Mitigation of internetwork interference

• US 8,170,488 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Cordeiro, Carlos, Gopalakrishnan, Praveen, Li, Guoqing C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US12/215,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20090233554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 455/63.1, 455/114.2, 455/278.1, 455/296, 455/67.11, 455/115.1, 455/41.2, 370/338, 370/445, 370/466
• US Class Current: 455/63.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0682 using phase diversity (e.g. phase sweeping)

Abstract

When a device in one wireless network receives interfering transmissions from an overlapping neighboring network, the neighboring network may be notified of the interference so that non-interfering schedules can be worked out. In one embodiment, the device receiving the interference may broadcast its own communications schedule. Device(s) in the interfering network may pick up that schedule, and pass it on to their controller, which can rearrange its own network schedule to be non-interfering. In another embodiment, the device receiving the interference may notify its own network controller with the pertinent information, and that controller may contact the controller of the interfering network to coordinate non-interfering schedules.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising

a first communications device for operating in a first wireless network, the first device to:

detect interference from a second wireless network during a scheduled reception time in the first wireless network; and

transmit a notification of the interference to a controller in the first wireless network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the notification is to include at least one of:

a time of the interference; and

an identification of a device causing the interference.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the notification is to include a broadcast of a schedule of communications by the first device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one antenna coupled to the first device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network comprises a piconet.

6. An apparatus, comprising

a first network controller to operate in a first wireless network, the first network controller to:

receive, from a first mobile device in the first wireless network, a notification of interference to the first mobile device from a second wireless network;

notify a second network controller in the second wireless network of the interference; and

coordinate network schedules with the second network controller to avoid the interference.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said notifying the second network controller comprises providing at least one of:

a time indicator of the interference; and

an identification of an interfering device in the second wireless network.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first wireless network is a piconet and the second wireless network is a piconet.

9. An apparatus, comprising

a first network controller in a first wireless network, the first network controller to:

receive, from a first mobile device in the first wireless network, a notification of an interference to a second mobile device in a second wireless network from the first wireless network;

receive, from the first mobile device, a schedule of intended communications by the second mobile device; and

rearrange a network communications schedule in the first wireless network to avoid a future interference with the intended communications.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the notification is to include an indicator of a time of the interference.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the notification is to include an identification of the second mobile device.

12. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a first device in a first wireless network, interference to the first device from a second wireless network during a scheduled reception time in the first wireless network;

transmitting from the first device, responsive to said detecting, a notification of the interference to a controller in the first wireless network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said transmitting the notification to the controller comprises notifying the controller of a time of the interference.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said notifying comprises broadcasting a schedule of communications by the first device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said broadcasting the schedule comprises broadcasting an identification of the first device.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first controller in a first wireless network from a first device in the first wireless network, notification of interference to the first device from a second wireless network;

notifying a second controller in the second wireless network of the interference; and

coordinating network schedules with the second controller to avoid the interference.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said notifying comprises providing a time indicator of the interference.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said notifying comprises including an identification of an interfering device in the second wireless network.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first network controller in a first wireless network, a notification of interference to a first mobile device in a second wireless network and a schedule of reception times for the first mobile device from a device in the first wireless network; and

rearranging a network communications schedule in the first wireless network to avoid further occurrences of the interference during the scheduled reception times.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said receiving comprises receiving the notification and the schedule from two separate devices in the first wireless network.

21. An article comprising

a tangible computer-readable medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:

detecting, by a first device in a first wireless network, interference to the first device from a second wireless network during a scheduled reception time in the first wireless network; and

transmitting from the first device, responsive to said detecting, a notification of the interference to a controller in the first wireless network.

22. The article of claim 21, wherein the operation of transmitting the notification to the controller comprises notifying the controller of a time of the interference.

23. The article of claim 21, wherein the operation of notifying comprises broadcasting a schedule of communications by the first device.

24. The article of claim 23, wherein the operation of broadcasting the schedule comprises making a directional transmission.

25. An article comprising

a tangible computer-readable medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:

receiving, by a first controller in a first wireless network from a first device in the first wireless network, notification of interference to the first device from a second wireless network;

notifying a second controller in the second wireless network of the interference; and

coordinating network schedules with the second controller to avoid the interference.

26. The article of claim 25, wherein the operation of notifying comprises transmitting a time indicator of the interference.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein said notifying comprises including an identification of an interfering device in the second wireless network.

28. A tangible computer-readable medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:

receiving, by a first network controller in a first wireless network, a notification of interference to a first mobile device in a second wireless network and a schedule of reception times for the first mobile device; and

rearranging a network communications schedule in the first wireless network to avoid further occurrences of the interference during the scheduled reception times.

29. The article of claim 28, wherein the operation of receiving comprises receiving from a device in the first wireless network.

30. The article of claim 29, wherein the operation of receiving comprises receiving from two separate devices in the first wireless network.