Multi-function wireless terminal

• US 8,121,144 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Altair Semiconductor Ltd. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bitran, Yigal
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold, Marsha D Banks
• Assistant Examiner(s): HASSAN, SAAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/943,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20090129367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/431, 370/459, 370/201, 370/339, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 370/459
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/535 based on resource usage policies
• 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 method for communication includes allocating time intervals for a first communication session over a first connection between a wireless terminal and a base station of a long-range wireless data network, which operates in accordance with a first protocol defining time frames having downlink and uplink sub-frames. Time slots are allocated for a second communication session over a second connection between the terminal and a peripheral wireless device, which operates in accordance with a second, short-range time-slotted protocol, which is different from the first protocol and has a retransmission mechanism. The time slots are synchronized with the downlink and uplink sub-frames defined by the BS. Operation of the second connection is inhibited during some of the time slots that overlap the downlink sub-frames, so as to invoke the retransmission mechanism and cause the terminal to transmit only during the time slots that do not overlap the downlink sub-frames.

Claims

1. A method for communication, comprising:

allocating time intervals for establishing a first communication session over a first connection between a baseband processing circuit of a wireless terminal and a base station (BS) of a long-range wireless data network, which operates in accordance with a first communication protocol that defines a sequence of time frames for transmission between the wireless terminal and the BS;

allocating time slots for establishing a second communication session over a second connection between the baseband processing circuit of the wireless terminal and a peripheral wireless device, which operates in accordance with a second, short-range time-slotted communication protocol, which is different from the first protocol and has a retransmission mechanism;

synchronizing the time slots with the time frames defined by the BS;

using the baseband processing circuit, transmitting data to the peripheral wireless device in time slots that are allocated to the second communication protocol but overlap the time intervals of the first communication protocol;

using a coexistence processor, inhibiting transmission of the data from the baseband processing circuit in the time slots that overlap the time intervals;

detecting in the baseband circuit an absence of a response from the peripheral wireless device due to inhibition of the transmission; and

responsively to detecting the absence of the response, activating in the baseband processing circuit the retransmission mechanism of the second communication protocol so as to retransmit the data in one or more time slots that do not overlap the time intervals.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the baseband processing circuit includes a baseband unit for communicating over the second connection, and wherein inhibiting the transmission on the second connection comprises inhibiting the baseband unit.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless terminal includes a Power Amplifier (PA) for amplifying Radio Frequency (RF) signals transmitted over the second connection, and wherein inhibiting the transmission on the second connection comprises inhibiting the PA.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein inhibiting the PA comprises performing at least one action selected from a group of actions consisting of switching off a supply voltage of the PA, modifying a bias voltage of the PA, switching off an RF input of the PA and switching off an RF output of the PA.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein inhibiting the transmission on the second connection comprises inhibiting the transmission responsively to determining that the BS intends to transmit data addressed to the wireless terminal during the time slots that overlap the time intervals.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein determining that the BS intends to transmit the data comprises decoding an allocation message transmitted by the BS.

7. The method according to claim 1, and comprising establishing a third communication session over a third connection with an access point (AP) of a wireless local area network (WLAN) in accordance with a third protocol different from the first and second protocols, during time periods that do not overlap the time slots of the first connection and the time intervals of the second connection, and conducting the third communication session concurrently with the first and second sessions.

8. A wireless communication terminal, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) unit;

a baseband processing circuit, which is coupled to cause the RF unit to transmit and receive signals over the air so as to establish a first communication session over a first connection with a base station (BS) of a long-range wireless data network, which operates in accordance with a first protocol that defines a sequence of time frames for transmission between the BS and the wireless terminal, and to establish a second communication session over a second connection between the wireless terminal and a peripheral wireless device, which operates in accordance with a second, short-range time-slotted communication protocol that is different from the first protocol and has a retransmission mechanism; and

a coexistence processor, which is configured to allocate time slots for the second session, to allocate time intervals for the first session and to synchronize the time slots with the time frames defined by the BS,

wherein the baseband processing circuit is configured to transmit data to the peripheral wireless device in time slots that are allocated to the second communication protocol but overlap the time intervals of the first communication protocol,

wherein the coexistence processor is configured to inhibit transmission of the data from the baseband processing circuit in the time slots that overlap the time intervals,

wherein the baseband processing circuit is configured to detect an absence of a response from the peripheral wireless device due to inhibition of the transmission, and, responsively to detecting the absence of the response, to activate the retransmission mechanism of the second communication protocol so as to retransmit the data in one or more time slots that do not overlap the time intervals.

9. The terminal according to claim 8, wherein the baseband processing circuit comprises a baseband unit for communicating over the second connection, and wherein the coexistence processor is configured to inhibit the transmission on the second connection by inhibiting the baseband unit.

10. The terminal according to claim 8, wherein the RF unit comprises a Power Amplifier (PA) for amplifying RF signals transmitted over the second connection, and wherein the coexistence processor is configured to inhibit the transmission on the second connection by inhibiting the PA.

11. The terminal according to claim 10, wherein the coexistence processor is configured to inhibit the PA by performing at least one action selected from a group of actions consisting of switching off a supply voltage of the PA, modifying a bias voltage of the PA, switching off an RF input of the PA and switching off an RF output of the PA.

12. The terminal according to claim 8, wherein the baseband processing circuit and the coexistence processor are configured to inhibit the transmission on the second connection responsively to determining that the BS intends to transmit data addressed to the wireless terminal during the time slots that overlap the time intervals.

13. The terminal according to claim 12, wherein the baseband processing circuit is coupled to detect that the BS intends to transmit the data by decoding an allocation message transmitted by the BS.

14. The terminal according to claim 8, wherein the baseband processing circuit is further arranged to establish a third communication session over a third connection with an access point (AP) of a wireless local area network (WLAN) in accordance with a third protocol different from the first and second protocols, and wherein the coexistence processor is arranged to allocate time periods for the third communication session that do not overlap the time slots of the first connection and the time intervals of the second connection, so as to conduct the third communication session concurrently with the first and second sessions.