN), Wireless LAN (WLAN), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Ultra- Wide Band (UWB), Wibree techniques and/or the like. As such, the mobile terminal 10 and the second and third communication devices 20 and 25 may be enabled to communicate with the network 30 and each other by any of numerous different access mechanisms. For example, mobile access mechanisms such as Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), CDMA2000, Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and/or the like may be supported as well as wireless access mechanisms such as WLAN, WiMAX, and/or the like and fixed access mechanisms such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable modems, Ethernet and/or the like.

In an example embodiment, the first communication device (e.g., the mobile terminal 10) may be a mobile communication device such as, for example, a wireless telephone or other devices such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile computing device, camera, video recorder, audio/video player, positioning device, game device, television device, radio device, or various other like devices or combinations thereof. The second communication device 20 and the third communication device 25 may be mobile or fixed communication devices.

However, in one example, the second communication device 20 and the third communication device 25 may be servers, remote computers or terminals such as personal computers (PCs) or laptop computers.

In an example embodiment, the network 30 may be an ad hoc or distributed network arranged to be a smart space. Thus, devices may enter and/or leave the network 30 and the devices of the network 30 may be capable of adjusting operations based on the entrance and/or exit of other devices to account for the addition or subtraction of respective devices or nodes and their corresponding capabilities.

In an example embodiment, the mobile terminal as well as the second and third communication devices 20 and 25 may employ an apparatus (e.g., apparatus of FIG. 2) capable of employing an embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an apparatus that may benefit from an

embodiment of the invention is provided. The apparatus 50 may include or otherwise be in communication with a processor 77, a user interface 67, one or more speakers 87, a communication interface 74, a memory device 76 (also referred to herein as memory), and a display 85.

The memory device 76 may include, for example, volatile and/or non- volatile memory. The memory device 76 may be configured to store information, data, applications, instructions or the like for enabling the apparatus to carry out various functions in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention. The memory device 76 could be configured to buffer input data for processing by the processor 77. Additionally or alternatively, the memory device 76 could be configured to store instructions for execution by the processor 77. As yet another alternative, the memory device 76 may be, or may include, one of a plurality of databases that store information and/or media content.

The apparatus 50 may, in one embodiment, be a mobile terminal (e.g., mobile terminal 10) or a fixed communication device or computing device configured to employ an example embodiment of the invention. However, in one embodiment, the apparatus 50 may be embodied as a chip or chip set. In other words, the apparatus 50 may comprise one or more physical packages (e.g., chips) including materials, components and/or wires on a structural assembly (e.g., a baseboard). The structural assembly may provide physical strength, conservation of size, and/or limitation of electrical interaction for component circuitry include thereon. The apparatus 50 may therefore, in some cases, be configured to implement an embodiment of the invention on a single chip or as a single "system on a chip." As such, in some cases, a chip or chipset may constitute means for performing one or more operations for providing the functionalities described herein. Additionally or alternatively, the chip or chipset may constitute means for enabling user interface navigation with respect to the functionalities and/or services described herein.

The processor 77 may be embodied in a number of different ways. For example, the processor 77 may be embodied as various processing means such as a processing element, a coprocessor, a controller or various other processing devices including integrated circuits such as, for example, an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), an FPGA (field programmable gate array), a hardware accelerator, or the like. In an example embodiment, the processor 77 may be configured to execute instructions as well as algorithms stored in the memory device 76 or otherwise accessible to the processor 77. As such, whether configured by hardware or software methods, or by a combination thereof, the processor 77 may represent an entity (e.g., physically embodied in circuitry) capable of performing operations according to an embodiment of the present invention while configured accordingly. Thus, for example, when the processor 77 is embodied as an ASIC, FPGA or the like, the processor 77 may be specifically configured hardware for conducting the operations described herein. Alternatively, as another example, when the processor 77 is embodied as an executor of software instructions, the instructions may specifically configure the processor 77, which may otherwise be general purpose processing elements or other functionally configurable circuitry if not for the specific configuration provided by the instructions, to perform the algorithms and operations described herein. However, in some cases, the processor 77 may be a processor of a specific device (e.g., a mobile terminal or user equipment (UE)) adapted for employing embodiments of the invention by further configuration of the processor 77 by instructions for performing the algorithms and operations described herein.

In an example embodiment, the processor 77 may be configured to operate a connectivity program, such as a conventional Web browser. The connectivity program may then enable the apparatus 50 to transmit and receive Web content, such as location-based content, according to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), for example. The processor 77 may also be in communication with the display 85 and may instruct the display to illustrate any suitable information, data, content or the like.

Meanwhile, the communication interface 74 may be any means such as a device or circuitry embodied in either hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software that is configured to receive and/or transmit data from/to a network and/or any other device, module or other user(s) 71 in communication with the apparatus 50. In this regard, the communication interface 74 may include, for example, an antenna (or multiple antennas) and supporting hardware and/or software for enabling communications with a wireless communication network (e.g., network 30). In fixed environments, the communication interface 74 may alternatively or also support wired communication. The communication interface 74 may receive and/or transmit data via one or more communication channels. Additionally, in one embodiment the communication interface 74 may include a communication modem and/or hardware/software for supporting communication via cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), universal serial bus (USB), Ethernet or other mechanisms.

The user interface 67 may be in communication with the processor 77 to receive an indication of a user input at the user interface 67 and/or to provide an audible, visual, mechanical or other output to the user. As such, the user interface 67 may include, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, pointing device (e.g., stylus, pen, etc.) a joystick, a display, a touch screen, a microphone, a speaker, or other input/output mechanisms. In an example embodiment in which the apparatus is embodied as a server or some other network devices, the user interface 67 may be limited, remotely located, or eliminated.

The processor 77 may comprise user interface circuitry configured to control at least some functions of one or more elements of the user interface. The processor and/or user interface circuitry of the processor may be configured to control one or more functions of one or more elements of the user interface through computer program instructions (e.g., software and/or firmware) stored on a memory accessible to the processor (e.g., volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and/or the like). Referring now to FIG. 3, a block diagram of a system according to an example embodiment is provided. The system of FIG. 3 may include a network such as a cognitive radio network. The cognitive radio network of FIG. 3 may be for example, an E-UTRAN which may include a plurality of base stations 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56 such as, for example, node-Bs. The node-Bs may be E-UTRAN node-Bs (also referred to herein as eNBs). As shown in FIG. 3, each of the eNBs 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56 may communicate with each other via a link such as, for example, an eNB to eNB interface such as, for example, an X2 interface. As referred to herein an X2 interface may be a physical and/or logical interface or link between eNBs to facilitate communications between the eNBs. Additionally or alternatively, each of the eNBs may communicate with each other via a link such as, for example, an S 1 interface in which each eNB may send a message to an evolved packet core (EPC) (e.g., EPC 78 of FIG. 4) which may include one or more mobility management entities (MMEs) (not shown) and one or more system architecture evolution (SAE) gateways (not shown). The EPC (also referred to herein as core network) may send the message to a corresponding eNB via an S 1 interface. The SI interface may be a physical and/or logical interface or link between eNBs and the EPC. In this regard, the eNBs and the EPC may

communicate via the SI interface.

In the example embodiment of FIG. 3, eNB 48 may be an origin eNB which may be currently providing service to user equipment (UE) (e.g., apparatus 50 (e.g., a mobile terminal)) or one or more UEs in a source cell. The eNBs 50, 52, 54 and 56 may be neighboring eNBs operating in respective neighboring cells. The eNBs 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56 may provide functionality hosting for such functions as dynamic allocation of resources in both uplink and downlink. In the example embodiment of FIG. 3, one or more of the eNBs may be maintained by different network operators or providers. For purposes of illustration and not of limitation, eNB 48 may be maintained by a network operator such as, for example, Operator A and eNB 50 and may be maintained by a network operator such as, for example, Operator B. Additionally, for example, eNB 52, eNB 54 and eNB 56 may be maintained by a network operator such as, for example, Operator C. In an example embodiment, the same eNB may also be shared by two or more different operators. The eNBs may be capable of supporting multiple different radio access technologies including, but not limited to cellular technologies, Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld (DVB-H) technologies, Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) technologies or any other suitable technologies. These multiple different technologies may be supported in uplink and/or downlink channels in the cognitive radio network of FIG. 3. The eNBs 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 and 58 may share different spectra, frequency, channels, radio access technologies or any other suitable resources with each other using uplink and downlink channels of different network operators.

For purposes of illustration and not of limitation, user equipment (UE)

(e.g., apparatus 50 (e.g., a mobile terminal)) may determine that the uplink resources of one network operator (e.g., Operator B) may be congested and as such the UE, which may be capable of communicating with the eNBs may keep the downlink resources intact as provided by a particular operator (e.g., Operator A) but may be allowed to utilize an uplink channel of another network operator (e.g., Operator B). It should be pointed out that the network operators of an example embodiment may negotiate with each other as to which network provider may provide particular services to the UE and the may negotiate as to which duplex links may be used for providing the service. In the example embodiment of FIG. 3, the network operators may negotiate with each other dynamically in real time via one or more of the eNBs 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 and 58 communicating across the X2 interface and/or S 1 interface.

The manner in which the eNBs 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 and 58 of different network operators may share different spectra, frequency, channels, radio access technologies or any other suitable resources with each other using uplink and downlink resources (e.g., links, channels, etc.) of the different network operators is described more fully below.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a schematic block diagram of a system for dynamically sharing different resources of different network operators to facilitate communications is provided. The system may include an E-UTRAN 76 which may include, among other things, a plurality of base stations such as, for example, node-Bs in communication with an evolved packet core (EPC) 78 which may include one or more mobility management entities (MMEs) (not shown) and one or more system architecture evolution (SAE) gateways (not shown). The base stations may be E-UTRAN node-Bs (e.g., eNBs such as originating eNB 72 and target eNB 73 and may also be in communication with the UE 70 and other UEs. The E-UTRAN 76 may be in communication with the EPC 78.

The eNBs 72 and 73 may be a part of one or more cellular or mobile networks each of which includes elements required to operate the network, such as a mobile switching center (MSC) 46. The mobile network may also be referred to as a Base Station/MSC/Interworking function (BMI). In operation, the MSC 46 may be capable of routing calls to and from the UE 70 when the UE 70 is making and receiving calls. The MSC 46 can also provide a connection to landline trunks when the UE 70 is involved in a call. In addition, the MSC 46 can be capable of controlling the forwarding of messages to and from the UE 70, and can also control the forwarding of messages for the UE 70 to and from a messaging center. It should be noted that although the MSC 46 is shown in the system of FIG. 4, the MSC 46 is merely an example network device and an embodiment of the invention is not limited to use in a network employing an MSC.

The MSC 46 can be coupled to a data network, such as a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), and/or a wide area network (WAN). The MSC 46 can be directly coupled to the data network. In one embodiment, however, the MSC 46 may be coupled to a gateway device (GTW) 48, and the GTW 48 may be coupled to a WAN, such as the Internet 50. In turn, devices such as processing elements (e.g., personal computers, server computers, access points (APs) 62, 64 or the like) can be coupled to the UE 70, and/or the eNBs 72, 73 via the Internet 50.

The eNB 72 may be provided and maintained by a network operator (also referred to herein as operator) such as, for example, Operator 1 and the eNB 73 may be provided and maintained by a different operator such as, for example, Operator 2.

The UE 70 may further be coupled to one or more wireless access points (AP) 62, 64. The APs 62, 64 may comprise access points configured to

communicate with the UE 70 in accordance with techniques such as, for example, radio frequency (RF), infrared (IrDA) or any of a number of different wireless network techniques, including wireless LAN (WLAN) techniques such as IEEE 802.1 1 (e.g., 802.1 1a, 802.1 1b, 802.1 lg, 802.1 1η, etc.), WiMAX techniques such as IEEE 802.16, Bluetooth (BT), ultra wideband (UWB) and/or the like. The APs 62, 64 may be coupled to the Internet 50. The APs 62, 64 can be directly couplec to the Internet 50. In one example embodiment, the APs 62, 64 may be indirectly coupled to the Internet 50 via gateway (GTW) 48. The APs 62, 64 may be provided or maintained by one or more different network operators such as network Operator 3 and network Operator 4, respectively. Additionally, each of the APs 62 and 64 may include a memory 23 and a processor 21 for enabling the APs 62 to perform the functions of the APs 62 and 64 as described herein. The memory may include computer code for execution by the processors 21.

The UE 70 may be an example of one embodiment of the apparatus 50 (e.g., mobile terminal 10) of FIG. 2. Additionally, the originating eNBs 72 may be exemplary of one embodiment of the eNB 48 and the target eNB 73 may be an example of one embodiment of the eNB 50 of FIG. 3. It should be noted that the system of FIG. 4, may be employed in connection with a variety of other devices, both mobile and fixed, and therefore, an embodiment of the invention should not be limited to application on devices that are mobile (e.g., a mobile terminal) or the eNBs of FIG. 3.

The eNBs 72 and 73 may provide E-UTRA user plane and control plane (radio resource control (RRC)) protocol terminations for the UE 70. The eNBs 72 and 73 may provide functionality hosting for such functions as radio resource management, radio bearer control, radio admission control, connection mobility control, dynamic allocation of resources to UEs in both uplink and downlink, selection of an MME at UE attachment, IP header compression and encryption, scheduling of paging and broadcast information, routing of data, measurement and measurement reporting for configuration mobility, and the like. The APs, 62, 64 may also enable dynamic allocation of resources to UEs in both uplink and downlink, as described more fully below. It should be pointed out that Operator 1 and Operator 2 maintaining eNBs 72 and 73, respectively may negotiate for the sharing of resources dynamically in real time via the X2 interface or the S 1 interface, as described more fully below. The Operators 3 and 4 maintaining APs 62, 64, respectively, may negotiate for the sharing of resources dynamically in real time with Operator 1 and/or Operator 2 via the APs communicating across the Internet 50, via GTW 48 and MSC 46. Operator 3 and Operator 4 may negotiate with each other for the sharing of resources dynamically in real time across GTW 48. During negotiation, operators may also ensure whether parameters associated with control signaling remains at a sufficiently reliable level and with acceptable latency since the parameters may affect a separate handoff decision for uplink and/or downlink.

The MME may host functions such as distribution of messages to respective node-Bs, security control, idle state mobility control, EPS (Evolved Packet System) bearer control, ciphering and integrity protection of (non access stratum) NAS signaling, and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the MME of the EPC 78 may receive one or more messages from respective eNBs (e.g., eNB 72) via an S 1 interface and may send or report the messages to corresponding eNBs (e.g., eNB 73) via the SI interface. In this regard, the MME may exchange messages and data between the eNBs 72, 73 via the S 1 interface. The SAE gateway may host functions such as termination and switching of certain packets for paging and support of UE mobility. In an exemplary embodiment, the EPC 78 may provide connection to a network such as the Internet.

As shown in FIG. 4, the eNBs 72 and 73 may each include a memory device 86. The memory device 86 may include, for example, volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. The memory device 86 may be configured to store information, data, applications, instructions or the like for enabling the eNBs 72 and 73 to carry out various functions in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention. The memory device 86 could be configured to buffer input data for processing by the optimization controllers 80 of the eNBs 72 and 73. Additionally or

alternatively, the memory device 86 could be configured to store instructions for execution by the optimization controllers 80 of the eNBs. As yet another alternative, the memory device 86 may be, or may include, one of a plurality of databases that store information and/or media content.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 4, the eNBs 72 and 73 may each include an optimizer controller 80 configured to execute functions associated with each corresponding eNB with respect to receiving information from and/or providing information to the UE 70 and/or other eNBs related to, for example,

communication format parameters (e.g., transmission format), attributes of the corresponding eNB and/or neighboring eNBs. As such, the optimizer controller 80 may be any means or device embodied in hardware, software or a combination of hardware and software that is configured to perform the functions of the optimizer controller 80, as described herein. In an exemplary embodiment, the optimizer controller 80 of each of the eNBs 72 and 73 may operate under the control of or otherwise be embodied as a processor or a processing element.

The UE 70 may include a processor 82 which may be configured to execute functions with respect to receiving information from and/or providing information to the eNBs 72 and/or 73 related to, for example, parameters and/or attributes the UE 70 and of the corresponding eNB and/or neighboring eNBs. In this regard, the processor 82 of the UE may analyze the parameters and attributes in determining whether to utilize different resources of different network operators in uplink and downlink channels to optimize connectivity and efficiency in the cognitive radio network of FIG. 4 As such, the processor 82 may be any means or device embodied in hardware, software or a combination of hardware and software that is configured to perform the functions of the processor 82 as described herein. In an example embodiment, the processor 82 may operate under the control of or otherwise be embodied as a processing element (e.g., the processor 77). A processing element such as those described above may be embodied in many ways. For example, the optimizer controllers 80 and/or the processor 82 may be embodied as a processor, a coprocessor, a controller or various other processing means or devices including integrated circuits such as, for example, an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) or a FPGA (field-programmable gate array). It should be noted that although FIG. 4 illustrates an optimizer controller as being disposed at each of the eNBs 72 and 73, the optimizer controller 80 could alternatively be disposed at another element of the E-UTRAN 76 or the EPC 78 (e.g., the SAE gateway, the MME, a RAN, etc.) that is accessible to the eNBs 72 and 73.

