Multi-radio platform with WiMax and bluetooth radio modules and method

• US 8,046,024 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Xue, Guo, Xingang, Sudak, Eran
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US11/928,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20090111500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/78, 455/426.1, 455/426.2
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/281 taking into account user or data type priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/287 when the channel is in stand-by
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range

Abstract

Embodiments of a multi-radio platform with longer-range and shorter-range radio modules and method are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In some embodiments, a transmit power level is set for transmissions by a shorter-range radio module during a reception by a longer-range radio module to a lesser of a maximum allowed power level or a next requested power level when transmit step-down mode is enabled. The transmit power level is set to the next requested power level when the longer-range radio module is not transmitting. The shorter-range radio module refrains from transmitting when a transmit-kill mode is enabled during the reception by the longer-range radio module.

Claims

1. A method for operating a multi-radio platform comprising:

setting a transmit power level for radio-frequency transmissions by a shorter-range radio module during a reception by a longer-range radio module to a lesser of a maximum allowed power level or a next requested power level when transmit step-down mode is enabled;

setting the transmit power level for the radio-frequency transmissions by the shorter-range radio module to the next requested power level when the longer-range radio module is not transmitting; and

refraining from transmitting by the shorter-range radio module when a transmit-kill mode is enabled during the reception by the longer-range radio module,

wherein the next requested power level is received in a request from a remote device in communication with the shorter-range radio module.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the shorter-range radio module comprises a Bluetooth (BT) radio module comprising a BT transmitter and BT receiver, and

wherein the longer-range radio module comprises a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax) radio module comprising a WiMax transmitter and a WiMax receiver.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

asserting, by a coexist controller of the WiMax radio module, a WiMax active signal to indicate to the BT radio module that the WiMax radio module is receiving; and

providing a receive protection mode signal to the BT radio module to indicate whether the transmit step-down mode is enabled or the transmit-kill mode is enabled.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the BT radio module is responsive to the assertion of the WiMax active signal and receipt of the receive protection mode signal by either:

setting the transmit power level for the BT transmissions by the BT radio module during the WiMax reception to the lesser of the maximum allowed power level or the next requested power level when the transmit step-down mode is enabled;

or

refraining from transmitting BT transmissions or terminating a current BT transmission when the transmit-kill mode is enabled.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising providing the maximum allowed power level from the coexist controller to the BT radio module.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining the maximum allowed power level by the coexist controller based on a 1 dB desensitization level.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving a request from the remote BT device over BT wireless link implementing a link management protocol to either increase or decrease a power level of the BT transmissions by the BT radio module,

wherein when the remote BT device requests an increase in the power level and when the next requested power level is greater than the maximum allowed power level and when the WiMax radio module is receiving, the method comprises setting transmit power level for the next BT transmission to the maximum allowed power level.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

asserting the WiMax active signal by the coexist controller during receipt of a downlink sub frame;

aligning, by the BT radio module, a slot boundary of either master-to-slave or slave-to-master slot based on timing information conveyed by a frame sync signal; and

de-asserting the WiMax active signal by the coexist controller during non-receptions periods by the WiMax radio module.

9. A method for operating a multi-radio platform comprising:

setting a transmit power level for transmissions by a shorter-range radio module during a reception by a longer-range radio module to a lesser of a maximum allowed power level or a next requested power level when transmit step-down mode is enabled;

setting the transmit power level to the next requested power level when the longer-range radio module is not transmitting; and

refraining from transmitting by the shorter-range radio module when a transmit-kill mode is enabled during the reception by the longer-range radio module,

wherein when the transmit power level is set to the next requested power level and when the longer-range radio module is not transmitting, the next requested power level is permitted to be greater than the maximum allowed power level.

10. A method for operating a multi-radio platform comprising:

setting a transmit power level for transmissions by a shorter-range radio module during a reception by a longer-range radio module to a lesser of a maximum allowed power level or a next requested power level when transmit step-down mode is enabled;

setting the transmit power level to the next requested power level when the longer-range radio module is not transmitting; and

refraining from transmitting by the shorter-range radio module when a transmit-kill mode is enabled during the reception by the longer-range radio module,

wherein the maximum allowed power level is stored in a persistent storage element of the shorter-range radio module wherein the shorter-range radio module utilizes a short-haul wireless protocol implementing a frequency hopping spread-spectrum communication technique, wherein the longer-range radio module utilizes a broadband wireless access communication technique comprising orthogonal frequency division multiple access, and wherein the shorter-range radio module and the longer-range radio module utilize overlapping frequency spectrums for their communications.

