Link layer service platform

• US 10,484,980 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2017
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Jiang, Jinjing, Chu, Liwen, Wang, Lei, Sun, Yakun, Zhang, Hongyuan, Lou, Hui-Ling
• Primary Examiner(s): Wei, Siren
• Application Number:
  US15/488,281
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0695 using beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Systems, devices, and techniques relating to a link layer service platform (LSP) that provides, among other things, assisted multi-band wireless communications are described. A described device includes a first radio to transmit and receive based on a first wireless protocol; a second radio to transmit and receive based on a second wireless protocol, the second wireless protocol being different from the first wireless protocol; and a controller to use the first radio to assist communications via the second radio. The controller can be configured to cause the first radio to transmit, receive, or both one or more control frames associated with the second wireless protocol using the first wireless protocol, and cause the second radio to transmit or receive one or more data frames using the second wireless protocol in accordance with the one or more control frames.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first radio to transmit and receive based on a first wireless protocol;

a second radio to transmit and receive based on a second wireless protocol, wherein the second wireless protocol is different than the first wireless protocol; and

a controller to

use the first radio to assist communications via the second radio including causing the first radio to at least one of transmit or receive one or more control frames associated with the second wireless protocol using the first wireless protocol,

use information received via the first radio using the first wireless protocol to control a beamforming training process carried out via the second radio using the second wireless protocol,

use the information to reduce a number of antenna sectors to sweep during the beamforming training process, and

cause the second radio to transmit or receive one or more data frames using the second wireless protocol in accordance with the one or more control frames.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more control frames comprise network announcement information associated with the second wireless protocol; and

the controller is configured to use the first radio and the first wireless protocol to perform an association exchange to enable communications via the second radio and the second wireless protocol.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more control frames comprise an encapsulated control frame; and

the controller is configured to pass, via a link layer service component, at least a portion of the encapsulated control frame to a medium access control entity associated with the second wireless protocol.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to maintain a clock synchronization between the first wireless protocol and the second wireless protocol.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first wireless protocol is associated with a 2.4 GHz frequency band or a 5 GHz frequency band; and

the second wireless protocol is associated with a 60 GHz frequency band.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more control frames indicate a capability to communicate via the second wireless protocol; and

the first radio, when assisting in the communications of the second radio, transmits the one or more control frames to offload the second radio from transmitting the one or more control frames.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a first radio to transmit and receive based on a first wireless protocol;

a second radio to transmit and receive based on a second wireless protocol, wherein the second wireless protocol is different than the first wireless protocol; and

a controller to

use the first radio to assist communications via the second radio,

cause the second radio to receive a request-to-send signal,

cause the first radio to transmit a first clear-to-send signal in response to the request-to-send signal received via the second radio,

cause the second radio to transmit a second clear-to-send signal in response to a request-to-send signal received via the first radio, and

cause the second radio to receive one or more data frames via the second radio after transmitting the first clear-to-send signal and the second clear-to-send signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to maintain a clock synchronization between the first wireless protocol and the second wireless protocol.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second clear-to-send signal has a bandwidth that is narrower than the first clear-to-send signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second wireless protocol is not backwards compatible with the first wireless protocol.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first clear-to-send signal prevents devices that do not support the second wireless protocol from transmitting during a transmission of the one or more data frames.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the first wireless protocol is associated with a 2.4 GHz frequency band or a 5 GHz frequency band; and

the second wireless protocol is associated with a long range low power protocol.

12. A method comprising:

controlling a first radio of a device to transmit and receive based on a first wireless protocol;

controlling a second radio of the device to transmit and receive based on a second wireless protocol, wherein the second wireless protocol is different than the first wireless protocol;

controlling the first radio to at least one of transmit or receive one or more control frames associated with the second wireless protocol using the first wireless protocol;

using information received via the first radio using the first wireless protocol to control a beamforming training process carried out via the second radio using the second wireless protocol;

using the information to reduce a number of antenna sectors to sweep during the beamforming training process; and

controlling the second radio to transmit or receive one or more data frames using the second wireless protocol in accordance with the one or more control frames.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising using the first radio and the first wireless protocol to perform an association exchange to enable communications via the second radio and the second wireless protocol, wherein the one or more control frames comprise network announcement information associated with the second wireless protocol.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising passing, via a link layer service component, at least a portion of an encapsulated control frame to a medium access control entity associated with the second wireless protocol, wherein the one or more control frames comprise the encapsulated control frame.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising maintaining a clock synchronization between the first wireless protocol and the second wireless protocol.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first wireless protocol is associated with a 2.4 GHz frequency band or a 5 GHz frequency band; and

the second wireless protocol is associated with a 60 GHz frequency band.