METHODS AND APPARATUS RELATED TO MULTI-MODE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE SUPPORTING BOTH WIDE AREA NETWORK SIGNALING AND PEER TO PEER SIGNALING

• US 20080069063A1
• Filed: 06/18/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Junyi, Laroia, Rajiv
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Methods and apparatus related to the sharing of wide area network (WAN) uplink bandwidth with peer to peer communication signaling usage are described. A multi-mode wireless communications device supporting both WAN communications and peer to peer communications includes: a transmitter chain for generating signals having a first RF frequency, a first receiver chain for processing received signals having a second RF frequency, and a second receiver chain for processing signals having the first RF frequency. This design is particularly advantageous in a communications system where a WAN frequency division duplex uplink band is shared with time division duplex (TDD) peer to peer communications signaling. The wireless terminal sets the transmitter chain and the second receiver/chain to the FDD uplink band and sets the first receiver chain to the FDD downlink band. This design accommodates rapid mode switching between the two modes of operation and reuses hardware where possible.

Claims

1. A multi-mode communications device comprising:

a transmitter chain for generating transmission signals having a first RF frequency;

a first receiver chain for processing received signals having a second RF frequency; and

a second receiver chain for processing received signals having the first RF frequency.

2. The multi-mode communications device of claim 1, further comprising:

a mode control module for switching between use of said first and second receiver chains as a function of which one of a first and second mode of operation the mode control module selects to be used at a given time.

3. The multi-mode communications device of claim 2, wherein the first mode of operation is a frequency division duplex mode of operation;

and

wherein said second mode of operation is a peer to peer communication mode of operation.

4. The multi-mode communications device of claim 3, wherein the first mode of operation is a wide area network frequency division duplex mode of operation.

5. The multi-mode communications device of claim 3, wherein said transmitter chain is used during said first and second modes of operation.

6. The multi-mode communications device of claim 3, wherein said mode control module automatically controls said switching as a function of a wide area network reception schedule implemented by said multi-mode communications device.

7. The multi-mode communications device of claim 6, wherein said scheduling information indicates when wide area network paging messages may be received by said multi-mode communications device, said mode control module control controlling said device to operate in said first mode of operation during time periods in which said wide area network paging messages may be received by said multi-mode device.

8. The multi-mode communications device of claim 3, wherein said mode control mode switches between said first and second modes of operation as a function of a reception priority corresponding to receiving wide area network signals relative to a priority corresponding to receiving peer to peer signals.

9. The multi-mode communications device of claim 3, wherein said mode control module is responsive to a handoff indicator signal indicating a handoff from a peer to peer communications link to a wide area network communications link to cause a switch from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation.

10. The multi-mode communications device of claim 3, wherein said mode control module is responsive to a handoff indicator signal indicating a handoff from a wide area network communications link to a peer to peer communications link to cause a switch from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation.

11. The multi-mode communications device of claim 2, further comprising;

memory including a predetermined schedule for operating in said first and second modes of operation; and

wherein said mods control module controls the device to switch between said first and second modes of operation in accordance with said schedule.

12. A method of operating a multi-mode communications device, the method comprising:

tuning a transmitter chain to generate transmission signals having a first RF frequency;

tuning a first receiver chain to process received signals having a second RF frequency; and

tuning a second receiver chain to process received signals having the first RF frequency.

13. The method, of claim 12, further comprising:

switching between use of said first and second receiver chains as a function of which one of a first and second mode of operation a mode control module selects to be used at a given time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first mode of operation is a frequency division duplex mode of operation;

and

wherein said second mode of operation is a peer to peer communication mode of operation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first mode of operation is a wide area network frequency division duplex mode of operation.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said transmitter chain is used during said first and second modes of operation.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said switching is performed without user intervention and as a function of a wide area network reception schedule implemented by said multi-mode communications device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising;

