Method and apparatus for arbitrating transmit events in a multimode communication device

• US 20030214916A1
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Refaeli, Moshe, Khawand, Charbel, Khawand, Jean
• Granted Patent: US 7,190,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/278
• 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

A multi-mode mobile communication device capable of communicating with more than one mobile communication system simultaneously has a timer (400) for arbitrating between transmit events of two communication systems. The mobile communication device assigns a priority to each of the two communication systems, and when a transmit event conflict arises, it is resolved in favor of the system having the higher priority. The timer includes a delta timer (426) for timing the duration of transmit events. If the mobile communication device is engaged in a transmit event in one system, and a transmit event arises in the second system, the mobile communication device checks the delta timer. If the timer is not zeroed, the mobile communication device then checks priority of the events, and transmits whichever event has priority.

Claims

1. A method of performing transmit arbitration between transmit events associated with at least two modes of communication in a multi-mode mobile communication device, comprising:

beginning a first transmit event for a first mode, the first transmit event having a duration and a priority level;

starting a timer for the duration of the first event, the timer based on a hardware clock;

upon the occurrence of a transmit event for a second mode of communication, transmitting the second transmit event only if the timer is complete, or if the second transmit event has a higher priority.

2. A method of performing transmit arbitration as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second modes of communication each have clock base, one of the clock bases being faster, the timer is based on the clock base of the mode with the fastest clock base.

3. A method of performing transmit arbitration as defined in claim 1, further comprising generating a notification within the multi-mode mobile communication device for use by the first and second modes.

4. A method of performing transmit arbitration as defined in claim 1, wherein there are more than a first and second mode of communication, the method further comprising establishing a priority hierarchy among the modes.

5. A timer apparatus for arbitrating transmit events in a multi-mode mobile communication device having only one transmit power amplifier, the timer apparatus comprising:

at least two register stacks, each register stack having an opcode array and a time offset array, the opcode array comprised of a plurality of opcode registers, the time offset array comprised of a plurality of time offset registers, each opcode register corresponding to a time offset register, each opcode register for storing an opcode;

a first base addressing register for a first register stack, and a second base addressing register for a second register stack, the base addressing registers for holding an address to point to a next event in an opcode register in it'"'"'s corresponding register stack;

a first time compare register for the first register stack, and a second time compare register for the second register stack, the first and second time compare registers for comparing an entry in the time offset arrays;

a first opcode check register and a second opcode check register, the first and second opcode check registers for checking the opcode stored in the first and second opcode registers, the opcode check registers comparing the opcodes in the first and second opcode register for a transmit event conflict;

a countdown timer for timing a transmit event when an opcode in either the first or second opcode check registers indicates a transmit event;

an event priority register for indicating priority of transmit events; and

arbitration logic for arbitrating transmit events in accordance with the event priority register.