Multiple wireless communication protocol methods and apparatuses

• US 6,600,726 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1999
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mobilian Corp. (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Ginosar, Ran, Monello, Brett A., Zehavi, Ephraim, Nevo, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): LY, ANH VU H
• Application Number:
  US09/439,946
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 370/278, 370/279, 370/282, 370/286, 370/290, 370/334, 370/343, 370/480, 370/497, 370/521, 370/338, 370/395.5
• US Class Current: 370/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0023 Interference mitigation or co-ordination direct sequence spread spectrum [DSSS] systems H04B1/7097; frequency hopping H04B1/713; allocation criteria for ingress interference avoidance H04L5/0062; frequency allocation criteria for requirements on out-of-channel emissions H04L5/0066; arrangements for removing intersymbol interference or baseband equalisers H04L25/03006; peak power aspects in multicarrier modulation H04L27/2614; power management H04W52/00; traffic scheduling H04W72/54, H04W72/541
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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

Abstract

A wireless device is provided with at least one wireless transceiver and at least one controller manager to transmit and receive signals wirelessly to and from network devices of a first and second wireless network, in a coordinated manner, in accordance with a first and a second protocol respectively. The wireless device is further provided with a network manager to coordinate the network devices of the first and second wireless networks to reduce interference between the network devices of the two wireless networks. In various embodiments, the reduction is effectuated through proactive avoidance of interference with dominant devices by dominated devices, whenever an interference is predicted to occur. In other embodiments, the reduction is effectuated through corresponding application of appropriate filtering to correspondingly cancel the respective interfering signals, whenever an interference is predicted to occur.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one wireless transceiver and at least one controller manager, coupled to each other, to transmit and receive signals, in a coordinated manner, in accordance with a first and a second protocol, to and from first and second network devices of a first and a second wireless network communicatively coupled to the apparatus; and

a network manager coupled to the at least one wireless transceiver and at least one controller manager to coordinate transmit and receive operations of said first and second network devices of said first and second wireless networks, to pro-actively reduce interference between said first and second network devices of said first and second wireless networks.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is a frequency hopping protocol comprising a plurality of frequencies employed in accordance with a pseudo random pattern, and the network manager includes logic to determine a pseudo random frequency hopping pattern for said first network devices of said first wireless network.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the network manager further includes logic to predict when interference will occur between said first and second network devices of said first and second wireless networks, based on said determined pseudo random frequency hopping pattern.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network manager further includes logic to select either said first or said second network devices as dominated devices, to be operationally dominated by the non-selected first/second network devices.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the network manager further includes logic to preemptively notify the dominated devices, whenever an interference is predicted to occur, to temporarily suspend operation to avoid interference with the dominant devices.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network manager further includes logic to determine corresponding filtering to be employed by said first and second network devices to correspondingly cancel respective interference signals whenever an interference is predicted to occur.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the network manager further includes logic to determine first and second notch filters, inversely formed in accordance with transmit signals of said second and first network devices, for said first and second network devices.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and the second protocol are two protocols selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth, 802.11 frequency hopping, 802.11 direct sequence, 802.11a, 802.11b, and Home RF.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a computer having a form factor selected from a group consisting of a desktop type, a notebook type and a palm sized type.

10. In an apparatus having at least one wireless transceiver and at least one controller manager;

a method of operation comprising;

(a) selecting either first network devices of a first wireless network operating in accordance with a first wireless protocol or second network devices of a second wireless network operating in accordance with a second wireless protocol, to be dominant devices that operationally dominate the non-selected network devices of the other wireless network; and

(b) operating the at least one wireless transceiver and the at least one controller manager to cause the dominated devices to pro-actively avoid interference with the dominant devices to reduce interference between said first and second network devices of the first and second wireless networks.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first protocol is a frequency hopping protocol comprising a plurality of frequencies employed in accordance with a pseudo random pattern, and the method further includes determining a pseudo random frequency hopping pattern for said first network devices of said first wireless network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further includes predicting when interference will occur between said first and second network devices of said first and second wireless networks, based on said determined pseudo random frequency hopping pattern.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further includes preemptively notifying the dominated devices, whenever an interference is predicted to occur, to temporarily suspend operation to avoid interference with the dominant devices.

14. In an apparatus having at least one wireless transceiver and at least one controller manager;

a method of operation comprising;

(a) determining corresponding filtering to be employed by first and second network devices of a first and a second wireless networks operating in accordance with a first and a second wireless protocols respectively, to correspondingly cancel respective interference signals; and

(b) operating the at least one wireless transceiver and the at least one controller manager to cause said first and second network devices to apply said determined filtering whenever an interference is predicted to occur between said first and second network devices of said first and second wireless networks.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said determining includes determining first and second notch filters, inversely formed in accordance with transmit signals of said second and first network devices, for said first and second network devices.

16. A collection of networked apparatuses comprising:

a first plurality of apparatuses wirelessly networked together, with each apparatus being equipped to communicate wirelessly in accordance with a first protocol;

a second plurality of apparatuses wirelessly networked together, with each apparatus being equipped to communicate wirelessly in accordance with a second protocol; and

a master apparatus equipped to communicate wirelessly with said first and second plurality of apparatuses in accordance with said first and second protocols respectively, as well as equipped to automatically coordinate transmit and receive operations conducted in accordance with said two protocols to enable a master device to manage and control said first and second plurality of apparatuses at the same time, including managing said first and second plurality of apparatuses to reduce interference with each other.

17. The collection of networked apparatuses of claim 16, wherein the first protocol is a frequency hopping protocol comprising a plurality of frequencies employed in accordance with a pseudo random pattern, and the master apparatus includes a network manager equipped to determine a pseudo random frequency hopping pattern for said first network devices of a first wireless network.

18. The collection of networked apparatuses of claim 17, wherein the network manager of the master apparatus is further equipped to predict when interference will occur between said first and second network devices of first and second wireless networks, based on said determined pseudo random frequency hopping pattern.

19. The collection of networked apparatuses of claim 16, wherein the network manager of the master apparatus is further equipped to select either first or said second network devices as dominated devices, to be operationally dominated by the non-selected first/second network devices.

20. The collection of networked apparatuses of claim 19, wherein the network manager of the master apparatus is further equipped to preemptively notify the dominated devices, whenever an interference is predicted to occur, to temporarily suspend operation to avoid interference with the dominant devices.

21. The collection of networked apparatuses of claim 16, wherein the network manager of the master apparatus is further equipped to determine corresponding filtering to be employed by first and second network devices to correspondingly cancel respective interference signals whenever an interference is predicted to occur.

22. The collection of networked apparatuses of claim 21, wherein the network manager of the master apparatus is further equipped to determine first and second notch filters, inversely formed in accordance with transmit signals of said second and first network devices, for said first and second network devices.