As described above, in an example embodiment, the optimization controller

80 of each of the eNBs 72 and 73 may be capable of communication with each other (e.g., via an eNB to eNB interface such as an X2 interface) and/or with the processor 82 (either directly or indirectly). Accordingly, the UE 70 may communicate with the optimization controllers of either or both of the originating eNB 72 and the target eNB 73 in connection with a potential handover of uplink and/or downlink channels utilized by the UE 70 from the source or originating eNB 72 to the target eNB 73, for example, when the UE 70 determines that a uplink channel of a source operator (e.g., Operator 1) maintaining the eNB 72 is congested such that the processor 82 of the UE 70 decides to allow the uplink channel to be handed off to another operator (e.g., Operator 2) with less congests while maintaining the downlink channel with the source operator (e.g., Operator 1).

In addition to the UE 70 making decisions as to whether different resources of different network operators should be shared, the eNB 72, eNB 73, AP 62 or AP 64 may also evaluate parameters and make decisions regarding whether different resources of different network operators should be shared.

Additionally, or alternatively, the originating eNB 72 and target eNB73 may perform an optimization in connection with a potential handover of one or more channels being utilized to communicate with the UE 70 from the originating eNB 72, to the target eNB 73, the AP 62 or the AP 64. Such a determination may be made by the devices evaluating attributes and parameters in the manner described more fully below. Although communications may be described below as occurring between the eNBs 72 and 73, the APs 62, 64 and the UE 70, it should be understood that communications related to connectivity optimizations as described herein may be assumed to occur via the optimization controller 80 of the eNBs, the processor 21 of the APs and the processor 82 of the UE 70, respectively.

It should be noted that the terms "originating" and "target" are merely used herein to refer to roles that any eNB may play at various different times in relation to being a source (e.g., originating) cell initially providing service to a UE or a neighboring or destination or (e.g., target) cell to which at least a portion of service is to be transferred to, for example, an uplink channel of the source cell maintained by one network operator being handed off to the neighboring or destination cell maintained by a different network operator while the source cell maintains the downlink channel with the source cell. Thus, the terms "originating" and "target" could be applicable to the same eNB at various different times and such terms are not meant to be limiting in any way.

As described above, one or more different operators may negotiate with each other as to which operator may provide service to the UE 70 and over which communication channels (e.g., uplink and downlink channels). In this regard, the processor 82 of the UE 70 and the network devices (e.g., eNB 72, eNB 73, AP 62, AP 64, etc.) of the operators may exchange parameters to determine the optimal connectivity for the UE 70. In one embodiment, the UE 70 may be predefined to exchange information with the network devices of operators for determining optimal connectivity. In another example embodiment, a user may select a settin₀ via the UE 70 to exchange information with the network devices of operators to allow at least one network device to determine the optimal connectivity for the UE 70.

For purposes of illustration and not of limitation, the UE 70 may evaluate data indicating that in an instance in which the UE 70 switches from Operator 1 to Operator 2 only half of its transmit power would be required and as such the UE 70 would only cause half of the interference to the network. Additionally, the eNBs (e.g., eNBs 72, 73) and access points (e.g., APs 62, 64) may also provide some information to the UE 70 indicating data specifying the congestion in different channels, different types of traffic being used in the channels provided by the operators, etc.

By utilizing this data associated with resources (e.g., transmit power) of the UE 70 and the data that it receives from eNBs, access points or the like of operators, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may determine the best options for utilizing uplink and downlink channels. For instance, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may determine that an uplink channel is to be handed off or switched to

Operator 3 providing a WLAN service while the downlink channel may remain with Operator 1 providing a cellular service.

It should also be pointed out that the operators (e.g., via eNBs and APs) may make bids to the UE 70 for the processor 82 of the UE 70 to consider or a user of the UE 70 to consider in deciding whether to utilize a service and switch from a current network operator to a different network operator. For purposes of illustration and not of limitation, an eNB 73 of an Operator 2 may send data to the UE 70 indicating that if the UE 70 switches its service of the current operator (e.g., Operator 1 ) on a downlink channel to the new operator, the UE 70 will have better reception. The processor of the UE 70 may evaluate this information in deciding whether to accept the operator's proposal. For instance, if the processor 82 of the UE 70 determines that it needs better reception quality the UE 70 may switch its downlink channel to the new operator, which is Operator 2 in this example.

As described above, in alternative embodiment, the UE 70 may notify the network devices of the operators to make the decision for the UE 70 regarding the best way to optimize connectivity. In this regard, an eNB (e.g., eNB 72, eNB 73) or an AP (e.g., AP 62, AP 64) of an operator may evaluate the information regarding its own resources (e.g., different types of traffic/services being provide , congestion, etc.) as well as analyzing the resources of other operators to determine the best usage of the uplink and downlink channels. The UE 70 may request a network device to determine its best connectivity options for the UE in instances in which the resources (e.g., battery, memory, processing capability, etc.) of the UE 70 may be limited. However, it should be pointed out that the UE 70 may request the network device to determine the best connectivity options for any other suitable reason with departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, a setting of the UE 70 may be selected which may trigger the UE 70 to send a message to network devices to decide the best options for connectivity.

In an example embodiment, the same technology service may be shared via uplink and downlink between different network operators to provide optimal connectivity. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, provision of a service such as, for example, a voice call may be shared by different network operators. For purposes of illustration and not of limitation, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may determine that the best connectivity is for one network operator to provide the uplink voice call data which may be provided via one data transfer mechanism (e.g., cellular) and another different network operator to provide the downlink voice call data, which may be provided via another different data transfer (e.g., Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)). In this regard, voice data of a user A of the UE 70 may be provided via uplink by a network operator such as, for example, Operator 1 and the voice data of another user B of another UE 70 participating (e.g., simultaneously) in the call may be provided to the UE 70 of user A via a downlink provided by another network operator (e.g., Operator 3). This approach of sharing a service between different network operators may be beneficial to obtain the best quality of service (QosS) for the voice call in this example. For instance, the reception provided by operator A may be better for uplink than downlink and operator B may provide better reception in downlink than uplink. As such, by utilizing an example embodiment, the UE 70 may communicate with the best reception provided by different network operators, which may be provided utilizing different resources of the different network operators.

