Method and apparatus for mitigating radio frequency interference between transceiver systems

• US 20040162106A1
• Filed: 12/26/2002
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Rajamani, Krishnan, Chinn, Gordon, Kardach, James P., Monroe, Robert L., Durrant, Randolph L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,116,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• 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

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for mitigating radio frequency interference between transceiver systems within an electronic device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing channel information from a first transceiver system to a second transceiver system via a first path of a communication link, the channel information being indicative of a radio channel associated with the first transceiver system, and the first and second transceiver systems being in the same electronic device; and

providing priority information from the second transceiver system to the first transceiver system via a second path of the communication link, the priority information being indicative of a priority activity associated with the second transceiver system to use the radio channel.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein providing channel information from a first transceiver system to a second transceiver system via a first path of a communication link comprises providing channel information from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via a first path of one of a wire interface and a wireless link between the first transceiver system and the second transceiver system.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein providing channel information from a first transceiver system to a second transceiver system via a first path of a communication link comprises providing channel information from a transceiver system operating in accordance with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b communication protocol and a transceiver system operating in accordance with the Bluetooth communication protocol.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein providing channel information from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via a first path of the communication link comprises providing a four-bit code indicative of the radio channel from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via the first path of the communication link.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein providing channel information from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via a first path of the communication link comprises providing channel information indicative of a direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) channel from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via the first path of the communication link, the DSSS channel being a radio channel currently in use by the first transceiver system.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the providing channel information from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via a first path of the communication link comprises providing a host controller interface (HCI) command indicative of a frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) channel from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via the first path of the communication link, the FHSS channel being a radio channel operable by the second transceiver system for communication.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein providing channel information from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via a first path of the communication link comprises providing channel information from transceiver systems disposed within one of a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a cellular telephone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein providing priority information from the second transceiver system to the first transceiver system via a second path of the communication link comprises providing priority information indicative of one of a device discovery, a connection establishment, a connection maintenance, and a human interface device (HID) profile via the second path of the communication link.

9. A method comprising:

providing a channel data signal from a first transceiver system to a second transceiver system via a first path of a communication link, the channel data signal including information indicative of a radio channel associated with the first transceiver system, and the first and second transceiver systems being in the same electronic device;

providing a channel clock signal from the second transceiver system to the first transceiver system via a second path of the communication link to retrieve the information indicative of the radio channel;

providing a first priority signal from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via a third path of the communication link to use the radio channel in response to a priority activity associated with the first transceiver system; and

providing a second priority signal from the second transceiver system to the first transceiver system via a fourth path of the communication link to use the radio channel in response to a priority activity associated with the second transceiver system.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein providing a communication link having at least four paths between a first transceiver system and a second transceiver system comprises providing one of a wire interface and a wireless link between the first transceiver system and the second transceiver system.

11. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein providing a communication link having at least four paths between a first transceiver system and a second transceiver system comprises providing a communication link having at least four paths between a transceiver system operating in accordance with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b communication protocol and a transceiver system operating in accordance with the Bluetooth communication protocol.

12. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein providing a channel data signal from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via a first path of the communication link comprises providing a four-bit code indicative of the radio channel from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via the first path of the communication link.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a communication link having at least two paths;

a first transceiver system, the first transceiver system being configured to provide channel information associated with a radio channel via a first path of the communication link, and the radio channel is associated with the first transceiver system; and

a second transceiver system in communication with the first transceiver system via the communication link, the second transceiver system being configured to provide priority information indicative of a priority activity associated with second transceiver system via a second path of the communication link.

14. An electronic device as defined in claim 13, wherein the communication link is one of a wire interface and a wireless link.

15. An electronic device as defined in claim 13, wherein the first transceiver system is a transceiver system operating in accordance with Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b communication protocol, and the second transceiver system is a transceiver system operating in accordance with Bluetooth communication protocol.

16. An electronic device as defined in claim 13, wherein the channel information includes a four-bit code indicative of the radio channel.

17. An electronic device as defined in claim 13, wherein the channel information includes a host controller interface (HCI) command indicative of a radio channel operable by the second transceiver system for communication.

18. An electronic device as defined in claim 13, wherein the communication link comprises a third path and a fourth path, wherein the first transceiver system being configured to transmit priority information indicative of a priority activity associated with the first transceiver system via the third path, and wherein the second transceiver system being configured to transmit a clock pulse via the fourth path to initiate transmission of channel information from the first transceiver system.

19. An electronic device as defined in claim 13 is one of a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a cellular telephone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

20. In an electronic device including a first transceiver system and a second transceiver system, a computer program comprising:

a first routine that directs a processor to provide channel information from a first transceiver system to a second transceiver system via a first path of a communication link having at least two paths, the channel information being indicative of a radio channel associated with the first transceiver system, the processor operates in accordance with a computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium; and

a second routine that directs the processor to provide priority information from the second transceiver system to the first transceiver system via a second path of the communication link, the priority information being indicative of a priority activity associated with the second transceiver system to use the radio channel.

