System and method for avoiding interference in a dual-signal device

• US 8,019,280 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2008
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Tsfaty, Yossi, Irony, Ran, Katz, Ran
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghebretinsae; Temesgh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bilodeau; David
• Application Number:
  US12/169,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20090017756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1867 Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0238 where the received signal is an unwanted signal, e.g. interference or idle signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A dual-signal wireless transceiver is provided, comprising: a first wireless transceiver circuit configured to transmit and receive first signals using a first protocol; a second wireless transceiver circuit configured to transmit and receive second signals using a second protocol; and a control circuit configured to generate control signals to control operation of the first and second wireless transceiver circuits, wherein the first wireless transceiver circuit is configured to disable second transmission operations by the second wireless transceiver during first transmission operations by the first wireless transceiver circuit through the use of a shutdown signal. In this method, the second protocol allows the second wireless transceiver to retransmit first signals whose transmission was disabled by the shutdown signal. Furthermore, the second protocol is a Bluetooth protocol, and the first protocol is a wireless protocol other than the Bluetooth protocol.

Claims

1. A method of operating a dual-signal wireless transceiver, comprising:

transmitting and receiving first wireless signals via a first local transceiver using a first mode of a first protocol;

receiving a first request from a remote transceiver to transmit and receive second wireless signals via a second local transceiver using a first mode of a second protocol, after transmitting and receiving the first wireless signals;

transmitting and receiving third wireless signals via the first local transceiver using a second mode of the first protocol after receiving the first request;

disabling the second local transceiver from transmitting the second wireless signals while the receiving of the third wireless signals is being performed; and

transmitting and receiving the second wireless signals using a second mode of the second protocol, after the transmitting and receiving of the third wireless signals;

wherein the first protocol is a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) protocol;

wherein the first mode of the first protocol is a normal mode of operation of the WiMAX protocol;

wherein the second mode of the first protocol is a power save mode of operation of the WiMAX protocol;

wherein the power save mode of operation of the WiMAX protocol further involves allocating first, second, third, and fourth contiguous data frames,

wherein the first data frame includes a first downlink portion and an unused portion,

wherein the second data frame includes an uplink portion and a second downlink portion, and

wherein the third and the fourth data frames are sleep frames.

2. A method of operating a dual-signal wireless transceiver, comprising:

transmitting and receiving first wireless signals via a first local transceiver using a first mode of a first protocol;

receiving a first request from a remote transceiver to transmit and receive second wireless signals via a second local transceiver using a first mode of a second protocol, after transmitting and receiving the first wireless signals;

transmitting and receiving third wireless signals via the first local transceiver using a second mode of the first protocol after receiving the first request;

disabling the second local transceiver from transmitting the second wireless signals while the receiving of the third wireless signals is being performed; and

transmitting and receiving the second wireless signals using a second mode of the second protocol, after the transmitting and receiving of the third wireless signals;

sending a rejection message to the remote transceiver rejecting the first request; and

sending a second request to the remote transceiver to transmit and receive second wireless signals via the second local transceiver using a second mode of the second protocol, after sending the rejection message,

wherein the transmitting and receiving of the third wireless signals is performed after sending the second request;

wherein the second mode of the second protocol is different from the first mode of the second protocol;

wherein the first mode of the second protocol is a first enhanced data rate Bluetooth mode allowing one packet retransmission, and

wherein the second mode of the second protocol is a second enhanced data rate Bluetooth mode allowing two packet retransmissions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second enhanced data rate modes each involve repeatedly allocating first through twelfth contiguous data slots,

wherein the first data slot allows transmission of a first packet of data,

wherein the second data slot allows reception of a second packet of data, and

wherein the third through twelfth data slots are empty slots.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least two of the third through twelfth data slots can be used for retransmission of the first packet of data if the transmission of the first packet of data in the first data slot was not successful.

5. A dual-signal wireless transceiver, comprising:

means for transmitting and receiving first wireless signals using a first mode of a first protocol;

means for receiving a first request from a remote transceiver to transmit and receive second wireless signals using a first mode of a second protocol, after transmitting and receiving the first wireless signals;

means for transmitting and receiving third wireless signals using a second mode of the first protocol after receiving the first request;

means for transmitting and receiving the second wireless signals using a second mode of the second protocol, after the transmitting and receiving of the third wireless signals; and

means for disabling the means for transmitting the second wireless signals while the means for transmitting and receiving the third wireless signals is receiving the third wireless signal;

wherein the first protocol is a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) protocol;

wherein the first mode of the first protocol is a normal mode of operation of the WiMAX protocol;

wherein the second mode of the first protocol is a power save mode of operation of the WiMAX protocol;

wherein the power save mode of operation of the WiMAX protocol further involves allocating first, second, third, and fourth contiguous data frames,

wherein the first data frame includes a first downlink portion and an unused portion,

wherein the second data frame includes an uplink portion and a second downlink portion, and

wherein the third and the fourth data frames are sleep frames.

6. A dual-signal wireless transceiver, comprising:

means for transmitting and receiving first wireless signals using a first mode of a first protocol;

means for receiving a first request from a remote transceiver to transmit and receive second wireless signals using a first mode of a second protocol, after transmitting and receiving the first wireless signals;

means for transmitting and receiving third wireless signals using a second mode of the first protocol after receiving the first request;

means for transmitting and receiving the second wireless signals using a second mode of the second protocol, after the transmitting and receiving of the third wireless signals; and

means for disabling the means for transmitting the second wireless signals while the means for transmitting and receiving the third wireless signals is receiving the third wireless signal;

means for sending a rejection message to the remote transceiver rejecting the first request; and

means for sending a second request to the remote transceiver to transmit and receive second wireless signals using a second mode of the second protocol,

wherein the second mode of the second protocol is the same as the first mode of the second protocol;

wherein the first mode of the second protocol is a first enhanced data rate Bluetooth mode allowing one packet retransmission, and

wherein the second mode of the second protocol is a second enhanced data rate Bluetooth mode allowing two packet retransmissions.

7. The dual-signal wireless transceiver of claim 6, wherein the first and second enhanced data rate modes each involve repeatedly allocating first through twelfth contiguous data slots,

wherein the first data slot allows transmission of a first packet of data,

wherein the second data slot allows reception of a second packet of data, and

wherein the third through twelfth data slots are empty slots.

8. The dual-signal wireless transceiver of claim 7, wherein at least two of the third through twelfth data slots can be used for retransmission of the first packet of data if the transmission of the first packet of data in the first data slot was not successful.