ALLOCATING TRANSMIT POWER AMONG MULTIPLE AIR INTERFACES

• US 20100291884A1
• Filed: 05/06/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hu, Jun, Ramasami, Vijaya C., Garach, Ravindra M., Shahidi, Reza, Lin, Yu-Chuan
• Granted Patent: US 8,792,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/101
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0026 Division using four or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0028 Variable division signaling therefor H04L5/0092
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0058 Allocation criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/346 distributing total power among users or channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for allocating transmit power among multiple interfaces in a wireless communication system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining a first power level that is used for transmitting over a first air interface, determining a maximum power level available for transmitting over a second interface, comparing the first power level to the maximum power level, determining a second power level that is used for transmitting over the second air interface based on the comparison of the first power level to the maximum power level, and generating a power-based payload constraint based on the second power level.

Claims

1. A method for power management for a mobile device supporting simultaneous transmission on multiple air interfaces, the method comprising:

determining a first power level used for transmission over a first air interface;

determining a second power level used for transmission over a second air interface;

comparing a composite of the first power level and the second power level to a threshold power level; and

adjusting the second power level based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the second power level comprises adjusting the second power level so the sum of the first power level and the second power level is less than or equal to the threshold power level.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the first power level based on the comparison, and wherein the composite of the adjusted first power level and the adjusted second power level is less than or equal to the threshold power level.

4. A method for allocating power among multiple air interfaces for a communication device supporting simultaneous transmission over multiple air interfaces, the method comprising:

determining a first power level that is used for transmitting over a first air interface;

determining a second power level available for transmitting over a second interface;

comparing the first power level to the second power level available for transmitting over a second interface;

determining an estimated second power level for transmitting over the second air interface based on the comparison of the first power level to the second power level; and

generating a power-based payload constraint based on at least the estimated second power level.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising allocating power to the first air interface and the second air interface based on the power-based payload constraint and a total available power.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein allocation of power to the first air interface is prioritized over allocation of power to the second air interface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein allocation of power to the first air interface is prioritized over allocation of power to the second air interface up to a priority power level, and wherein allocation of power to the second air interface is prioritized over allocation of power to the first air interface from a range between the priority power level and the total available power.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the estimated second power level comprises setting the estimated second power level to the lesser of:

the second power level available for transmitting over a second interface comprising a difference between a total power level and the first power level; and

a threshold value based on the first power level.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the power-based payload constraint is further based on a power margin, an overhead gain, and a transmit pilot power for transmitting a pilot over the second air interface.

10. The method of claim 4, further comprising adjusting a power margin based on a transmit pilot power.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising adjusting the power margin based on a total transmit power.

12. A wireless communication device supporting simultaneous transmission on multiple air interfaces, the wireless communication device comprising:

a first interface power level calculator configured to determine a first power level that is used for transmitting over a first air interface;

a second interface power level calculator configured to determine a second power level available for transmitting over a second interface;

a differential check unit configured to compare the first power level to the second power level available for transmitting over a second interface;

a second interface power level adjuster configured to determine an estimated second power level for transmitting over the second air interface based on the comparison of the first power level to the second power level; and

a power-based payload constraint calculator configured to generate a power-based payload constraint based on at least the estimated second power level.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising a power controller configured to allocate power to the first air interface and the second air interface based on the power-based payload constraint and a total available power.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the allocation of power to the first air interface is prioritized over allocation of power to the second air interface.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein allocation of power to the first air interface is prioritized over allocation of power to the second air interface up to a priority power level, and wherein allocation of power to the second air interface is prioritized over allocation of power to the first air interface from a range between the priority power level and the total available power.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the second interface power level adjuster is further configured to set the estimated second power level to the lesser of:

the second power level available for transmitting over a second interface comprising a difference between the second power level and the first power level; and

a threshold value based on the first power level.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the power-based payload constraint calculator is further configured to generate the power-based payload constraint based also on a power margin, an overhead gain, and a transmit pilot power for transmitting a pilot over the second air interface.

18. The device of claim 12, further comprising a processor configured to adjust a power margin based on a transmit pilot power.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising a processor configured to adjust the power margin based on a total transmit power.

20. A wireless communication device supporting simultaneous transmission on multiple air interfaces, the wireless communication device comprising:

a first interface power level calculator configured to determine a first power level used for transmission over a first air interface;

a second interface power level calculator configured to determine a second power level used for transmission over a second air interface;

a differential check unit configured to compare a composite of the first power level and the second power level to a threshold power level; and

a second interface power level adjuster configured to adjust the second power level based on the comparison.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the second interface power level adjuster is configured to adjust the second power level by adjusting the second power level so the sum of the first power level and the second power level is less than or equal to the threshold power level.

22. The device of claim 20, further comprising a first interface power level adjuster configured to adjust the first power level based on the comparison, wherein the composite of the adjusted first power level and the adjusted second power level is less than or equal to the threshold power level.

23. A system for allocating power among multiple air interfaces for a communication device supporting simultaneous transmission over multiple air interfaces, the system comprising:

means for determining a first power level that is used for transmitting over a first air interface;

means for determining a second power level available for transmitting over a second interface;

means for comparing the first power level to the second power level available for transmitting over a second interface;

means for determining an estimated second power level for transmitting over the second air interface based on the comparison of the first power level to the second power level; and

means for generating a power-based payload constraint based on at least the estimated second power level.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for allocating power to the first air interface and the second air interface based on the power-based payload constraint and a total available power.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein allocation of power to the first air interface is prioritized over allocation of power to the second air interface.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein allocation of power to the first air interface is prioritized over allocation of power to the second air interface up to a priority power level, and wherein allocation of power to the second air interface is prioritized over allocation of power to the first air interface from a range between the priority power level and the total available power

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for determining the estimated second power level is configured to set the estimated second power level to the lesser of:

the second power level available for transmitting over a second interface comprising a difference between the second power level and the first power level; and

a threshold value based on the first power level.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for generating the power-based payload constraint is further configured to generate the power-based payload constraint based on a power margin, an overhead gain, and a transmit pilot power for transmitting a pilot over the second air interface.

29. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for adjusting a power margin based on a transmit pilot power.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising means for adjusting the power margin based on a total transmit power.

31. A wireless communication device supporting simultaneous transmission on multiple air interfaces, the wireless communication device comprising:

means for determining a first power level used for transmission over a first air interface;

means for determining a second power level used for transmission over a second air interface;

means for comparing a composite of the first power level and the second power level to a threshold power level; and

means for adjusting the second power level based on the comparison.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein means for adjusting is configured to adjust the second power level by adjusting the second power level so the sum of the first power level and the second power level is less than or equal to the threshold power level.

33. The device of claim 31, further comprising means for adjusting the first power level based on the comparison, wherein the composite of the adjusted first power level and the adjusted second power level is less than or equal to the threshold power level.

34. A computer program product, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing a computer to determine a first power level that is used for transmitting over a first air interface;

code for causing a computer to determine a second power level available for transmitting over a second interface;

code for causing a computer to compare the first power level to the second power level available for transmitting over a second interface;

code for causing a computer to determine an estimated second power level for transmitting over the second air interface based on the comparison of the first power level to the second power level; and

code for causing a computer to generate a power-based payload constraint based on at least the estimated second power level.

35. A computer program product, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing a computer to determine a first power level used for transmission over a first air interface;

code for causing a computer to determine a second power level used for transmission over a second air interface;

code for causing a computer to compare a composite of the first power level and the second power level to a threshold power level; and

code for causing a computer to adjust the second power level based on the comparison.