Radio access control utilizing quality of service access windows

• US 8,521,096 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2007
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pernu, Ville
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US12/810,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20110021146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,139 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.13, 455/552.1, 455/450, 455/41.2, 455/557, 455/556.1, 455/67.11, 455/452.1, 455/501, 455/63.1, 370/230, 370/252, 370328-329, 370/338, 370/236, 370/345, 370/444
• US Class Current: 455/67.13
• 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 system for managing the operation of a plurality of radio modules (1200), in the same device (100). A controller (600) may receive information pertaining to a plurality of wireless communication mediums being supported by radio modules (1200) in the device. The multiradio controller may formulate an operational schedule for the wireless communication mediums based on this information. Further, a network controller (1202) for a network may provide information related to one or more time periods during which the device may operate. This network information may be received by the device and also considered by the multiradio controller, which may further request that one or more of these time periods be altered, in the device, so as to align with the operational schedule.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving device information regarding a plurality of wireless communication mediums being supported by one or more radio modules in a wireless communication device;

formulating a local operational schedule for the one or more radio modules to operate on the plurality of wireless communication mediums based on the device information, the local operational schedule comprising one or more time periods allowed for communication by the one or more radio modules on each of the plurality of supported wireless communication mediums;

receiving, from a radio module, network information regarding an associated wireless communication medium, the network information being used to determine allowed activity periods for communicating in the associated wireless communication medium;

comparing the local operational schedule for the associated wireless communication medium with the allowed activity periods for communicating in the associated wireless communication medium; and

instructing the radio module to adjust a duration of the allowed activity periods to correspond with the local operational schedule if the duration of the allowed activity periods exceeds the one or more time periods allowed for communication in the local operational schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device information includes at least one of pending message information for each wireless communication medium and radio module status information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein formulating a local operational schedule includes allocating periods of time during which a wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the activity periods are determined from wireless beacon signals received from a network controller that establish a transmit opportunity during which the associated wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising preprocessing information in view of a predicted allowed activity period, wherein the preprocessing does not initiate until a threshold is exceeded during a contention period for the associated wireless medium.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising discarding the preprocessed information, discarding the adjusted allowed activity period, and restarting comparison of the local operational schedule with the allowed activity periods and adjusting of the allowed activity period if the contention period for the associated wireless communication medium is interrupted.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device information and the network information are received, and the instructing the radio module to adjust a duration of the allowed activity periods occurs, via a dedicated interface for communicating delay-sensitive information.

8. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code stored in said medium, comprising:

code configured to receive device information regarding a plurality of wireless communication mediums being supported by one or more radio modules in a wireless communication device;

code configured to formulate a local operational schedule for the one or more radio modules to operate on the plurality of wireless communication mediums based on the device information, the local operational schedule comprising one or more time periods allowed for communication by the one or more radio modules on each of the plurality of supported wireless communication mediums;

code configured to receive, from a radio module, network information regarding an associated wireless communication medium, the network information being used to determine allowed activity periods for communicating in the associated wireless communication medium;

code configured to compare the local operational schedule for the associated wireless communication medium with the allowed activity periods for communicating in the at least one wireless communication medium; and

code configured to instruct the radio module to adjust a duration of the allowed activity periods to correspond with the local operational schedule if the duration of the allowed activity periods exceeds the one or more time periods allowed for communication in the local operational schedule.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the device information includes at least one of pending message information for each wireless communication medium and radio module status information.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein formulating a local operational schedule includes allocating periods of time during which a wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the activity periods are determined from wireless beacon signals received from a network controller that establish a transmit opportunity during which the associated wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising preprocessing information in view of a predicted allowed activity period, wherein the preprocessing does not initiate until a threshold is exceeded during a contention period for the associated wireless medium.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising discarding the preprocessed information, discarding the adjusted allowed activity period, and restarting comparison of the local operational schedule with the allowed activity periods and adjusting of the allowed activity period if the contention period for the associated wireless communication medium is interrupted.

14. A device, comprising:

at least one radio module; and

a controller coupled to the at least one radio module, the controller being configured to;

receive device information regarding a plurality of wireless communication mediums being supported by one or more radio modules in a wireless communication device;

formulate a local operational schedule for the one or more radio modules to operate on the plurality of wireless communication mediums based on the device information, the local operational schedule comprising one or more time periods allowed for communication by the one or more radio modules on each of the plurality of supported wireless communication mediums;

receive, from a radio module, network information regarding an associated wireless communication medium, the network information being used to determine allowed activity periods for communicating in the associated wireless communication medium;

compare the local operational schedule for the associated wireless communication medium with the allowed activity periods for communicating in the associated wireless communication medium; and

instruct the radio module to adjust a duration of the allowed activity periods in the wireless communication device to correspond with the local operational schedule if the duration of the allowed activity periods exceeds the one or more time periods allowed for communication in the local operational schedule.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the device information includes at least one of pending message information for each wireless communication medium and radio module status information.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the duration of the allowed activity periods are reduced within the wireless communication device so as not to exceed the duration of corresponding time periods in the local operational schedule.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein formulating a local operational schedule includes allocating periods of time during which a wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the activity periods are determined from wireless beacon signals received from a network controller that establish a transmit opportunity during which the associated wireless communication medium is allowed to be active.

19. The device of claim 14, further comprising a multiradio controller in the device configured to compare the allowed activity periods with the local operational schedule.

20. A multiradio controller, comprising:

at least one interface module; and

a processing module coupled to the at least one interface module, the processing module being configured to;

receive device information regarding a plurality of wireless communication mediums being supported by one or more radio modules in a wireless communication device;

formulate a local operational schedule for the one or more radio modules to operate on the plurality of wireless communication mediums based on the device information, the local operational schedule comprising one or more time periods allowed for communication by the one or more radio modules on each of the plurality of supported wireless communication mediums;

receive, from a radio module, network information regarding an associated wireless communication medium, the network information being used to determine allowed activity periods for communicating in the associated wireless communication medium;

compare the local operational schedule for the associated wireless communication medium with the allowed activity periods for communicating in the associated wireless communication medium; and

instruct the radio module to adjust a duration of the allowed activity periods to correspond with the local operational schedule if the duration of the allowed activity periods exceeds the one or more time periods allowed for communication in the local operational schedule.

21. The multiradio controller of claim 20, wherein adjusting the duration of the allowed activity periods is executed through a request to a radio module using the at least one interface module.

22. The multiradio controller of claim 20, wherein adjusting the duration of the allowed activity periods is executed through an instruction to a radio module using the at least one interface module.