It should be pointed out that sharing of a service between different network operators is not limited to a voice call and in this regard provision of any suitable service may be shared according to an example embodiment. For instance, as another example, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may utilize an email service and may allow data transfer in the uplink via an access point (e.g., AP 62) of one network operator (e.g., Operator 3) which may be provided via a transfer mechanism such as WLAN and may enable receipt of data in the downlink via a different access point (e.g., AP 64) provided by a different network operator (e.g., Operator 4) using a different transfer mechanism (e.g., WiMAX).

In one example embodiment, network operators may provide the UE 70 with different costs of services and these different costs of services may be utilized by the UE 70 to determine the connectivity with network operators across channels. In this regard, different network operators may generate different pricing for services provided via uplink and downlink channels. For example, Operator 1 may provide the UE 70 with information indicating a cost (e.g., price) that is higher for using uplink than another operator such as, for example, Operator 2. Also, for example, Operator 4 may provide the UE 74 with information indicating a cost that is lower for downlink than another operator such as, for example, Operator 3. In this regard, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may evaluate the different costs and may choose which network operator to connect with for uplink and downlink based in part on data associated with the costs. In another example embodiment, the processor 82 may present the user of the UE 70 with a number of options based on the different costs and the user of the UE 70 may select one or more of the options to enable the UE 70 to communicate with the network operators based on the selection(s). The options provided to the user via the UE 70 may be based on predefined criteria, such as for example, costs within a range, quality of service within a range, data transfer speed, and any other suitable parameters.

It should be pointed out that although the costs may be related to monetary costs, it is not limited to monetary costs. For instance, costs as referred to herein may also correspond to the impact that different choices have on the UE 70, such as, for example, the impact on battery life, memory, processing capability, etc. Assigning Values to Channels to Determine Best Channels for Connectivity

In another example embodiment, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may utilize machine learning mechanisms to optimize the connectivity in a network. For instance, each potential uplink and downlink channel may have separate properties including, but not limited to, bandwidth, cost, quality, reliability, delay, etc. By assigning a reward to each channel property combination, a best combination of properties for both uplink and downlink may be determined and channels may be chosen based in part on the best combination or properties.

In this regard, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may combine different attributes of different network operators and may analyze data associated with channels and frequencies of these network operators to assign a number or value to a channel(s) signifying whether or not the choice to connect via corresponding channel would be good or not. The processor 82 of the UE 70 may receive the data corresponding to the channels from network devices (e.g., eNB 72, eNB 73) of the network operators. As an example, presume that the processor 82 of the UE 70 assigns a first number based on the cost of transmitting on a given channel for one minute and then assigns a second number based on a determined quality of transmitting on the channel. The processor 82 may also analyze data associated with parameters such as the bandwidth, reliability, delay and any other suitable parameters associated with the particular channel. In response to analyzing the data corresponding to the bandwidth, reliability and delay, the processor 82 may assign numbers to each of these parameters. Once the processor 82 assigns the numbers for each of the parameters, the processor 82 may add the numbers to obtain a single value or number. This single value may be used to determine whether it may be good for the UE 70 to connect to the particular channel. For instance, the value may be compared to a threshold and if the value is above the threshold, the processor 82 may determine that it may be good to connect to the channel. On the other hand, if the value is below the threshold, the processor 82 may determine that it may not be good to connect to the channel.

The process may be repeated by the processor 82 of the UE 70 for each identified uplink and downlink channel. In this regard, the processor 82 may select the uplink channel and the best downlink channel based on the value obtained from adding the numbers assigned for each of the parameters (e.g., bandwidth, cost, quality, reliability, delay). For instance, in an example embodiment, the processor 82 may determine that the channel corresponding to a highest value is the best channel for connectivity with a corresponding network operator.

In addition to utilizing static data associated with a set of numbers to determine which channel to utilize for connection, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may also analyze historical data to predict what may happen in the future. For example, in addition to evaluating what a level of congestion may be at a present time, the processor 82 may predict how the congestion may change over time in the future. Based on the prediction, the processor 82 may determine which channel to select.

For example, the processor 82 may analyze data associated with a previous length of a call or other previous interactions with a network operator over a channel to predict future behavior with respect to the channel. In this regard, the processor 82 may select a channel for uplink or downlink based on the prediction. For instance, in an instance in which the processor 82 may determine that a particular network operator is free or un-congested, but ten seconds from now it is likely that network operator may be flooded with users, the processor 82 may determine that it may not be a good to connect to the particular network operator even though the network operator is presently un-congested.

It should be pointed out that the data utilized to make the prediction may be based on historical data relative to the UE 70 itself as well as historical data provided to the UE 70 by the network devices (e.g., eNB 72, eNB 73, AP 62, AP 64) of the network operators. For example, the UE 70 may know more about communicating in its current location and the expected traffic that the UE 70 typically communicates or sends to another device based on historical data. As another example, the UE 70 may know how long the calls of the user of the UE 70 typically last based on past calls. On the other hand, the network devices may know the types of traffic being communicating by a network operator and the congestion during particular times based on historical data as well as other suitable information.

As an alternative to the UE 70 choosing the best channel for uplink and downlink, the UE 70 may communicate its desire for a network device(s) (e.g., eNB 72, eNB 73) to perform the computation associated with choosing the best channel. In response to receipt of the request from the UE 70, a corresponding network device may select the best channel(s) on behalf of the UE 70. Evolving Channels

In an example embodiment, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may also analyze the time behavior of attributes including but not limited to congestion, price, quality, etc. to predict how these attributes may evolve throughout longer periods of time and utilize the information regarding the prediction in deciding which network operators to select as well as which uplink and downlink

frequencies to select.

