Method, apparatus and computer program for enabling licence-exempt spectrum operation

摘要

A fixed or Mode II device (24) enables a Mode I device (20,21) for licence-exempt operation by providing to it a list of available licence-exempt radio channels and a parameter indicating an interval at which contact verification signals (CVS) are to be sent. The contact verification signals verify whether the list remains valid. The fixed/Mode II device (24) then repeatedly sends contact verification signals spaced in time from one another according to the interval. The device 24 may also indicate the specific channel or channels on which it will send the CVS transmissions. A receiving device desiring to become or remain enabled can read the CVS interval indication and go into a reduced power/sleep mode for a relatively extended period of time and need not be awake for every CVS transmission.