Method and System for Collaborative Coexistence of Bluetooth and WIMAX

• US 20080233875A1
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Desai, Prasanna, Ibrahim, Brima, Hall, Steven Deane
• Granted Patent: US 8,682,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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

Methods and systems for collaborative coexistence of Bluetooth and WiMax are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include a packet traffic arbiter (PTA) in a mobile terminal that arbitrates among requests to transmit from one or more communication devices collocated in the mobile terminal. The communication devices may comprise, for example, a WLAN communication device, a WiMax communication device, and/or a Bluetooth communication device. The arbitration may be based on, for example, whether a packet will be received by one of the plurality of collocated communication devices at a time of transmission of the present data packet and/or a priority for data to be transmitted. An exemplary scenario may be where a Bluetooth headset may be used for communication over a WiMax voice connection. One arbitration method may comprise allowing the WiMax packet to be transmitted, and replacing the received Bluetooth packet with data indicating silence. Another method may comprise not allowing transmission of the present WiMax packet. Rather, the present WiMax packet and a subsequent WiMax packet may e transmitted at the next transmission period.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, the method comprising:

in a mobile terminal, predicting whether transmission by one of a plurality of collocated communication devices will result in a collision with transmission and/or reception by another of said plurality of collocated communication devices, wherein said plurality of collocated communication devices comprises a WiMax communication device and a Bluetooth communication device; and

arbitrating among said plurality of collocated communication devices to grant permission to transmit, based on one or both of said predicting and one or more transmit requests received from one or more of said plurality of collocated communication devices.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said permission to transmit is granted to a subset of said plurality of collocated communication devices, wherein said subset of said plurality of collocated communication devices comprises a range from none of said plurality of collocated communication devices to all of said plurality of collocated communication devices.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of collocated communication devices comprises a WLAN communication device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said arbitrating is based on priorities assigned to a type of packet to be transmitted by said plurality of collocated communication devices from which said one or more transmit requests are received.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising granting to one of said plurality of collocated communication devices, permission to transmit a first packet if a second packet is not predicted to be received by another of said plurality of collocated communication devices during a period of time when said first packet is transmitted.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving one or more transmit requests from said WiMax communication device, wherein said WiMax communication device transmits WiMax packets that correspond to one or more received Bluetooth packets.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising granting permission to said WiMax communication device, to transmit a first WiMax packet.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising, if a first Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received by said Bluetooth communication device during a period of time when said first WiMax packet is to be transmitted, transmitting a second WiMax packet after said first WiMax packet is transmitted, wherein said second WiMax packet comprises data that indicate silence, and wherein said second WiMax packet corresponds to said first Bluetooth packet.

9. The method according to claim 6, comprising, if a Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received by said Bluetooth communication device during a period of time when a first WiMax packet is to be transmitted, denying permission to said WiMax communication device to transmit said first WiMax packet.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising making a request to a WiMax base station, by said WiMax communication device, to use a wider bandwidth for transmission at a next available WiMax transmission period for said WiMax communication device.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising, if permission to use said wider bandwidth is received from said WiMax base station, transmitting both said first WiMax packet and a second WiMax packet, by said WiMax communication device at said next available WiMax transmission period utilizing said wider bandwidth.

12. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining whether a received first Bluetooth packet comprises voice data and whether a transmit request has been received from said WiMax communication device, wherein said WiMax communication device transmits WiMax packets that correspond to one or more received Bluetooth packets.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising, if said received first Bluetooth packet is determined to not comprise said voice data and if said transmit request has been received, granting permission to said WiMax communication device to transmit a first WiMax packet.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising, if a second Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received by said Bluetooth communication device during a period of time when said first WiMax packet is to be transmitted, using data that indicate silence for a second WiMax packet to be transmitted after said first WiMax packet is transmitted, wherein said second Bluetooth packet is a next Bluetooth packet received after said first Bluetooth packet is received.

15. The method according to claim 12, comprising, if said received first Bluetooth packet is determined to comprise voice data, if said transmit request has been received, and if a second Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received during a period of time when said first WiMax packet is to be transmitted, denying permission to transmit a first WiMax packet by said WiMax communication device.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising making a request to a WiMax base station, by said WiMax communication device, to use a wider bandwidth for transmission at a next available WiMax transmission period for said WiMax communication device.

