Method and apparatus for operating a dual-mode radio in a wireless communication system
First Claim
1. A method of operating a dual-mode radio (“
- DMR”
) in a wireless communication system, wherein the DMR includes a Bluetooth™
(“
BT”
) radio, an 802.11 radio, a first antenna, a second antenna and an antenna/device switch, and wherein the antenna/device switch includes circuitry that selectively couples and decouples the antennas to the BT and 802.11 radios, the method comprising the acts of;
(a) determining whether the 802.11 radio is transmitting;
(b) if the 802.11 radio is transmitting data using a selected antenna, electrically isolating the Bluetooth™
radio from the selected antenna and returning to the act (a);
(c) if the 802.11 radio is not transmitting data, determining whether the 802.11 radio is using the first antenna;
(d) if the 802.11 radio is determined to be using the first antenna in act (c), selecting the second antenna for use by the Bluetooth™
radio and returning to the act (a); and
(e) if the 802.11 radio is determined to not be using the first antenna in act (c), selecting the first antenna for use by the Bluetooth™
radio and returning to the act (a).
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a method and apparatus for operating a dual-mode radio (DMR) in a wireless communication system. The present invention provides “coexistence” or cooperation of Bluetooth™ and 802.11 devices operating in close proximity to each other within a DMR. The present inventive method and apparatus reduces reception errors and prevents saturation of the Bluetooth™ devices caused by 802.11 transmissions. The present inventive antenna switching method provides a means for coupling multiple antennas to Bluetooth™ and 802.11 transmit and receive devices. Saturation of the Bluetooth™ receive devices is prevented by electrically isolating the Bluetooth™ receive devices from antennas used by the 802.11 device during 802.11 transmissions. The antenna switching apparatus includes a plurality of switches capable of selectively coupling and decoupling first and second antennas to an 802.11 and a Bluetooth™ device.
111 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method of operating a dual-mode radio (“
- DMR”
) in a wireless communication system, wherein the DMR includes a Bluetooth™
(“
BT”
) radio, an 802.11 radio, a first antenna, a second antenna and an antenna/device switch, and wherein the antenna/device switch includes circuitry that selectively couples and decouples the antennas to the BT and 802.11 radios, the method comprising the acts of;(a) determining whether the 802.11 radio is transmitting; (b) if the 802.11 radio is transmitting data using a selected antenna, electrically isolating the Bluetooth™
radio from the selected antenna and returning to the act (a);(c) if the 802.11 radio is not transmitting data, determining whether the 802.11 radio is using the first antenna; (d) if the 802.11 radio is determined to be using the first antenna in act (c), selecting the second antenna for use by the Bluetooth™
radio and returning to the act (a); and(e) if the 802.11 radio is determined to not be using the first antenna in act (c), selecting the first antenna for use by the Bluetooth™
radio and returning to the act (a). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
- DMR”
-
4. A dual-mode radio (“
- DMR”
) antenna switch for use in a dual-mode wireless communication radio, wherein the DMR includes a Bluetooth™
(“
BT”
) Tx/Rx device, an 802.11 Tx out device, an 802.11 Rx in device, and at least a first and a second antenna, the DMR antenna switch comprising;(a) a first switch, operatively coupled to the second antenna and the 802.11 Rx in device, wherein the first switch receives a first control signal, and wherein the first control signal determines a switch position of the first switch; (b) a second switch, operatively coupled to the first switch, the first antenna and the 802.11 Tx out device, wherein the second switch receives a second control signal, and wherein the second control signal determines a switch position of the second switch; and (c) a third switch, operatively coupled to the first antenna, the second antenna, the first switch, the second switch and the Bluetooth™
Tx/Rx device, wherein the third switch receives a third control signal, and wherein the third control signal determines a switch position of the third switch,wherein the first switch couples the second antenna to the 802.11 Rx in device in response to a first value of the first control signal, and wherein the first switch couples the 802.11 Rx in device to the second switch in response to a second value of the first control signal, wherein the second switch couples the first antenna to the 802.11 Tx out device in response to a first value of the second control signal, and wherein the second switch couples the first antenna to the first switch in response to a second value of the second control signal, and wherein the third switch couples the Bluetooth™
Tx/Rx device the first antenna in response to a first value of the third control signal, and wherein the third switch couples the Bluetooth™
Tx/Rx device to the second antenna in response to a second value of the third control signal. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- DMR”
-
21. A dual-mode radio (“
- DMR”
) for use in a wireless communication system, comprising;(a) an 802.11 transmission device; (b) an 802.11 reception device; (c) a Bluetooth™
transmission/reception device;(d) a first antenna; (e) a second antenna; (f) a first switch, operatively coupled to the second antenna and the 802.11 reception device; (g) a second switch, operatively coupled to the first switch, the first antenna and the 802.11 transmission device; and (h) a third switch, operatively coupled to the first antenna, the second antenna and the Bluetooth™
transmission/reception device;wherein the first switch selectively couples and decouples the 802.11 reception device from the second antenna in response to a first control signal, and wherein the first switch couples and decouples the 802.11 reception device from the second switch in response to the first control signal, wherein the second switch selectively couples and decouples the first antenna from the 802.11 transmission device in response to a second control signal, and wherein the second switch selectively couples and decouples the first antenna from the first switch in response to the second control signal, and wherein the third switch selectively couples and decouples the Bluetooth™
transmission/reception device from the first and second antennas in response to a third control signal.
- DMR”
-
22. An apparatus for operating a dual-mode radio (“
- DMR”
) in a wireless communication system, wherein the DMR includes a Bluetooth™
(“
BT”
) radio, an 802.11 radio, a first antenna, a second antenna and an antenna/device switch, and wherein the antenna/device switch includes circuitry that selectively couples and decouples the antennas to the BT and 802.11 radios, the apparatus comprising;(a) means for determining whether the 802.11 radio is transmitting using a selected antenna; (b) means, operatively coupled to the determining means, for electrically isolating the Bluetooth™
radio from the selected antenna when the 802.11 radio is transmitting using the selected antenna;(c) means, operatively coupled to the determining means, for determining whether the 802.11 radio is using the first antenna when the 802.11 radio is not transmitting; (d) means, operatively coupled to the 802.11 first antenna determining means, for selecting the second antenna for use by the Bluetooth™
radio when the 802.11 radio is using the first antenna; and(e) means, operatively coupled to the 802.11 first antenna determining means, for selecting the first antenna for use by the Bluetooth™
radio when the 802.11 radio is not using the first antenna. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
- DMR”
Specification