For instance, in one embodiment the UE 70 may predict what may happen throughout the length of a call over a longer period of time so that the UE 70 may make an informed better choice. As another example, consider the price or costs charged by a network operator(s). The UE 70 may evaluate data relating to the price of transmitting data via one or more network operators and this data may indicate the price historically changes over time. In this regard, the UE 70 may determine that one operator charges more towards the evening and another operator may charge more towards the morning depending on various factors. It could be that there is some sort of fees associated with switching from one operator to another operator in which the UE 70 may not be able to switch another operator for a given period of time. In this regard, the UE 70 may be locked to an undesirable operator if it chooses an operator incorrectly.

As such, in order not to choose an operator that is too expensive, the UE 70 may need to consider the longer period of time as opposed to a current period of time. For instance, the UE 70 may not want to choose an operator that is currently cheap but which may become expensive some time in the immediate to near future. In this regard, the UE 70 may consider historical data and determine that in the immediate future a particular operator's rates increase dramatically. As such, the UE 70 may predict that the rate may increase within the relevant period of time in the future and may not recommend switching to the particular operator. In this example embodiment, the UE 70 may consider or predict what may occur in a time window after a potential switch to an operator may be made to consider whether or not it is beneficial to switch to the particular operator.

By evaluating historical data and/or receiving current data from one or more network devices (e.g., eNB 72) the UE 70 may generate one or more time theories related to attributes it has observed and may utilize this information to determine or predict what may happen during a time period in the future in the event that the UE 70 may be switched to a particular network operator. It should be pointed out that if the UE 70 is considering switching to a network operator that it has never been in contact with before that the UE 70 may not have any historical data for the particular network operator. In this regard, the UE 70 may rely on the information provided to it by a network device of a corresponding network operator to decide what may happen at some time in the future.

Reinforcement Learning Using Rewards & Penalties

In another example embodiment, the UE 70 may be optimized to determine which network operator and/or which channel or frequency of a network operator to utilize for connectivity. In this regard, the UE 70 may be trained or learn in which situations to choose to change channels and/or network operators for connectivity. As such, the behavior of the UE 70 may be defined or optimized so that the decisions made by the UE 70 are good decisions for selecting a network operator and/or choosing one or more channels for connection. One manner in which to teach this behavior to the UE 70 may be for the processor 82 to implement reinforcement learning mechanisms. One example of a reinforcement learning mechanism may be a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP). In one example embodiment, the reinforcement learning mechanism(s) may be associated with computer code or software instructions that the processor 82 of the UE 70 may implement upon execution.

In this regard, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may determine that prior successful communications with one or more particular network operators across one or more channels is good. On the other hand, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may evaluate data associated with previous communications that may have been unsuccessful or exhibited undesirable results for a particular network pperator(s) across one more or channels and may determine that these unsuccessful communications or undesirable results are bad.

It should be pointed out that during development (e.g., manufacture) of the UE 70, the UE 70 may be presented with variables to optimize the behavior of the UE 70. For instance, the UE 70 may be presented with one or more test cases regarding selection of network operators and/or one or more channels. In an instance in which the UE 70 makes a good decision (e.g., the decision resulted in lower costs or more efficient communications, etc.) regarding selection of a network operator or channel, the UE 70 may assign a reward (e.g., a positive value) to the action resulting in the decision. In this regard, when the UE 70 subsequently encounters a similar situation with respect to the corresponding network operator and/or channel, the UE 70 may analyze the data (e.g., positive value) associated with the reward and may determine that it is acceptable to make a similar decision (e.g., utilize a network operator for connection via an uplink for a given time period). On the other hand, in an instance in which the UE 70 determines that it made a bad decision (e.g., a decision that resulted in higher costs, or inefficient communications, etc.) regarding selection of a network operator and/or channel, the UE 70 may assign a penalty (e.g., a negative value) to the decision. As such, when the UE 70 subsequently encounters a similar scenario (e.g., an offer to switch a channel or to a particular network operator) with regards to the corresponding network operator and/or channel, the UE 70 may analyze the data (e.g., a negative value) associated with the penalty and determine not to make a similar decision.

Additionally, it should be pointed out that the UE 70 may continue to optimize its behavior by encountering situations regarding network operators and channels even once the UE 70 is no longer in the development process. For instance, presume a situation in which a user owns the UE 70 and subscribes to a communications service. In this example, the UE 70 may determine that in the short-term it may be beneficial to switch to a network operator. However, in the long term, the UE 70 may determine that the costs of the switch to the

corresponding network operator are very high. In this manner, the UE 70 may evaluate data in its memory based on previous experiences when encountering similar situations and determine that a reward was assigned. As such, based on the data associated with the reward, the UE 70 may determine not to switch to the particular network operator.

It should be pointed out that the UE 70 may implement the reinforcement learning mechanisms even in instances in which the UE 70 may not know the state of every situation with respect to a network operator and/or channel. For instance, even in instances in which the UE 70 may not have any historical information with respect to a particular network operator and/or channel, the UE 70 still may analyze the data accessible via its memory that may correspond to prior similar experiences (e.g., speech or call quality during a particular time of day for other network operators) and consider the rewards and/or penalties and make a best decision on the basis of this information.

It should be pointed out that even if each assigned reward or penalty only reflects short-term benefits or disadvantages of a decision (such as, for example, immediate cost of switching an uplink or downlink channel and/or operator, immediate effects on call quality, price, and other parameters), a reinforcement learning algorithm implemented (e.g., by the processor 82 of UE 70, the optimizer controller 80 of the eNBs 72, 73, and/or the processor 21 of the APs 62, 64) in an example embodiment (for example an implementation of a POMDP algorithm) may learn (e.g., optimize) a policy for decision making that takes into account the effect of the immediate decision on future evolution of the channels and the effect of the immediate decision on future available decision possibilities. Therefore, a reinforcement learning algorithm implemented in an example embodiment may be able to learn a decision policy suitable for evolving channels as described above.

