Method and apparatus for wireless communication between electronic devices

• US 6,937,158 B2
• Filed: 12/29/1999
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Lansford, James L., Inouye, Jon W. T., Chowdhury, Debashis
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): BANGACHON, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US09/474,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20030178984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,071 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.03, 340/825.5, 340/7.34, 340/7.43, 340/2.1, 340/825.52, 340/925.73, 375/133, 375/134, 370/311, 370/342, 370/351, 370/329, 370/337, 370/480, 370/346, 370/347, 370/4.58, 370/278, 455/450, 455/426, 455/452.1, 455/507, 455/502
• US Class Current: 375/133
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/713 using frequency hopping

Abstract

A first device operates at a first hopping frequency during a first period of time and operates at a second hopping frequency during a second period of time. A second device operates at the first hopping frequency and communicates with the first device during the first period of time. A third device operates at the second hopping frequency and communicates with the first device during the second period of time. The second period of time may be a contention-free period during which time the second device may not communicate with the first device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a HomeRF connection paint (CP) unit establishing a connection with a HomeRF unit;

the HomeRF CP unit establishing a connection with a Bluetooth unit as a slave to the HomeRF CP unit as a master;

the HomeRF CP unit determining a contention free period, during which the HomeRF CP unit and the HomeRF do not transfer data;

the HomeRF CP unit communicating the contention free period to the Bluetooth unit, the Bluetooth unit to wake from a suspended state at the time of the contention free period;

transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the HomeRF unit;

during the contention free period, the HomeRF CP unit ceasing transmission of data to the HomeRF unit and transitioning from a first hopping frequency to a higher second frequency hopping and transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the Bluetooth unit;

at an end of the contention free period, the HomeRF CP unit transmitting a next contention free period to the Bluetooth unit, ceasing transmission of data to the Bluetooth unit and transitioning from the second hopping frequency to the first frequency hopping and transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the HomeRF unit until the next contention free period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the Bluetooth unit includes transmitting data for a number of a Bluetooth slots corresponding with the contention free period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the Bluetooth unit includes transmitting data in an Asynchronous Connection-Less packet format.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the HomeRF CP unit and the Bluetooth unit operating independently during a time outside of contention free period.

5. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions that, when executed, perform a method comprising of:

a HomeRF connection point (CP) unit establishing a connection with a HomeRF unit;

the HomeRF CP unit establishing a connection with a Bluetooth unit as a slave to the HomeRF CP unit as a master;

the HomeRF CP unit determining a contention free period during the period the HomeRF CP unit and the HomeRF unit do not transfer data;

the HomeRF CP unit communicating the contention free period to the Bluetooth unit, the Bluetooth unit to wake from a suspended state at the time of the contention free period;

transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the HomeRF unit;

during the contention free period, the HomeRF CP unit ceasing transmission of data to the HomeRF unit and transitioning from a first hopping frequency to a higher second frequency hopping and transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the Bluetooth unit; and

at an end of the IOP, the HomeRF CP unit transmitting a next IOP to the Bluetooth unit, ceasing transmission of data to the Bluetooth unit and transitioning from the second hopping frequency to the first frequency hopping and transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the HomeRF unit until the next IOP.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the Bluetooth unit includes transmitting data for a number of a Bluetooth slots corresponding with the IOP.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the Bluetooth unit includes transmitting data in an Asynchronous Connection-Less packet format.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 5, further comprising the HomeRF CP unit and the Bluetooth unit operating independently during a time outside of an IOP.

9. A HomeRF connection point (CP) unit comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium coupled to the processor to store a program which when executed by the processor causes the HomeRF connection point (CP) unit to perform a method comprising;

establishing a connection with a HomeRF unit, and establishing a connection with a Bluetooth unit as a slave to the HomeRF CP unit as a master;

determining a contention free period, during the period the HomeRF CP unit and the HomeRF unit do not transfer data;

communicating the contention free period to the Bluetooth unit, the Bluetooth unit to wake from a suspended state at the time of the contention free period;

transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the HomeRF unit;

at a time of the contention free period, ceasing transmission of data to the HomeRF unit and transitioning from a first hopping frequency to a higher second frequency hopping and beginning to transmit data between the HomeRF CP unit and the Bluetooth unit; and

at an end of the contention free period, to transmitting a next contention free period to the Bluetooth unit, ceasing transmission of data to the Bluetooth unit and transitioning from the second hopping frequency to the first frequency hopping and beginning to transmit data between the HomeRF CP unit and the HomeRF unit until the next contention free period.

10. The unit of claim 9, wherein the transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the Bluetooth unit includes transmitting data for a number of a Bluetooth slots corresponding with the contention free period.

11. The unit of claim 9, wherein the transmitting data between the HomeRF CP unit and the Bluetooth unit includes transmitting data in an Asynchronous Connection-Less packet format.