Method and apparatus for transmitting packets associated with different communication protocols over a single energy conduit

• US 8,320,348 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Fleming, Kristoffer D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Frank
• Application Number:
  US12/637,303
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 370230-235, 370328-339, 370/395.42, 370412-413, 709/238, 709/240
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6215 Individual queue per QOS, rate or priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/03 Protocol definition or specification protocol conformance testing H04L1/244
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• 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

An apparatus and a system, as well as a method and article, may operate to share an energy conduit, such as an antenna, between first data communicated according to a first formatting mechanism and second data communicated according to a second formatting mechanism according to a first priority assigned to the first data and a second priority assigned to the second data. The first formatting mechanism may be different from the second formatting mechanism.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data packets over a single energy conduit, the method comprising:

assigning a first priority to a first data packet to be transmitted over the single energy conduit, the first data packet being formatted in accordance with a first communication protocol;

assigning a second priority to a second data packet to be transmitted over the single energy conduit, the second data packet being formatted in accordance with a second communication protocol, the second communication protocol being different than the first communication protocol; and

determining which packet of the first data packet and the second data packet has a greater priority based on the first priority assigned to the first data packet and the second priority assigned to the second data packet;

in response to the first data packet having the greater priority, transmitting the first data packet over the single energy conduit prior to transmitting the second data packet over the single energy conduit; and

in response to the second data packet having the greater priority, transmitting the second data packet over the single energy conduit prior to transmitting the first data packet over the single energy conduit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the first priority to the first data packet and assigning the second priority to the second data packet comprise:

attaching a priority tag to each of the first data packet and the second data packet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the priority tag comprises an IEEE 802.1Q priority tag.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first communication protocol is an IEEE 802.11 protocol; and

the second communication protocol is a Bluetooth protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the single energy conduit is an antenna, an infrared transmitter, a photo emitter, or a charge coupled device.

6. An apparatus comprising:

an assignment module configured to

assign a first priority to a first data packet to be transmitted over a single energy conduit, the first data packet being formatted in accordance with a first communication protocol, and

assign a second priority to a second data packet to be transmitted over the single energy conduit, the second data packet being formatted in accordance with a second communication protocol, the second communication protocol being different than the first communication protocol;

a determination module configured to determine which packet of the first data packet and the second data packet has a greater priority based on the first priority assigned to the first data packet and the second priority assigned to the second data packet; and

a transmitter configured to

transmit the first data packet over the single energy conduit prior to transmitting the second data packet over the single energy conduit in response to the first data packet having the greater priority, and

transmit the second data packet over the single energy conduit prior to transmitting the first data packet over the single energy conduit in response to the second data packet having the greater priority.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the first communication protocol is an IEEE 802.11 protocol; and

the second communication protocol is a Bluetooth protocol.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a steering mechanism configured to steer the first data packet or the second data packet to the single energy conduit for transmission.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the steering mechanism comprises a switch.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the single energy conduit is an antenna, an infrared transmitter, a photo emitter, or a charge coupled device.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises a television, a cellular phone, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a workstation, a radio, a video player, or a vehicle.

12. A computer program, tangibly stored on a computer readable non-transitory medium, for transmitting data packets over a single energy conduit, the computer program being executable by a processor and comprising instructions for:

assigning a first priority to a first data packet to be transmitted over the single energy conduit, the first data packet being formatted in accordance with a first communication protocol;

assigning a second priority to a second data packet to be transmitted over the single energy conduit, the second data packet being formatted in accordance with a second communication protocol, the second communication protocol being different than the first communication protocol; and

determining which packet of the first data packet and the second data packet has a greater priority based on the first priority assigned to the first data packet and the second priority assigned to the second data packet;

in response to the first data packet having the greater priority, transmitting the first data packet over the single energy conduit prior to transmitting the second data packet over the single energy conduit; and

in response to the second data packet having the greater priority, transmitting the second data packet over the single energy conduit prior to transmitting the first data packet over the single energy conduit.

13. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the instructions for assigning the first priority to the first data packet and the instructions for assigning the second priority to the second data packet comprise:

instructions for attaching a priority tag to each of the first data packet and the second data packet.

14. The computer program of claim 13, wherein the priority tag comprises an IEEE 802.1Q priority tag.

15. The computer program of claim 12, wherein:

the first communication protocol is an TREE 802.11 protocol; and

the second communication protocol is a Bluetooth protocol.

16. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the single energy conduit is an antenna, an infrared transmitter, a photo emitter, or a charge coupled device.