Change of Channel States

In an instance in which a UE 70 is currently communicating on one channel which may be provided by one network operator and desires to switch to another channel that may, but need not, be provided by a different network operator, the UE 70 may need to indicate the intent to switch to the other channel to the serving base station and the target base station. In this regard, the serving base station may know to stop receiving data for the UE 70 on a given channel and the target base station may know to start receiving data transmissions for the UE 70 on a channel.

For example, in an instance in which the UE 70 has been communicating over a channel and that channel is draining its battery, the processor 82 of the UE 70 may want to enable the UE 70 to switch to another channel. In this regard, a serving base station (e.g., eNB 72) that the UE 70 may be currently communicating with may have been listening to the UE 70 over a current channel and if the UE 70 suddenly switches to another new channel, the UE 70 may need to inform the base station that that it intends to switch to the new channel or else transmissions may be lost.

Since transmissions may be lost, the base station should be alerted that the UE 70 is going to change its frequency and also there may be a monetary cost to switch these frequencies or switching these network operators. It should be pointed out that in a POMDP model, states of a current charm— and the success of a change channel may be uncertain. For instance, the communication from the UE 70 to the serving base station specifying intent to change to another channel may fail. For instance, the intent to switch may never reach the serving base station (e.g., eNB 72) if there is a lot of noise on the channel or if the UE 70 has low power or for any other suitable reason. In this regard, the intent to switch to another channel may never reach the serving base station (e.g., eNB 72). In an instance in which the UE 70 determines that the base station (e.g., eNB 73) that it intends to switch to is not listening on the corresponding channel because the intent to switch did not reach the serving base station or the target base station, the UE 70 may resend the intent to switch upon the expiration of a predetermined time period. It should be pointed out that the UE 70 may determine that the intent to switch never reached the serving base station by detecting that the correct responses to the communication (e.g., uplink communication) of the UE 70 (e.g., on the chosen uplink channel) relating to the intent to switch are not arriving on a chosen channel (e.g., downlink channel). As such, the UE 70 may determine that the choice of the uplink or downlink channel is incorrect and may determine that whichever channel (e.g., the uplink channel or downlink channel) was changed last is the reason for the problem associated with the intent to switch to another channel never reach the serving base station. For example, suppose the problem is with the uplink channel. The intent of the UE 70 to use the particular uplink channel should be resent by the UE 70 to the serving base station on whatever uplink channel was used before communicating the intent to change to another channel to the serving base station.

According to an example embodiment, one manner in which to

mathematically model that the UE is currently on one channel but that the UE would like to communicate via another channel is set forth below.

For N channels, each channel has a separate Markov model with states ^s_{iJ}_> where i is the channel index and j is the channel specific Markov model index. Each channel k has a change channel state with value c_i, where i indicates the next channel that will be used. The probability to move from an overall state s, where a channel i is actively being communicated on (channel state s_{i,j}) to another overall state, where another channel k is actively being communicated on (channel state s_{k,l}) is zero. Leaving out most other variables, this can be written as the following equation:

P(s^A{\prime}_{k,l}|s_{ij},a) = 0, for all k o i

Additionally, the probability to move from an overall state, where some channel is in state c_i to another overall state, where a channel different from i is actively being communicated on (P(s^A{\prime}_{k,l}|c_i,a)) is zero. Leaving out all other variables, this can be written as the following equation:

P(s^A{\prime}_{k,l}|c_i,a): P(s^A{\prime}_{k,l}|c_i,a) = 0, for all k o i. The actions a are "change channel" or actions that a radio device (e.g., UE 70) does on a channel.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a diagram is provided showing the benefits of channel switching across multiple network operators according to an exemplary embodiment. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5, there are eight different network operators each with one user. Originally, in the given duplex direction, all uses may be randomly assigned to network operators. As such, average

performance may be intact regardless of increased channel variability. It should be pointed out that in the example embodiment of FIG. 5, frequency-selectivity may be used to determine the number of multipath components. When users optimized their channels (e.g., switched between operators) significant benefits may be seen as channel variability increases. For instance, as the channel variability increases, efficiencies with respect to the data transfer rate increasing may be realized. When this is done in at least one direction, the uplink and downlink channels typically belong to different operators. In the example embodiment of FIG. 5, the performance with fixed operators is represented by line 100. In contrast, the benefits provided by an example embodiment of the invention associated with operator switching is represented by line 105.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a flowchart according to an example method for enabling usage of different resources of different network operators in different duplex directions is provided. At operation 600, a device (e.g., UE 70) may analyze data related to attributes (e.g., resources) of the device and information received from one or more network devices (e.g., eNB 72, eNB 73, AP 62, AP 64). At operation 605, the device may enable utilization of at least one first resource (e.g., a channel, frequency, etc.) of a first network operator (e.g., Operator 1) to facilitate communications in a first direction (e.g., an uplink direction) based in part on the analysis.

At operation 610, the device may enable utilization of at least one second resource (e.g., a channel, frequency, etc.) of a second network operator (e.g., Operator 2) to facilitate communications in a second direction (e.g., a downlink direction) based in part on the analysis. The second network device is different from the first network device.

It should be pointed out that FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a system, method and computer program product according to exemplary embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block or step of the flowchart, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart, can be implemented by various means, such as hardware, firmware, and/or a computer program product including one or more computer program instructions. For example, one or more of the procedures described above may be embodied by computer program instructions. In this regard, in an example embodiment, the computer program instructions which embody the procedures described above are stored by a memory device (e.g., memory device 76, memory devices 86, memories 23) and executed by a processor (e.g., processor 77, processor 82, optimizer controllers 80, processors 21). As will be appreciated, any such computer program instructions may be loaded onto a computer or other programmable apparatus (e.g., hardware) to produce a machine, such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus cause the functions specified in the flowchart blocks or steps to be implemented. In some embodiments, the computer program instructions are stored in a computer- readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer- readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function specified in the flowchart blocks or steps. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart blocks or steps.

