RADIO ACCESS CONTROL UTILIZING QUALITY OF SERVICE ACCESS WINDOWS

• US 20110021146A1
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pernu, Ville
• Granted Patent: US 8,521,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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 (1200), in the same device (100). A controller (600) may receive information pertaining to a plurality of wireless communication mediums being supported by radio modules (1200) in the device. The multiradio controller may formulate an operational schedule for the wireless communication mediums based on this information. Further, a network controller (1202) for a network may provide information related to one or more time periods during which the device may operate. This network information may be received by the device and also considered by the multiradio controller, which may further request that one or more of these time periods be altered, in the device, so as to align with the operational schedule.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A method, comprising:

receiving device information regarding a plurality of wireless communication mediums being supported by at least one radio module in a wireless communication device;

formulating local operational schedule information for the plurality of wireless communication mediums based on the device information;

receiving network information regarding the at least one wireless communication medium from an associated network, the network information being used to determine allowed activity periods for communicating in the at least one wireless communication medium;

comparing the local operational schedule information for the at least one wireless communication medium with the allowed activity periods for communicating in the at least one wireless communication medium; and

adjusting the duration of the allowed activity periods in the wireless communication device to correspond with the local operational schedule information.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the device information includes at least one of pending message information for each wireless communication medium and radio module status information.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein formulating local operational schedule information includes allocating periods of time during which a wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the activity periods are determined from wireless beacon signals received from a network controller that establish a transmit opportunity during which the at least one wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising preprocessing information in view of a predicted allowed activity period, wherein the preprocessing does not initiate until a threshold is exceeded during a contention period for the at least one wireless medium.

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

code configured to receive device information regarding a plurality of wireless communication mediums being supported by at least one radio module in a wireless communication device;

code configured to formulate local operational schedule information for the plurality of wireless communication mediums based on the device information;

code configured to receive network information regarding the at least one wireless communication medium from an associated network, the network information being used to determine allowed activity periods for communicating in the at least one wireless communication medium;

code configured to compare the local operational schedule information for the at least one wireless communication medium with the allowed activity periods for communicating in the at least one wireless communication medium; and

code configured to adjust the duration of the allowed activity periods in the wireless communication device to correspond with the local operational schedule information.

39. The method of claim 40, further comprising discarding the preprocessed information, discarding the adjusted allowed activity period, and restarting comparison of the local operational schedule with the allowed activity periods and adjusting of the allowed activity period if the contention period for the at least one wireless communication medium is interrupted.

41. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the device information includes at least one of pending message information for each wireless communication medium and radio module status information.

42. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein formulating local operational schedule information includes allocating periods of time during which a wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

43. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein the activity periods are determined from wireless beacon signals received from a network controller that establish a transmit opportunity during which the at least one wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

44. The computer program product of claim 40, further comprising preprocessing information in view of a predicted allowed activity period, wherein the preprocessing does not initiate until a threshold is exceeded during a contention period for the at least one wireless medium.

45. The computer program product of claim 44, further comprising discarding the preprocessed information, discarding the adjusted allowed activity period, and restarting comparison of the local operational schedule with the allowed activity periods and adjusting of the allowed activity period if the contention period for the at least one wireless communication medium is interrupted.

46. A device, comprising:

at least one radio module; and

a controller coupled to the at least one radio module, the controller being configured to;

receive device information regarding a plurality of wireless communication mediums being supported by at least one radio module in a wireless communication device;

formulate local operational schedule information for the plurality of wireless communication mediums based on the device information;

receive network information regarding the at least one wireless communication medium from an associated network, the network information being used to determine allowed activity periods for communicating in the at least one wireless communication medium;

compare the local operational schedule information for the at least one wireless communication medium with the allowed activity periods for communicating in the at least one wireless communication medium; and

adjust the duration of the allowed activity periods in the wireless communication device to correspond with the local operational schedule information.

47. The device of claim 46, wherein the device information includes at least one of pending message information for each wireless communication medium and radio module status information.

48. The device of claim 46, wherein formulating local operational schedule information includes allocating periods of time during which a wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

49. The device of claim 48, wherein the activity periods are determined from wireless beacon signals received from a network controller that establish a transmit opportunity during which the at least one wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

50. The device of claim 46, further comprising a multiradio controller in the device configured to compare the allowed activity periods with the local operational schedule information.

51. The device of claim 47, wherein the duration of the allowed activity periods are reduced within the wireless communication device so as not to exceed the duration of corresponding time periods in the local operational schedule information.

52. A multiradio controller, comprising:

at least one interface module; and

a processing module coupled to the at least one interface module, the processing module being configured to;

receive device information regarding a plurality of wireless communication mediums being supported by at least one radio module in a wireless communication device;

formulate local operational schedule information for the plurality of wireless communication mediums based on the device information;

receive network information regarding the at least one wireless communication medium from an associated network, the network information being used to determine allowed activity periods for communicating in the at least one wireless communication medium;

compare the local operational schedule information for the at least one wireless communication medium with the allowed activity periods for communicating in the at least one wireless communication medium; and

adjust the duration of the allowed activity periods in the wireless communication device to correspond with the local operational schedule information.

53. The multiradio controller of claim 52, wherein adjusting the duration of the allowed activity periods is executed through a request to a radio module using the at least one interface module.

54. The multiradio controller of claim 52, wherein adjusting the duration of the allowed activity periods is executed through an instruction to a radio module using the at least one interface module.