Co-location interference avoidance in multiple protocol communication networks

• US 20070109973A1
• Filed: 01/10/2007
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Trachewsky, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,813,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different 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

A method includes an access point providing a request for co-location interference information to at least one multiple protocol device. The method continues with the at least one multiple protocol device obtaining co-location interference information in response to the request. The method continues with the at least one multiple protocol device providing the co-location interference information to the access point.

Claims

1. A method comprises:

providing, by an access point, a request for co-location interference information to at least one multiple protocol device;

obtaining, by the at least one multiple protocol device, co-location interference information in response to the request; and

providing, by the at least one multiple protocol device, the co-location interference information to the access point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the co-location interference information comprises at least one of:

interference level;

interference level accuracy;

interference interval;

interference burst length;

interference start time;

interferer center frequency;

interferer bandwidth;

interferer modulation/spreading; and

interferer symbol duration.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprises:

when information regarding the at least one of the co-location interference information is not obtainable, providing a default value.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

determining, by the at least one multiple protocol device, whether the co-location information has changed;

when the co-location information has changed, updating, by the at least one multiple protocol device, the co-location information to produce updated co-location information; and

providing, by the at least one multiple protocol device, the updated co-location information to the access point.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the providing the updated co-location information to the access point comprises:

determining, by the at least one multiple protocol device, whether an update time period has expired; and

when the update time period has not expired, waiting to provide the updated co-location information to the access point unit the update time period has expired.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one multiple protocol device is operable in accordance with a wireless local area network communication standard and is operable in accordance with at least one of a cellular telephone communication standard, a data communication standard, and a Bluetooth wireless communication standard.

7. A method comprises:

obtaining, when enabled, co-location interference information in response to the request; and

providing in accordance with the enabled, the co-location interference information to an access point.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the co-location interference information comprises at least one of:

interference level;

interference level accuracy;

interference interval;

interference burst length;

interference start time;

interferer center frequency;

interferer bandwidth;

interferer modulation/spreading; and

interferer symbol duration.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprises:

when information regarding the at least one of the co-location interference information is not obtainable, providing a default value.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprises:

determining whether the co-location information has changed;

when the co-location information has changed, updating the co-location information to produce updated co-location information; and

providing the updated co-location information to the access point.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the providing the updated co-location information to the access point comprises:

determining whether an update time period has expired;

when the update time period has not expired, waiting to provide the updated co-location information to the access point unit the update time period has expired.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprises:

receiving a co-location enable signal from the access point;

determining whether co-location information feature is activated; and

when the co-location feature is not activated, providing a null response to the access point.

13. A multiple protocol device comprises:

a transceiver for converting inbound radio frequency (RF) signals into inbound symbols and for converting outbound symbols into outbound RF signals; and

a protocol module coupled to;

obtain, when enabled, co-location interference information in response to the request; and

provide, in accordance with the enabled, the co-location interference information to an access point via the transceiver.

14. The multiple protocol device of claim 13, wherein the co-location interference information comprises at least one of:

interference level;

interference level accuracy;

interference interval;

interference burst length;

interference start time;

interferer center frequency;

interferer bandwidth;

interferer modulation/spreading; and

interferer symbol duration.

15. The multiple protocol device of claim 13, wherein the protocol module further functions to:

when information regarding the at least one of the co-location interference information is not obtainable, provide a default value.

16. The multiple protocol device of claim 13, wherein the protocol module further functions to:

determine whether the co-location information has changed;

when the co-location information has changed, update the co-location information to produce updated co-location information; and

provide, via the transceiver, the updated co-location information to the access point.

17. The multiple protocol device of claim 16, wherein the protocol module further functions to provide the updated co-location information to the access point by:

determining whether an update time period has expired;

when the update time period has not expired, waiting to provide the updated co-location information to the access point unit the update time period has expired.

18. The multiple protocol device of claim 13, wherein the protocol module further functions to:

receive a co-location enable signal from the access point;

determine whether co-location information feature is activated; and

when the co-location feature is not activated, provide a null response to the access point.