Accordingly, blocks or steps of the flowchart support combinations of means for performing the specified functions and combinations of steps for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that one or more blocks or steps of the flowchart, and combinations of blocks or steps in the flowchart, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based computer systems which perform the specified functions or steps, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus for performing the method of

FIG. 6 above may comprise a processor (e.g., the processor 77, optimization controllers 80, processors 21, processor 82) configured to perform some or each of the operations (600 - 610) described above. The processor may, for example, be configured to perform the operations (600 - 610) by performing hardware implemented logical functions, executing stored instructions, or executing algorithms for performing each of the operations. Alternatively, the apparatus may comprise means for performing each of the operations described above. In this regard, according to an example embodiment, examples of means for performing operations (600 - 610) may comprise, for example, the processor 77 (e.g., as means for performing any of the operations described above), the processor 82, the processors 21, optimizer controllers 80 and/or a device or circuit for executing instructions or executing an algorithm for processing information as described above.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe exemplary embodiments in the context of certain exemplary combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly describe _ above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

THAT WHICH IS CLAIMED:

1. A method comprising:

analyzing data related to at least one attribute of a device and information received from at least one network device;

enabling utilization of at least one first resource of a first network operator to facilitate communications in a first direction; and

enabling, via a processor, utilization of at least one second resource of a different network operator to facilitate communications in a different direction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the at least one first resource comprises at least one of a frequency or a channel; and

determining that the at least one second resource comprises at least one different frequency or a different channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to analyzing the data, the method further comprises:

determining that the at least one first resource of the first network operator was utilized to facilitate communications with the device in the first direction and the different direction at a prior time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first resource comprises an uplink channel and the second channel comprises a downlink channel and the method further comprises:

determining that data provided by the first network operator via the first resource corresponds to a first radio access technology; and

determining that data provided by the different network operator via the second resource corresponds to a different radio access technology.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first resource comprises an uplink channel and the second channel comprises a downlink channel and the method further comprises:

determining that information provided by the first network operator via the first resource corresponds to a different radio access technology.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling provision of data, associated with a service, via the first resource of the first network operator to the device; and

simultaneously enabling provision of information, associated with the service, via the second resource of the second network operator to the device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data associated with at least one cost from the at least one network device; and

determining whether to utilize the first resource or the second resource to enable communications with the device based in part on data associated with the at least one cost.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network device comprises at least one of a base station or an access point and the method further comprises:

analyzing data corresponding to at least one condition of at least one channel or service provided by at least one network operator at a time in the future to determine whether to switch a current resource to another resource to enable communications with the device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning numbers to at least one property of a plurality of channels based in part on present and future conditions of the channels;

adding the numbers for each of the properties of the channels to obtain a single value associated with each channel; and

selecting at least one of the channels for communication with the device based on a highest value among each value associated with each channel.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a penalty or a reward to at least one condition associated with a plurality of channels or provision of services by at least one network operator based in part on an impact of the at least one condition on the device;

selecting at least one of the channels or at least one of the network operators in response to determining that the impact is positive for a current time and a time period in the future based on the reward being associated with the impact; and

rejecting an option to select the at least one channel or the at least one network operator in response to determining that the impact is negative for the current time and the time period in the future based on the penalty being associated with the impact.

1 1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

analyze data related to at least one attribute of the apparatus and information received from at least one network device;

enable utilization of at least one first resource of a first network operator to facilitate communications in a first direction; and

enable utilization of at least one second resource of a different network operator to facilitate communications in a different direction.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and th computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine that the at least one first resource comprises at least one of a frequency or a channel; and

determine that the at least one second resource comprises at least one different frequency or a different channel.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 1 , wherein prior to analyzing the data the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine that the at least one first resource of the first network operator was utilized to facilitate communications with the apparatus in the first direction and the different direction at a prior time.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first resource comprises an uplink channel and the second channel comprises a downlink channel and wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine that data provided by the first network operator via the first resource corresponds to a first radio access technology; and

determine that data provided by the different network operator via the second resource corresponds to a different radio access technology.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 1 , wherein the first resource comprises an uplink channel and the second channel comprises a downlink channel and wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine that information provided by the first network operator via the first resource corresponds to a different radio access technology.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one memory and th. computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

enable provision of data, associated with a service, via the first resource of the first network operator to the apparatus; and

simultaneously enabling provision of information, associated with the service, via the second resource of the second network operator to the apparatus.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive data associated with at least one cost from the at least one network device; and

determine whether to utilize the first resource or the second resource to enable communications with the apparatus based in part on data associated with the at least one cost.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one network device comprises at least one of a base station or an access point and the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

analyze data corresponding to at least one condition of at least one channel or service provided by at least one network operator at a time in the future to determine whether to switch a current resource to another resource to enable communications with the apparatus.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

assign numbers to at least one property of one a plurality of channels based in part on present and future conditions of the channels;

add the numbers for each of the properties of the channels to obtain a single value associated with each channel; and select at least one of the channels for communication with the apparatus based on a highest value among each value associated with each channel.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

assign a penalty or a reward to at least one condition associated with a plurality channels or provision of services by at least one network operators based in part on an impact of the at least one condition on the apparatus;

enable selection of at least one of the channels or the at least one network operator in response to determining that the impact is positive for a current time and a time period in the future based on the reward being associated with the impact; and

reject an option to select the at least one channel or the at least one network operator in response to determining that the impact is negative for the current time and the time period in the future based on the penalty being associated with the impact.

21. A computer program product comprising at least one computer- readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising: program code instructions configured to analyze data related to at least one attribute of a device and information received from at least one network device; program code instructions configured to enable utilization of at least one first resource of a first network operator to facilitate communications in a first direction; and

program code instructions configured to enable utilization of at least one second resource of a different network operator to facilitate communications in a different direction.

22. The computer program product of clam 21 , further comprising: program code instructions configured to determine that the at least one first resource comprises at least one of a frequency or a channel; and

program code instructions configured to determine that the at least one second resource comprises at least one different frequency or a different channel.