MULTIRADIO MANAGEMENT THROUGH SHARED TIME ALLOCATION

• US 20080240048A1
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: PERNU, Ville, OKKER, Jani, YLANEN, Jussi
• Granted Patent: US 8,107,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• 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 system for managing the operation of a plurality of radio modules integrated within the same wireless communication device. In at least one embodiment of the present invention, time may be allocated for use in communicating over one or more wireless communication mediums. The allocated time may take the form of timeslots. The timeslots may be dedicated or shared timeslots, the type of timeslot affecting the behavior of each wireless communication medium. Use of shared timeslots may, for example, be determined locally to the radio modules based on a relative priority between the wireless communication mediums sharing the timeslot.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request to transmit at least one message via a wireless communication medium;

receiving schedule information related to the wireless communication medium, the schedule information including one or more periods of time when a radio module is allowed to communicate;

determining whether the one or more periods of time included in the scheduling information are dedicated timeslots or shared timeslots;

if the one or more periods are dedicated timeslots, transmitting the at least one message via the wireless communication medium; and

if the one or more periods are shared timeslots, negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots before transmitting the at least one message via the wireless communication medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the schedule information is received from a multiradio controller incorporated in the same wireless communication device as the radio module.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes determining other wireless communication mediums sharing the one or more timeslots.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes determining all of the wireless communication mediums sharing the one or more timeslots that want to communicate during the one or more shared timeslots.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes determining a relative priority between all of the wireless communication mediums that want to communicate during the one or more shared timeslots.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes allowing the highest priority wireless communication medium that that want to communicate during the one or more shared timeslots to transmit at least one message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes one or more radio modules transmitting communication requirements to the other radio modules.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes a multimode radio module balancing communication requirements among a plurality of wireless communication mediums supported in the multimode radio module.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, comprising:

a computer readable program code for receiving a request to transmit at least one message via a wireless communication medium;

a computer readable program code for receiving schedule information related to the wireless communication medium, the schedule information including one or more periods of time when a radio module is allowed to communicate;

a computer readable program code for determining whether the one or more periods of time included in the scheduling information are dedicated timeslots or shared timeslots;

a computer readable program code for, if the one or more periods are dedicated timeslots, transmitting the at least one message via the wireless communication medium; and

a computer readable program code for, if the one or more periods are shared timeslots, negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots before transmitting the at least one message via the wireless communication medium.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the schedule information is received from a multiradio controller incorporated in the same wireless communication device as the radio module.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes determining other wireless communication mediums sharing the one or more timeslots.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes determining all of the wireless communication mediums sharing the one or more timeslots that want to communicate during the one or more shared timeslots.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes determining a relative priority between all of the wireless communication mediums that want to communicate during the one or more shared timeslots.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes allowing the highest priority wireless communication medium that that want to communicate during the one or more shared timeslots to transmit at least one message.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes one or more radio modules transmitting communication requirements to the other radio modules.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes a multimode radio module balancing communication requirements among a plurality of wireless communication mediums supported in the multimode radio module.

17. A device comprising:

one or more radio modules; and

at least one multiradio controller coupled to the one or more radio modules;

wherein the device is configured to;

receive a request to transmit at least one message via a wireless communication medium;

receive schedule information related to the wireless communication medium, the schedule information including one or more periods of time when a radio module is allowed to communicate;

determine whether the one or more periods of time included in the scheduling information are dedicated timeslots or shared timeslots;

if the one or more periods are dedicated timeslots, transmit the at least one message via the wireless communication medium; and

if the one or more periods are shared timeslots, negotiate use of the one or more shared timeslots before transmitting the at least one message via the wireless communication medium.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the schedule information is received from a multiradio controller incorporated in the same wireless communication device as the radio module.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes determining other wireless communication mediums sharing the one or more timeslots.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes determining all of the wireless communication mediums sharing the one or more timeslots that want to communicate during the one or more shared timeslots.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes determining a relative priority between all of the wireless communication mediums that want to communicate during the one or more shared timeslots.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes allowing the highest priority wireless communication medium that want to communicate during the one or more shared timeslots to transmit at least one message.

23. The device of claim 17, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes one or more radio modules transmitting communication requirements to the other radio modules.

24. The device of claim 17, wherein negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots includes a multimode radio module balancing communication requirements among a plurality of wireless communication mediums supported in the multimode radio module.

25. A device comprising:

means for receiving a request to transmit at least one message via a wireless communication medium;

means for receiving schedule information related to the wireless communication medium, the schedule information including one or more periods of time when a radio module is allowed to communicate;

means for determining whether the one or more periods of time included in the scheduling information are dedicated timeslots or shared timeslots;

means for, if the one or more periods are dedicated timeslots, transmitting the at least one message via the wireless communication medium; and

means for, if the one or more periods are shared timeslots, negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots before transmitting the at least one message via the wireless communication medium.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the schedule information is received from a multiradio controller incorporated in the same wireless communication device as the radio module.

27. A radio module, comprising:

a radio modem configured to send wireless messages via a wireless communication medium;

a message queue for holding one or more pending wireless messages;

a controller coupled to at least the radio modem and the message queue;

one or more transmitters coupled to at least the controller and configured to send information to at least one of a multiradio controller and other radio modules; and

one or more receivers coupled to at least the controller and configured to receive at least one of schedule information including one or more periods of time when a radio module is allowed to communicate and information from other radio modules;

wherein the controller is configured to;

receive a request to transmit at least one message via a wireless communication medium;

receive schedule information related to the wireless communication medium, the schedule information including one or more periods of time when a radio module is allowed to communicate;

determine whether the one or more periods of time included in the scheduling information are dedicated timeslots or shared timeslots;

if the one or more periods are dedicated timeslots, transmit the at least one message via the wireless communication medium; and

if the one or more periods are shared timeslots, negotiate use of the one or more shared timeslots before transmitting the at least one message via the wireless communication medium.

28. The radio module of claim 27, wherein the transmitter and receiver communicate over a communication bus dedicated to conveying delay-sensitive information.

29. A radio module, comprising:

a radio modem configured to send wireless messages via a plurality of wireless communication mediums;

a plurality of message queues for holding one or more pending wireless messages;

a controller coupled to at least the radio modem and the plurality of message queues;

one or more transmitters coupled to at least the controller and configured to send information to at least a multiradio controller; and

one or more receivers coupled to at least the controller and configured to receive at least schedule information including one or more periods of time when a radio module is allowed to communicate;

wherein the controller is configured to;

receive a request to transmit at least one message via a wireless communication medium;

receive schedule information related to the wireless communication medium, the schedule information including one or more periods of time when a radio module is allowed to communicate;

determine whether the one or more periods of time included in the scheduling information are dedicated timeslots or shared timeslots;

if the one or more periods are dedicated timeslots, transmit the at least one message via the wireless communication medium; and

if the one or more periods are shared timeslots, negotiate use of the one or more shared timeslots before transmitting the at least one message via the wireless communication medium.

30. The radio module of claim 29, wherein the transmitter and receiver are further configured to send and receive information to other radio modules.

31. The radio module of claim 29, wherein at least one transmitter and receiver are components of an interface coupled to a communication bus which is dedicated to conveying delay-sensitive information.

32. The radio module of claim 31, wherein the communication bus is dedicated to conveying delay-sensitive radio module status information between a plurality of radio modules incorporated in a wireless communication device.

33. A method, comprising:

receiving a request to transmit one or more messages via at least one radio module supporting at least one wireless communication medium;

receiving status information related to at least one of the at least one radio module and the at least one wireless communication medium;

determining whether any of the one or more messages are high priority messages;

if any of the messages are high priority messages, and a potential communication conflict exists, allocating dedicated timeslots in an operational schedule for the high priority messages;

allocating any other available timeslots as shared timeslots in the operational schedule; and

communicating the operational schedule to the at least one radio module.

34. A multiradio controller, comprising:

at least one interface module for facilitating communication; and

a control module, coupled to at least the interface module, wherein the control module is configured to;

receive a request to transmit one or more messages via at least one radio module supporting at least one wireless communication medium;

receive status information related to at least one of the at least one radio module and the at least one wireless communication medium;

determine whether any of the one or more messages are high priority messages;

if any of the messages are high priority messages, and a potential communication conflict exists, allocate dedicated timeslots in an operational schedule for the high priority messages;

allocate any other available timeslots as shared timeslots in the operational schedule; and

communicate the operational schedule to the at least one radio module.

35. A system, comprising:

one or more radio modules imbedded in a wireless communication device;

a multiradio controller, coupled to the one or radio modules;

at least one of the one or more multiradio modules receiving a request to transmit at least one message via a wireless communication medium;

the at least one radio module receiving schedule information from the multiradio controller related to the wireless communication medium, the schedule information including one or more periods of time when the at least one radio module is allowed to communicate;

the at least one radio module further determining whether the one or more periods of time included in the scheduling information are dedicated timeslots or shared timeslots;

if the one or more periods are dedicated timeslots, the at least one radio module transmitting the at least one message via the wireless communication medium; and

if the one or more periods are shared timeslots, the at least one radio module negotiating use of the one or more shared timeslots before transmitting the at least one message via the wireless communication medium.