prior to said switching, receiving a user input enabling peer to peer mode of operation.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said wide area network reception schedule indicates when wide area network paging messages may be received by said multi-mode communications device, the method further comprising:

controlling said device to operate in said first mode of operation during time periods in which said wide area network paging messages may be received by said multi-mode device.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said switching between said first and second modes of operation is determined as a function of a reception priority corresponding to receiving wide area network signals relative to a priority corresponding to receiving peer to peer signals.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a handoff signal indicator indicating a handoff from a peer to peer communications link to a wide area network link; and

switching from the second mode of operation to the first mode of operation in response to said handoff indicator signal.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a handoff signal indicator indicating a handoff from a wide area network communications link to a peer to peer communications link; and

switching from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation in response to said handoff indicator signal.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising;

prior to tuning said transmitter chain, tuning said first receiver chain and tuning said second receiver chain, selecting a wide area network frequency division duplex pair from among a plurality of potential wide area network frequency division duplex pairs.

24. A multi-mode communications device comprising:

transmitter means for generating transmission signals having a first RF frequency;

first receiver means for processing received signals having a second RF frequency; and

second receiver means for processing received signals having the first RF frequency.

25. The multi-mode communications device of claim 24, further comprising:

mode control means for switching between use of said first and second receiver means as a function of which one of a first and second mode of operation the mode control means selects to be used at a given time.

26. The multi-mode communications device of claim 25, wherein the first mode of operation is a frequency division duplex, mode of operation;

and

wherein said second mode of operation is a peer to peer communication mode of operation.

27. The multi-mode communications device of claim 26, wherein said mode control means automatically controls said switching as a function of a wide area network reception schedule implemented by said multi-mode communications device.

28. The multi-mode communications device of claim 26, wherein said mode control mode switches between said first and second modes of operation as a function of a reception priority corresponding to receiving wide area network signals relative to a priority corresponding to receiving peer to peer signals.

29. The multi-mode communications device of claim 25, farther comprising:

memory means including a predetermined schedule for operating in said first and second modes of operation; and

wherein said mode control means controls the device to switch between said first and second modes of operation in accordance with said schedule.

30. A computer readable medium embodying machine executable instructions for controlling a multi-mode communications device to implement a method, the method comprising:

tuning a transmitter chain to generate transmission signals having a first RF frequency;

tuning a first receiver chain to process received signals having a second RF frequency; and

timing a second receiver chain to process received signals having the first RF frequency.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

switching between use of said first and second receiver chains as a function of which one of a first and second mode of operation a mode control module selects to be used at a given time.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the first mode of operation is a frequency division duplex mode of operation;

and

wherein said second mode of operation is a peer to peer communication mode of operation.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein said switching is performed without user intervention and as a function of a wide area network reception schedule implemented by said multi-mode communications device.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33, further embodying machine executable instructions for:

prior to said switching, receiving a user input enabling peer to peer mode of operation.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein said switching between said first and second modes of operation is determined as a function of a reception priority corresponding to receiving wide area network signals relative to a priority corresponding to receiving peer to peer signals.

36. As apparatus comprising:

processor configured to;

tune a transmitter chain to generate transmission signals having a first RF frequency;

tune a first receiver chain to process received signals having a second RF frequency; and

tune a second receiver chain to process received signals having the first RF frequency.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said processor is further configured to:

switch between use of said first and second receiver chains as a function of which one of a first and second mode of operation a mode control module selects to be used at a given time.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the first mode of operation is a frequency division duplex mode of operation;

and

wherein said second mode of operation is a peer to peer communication mode of operation.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said processor configuration to switch is further configured to be performed without user intervention and as a function of a wide area network reception schedule implemented by said multi-mode communications device.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said, processor is further configured to:

prior to performing said switching, receive a user input enabling peer to peer mode of operation.

41. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said processor configuration to switch between said first and second modes of operation further includes being configured to determine as a function of a reception priority corresponding to receiving wide area network signals relative to a priority corresponding to receiving peer to peer signals.