WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20120201156A1
• Filed: 02/01/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: SUGIMOTO, Hiroki, KUBOTA, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 8,797,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0064 with separate antennas for the more than one band H04B1/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0238 where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a wireless communication device for performing plural wireless communications with different standards using the same frequency band, degradation of communication quality and communication speed due to communication interference is prevented, while drop in throughput and occurrence of frame loss are prevented. A first wireless communication section first performs wireless communication using a first frequency band and a second wireless communication section performs second wireless communication using a second frequency band with which at least a part of the first frequency band overlaps. The first wireless communication section analyzes a communication status signal which represents a signal pattern corresponding to communication status of the second wireless communication and then determines whether it is synchronous communication, and if it is, the first wireless communication section transmits/receives data in a non-communication period when communication in the synchronous communication is not performed, in synchronization with timing of the synchronous communication.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a first wireless communication section for performing first wireless communication using a first frequency band; and

a second wireless communication section for performing second wireless communication using a second frequency band,

wherein the second wireless communication section transmits/receives data by the second wireless communication and outputs a communication status signal that represents a signal pattern corresponding to a communication status of the second wireless communication, and

wherein the first wireless communication section analyzes the pattern of the communication status signal and then determine whether or not the second wireless communication is synchronous, and if the second wireless communication is synchronous as a determination result, the first wireless communication section transmits/receives data in a non-communication period where communication in the synchronous communication is not performed, in synchronization with timing of the synchronous communication.

2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1,

wherein the first wireless communication section analyzes the pattern of the communication status signal to thereby determine whether or not the second wireless communication is asynchronous, and if the second wireless communication is asynchronous as a determination result, the first wireless communication section determines a data transmission/reception mode, corresponding to communication environment between the first wireless communication section and a first outer wireless device that is a communication object of the first wireless communication section.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 2,

wherein the first wireless communication section measures reception signal strength or reception signal quality of the first wireless communication, and if the measured reception signal strength or the measured reception signal quality is higher than a predetermined threshold value, then the first wireless communication section determines that the communication environment is good, and if not, then determines that it is poor.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 3,

wherein the first wireless communication section asserts a notification signal when performing the first wireless communication, and the second wireless communication section stops the second wireless communication if the notification signal is asserted, and

wherein, when the second wireless communication is asynchronous as a determination result, the first wireless communication section, if determining that the communication environment is poor, controls the notification signal to perform the first wireless communication and the second wireless communication by time division, and the first wireless communication section, if determining that the communication environment is good, transmits data when the second wireless communication is not performed.

5. The wireless communication device according to claim 4,

wherein, when the second wireless communication is synchronous as a determination result, the first wireless communication section further instructs to stop data transmission from the first outer wireless device in a communication period in the synchronous communication.

6. The wireless communication device according to claim 5,

wherein, when the second wireless communication is asynchronous as a determination result and the communication environment is determined to be poor, the first wireless communication section further instructs to stop data transmission from the first outer wireless device when the second wireless communication is performed.

7. The wireless communication device according to claim 6,

wherein the instruction to stop the data transmission is carried out by transmitting, to the first outer wireless device, a sleep signal that represents transition of the first wireless communication section to a power-saving state.

8. The wireless communication device according to claim 7,

wherein the second wireless communication section further outputs a priority signal representing that the second wireless communication is performed in priority to the first wireless communication, and

wherein, when the second wireless communication is asynchronous as a determination result and the communication environment is determined to be good, the first wireless communication section transmits no data when the priority signal is asserted.

9. The wireless communication device according to claim 8,

wherein, before determination of the synchronous communication or determination of the asynchronous communication, the first wireless communication section determines whether or not the second wireless communication is in a congested state, and if it is in the congested state, then the first wireless communication section stops data transmission/reception.

10. The wireless communication device according to claim 9,

wherein the first wireless communication section determines whether or not the second wireless communication is performed, and if it is not performed, then the first wireless communication section transmits/receives data at desired timing.

11. The wireless communication device according to claim 10,

wherein the communication status signal is a digital signal that is set to a first value during communication and is set to a second value during non-communication, and

wherein, in case that the communication status signal has not become the first value in a predetermined period, the first wireless communication section determines that the second wireless communication is not performed;

in case that a total time, during the predetermined period, when the communication status signal has been the first value is a predetermined time or more, the first wireless communication section determines that the second wireless communication is in a congested state;

in case that the same signal pattern based on a period where the communication status signal is the first value and a period where it is the second value, has been detected plural times during the predetermined period, the first wireless communication section determines that the second wireless communication is synchronous; and

in the other cases, the first wireless communication section determines that the second wireless communication is asynchronous.

16. The wireless communication device according to claim 7,

wherein the first wireless communication section starts communication, by transmitting to the first outer wireless device a signal that notifies power-saving termination.

17. The wireless communication device according to claim 7,

wherein the first wireless communication section starts communication, by transmitting to the first outer wireless device a signal to request frame acquisition.

12. A wireless communication device that performs first wireless communication that uses a first frequency band and second wireless communication that uses a second frequency band with which at least a part of the first frequency band overlaps, wherein, when performing the second wireless communication, the wireless communication device instructs to stop data transmission from an outer wireless device that is a communication object of the first wireless communication.

13. The wireless communication device according to claim 12,

wherein the instruction to stop the data transmission is performed by transmitting, to the outer wireless device, a sleep signal that represents transition into a power-saving state.

14. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a first wireless communication section for performing first wireless communication that uses a first frequency band; and

a second wireless communication section for performing second wireless communication that uses a second frequency band with which at least a part of the first frequency band overlaps,

wherein the second wireless communication section transmits/receives data by the second wireless communication, and outputs a communication status signal that is set to a first value during communication and is set to a second value during non-communication, and

wherein the first wireless communication section analyzes a pattern of the communication status signal in a predetermined period, and in case that the communication status signal has not become the first value in the predetermined period, the first wireless communication section determines that the second wireless communication is not performed;

in case that the total time, during the predetermined period, when the communication status signal has been the first value is a predetermined time or more, the first wireless communication section determines that the second wireless communication is in a congested state;

in case that the same signal pattern based on a period where the communication status signal is the first value and a period where the communication status signal is the second value, has been detected plural times during the predetermined period, the first wireless communication section determines that the second wireless communication is synchronous;

in the other cases, the first wireless communication section determines that the second wireless communication is asynchronous; and

the first wireless communication section determines an operation mode of data transmission/reception, corresponding to a determination result.

15. The wireless communication device according to claim 14,

wherein, the first wireless communication section, when determining that the second wireless communication is the asynchronous, measures reception signal strength or reception signal quality of the first wireless communication, and if the measured reception signal strength or the measured reception signal quality is larger than a predetermined threshold value, the first wireless communication section determines that the communication environment is good, and if not, then determines that it is poor.

18. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a first wireless communication section for performing first wireless communication that uses a first frequency band; and

a second wireless communication section for performing second wireless communication that uses a second frequency band with which at least a part of the first frequency band overlaps,

wherein the second wireless communication section transmits/receives data by the second wireless communication and outputs a communication status signal that represents a signal pattern corresponding to a communication status of the second wireless communication, and

wherein the first wireless communication section analyzes the pattern of the communication status signal to determine whether or not the second wireless communication is synchronous, and if the second wireless communication is synchronous as a determination result, the first wireless communication section performs transmits/receives data in a non-communication period when communication in the synchronous communication is not performed, in synchronization with communication timing of the synchronous communication.