COEXISTENCE BETWEEN PRIMARY CHAINS AND AUXILIARY RECEIVER CHAIN IN A WLAN DEVICE

• US 20150110058A1
• Filed: 12/25/2014
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Celeno Communications (Israel) Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Celeno Communications (Israel) Ltd.
• Inventors: Shapira, Nir
• Granted Patent: US 9,882,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• 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 method includes, in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) device that includes one or more primary transmission/reception (TX/RX) chains and an auxiliary reception (RX) chain, defining a first operational mode in which priority is given to transmission of the primary TX/RX chains, and a second operational mode in which the priority is given to reception of the auxiliary RX chain. communication is performed on a given communication channel using the primary TX/RX chains, and evaluation of signal activity is performed on one or more alternative communication channels using the auxiliary reception (RX) chain, while operating the WLAN device alternately in the first and second operational modes.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) device, which includes one or more primary transmission/reception (TX/RX) chains and an auxiliary reception (RX) chain, defining a first operational mode in which priority is given to transmission of the primary TX/RX chains, and a second operational mode in which the priority is given to reception of the auxiliary RX chain; and

communicating on a given communication channel using the primary TX/RX chains, and evaluating signal activity on one or more alternative communication channels using the auxiliary reception (RX) chain, while operating the WLAN device alternately in the first and second operational modes.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein communicating using the primary TX/RX chains comprises alternating between transmission and reception in the primary TX/RX chains in any of the first and second operational modes.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein operating in the first operational mode comprises deactivating at least part of the auxiliary RX chain during transmission of the primary TX/RX chains.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein operating in the second operational mode comprises limiting a duty cycle of the transmission of the primary TX/RX chains so as not to exceed a predefined ratio.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein operating in the second operational mode comprises transmitting using only a partial subset of the primary TX/RX chains that are able to coexist with reception of the auxiliary RX chain.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein operating in the second operational mode comprises constraining a transmission power of at least one of the primary TX/RX chains to a level that permits coexistence with reception of the auxiliary RX chain.

7. The method according to claim 1, and comprising operating in the first operational mode as long as no interference is detected, and switching to the second operational mode in response to detecting the interference.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a Low-Noise Amplifier (LNA) of the auxiliary RX chain is partially shared with one of the primary TX/RX chains.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein evaluating the signal activity comprises verifying whether radar signals are present on the alternative communication channels.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein evaluating the signal activity comprises carrying out an off-channel Channel Availability Check (CAC) or In-Service Monitoring (ISM) process.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein carrying out the CAC or ISM process comprises monitoring a given alternative channel for at least a specified time period, and comprising excluding time periods during which the auxiliary RX chain is deactivated from a count of the specified time period.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein evaluating the signal activity comprises collecting respective statistical data that characterize an extent of the signal activity on one or more of the alternative communication channels.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein evaluating the signal activity comprises assessing respective signal duty-cycles on the alternative communication channels.

14. A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) device, comprising:

one or more primary transmission/reception (TX/RX) chains;

an auxiliary reception (RX) chain; and

a control unit, which is configured to communicate on a given communication channel using the primary TX/RX chains and to evaluate signal activity on one or more alternative communication channels using the auxiliary reception (RX) chain, while operating alternately in a first operational mode in which priority is given to transmission of the primary TX/RX chains, and in a second operational mode in which the priority is given to reception of the auxiliary RX chain.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to alternate between transmission and reception in the primary TX/RX chains in any of the first and second operational modes.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein, when operating in the first operational mode, the control unit is configured to deactivate at least part of the auxiliary RX chain during transmission of the primary TX/RX chains.

17. The device according to claim 14, wherein, when operating in the second operational mode, the control unit is configured to limit a duty cycle of the transmission of the primary TX/RX chains so as not to exceed a predefined ratio.

18. The device according to claim 14, wherein, when operating in the second operational mode, the control unit is configured to transmit using only a partial subset of the primary TX/RX chains that are able to coexist with reception of the auxiliary RX chain.

19. The device according to claim 14, wherein, when operating in the second operational mode, the control unit is configured to constrain a transmission power of at least one of the primary TX/RX chains to a level that permits coexistence with reception of the auxiliary RX chain.

20. The device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to operate in the first operational mode as long as no interference is detected, and to switch to the second operational mode in response to detecting the interference.

21. The device according to claim 14, wherein at least a Low-Noise Amplifier (LNA) of the auxiliary RX chain is partially shared with one of the primary TX/RX chains.

22. The device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to evaluate the signal activity by verifying whether radar signals are present on the alternative communication channels.

23. The device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to evaluate the signal activity by carrying out an off-channel Channel Availability Check (CAC) or In-Service Monitoring (ISM) process.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the control unit is configured to carry out the CAC or ISM process by monitoring a given alternative channel for at least a specified time period, and excluding time periods during which the auxiliary RX chain is deactivated from a count of the specified time period.

25. The device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to evaluate the signal activity by collecting respective statistical data that characterize an extent of the signal activity on one or more of the alternative communication channels.

26. The device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to evaluate the signal activity by assessing respective signal duty-cycles on the alternative communication channels.