Method and apparatus for scanning existing networks in TVWS

摘要

A method and an apparatus for scanning existing networks in TV White Space are disclosed. For scanning existing networks at a station to operate as an unlicensed device in a regulatory domain where a licensed device and the unlicensed device are permitted to operate, the method comprises: receiving a white space map (WSM) comprising information for available channels to be used for the unlicensed device to operate a wireless local area network (WLAN) operation and maximum transmission powers allowed for each of the available channels from an enabling station, wherein the enabling station is a station determining the available channels at its location using its own geographic location identification and a regulatory database access capability; and scanning the existing networks on the available channels identified within the received WSM.

主权项

1. A method of scanning existing networks at a first station in a communication system, the method comprising:
receiving, by a first station, a white space map (WSM) comprising information for available channels from a second station; and scanning, by the first station, the existing networks on the available channels identified within the received WSM, wherein scanning the existing networks is performed by one or more of a first scheme or a second scheme, the first scheme comprising listening to a beacon frame from an AP station of a basic service set (BSS) on a specific channel among the available channels identified by the received WSM, the second scheme comprising transmitting a probe request frame to an AP station of the BSS on any channel among the available channels identified by the received WSM; and receiving a probe response frame in response to the probe request frame.