Bluetooth and wireless LAN arbitration

• US 8,340,034 B1
• Filed: 11/11/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Lee, George, Wong, Gladys Yuen Yan, Li, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Mered, Habte
• Application Number:
  US12/616,454
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 455419-420, 455/41.2, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/74.1, 370/276, 370/310, 370/314, 370/331, 370/338, 370/395.4, 370/395.42, 370/395.5, 370/401, 370/431, 370442-449, 370/458, 370/462, 370465-468, 370470-474, 370/328, 370/329
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/525 with means for reducing leakage of transmitter signal into the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• 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

Abstract

Bluetooth and wireless LAN arbitration is described. In embodiments, a communication device includes a Bluetooth device for Bluetooth communication according to Bluetooth protocol, and includes a wireless LAN device for network communication according to wireless network protocol. An antenna switching circuit connects the Bluetooth device to an antenna for the Bluetooth communication, and connects the wireless LAN device to the antenna for the network communication. An arbitration control system arbitrates when the Bluetooth device is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit and when the wireless LAN device is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a Bluetooth device configured for Bluetooth communication according to Bluetooth protocol;

a wireless LAN device configured for network communication according to wireless network protocol;

an antenna switching circuit configured to connect the Bluetooth device to an antenna for the Bluetooth communication via one of three different communication paths and further configured to connect the wireless LAN device to the antenna for the network communication via the same or another of the three different communication paths, each of the three different communication paths;

being connectable to the antenna via a single-pole triple-throw (SP3T) switch directly coupled to the antenna;

having respective receive portions that are connectable to a reception coupler via another SP3T switch, the reception coupler operably coupled to respective receive ports of the wireless LAN device and Bluetooth device; and

configured to respectively enable;

Bluetooth reception and wireless LAN transmission;

Bluetooth reception and wireless LAN reception;

or

Bluetooth transmission and wireless LAN reception; and

an arbitration control system configured to arbitrate when the Bluetooth device is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit and when the wireless LAN device is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit,

wherein the wireless LAN device is further configured to operate in a power save mode, and

wherein the arbitration control system is further configured to initiate that the antenna switching circuit connect the antenna to the Bluetooth device for the Bluetooth communication when the wireless LAN device operates in the power save mode.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the arbitration control system is further configured to initiate an antenna lock and cause the antenna switching circuit to connect the antenna to the wireless LAN device for an antenna lock duration during which a beacon transmission is received from a wireless LAN access point.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises one or more of a media device, communication device, computer device, gaming device, appliance device, electronic device, or a portable phone.

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless network protocol is compliant with an IEEE 802.11 standard.

19. The communication device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the communication paths is connected from the first SP3T switch directly to the second SP3T switch.

20. The communication device of claim 1, wherein each of the three different communication paths of the antenna switching circuit enable approximately simultaneous Bluetooth and wireless LAN communication.

5. A method, comprising:

connecting, via one of three different communication paths of an antenna switching circuit, a Bluetooth device to an antenna of a communication device for Bluetooth communication according to Bluetooth protocol;

connecting, via the same or another of the three different communication paths of the antenna switching circuit, a wireless LAN device to the antenna of the communication device for network communication according to wireless network protocol, each of the three different communication paths;

being connectable to the antenna via a first single-pole triple-throw (SP3T) switch directly coupled to the antenna;

having respective receive portions that are connectable to a reception coupler via a second SP3T switch, the reception coupler operably coupled to respective receive ports of the wireless LAN device and Bluetooth device; and

configured to respectively enable;

Bluetooth reception and wireless LAN transmission;

Bluetooth reception and wireless LAN reception;

or

Bluetooth transmission and wireless LAN reception;

arbitrating when the Bluetooth device is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit and when the wireless LAN device is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit; and

initiating connection of the Bluetooth device to the antenna for the Bluetooth communication when the wireless LAN device operates in a power save mode.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

initiating an antenna lock and connection of the wireless LAN device to the antenna for an antenna lock duration; and

receiving a beacon transmission from a wireless LAN access point during the antenna lock duration.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein each of the three different communication paths of the antenna switching circuit enable approximately simultaneous Bluetooth and wireless LAN communication.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the wireless network protocol is compliant with an IEEE 802.11 standard.

9. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the communication device comprises one or more of a media device, computer device, gaming device, appliance device, electronic device, or portable phone.

10. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the different path configured to respectively enable Bluetooth reception and wireless LAN reception is connected from the first SP3T switch, directly to the second SP3T switch.

11. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the second SP3T switch is connected to the reception coupler via a low-noise amplifier configured to amplify received communications.

12. A System-on-Chip (SoC) comprising:

a Bluetooth communication block configured for Bluetooth communication according to Bluetooth protocol;

a wireless LAN communication block configured for network communication according to wireless network protocol;

an antenna switching circuit configured to connect the Bluetooth communication block to an antenna for the Bluetooth communication via one of three different communication paths and further configured to connect the wireless LAN communication block to the antenna for the network communication via the same or another of the three different communication paths, each of the three different communication paths;

being connectable to the antenna via a first single-pole triple-throw (SP3T) switch operably coupled to the antenna;

having respective receive portions that are connectable to a reception coupler via a second SP3T switch, the reception coupler operably coupled to respective receive ports of the wireless LAN device and Bluetooth device; and

configured to respectively enable;

Bluetooth reception and wireless LAN transmission;

Bluetooth reception and wireless LAN reception;

or

Bluetooth transmission and wireless LAN reception; and

an arbitration controller configured to arbitrate when the Bluetooth communication block is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit and when the wireless LAN communication block is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit.

13. The SoC of claim 12, wherein the wireless LAN communication block is further configured to operate in a power save mode.

14. The SoC of claim 13, wherein the arbitration controller is further configured to cause the antenna switching circuit to connect the antenna to the Bluetooth communication block for the Bluetooth communication when the wireless LAN communication block operates in the power save mode.

15. The SoC of claim 12, wherein the antenna is directly connected to the first single-pole-triple-throw (SP3T) switch of the antenna switching circuit.

16. The SoC of claim 12, wherein the SoC is embodied in a communication device comprising a media device, computer device, gaming device, appliance device, electronic device, or portable phone.

17. The SoC of claim 12, wherein each of the three different communication paths of the antenna switching circuit enable approximately simultaneous Bluetooth and wireless LAN communication.

18. The SoC of claim 12, wherein the wireless network protocol is compliant with an IEEE 802.11 standard.