21. A computer program as defined in claim 20, wherein the first routine comprises a routine that directs the processor to provide channel information from a first transceiver system to a second transceiver system via a first path of one of a wire interface and a wireless link.

22. A computer program as defined in claim 20, wherein the first routine comprises a routine that directs the processor to provide channel information from a transceiver system operating in accordance with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b communication protocol to a transceiver system operating in accordance with the Bluetooth communication protocol via the first path of the communication link.

23. A computer program as defined in claim 20, wherein the first routine comprises a routine that directs the processor to provide a four-bit code indicative of the radio channel from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via the first path of the communication link.

24. A computer program as defined in claim 20, wherein the first routine comprises a routine that directs the processor to provide a host controller interface (HCI) command from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via the first path of the communication link, the HCI command being indicative of a radio channel operable by the second transceiver system.

25. A computer program as defined in claim 20 further comprising:

a third routine that directs the processor to provide priority information from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via a third path of the communication link, the priority information being indicative of a priority activity associated with the first transceiver system; and

a fourth routine that directs the processor to provide a clock pulse from the second transceiver system to the first transceiver system via a fourth path of the communication link, the clock pulse being configured to initiate transmission of channel information from the first transceiver system to the second transceiver system via the first path of the communication link.

26. A computer program as defined in claim 20, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a laptop computer, a cellular telephone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

27. A computer program as defined in claim 20, wherein the computer-readable medium is one of paper, a programmable gate array, application specific integrated circuit, erasable programmable read only memory, read only memory, random access memory, magnetic media, and optical media.

28. A system comprising:

a communication link having at least two paths;

a first transceiver system, the first transceiver system is to provide channel information associated with a radio channel via a first path of the communication link, and the radio channel is associated with the first transceiver system; and

a second transceiver system in communication with the first transceiver system via the communication link, the second transceiver system is to provide priority information indicative of a priority activity associated with second transceiver system via a second path of the communication link.

29. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the communication link is one of a wire interface and a wireless link.

30. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the first transceiver system is a transceiver system operating in accordance with Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b communication protocol, and the second transceiver system is a transceiver system operating in accordance with Bluetooth communication protocol.

31. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the channel information includes a four-bit code indicative of the radio channel.

32. A system as defined in claim 28, wherein the communication link comprises a third path and a fourth path, wherein the first transceiver system being configured to transmit priority information indicative of a priority activity associated with the first transceiver system via the third path, and wherein the second transceiver system being configured to transmit a clock pulse via the fourth path to initiate transmission of channel information from the first transceiver system.

33. A system comprising:

an antenna;

a communication link having at least two paths;

a first transceiver system operatively coupled to the antenna, the first transceiver system is to provide channel information associated with a radio channel via a first path of the communication link, and the radio channel is associated with the first transceiver system; and

a second transceiver system operatively coupled to the antenna, the second transceiver system is in communication with the first transceiver system via the communication link, and the second transceiver system is to provide priority information indicative of a priority activity associated with second transceiver system via a second path of the communication link.

34. A system as defined in claim 33, wherein the communication link is one of a wire interface and a wireless link.

35. A system as defined in claim 33, wherein the first transceiver system is a transceiver system operating in accordance with Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11b communication protocol, and the second transceiver system is a transceiver system operating in accordance with Bluetooth communication protocol.

36. A system as defined in claim 33, wherein the channel information includes a four-bit code indicative of the radio channel.

37. A system as defined in claim 33, wherein the communication link comprises a third path and a fourth path, wherein the first transceiver system being configured to transmit priority information indicative of a priority activity associated with the first transceiver system via the third path, and wherein the second transceiver system being configured to transmit a clock pulse via the fourth path to initiate transmission of channel information from the first transceiver system.

38. A system comprising:

a connecting means having at least two paths;

a first means for transmitting and receiving information, the first means is to provide channel information associated with a radio channel via a first path of the connecting means, and the radio-channel is associated with the first transceiver system; and

a second means for transmitting and receiving information in communication with the first means for transmitting and receiving information via the connecting means, the second means is to provide priority information indicative of a priority activity associated with the second means via a second path of the connecting means.

39. A system as defined in claim 38, wherein the first means is to provide a four-bit code indicative of the radio channel from the first means to the second means via the first path of the connecting means.

40. A system as defined in claim 38, wherein the first means is to provide a host controller interface (HCI) command indicative of a frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) channel to the second means via the first path of the connecting means, the FHSS channel being a radio channel operable by the second means for communication.

42. A method as defined in claim 40, wherein providing an HCI command from a first transceiver system to a second transceiver system via a first path of a communication link comprises providing an HCI command from a transceiver system operating in accordance with one of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g communication protocols and a transceiver system operating in accordance with the Bluetooth communication protocol.

41. A method comprising:

providing a host controller interface (HCI) command indicative of a frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) channel from a first transceiver system to a second transceiver system via a first path of a wire interface, the FHSS channel being a radio channel operable by the second transceiver system for communication, and the first and second transceiver systems being in the same electronic device; and

providing priority information from the second transceiver system to the first transceiver system via a second path of the wire interface, the priority information being indicative of a priority activity associated with the second transceiver system to use the radio channel.