Methods for coordinating transmission and reception operations of radio modules in a communications apparatus and communication apparatuses utilizing the same

• US 8,599,737 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Ko, Li-Chun, Chang, Chia-Ming, Huang, Shun-Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): TOWFIGHI, AFSHAWN M
• Application Number:
  US12/753,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20110243046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 370/327, 370336-338
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0035 Resource allocation in a cooperative multipoint environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0073 Allocation arrangements that take into account other cell interferences for intercell interference mitigation or co-ordination in orthogonal multiplex systems H04J11/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A communication apparatus is provided. A first radio module communicates with a first communications device in compliance with a first protocol to provide a first wireless communications service. A second radio module communicates with a second communications device in compliance with a second protocol to provide a second wireless communications service. The first radio module further estimates time remaining for the second radio module before a next operation of the first radio module and transmits information regarding the estimated remaining time to the second radio module. The second radio module further schedules operations of the second radio module according to the information regarding the estimated remaining time received from the first radio module.

Claims

1. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a first radio module communicating with a first communications device in compliance with a first protocol to provide a first wireless communications service, wherein the first radio module further estimates time remaining for a second radio module before a next operation of the first radio module and transmits information regarding the estimated remaining time to the second radio module;

the second radio module communicating with a second communications device in compliance with a second protocol to provide a second wireless communications service, wherein the second radio module further schedules operations of the second radio module according to the received information regarding the estimated remaining time;

wherein when the second radio module enters into a power saving (PS) mode, the second radio module estimates expected data exchange time under the power saving mode according to an expected data rate used by the second communications device to transmit data to the second radio module after receiving the information regarding the estimated remaining time from the first radio module, and

wherein when the expected data exchange time under the power saving mode does not exceed the estimated remaining time, the second radio module transmits a PS Poll request to the second communications device.

2. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein after receiving information regarding the estimated remaining time from the first radio module, the second radio module determines whether time required for the operations of the second radio module exceeds the estimated remaining time, and schedules the operations of the second radio module when the time required for operations of the second radio module does not exceed the estimated remaining time.

3. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second radio module does not schedule the operations of the second radio module and waits for information regarding another estimated remaining time from the first radio module when the time required for the operations of the second radio module exceeds the estimated remaining time.

4. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second radio module comprises a counter to determine whether time required for the operations of the second radio module exceeds the estimated remaining time according to a counter value.

5. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the expected data exchange time under the power saving mode exceeds the estimated remaining time, the second radio module does not transmit the PS Poll request and waits for information regarding another estimated remaining time from the first radio module.

6. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein after receiving the buffered data from the second communications device, the second radio module further checks whether a data rate used by the second communications device to transmit the buffered data is greater than the expected data rate, and increases the estimated expected data exchange time under the power saving mode when the data rate used by the second communications device to transmit the buffered data is not greater than the expected data rate.

7. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second radio module further decreases the estimated expected data exchange time under the power saving mode when the data rate used by the second communications device to transmit the buffered data is greater than the expected data rate.

8. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein after receiving the information regarding the estimated remaining time from the first radio module, the second radio module determines how many data packets at most can be successfully transmitted within the estimated remaining time, aggregates the data packets and transmits the aggregated data packets within the estimated remaining time.

9. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second radio modules are integrated into a system on chip (SOC) and connected to each other.

10. The communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna module shared among the first and the second radio modules.

11. A method for coordinating transmission and reception operations of at least a first and a second radio module in a communications apparatus, the first radio module communicating with a first communications device in compliance with a first protocol to provide a first wireless communications service and the second radio module communicating with a second communications device in compliance with a second protocol to provide a second wireless communications service, comprising:

estimating, by the first radio module, time remaining for the second radio module before a next transmitting and/or receiving operation of the first radio module;

receiving, by the second radio module, information regarding the estimated remaining time from the first radio module; and

scheduling, by the second radio module, operations of the second radio module according to the information regarding the estimated remaining time received from the first radio module,

wherein the scheduling step further comprises estimating expected data exchange time under a power saving (PS) mode according to an expected data rate used by the second communications device to transmit data to the second radio module after receiving the information regarding the estimated remaining time from the first radio module when the second radio module enters into the power saving mode, and

wherein when the expected data exchange time under the power saving mode does not exceed the estimated remaining time, the method further comprises transmitting, by the second radio module, a PS Poll request to the second communications device.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether time required for the operations of the second radio module exceeds the estimated remaining time; and

scheduling the operations of the second radio module when the time required for the operations of the second radio module does not exceed the estimated remaining time.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

not scheduling the operations of the second radio module and waiting for information regarding another estimated remaining time from the first radio module when the time required for the operations of the second radio module exceeds the estimated remaining time.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

setting a counter value to the estimated remaining time after receiving the information regarding the estimated remaining time from the first radio module; and

down counting the counter value until the counter value becomes zero.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

not transmitting the PS Poll request and waiting for information regarding another estimated remaining time from the first radio module when the expected data exchange time under the power saving mode exceeds the estimated remaining time.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

checking whether a data rate used by the second communications device to transmit the buffered data is greater than the expected data rate after receiving the buffered data from the second communications device; and

increasing the estimated expected data exchange time under the power saving mode when the data rate used by the second communications device to transmit the buffered data is not greater than the expected data rate.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

decreasing the estimated expected data exchange time under the power saving mode when the data rate used by the second communications device to transmit the buffered data is greater than the expected data rate.

18. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

determining how many data packets at most can be successfully transmitted within the estimated remaining time after receiving the information regarding the estimated remaining time;

aggregating the data packets; and

transmitting the aggregated data packets within the estimated remaining time.