Coexistence techniques in wireless networks
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Abstract
Techniques are provided for frequency coordination among two different wireless network protocols, such as the IEEE 802.11 and Bluetooth protocols, operating in proximity with one another. Coordination is accomplished by the use of a first radio transceiver operating in accordance with a first communication protocol (which may be the 802.11 protocol) and using a frequency band (which may be the 2.4 GHz band), a base station connected to a wired network and operating in accordance with the first communication protocol, a second radio transceiver operating in accordance with a second communication protocol (which may be the Bluetooth protocol) and using the frequency band, and a coordinator associated with the base station for, in turn, activating the first radio transceiver, deactivating the first radio transceiver, activating the second radio transceiver, and deactivating the second radio transceiver.
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Citations
54 Claims
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29. A method for operating a wireless data communications system having an access point and at least one mobile unit associated with said access point using a first wireless protocol, wherein said mobile unit is arranged to conduct wireless data communications with other units using a second wireless protocol, comprising:
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transmitting periodic beacon signals from said access point according to said first wireless protocol;
transmitting global clear to send signals from said access point according to said first wireless protocol, said global clear to send signals preventing mobile units from transmitting signals using said first data communications protocol during an allocated time interval within said beacon signal period;
controlling said access point to avoid transmissions during said allocated time interval;
operating said mobile unit in response to said global clear to send signal to conduct wireless communications acting as a master unit using said second wireless protocol during said allocated time interval. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of operating a data communications system using a master-slave protocol, wherein a master transceiver transmits to slave units during first even time slots and wherein slave units transmit to said master unit during odd time slots, and wherein said transmissions follow a predetermined frequency hop pattern at a hop rate corresponding to said time slots, comprising:
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operating said master unit during a first time period of each time slot to detect interfering signals at a frequency corresponding to the following time slot, and inhibiting transmission by said master transceiver during even time slots if interfering signals have been detected during either of the current or previous time slots. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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45. A method for operating a mobile unit arranged to communicate using first and second data communication protocols operating in the same frequency band wherein said mobile unit associates with an access point and receives therefrom beacon signals demarcating time intervals according to said first communications protocol, comprising:
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receiving signals from said access point designating a portion of one of said time intervals during which mobile units associated with said access point refrain from transmissions using said first data communications protocol, and operating said mobile unit as a master unit using said second data communications protocol to communicate with slave units during said designated portion of said time interval. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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49. A method for operating a wireless data communications network having at least one access point and at least one mobile unit, including a mobile unit arranged to communicate with said access point using a first wireless data communication protocol in a first frequency band and to communicate with other devices using a second wireless data communication protocol in said first frequency band, comprising:
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transmitting signals from said access point in said first communications protocol, said signals designating a time period wherein mobile units associated with said access point refrain from transmitting using said first data communications protocol; and
operating said mobile units as a master unit to conduct wireless data communications with said other devices operating as slave units using said second data communications protocol during said designated time period. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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52. A method for operating a mobile unit arranged to communicate using first and second data communications protocols operating in the same frequency band, wherein said mobile unit associates with an access point, comprising:
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receiving in said mobile unit first and second control signals using said first data communications protocol;
operating said mobile unit in response to said first control signals to act as a master unit and conduct data communications with slave units using said second data communications protocol; and
discontinuing communications by said mobile unit using said second data communications protocol in response to said second control signal.
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Specification