DATA TRANSFER USING THE BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY STANDARD

• US 20130102251A1
• Filed: 02/23/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Linde, Joakim, Tucker, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,531,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/04 using frequency diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/189 Transmission or retransmission of more than one copy of a message

Abstract

During operation in the described embodiments, a transmitting electronic device transmits a first data channel protocol data unit (PDU) with a payload containing data D to a receiving electronic device using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device during a regular event, wherein transmitting the first data channel PDU during the regular event comprises using a first frequency to transmit the first data channel PDU. The transmitting electronic device then transmits a second data channel PDU with a payload containing the same data D to the receiving electronic device using the BTLE interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device during a corresponding retransmission event, wherein transmitting the second data channel PDU during the retransmission event comprises using a second frequency to transmit the second data channel PDU.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between electronic devices, comprising:

in a transmitting electronic device,

transmitting a first data channel protocol data unit (PDU) to a receiving electronic device using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device during a regular event, wherein the first data channel PDU comprises a payload with data D, and wherein transmitting the first data channel PDU during the regular event comprises using a first frequency to transmit the first data channel PDU using the BTLE interface; and

transmitting a second data channel PDU to the receiving electronic device using the BTLE interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device during a corresponding retransmission event, wherein the second data channel PDU comprises a payload with the same data D, and wherein transmitting the second data channel PDU during the retransmission event comprises using a second frequency to transmit the second data channel PDU using the BTLE interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the second data channel PDU during the retransmission event comprises:

automatically transmitting the second data channel PDU without receiving a request from the receiving electronic device to transmit the second data channel PDU.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a message from the receiving electronic device that indicates that the PDU was received successfully in a receiving window for the transmitting electronic device during at least one of the regular event or the retransmission event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data D comprises audio data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frequency is a different frequency than the second frequency.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving electronic device is an assistive-listening device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

prior to transmitting PDUs during the regular event and the retransmission event, communicating with the receiving electronic device to configure a schedule of times at which the regular event and the retransmission events occur.

8. A method for communicating between electronic devices, comprising:

in a receiving electronic device,

receiving a first data channel PDU from a transmitting electronic device using a BTLE interface in a receiving window for the receiving electronic device during a regular event, wherein the first data channel PDU comprises a payload with data D, and wherein receiving the first data channel PDU during the regular event comprises using a first frequency to receive the first data channel PDU using the BTLE interface;

determining if the first data channel PDU was received with the data D in a correct condition; and

when the first data channel PDU was not received with the data D in the correct condition,

receiving a second data channel PDU from the transmitting electronic device using the BTLE interface in a receiving window for the receiving electronic device during a corresponding retransmission event, wherein the second data channel PDU comprises a payload with the same data D, and wherein receiving the second data channel PDU during the retransmission event comprises using a second frequency to receive the second data channel PDU using the BTLE interface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, when the first data channel PDU was received with the data D in the correct condition, the method further comprises:

configuring one or more portions of the BTLE interface in a low-power mode during at least the retransmission event;

wherein in the low-power mode, the second data channel PDU transmitted from the transmitting electronic device during the retransmission event is ignored and not received in the receiving electronic device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein, when the first data channel PDU and/or the second data channel PDU was received with the data D in the correct condition, the method further comprises:

transmitting a third data channel PDU to the transmitting electronic device from the receiving electronic device using the BTLE interface in a sending window for the receiving electronic device during at least one of the regular event or the retransmission event, wherein the third data channel PDU comprises a payload with an acknowledgement message that acknowledges that the data D was in the correct condition.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein determining if the first data channel PDU was received successfully comprises:

performing one or more operations to check if the data D transmitted by the transmitting electronic device in the payload of the first data channel PDU matches the data D received by the receiving electronic device in the payload of the first data channel PDU.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein performing the one or more operations to check comprises comparing a computed cyclic redundancy check (ECC) value for the first data channel PDU with a CRC value in a field in the first data channel PDU.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first frequency is a different frequency than the second frequency.

14. An electronic device, comprising:

a processing subsystem, wherein the processing subsystem is configured to;

transmit a first data channel protocol data unit (PDU) to a receiving electronic device using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device during a regular event, wherein the first data channel PDU comprises a payload with data D, and wherein transmitting the first data channel PDU during the regular event comprises using a first frequency to transmit the first data channel PDU using the BTLE interface; and

transmit a second data channel PDU to the receiving electronic device using the BTLE interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device during a corresponding retransmission event, wherein the second data channel PDU comprises a payload with the same data D, and wherein transmitting the second data channel PDU during the retransmission event comprises using a second frequency to transmit the second data channel PDU using the BTLE interface.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein, when transmitting the second data channel PDU during the retransmission event, the processing subsystem is configured to:

automatically transmit the second data channel PDU without receiving a request from the receiving electronic device to transmit the second data channel PDU.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the processing subsystem is configured to receive a message from the receiving electronic device that indicates that the PDU was received successfully in a receiving window for the transmitting electronic device during at least one of the regular event or the retransmission event.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the data D comprises audio data.

18. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first frequency is a different frequency than the second frequency.

19. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the receiving electronic device is an assistive-listening device.

20. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein, prior to transmitting PDUs during the regular event and the retransmission event, the processing subsystem is configured to communicate with the receiving electronic device to configure a schedule of times at which the regular event and the retransmission events occur.

21. A electronic device for communicating between electronic devices, comprising:

a processing subsystem, wherein the processing subsystem is configured to;

receive a first data channel PDU from a transmitting electronic device using a BTLE interface in a receiving window for the receiving electronic device during a regular event, wherein the first data channel PDU comprises a payload with data D, and wherein receiving the first data channel PDU during the regular event comprises using a first frequency to receive the first data channel PDU using the BTLE interface;

determine if the first data channel PDU was received with the data D in a correct condition; and

when the first data channel PDU was not received with the data D in the correct condition,

receive a second data channel PDU from the transmitting electronic device using the BTLE interface in a receiving window for the receiving electronic device during a corresponding retransmission event, wherein the second data channel PDU comprises a payload with the same data D, and wherein receiving the second data channel PDU during the retransmission event comprises using a second frequency to receive the second data channel PDU using the BTLE interface.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein, when the first data channel PDU was received with the data D in the correct condition, the processing subsystem is configured to:

configure one or more portions of the BTLE interface in a low-power mode during at least the retransmission event;

wherein in the low-power mode, the second data channel PDU transmitted from the transmitting electronic device during the retransmission event is ignored and not received in the receiving electronic device.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein, when the first data channel PDU and/or the second data channel PDU was received with the data D in the correct condition, the processing subsystem is configured to:

transmit a third data channel PDU to the transmitting electronic device from the receiving electronic device using the BTLE interface in a sending window for the receiving electronic device during at least one of the regular event or the retransmission event, wherein the third data channel PDU comprises a payload with an acknowledgement message that acknowledges that the data D was in the correct condition.

24. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein, when determining if the first data channel PDU was received successfully, the processing subsystem is configured to:

perform one or more operations to check if the data D transmitted by the transmitting electronic device in the payload of the first data channel PDU matches the data D received by the receiving electronic device in the payload of the first data channel PDU.

25. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein performing the one or more operations to check comprises comparing a computed cyclic redundancy check (ECC) value for the first data channel PDU with a CRC value in a field in the first data channel PDU.

26. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the first frequency is a different frequency than the second frequency.