17. The method according to claim 16, comprising, if permission for said wider bandwidth is received from said WiMax base station, transmitting both said first WiMax packet and a next WiMax packet by said WiMax communication device at said next available WiMax transmission period utilizing said wider bandwidth.

18. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits in a mobile terminal comprising a plurality of collocated communication devices that enables prediction of whether transmission by one of said plurality of collocated communication devices will result in a collision with transmission and/or reception by another of said plurality of collocated communication devices, wherein said plurality of collocated communication devices comprises a WiMax communication device and a Bluetooth communication device; and

said one or more circuits enable arbitrating among said plurality of collocated communication devices to grant permission to transmit, based on one or both of said predicting and one or more transmit requests received from one or more of said plurality of collocated communication devices.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said permission to transmit is granted to a subset of said plurality of collocated communication devices, wherein said subset of said plurality of collocated communication devices comprises a range from none of said plurality of collocated communication devices to all of said plurality of collocated communication devices.

20. The system according to claim 18 wherein said plurality of collocated communication devices comprises a WLAN communication device.

21. The system according to claim 18, wherein said arbitrating is based on priorities assigned to a type of packet to be transmitted by said plurality of collocated communication devices from which said one or more transmit requests are received.

22. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more circuits enable granting to one of said plurality of collocated communication devices, permission to transmit a first packet, if a second packet is not predicted to be received by another of said plurality of collocated communication devices during a period of time when said first packet is transmitted.

23. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more circuits enable reception of one or more transmit requests from said WiMax communication device, and wherein said WiMax communication device transmits WiMax packets that correspond to one or more received Bluetooth packets.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said one or more circuits enable granting of permission to said WiMax communication device to transmit a first WiMax packet.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said one or more circuits enable transmission of a second WiMax packet after said first WiMax packet is transmitted, if a first Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received by said Bluetooth communication device during a period of time when said first WiMax packet is to be transmitted, wherein said second WiMax packet corresponds to said first Bluetooth packet and wherein said second WiMax packet comprises data that indicate silence.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein said one or more circuits enable denying permission to said WiMax communication device to transmit said first WiMax packet, if a Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received by said Bluetooth communication device during a period of time when a first WiMax packet is to be transmitted.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said one or more circuits enable a WiMax communication device to make a request to a WiMax base station to use a wider bandwidth for transmission at a next available WiMax transmission period for said WiMax communication device.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said WiMax communication device enables transmission of both said first WiMax packet and a second WiMax packet, by said WiMax communication device at said next available WiMax transmission period utilizing said wider bandwidth, if permission to use said wider bandwidth is received from said WiMax base station.

29. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more circuits enable determination of whether a received first Bluetooth packet comprises voice data and whether a transmit request has been received from said WiMax communication device, wherein said WiMax communication device transmits WiMax packets that correspond to one or more received Bluetooth packets.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein said one or more circuits enable granting of permission to said WiMax communication device to transmit a first WiMax packet, if said received first Bluetooth packet is determined to not comprise said voice data and if said transmit request has been received.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein said one or more circuits enable using data that indicate silence for a second WiMax packet to be transmitted after said first WiMax packet is transmitted, if a second Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received by said Bluetooth communication device during a period of time when said first WiMax packet is to be transmitted, wherein said second Bluetooth packet is a next Bluetooth packet received after said first Bluetooth packet is received.

32. The system according to claim 29, wherein said one or more circuits enable denial of permission to transmit a first WiMax packet by said WiMax communication device, if said received first Bluetooth packet is determined to comprise voice data, if said transmit request has been received, and if a second Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received during a period of time when said first WiMax packet is to be transmitted.

33. The system according to claim 32, wherein said one or more circuits enable said WiMax communication device to make a request to a WiMax base station for wider bandwidth to be used for transmission at a next available WiMax transmission period.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein said one or more circuits enable transmission of both said first WiMax packet and a next WiMax packet by said WiMax communication device utilizing said wider bandwidth at said next available WiMax transmission period, if permission for said wider bandwidth is received from said WiMax base station.