Single radio serving multiple wireless links
First Claim
1. A method of operating a communication system, comprising:
- configuring a wireless interface radio to implement a combination of frequency division multiplexing (FDM) and time division multiplexing (TDM) byconfiguring the wireless interface radio to communicate with an access node using a first frequency band and a first series of time allocations, andconfiguring the wireless interface radio to communicate with at least one client device using a second frequency band and a second series of time allocations, the first series of time allocations and the second series of time allocations to be non-overlapping;
sending, via the second frequency band and to at least one client device, information to be used by the at least one client device to select a time to transmit using the second frequency band; and
,in response to a transmission from the access node and on the first frequency band, received via the wireless interface radio during a current time allocation in the first series of time allocations that begins during the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations and is expected to not complete before a scheduled end of the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations, dynamically altering a duration of the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations to complete reception of the transmission during the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations and also dynamically altering a duration of a subsequent time allocation in the second series of time allocations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computing device (such as a computer gaming console) uses only a single radio to concurrently communicate with a wireless network access point and wireless client devices such as game controllers or peripherals. To establish and maintain both a high-throughput link with the access point, and a low-latency link with the client device(s), the single Wi-Fi radio of the computing device is configured to periodically switch between a channel used for the high-throughput link and a different channel that is used for the low-latency link—thus implementing a combination of frequency division multiplexing (FDM) and time division multiplexing (TDM). The console may use aspects of the Wi-Fi protocol standard to ensure that periodically switching its single radio between the two channels is accomplished while maintaining reliable communication on both channels.
37 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of operating a communication system, comprising:
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configuring a wireless interface radio to implement a combination of frequency division multiplexing (FDM) and time division multiplexing (TDM) by configuring the wireless interface radio to communicate with an access node using a first frequency band and a first series of time allocations, and configuring the wireless interface radio to communicate with at least one client device using a second frequency band and a second series of time allocations, the first series of time allocations and the second series of time allocations to be non-overlapping; sending, via the second frequency band and to at least one client device, information to be used by the at least one client device to select a time to transmit using the second frequency band; and
,in response to a transmission from the access node and on the first frequency band, received via the wireless interface radio during a current time allocation in the first series of time allocations that begins during the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations and is expected to not complete before a scheduled end of the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations, dynamically altering a duration of the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations to complete reception of the transmission during the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations and also dynamically altering a duration of a subsequent time allocation in the second series of time allocations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A wireless device, comprising:
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a wireless interface radio configured to implement a combination of frequency division multiplexing (FDM) and time division multiplexing (TDM) to communicate with a first device using a first frequency band and a first series of time allocations that are to be used as a high-throughput link, and to also communicate with at least a second device using a second frequency band and a second series of time allocations to be used as a low-latency link, the first series of time allocations and the second series of time allocations to be non-overlapping; and a wireless interface layer control circuit to control the wireless interface radio to send, to the second device communicating via the second frequency band, a first time indicator usable by the second device to select a first time to transmit that is during a time allocation in the second series of time allocations, wherein, in response to a transmission received from the first device and on the first frequency band during a current time allocation in the first series of time allocations that begins during the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations and is expected to not complete before a scheduled end of the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations, the wireless device is configured to dynamically alter a duration of the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations to complete reception of the transmission during the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations and also dynamically alter a duration of a subsequent time allocation in the second series of time allocations. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of operating a client device, comprising:
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configuring a low-latency link between the client device and a wireless interface of a computing device, the low-latency link to use a first frequency band and a first series of time allocations, the wireless interface to implement a combination of frequency division multiplexing (FDM) and time division multiplexing (TDM) to also communicate with a network access node using a second frequency band and a second series of time allocations, the first series of time allocations and the second series of time allocations to be non-overlapping; receiving, during a first one of the first series of time allocations and from the wireless interface and via the low-latency link, a first time indicator; in response to the first time indicator, configuring the client device to select a first selected transmit time that is during the first one of the first series of time allocations; and if a transmission by the client device on the first frequency band is begun at the first selected transmit time such that the transmission begins during a current time allocation in the first series of time allocations and will not complete before a scheduled end of the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations, dynamically extending the current time allocation in the first series of time allocations to allow the transmission by the client device to complete. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification