INTER-DEVICE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION FOR INTRA-DEVICE COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20090215396A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: MARKISON, TIMOTHY W., ROFOUGARAN, AHMADREZA (REZA)
• Granted Patent: US 8,204,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/417 with deterministic access, e.g. token passing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/004 in the uplink, i.e. towards network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

To support an intra-device communication using inter-device wireless communications, an RF bus controller is operably coupled to receive an RF bus access request from one of a plurality of circuit modules for an intra-device RF communication. The RF bus controller determines whether to grant the RF bus access request using intra-device RF bus resources or inter-device RF bus resources. The RF bus controller determines desired inter-device RF bus resources of another device when the inter-device RF bus resources are to be used. The RF bus controller transmit a request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources to an RF bus controller of the another device. The RF bus controller establishes an RF communication link between the one of the plurality of circuit modules and a target circuit module of another IC within the device when access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources is granted.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) bus controller for use in a device, the RF bus controller comprises:

an interface module; and

a processing module, wherein

the interface module receives an RF bus access request for an inter-chip intra-device RF communication;

the interface forwards a representation of the RF bus access request to the processing module;

the processing module determines whether to grant the RF bus access request using intra-device RF bus resources or inter-device RF bus resources;

when the inter-device RF bus resources are to be used, the processing module determines desired inter-device RF bus resources of another device;

the processing module generates a request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources;

the interface module transmits a representation of the request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources to an RF bus controller of the other device; and

when access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources is granted, the processing module establishes an RF communication link to support the inter-chip intra-device RF communication.

2. The RF bus controller of claim 1, wherein the interface module comprises at least one of:

a millimeter wave (MMW) transceiver;

a serial port interface; and

a parallel port interface.

3. The RF bus controller of claim 1 further comprises:

the processing module determining whether to grant the RF bus access request using intra-device RF bus resources or inter-device RF bus resources by;

accessing a mapping of RF bus resources of proximal devices;

identifying available RF bus resources of the proximal devices;

determining capabilities of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices;

comparing the capabilities of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices with capabilities of available intra-device RF bus resources;

when the capabilities of at least one of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices compares favorably with the capabilities of the available intra-device RF bus resources, indicate the use of the inter-device RF bus resources; and

the processing module determines desired inter-device RF bus resources of another device by selecting one of the at least one of the available RF bus resources based on the capabilities.

4. The RF bus controller of claim 3, wherein the processing module determines the capabilities of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices by:

determining requirements of the inter-chip intra-device RF communication, wherein the requirements include at least one of data rate, data quantity, desired communication duration, an error rate, frequency band, transmit power, receiver sensitivity, and beamforming settings;

comparing the capabilities of a plurality of RF bus resources of the proximal devices with the requirements of the inter-chip intra-device RF communication; and

when the comparison is favorable, identifying one or more RF bus resources of the plurality of RF bus resources of the proximal devices as the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices.

5. The RF bus controller of claim 1 further comprises:

when the inter-device RF bus resources and intra-device RF bus resources are to be used, the processing module determines the desired inter-device RF bus resources of the other device and desired intra-device RF bus resources of the device;

the processing module generates the request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources;

the processing module reserves the desired intra-device RF bus resources;

the interface module transmits a representation of the request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources to the RF bus controller of the other device; and

when access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources is granted, the processing module establishes an RF communication link to support the inter-chip intra-device RF communication using the desired inter-device RF bus resources and the desired intra-device RF bus resources.

6. The RF bus controller of claim 1 further comprises:

when the inter-device RF bus resources are to be used, the processing module determines desired inter-device RF bus resources of the other device and second desired inter-device RF bus resources of a second other device;

the processing module generates the request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources and the second desired inter-device RF bus resources;

the interface module transmits the representation of the request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources to the RF bus controller of the other device;

the interface module transmits a second representation of the request for access to the second desired inter-device RF bus resources to an RF bus controller of the second other device; and

when access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources and to the second desired inter-device RF bus resources is granted, the processing module establishes the RF communication link to support the inter-chip intra-device RF communication using the desired inter-device RF bus resources and to the second desired inter-device RF bus resources.

7. The RF bus controller of claim 1 further comprises the interface module receiving the RF bus access request from at least one of:

a circuit module of a first integrated circuit (IC), wherein the first IC supports the RF bus controller;

a circuit module of a second IC; and

an RF bus controller of a second device.

8. The RF bus controller of claim 1 further comprises, when the inter-device RF bus resources are to be used, the processing module determines the desired inter-device RF bus resources of the other device by:

transmitting, via the interface module, a request for available RF bus resources of the other device to an RF bus controller of the other device, wherein the request includes requirements of inter-chip intra-device RF communication;

receiving, via the interface module, a listing of the available RF bus resources of the other device having capabilities that compare favorably to the requirements of the inter-chip intra-device RF communication; and

selecting at least one of the available RF bus resources as the desired inter-device RF bus resources.

9. An integrated circuit (IC) for use in a device, the IC comprises:

a radio frequency (RF) bus controller; and

a plurality of circuit modules operably coupled to the RF bus controller, wherein the RF bus controller is operably coupled to;

receive an RF bus access request from one of the plurality of circuit modules for an intra-device RF communication;

determine whether to grant the RF bus access request using intra-device RF bus resources or inter-device RF bus resources;

when the inter-device RF bus resources are to be used, determine desired inter-device RF bus resources of another device;

transmit a request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources to an RF bus controller of the another device;

when access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources is granted, establish an RF communication link between the one of the plurality of circuit modules and a target circuit module of another IC within the device.

10. The IC of claim 9, wherein the RF bus controller is further operable to grant the RF bus access request using intra-device RF bus resources or inter-device RF bus resources by:

accessing a mapping of RF bus resources of proximal devices;

identifying available RF bus resources of the proximal devices;

determining capabilities of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices;

comparing the capabilities of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices with capabilities of available intra-device RF bus resources; and

when the capabilities of at least one of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices compares favorably with the capabilities of the available intra-device RF bus resources, indicate the use of the inter-device RF bus resources.

11. The IC of claim 10, wherein the RF bus controller is further operable to determine the desired inter-device RF bus resources of another device by:

selecting one of the at least one of the available RF bus resources based on the capabilities.

12. The IC of claim 10, wherein the RF bus controller is further operable to determine the capabilities of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices by:

determining requirements of the inter-chip intra-device RF communication, wherein the requirements include at least one of data rate, data quantity, desired communication duration, an error rate, frequency band, transmit power, receiver sensitivity, and beamforming settings;

comparing the capabilities of a plurality of RF bus resources of the proximal devices with the requirements of the inter-chip intra-device RF communication; and

when the comparison is favorable, identifying one or more RF bus resources of the plurality of RF bus resources of the proximal devices as the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices.

13. The IC of claim 9, wherein the RF bus controller is further operable to:

when the inter-device RF bus resources and intra-device RF bus resources are to be used, determine the desired inter-device RF bus resources of the other device and desired intra-device RF bus resources of the device;

generate the request for access to the second desired inter-device RF bus resources;

reserve the desired intra-device RF bus resources;

transmit a representation of the request for access to the second desired inter-device RF bus resources to the RF bus controller of the other device; and

when access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources is granted, establish an RF communication link to support the inter-chip intra-device RF communication using the desired inter-device RF bus resources and the desired intra-device RF bus resources.

14. The IC of claim 9, wherein the RF bus controller is further operable to:

when the inter-device RF bus resources are to be used, determine desired inter-device RF bus resources of the other device and second desired inter-device RF bus resources of a second other device;

generate the request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources and the second desired inter-device RF bus resources;

transmits the representation of the request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources to the RF bus controller of the other device;

transmits a second representation of the request for access to the second desired inter-device RF bus resources to an RF bus controller of the second other device; and

when access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources and to the second desired inter-device RF bus resources is granted, establish the RF communication link to support the inter-chip intra-device RF communication using the desired inter-device RF bus resources and to the second desired inter-device RF bus resources.

15. The IC of claim 9, wherein, when the inter-device RF bus resources are to be used, the RF bus controller is further operably coupled to determine the desired inter-device RF bus resources of the other device by:

transmitting a request for available RF bus resources of the other device to an RF bus controller of the other device, wherein the request includes requirements of inter-chip intra-device RF communication;

receiving a listing of the available RF bus resources of the other device having capabilities that compare favorably to the requirements of the inter-chip intra-device RF communication; and

selecting at least one of the available RF bus resources as the desired inter-device RF bus resources.

16. An integrated circuit (IC) for use in a device, the IC comprises:

a first circuit module; and

a second circuit module, wherein, from time to time, the first or second circuit module communicates with a circuit module of another IC via a wireless communication link, wherein the IC and the other IC are within a device, and wherein the first or second circuit module is operable to create the wireless communication link by;

determining whether to establish the wireless communication link using intra-device RF bus resources or inter-device RF bus resources;

when the inter-device RF bus resources are to be used, determining desired inter-device RF bus resources of another device;

transmitting a request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources to a circuit module of the other device;

when access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources is granted, establishing the wireless communication link using the desired inter-device RF bus resources.

17. The IC of claim 16, wherein the first or second circuit module is further operable to determine whether to establish the wireless communication link using intra-device RF bus resources or inter-device RF bus resources by:

accessing a mapping of RF bus resources of proximal devices;

identifying available RF bus resources of the proximal devices;

determining capabilities of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices;

comparing the capabilities of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices with capabilities of available intra-device RF bus resources; and

when the capabilities of at least one of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices compares favorably with the capabilities of the available intra-device RF bus resources, indicate the use of the inter-device RF bus resources.

18. The IC of claim 17, wherein the first or second circuit module is further operable to determine the desired inter-device RF bus resources of another device by:

selecting one of the at least one of the available RF bus resources based on the capabilities.

19. The IC of claim 17, wherein the first or second circuit module is further operable to determine the capabilities of the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices by:

determining requirements of the inter-chip intra-device RF communication, wherein the requirements include at least one of data rate, data quantity, desired communication duration, an error rate, frequency band, transmit power, receiver sensitivity, and beamforming settings;

comparing the capabilities of a plurality of RF bus resources of the proximal devices with the requirements of the inter-chip intra-device RF communication; and

when the comparison is favorable, identifying one or more RF bus resources of the plurality of RF bus resources of the proximal devices as the available RF bus resources of the proximal devices.

20. The IC of claim 16, wherein the first or second circuit module is further operable to:

when the inter-device RF bus resources and intra-device RF bus resources are to be used, determine the desired inter-device RF bus resources of the other device and desired intra-device RF bus resources of the device;

generate the request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources;

reserve the desired intra-device RF bus resources;

transmit a representation of the request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources to the circuit module of the other device; and

when access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources is granted, establish the wireless communication link using the desired inter-device RF bus resources and the desired intra-device RF bus resources.

21. The IC of claim 16, wherein the first or second circuit module is further operable to:

when the inter-device RF bus resources are to be used, determine desired inter-device RF bus resources of the other device and second desired inter-device RF bus resources of a second other device;

generate the request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources and the second desired inter-device RF bus resources;

transmits the representation of the request for access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources to the circuit module of the other device;

transmits a second representation of the request for access to the second desired inter-device RF bus resources to a circuit module of the second other device; and

when access to the desired inter-device RF bus resources and to the second desired inter-device RF bus resources is granted, establish the wireless communication link using the desired inter-device RF bus resources and the second desired inter-device RF bus resources.

22. The IC of claim 16, wherein, when the inter-device RF bus resources are to be used, the first or second circuit module is further operably coupled to determine the desired inter-device RF bus resources of the other device by:

transmitting a request for available RF bus resources of the other device to the circuit module of the other device, wherein the request includes requirements of inter-chip intra-device RF communication;

receiving a listing of the available RF bus resources of the other device having capabilities that compare favorably to the requirements of the inter-chip intra-device RF communication; and

selecting at least one of the available RF bus resources as the desired inter-device RF bus resources.