11. A multi-radio platform comprising:

a longer-range radio module; and

a shorter-range radio module,

wherein the longer-range radio module is configured to;

set a transmit power level for radio-frequency transmissions by the shorter-range radio module during a reception by a longer-range radio module to a lesser of a maximum allowed power level or a next requested power level when transmit step-down mode is enabled,

set the transmit power level for the radio-frequency transmissions by the shorter-range radio module to the next requested power level when the longer-range radio module is not transmitting, and

cause the shorter-range radio module to refrain from transmitting when a transmit-kill mode is enabled during the reception by the longer-range radio module,

wherein the next requested power level is received in a request from a remote device in communication with the shorter-range radio module.

12. The multi-radio platform of claim 11 wherein when the transmit power level is set to the next requested power level and when the longer-range radio module is not transmitting, the longer-range radio module permits the next requested power level to be greater than the maximum allowed power level.

13. The multi-radio platform of claim 11 wherein the shorter-range radio module comprises a Bluetooth (BT) radio module comprising a BT transmitter and BT receiver, and

wherein the longer-range radio module comprises a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax) radio module comprising a WiMax transmitter and a WiMax receiver.

14. The multi-radio platform of claim 13 wherein the WiMax radio module comprises a coexist controller configured to assert a WiMax active signal to indicate to the BT radio module that the WiMax radio module is receiving, and

wherein the coexist controller is further configured to provide a receive protection mode signal to the BT radio module to indicate whether the transmit step-down mode is enabled or the transmit-kill mode is enabled.

15. The multi-radio platform of claim 14 wherein in response to the assertion of the WiMax active signal and receipt of the receive protection mode signal, the BT radio module is configured to either:

set the transmit power level for the BT transmissions during the WiMax reception to the lesser of the maximum allowed power level or the next requested power level when the transmit step-down mode is enabled;

or

refrain from transmitting BT transmissions or terminate a current BT transmission when the transmit-kill mode is enabled.

16. A multi-radio platform comprising:

a longer-range radio module; and

a shorter-range radio module,

wherein the longer-range radio module is configured to;

set a transmit power level for transmissions by the shorter-range radio module during a reception by a longer-range radio module to a lesser of a maximum allowed power level or a next requested power level when transmit step-down mode is enabled,

set the transmit power level to the next requested power level when the longer-range radio module is not transmitting, and

cause the shorter-range radio module to refrain from transmitting when a transmit-kill mode is enabled during the reception by the longer-range radio module,

wherein the shorter-range radio module is a short-haul wireless protocol implementing a frequency hopping spread-spectrum communication technique,

wherein the longer-range radio module utilizes a broadband wireless access communication technique comprising orthogonal frequency division multiple access, and

wherein the shorter-range radio module and the longer-range radio module utilize overlapping frequency spectrums for their communications.

17. A method for operating a multi-radio platform comprising a first radio module and a second radio module that utilize overlapping frequency spectrums for their communications, the method comprising:

asserting, by a coexist controller of the first radio module, a first-radio module active signal to indicate to the second radio module that the first radio module is receiving;

providing a receive protection mode signal to the second radio module to indicate whether a transmit step-down mode is enabled or a transmit-kill mode is enabled;

setting a transmit power level for radio-frequency transmissions by the second radio module during a reception by the first radio module to a lesser of a maximum allowed power level or a next requested power level when the transmit step-down mode is enabled;

setting the transmit power level for the radio-frequency transmissions by the shorter-range radio module to the next requested power level when the longer-range radio module is not transmitting;

refraining from transmitting by the second radio module when the transmit-kill mode is enabled during the reception by the first radio module,

wherein the next requested power level is received in a request from a remote device in communication with the shorter-range radio module.

18. A method for operating a multi-radio platform comprising a first radio module and a second radio module that utilize overlapping frequency spectrums for their communications, wherein the second radio module implements a frequency hopping spread-spectrum communication technique, and wherein the first radio module implements an orthogonal frequency division multiple access communication technique,

wherein the method comprises:

asserting, by a coexist controller of the first radio module, a first-radio module active signal to indicate to the second radio module that the first radio module is receiving;

providing a receive protection mode signal to the second radio module to indicate whether a transmit step-down mode is enabled or a transmit-kill mode is enabled;

setting a transmit power level for transmissions by the second radio module during a reception by the first radio module to a lesser of a maximum allowed power level or a next requested power level when the transmit step-down mode is enabled; and

refraining from transmitting by the second radio module when the transmit-kill mode is enabled during the reception by the first radio module.