Method and system for collaborative coexistence of bluetooth and WiMax

• US 8,682,246 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Desai, Prasanna, Hall, Steven Deane, Ibrahim, Brima
• Primary Examiner(s): HUANG, WEN WU
• Application Number:
  US11/845,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20080233875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,402 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/63.1, 455/114.2, 455/278.1, 455/296
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different 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

Methods and systems for collaborative coexistence of Bluetooth and WiMax are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include a packet traffic arbiter (PTA) in a mobile terminal that arbitrates among requests to transmit from one or more communication devices collocated in the mobile terminal. The communication devices may comprise, for example, a WLAN communication device, a WiMax communication device, and/or a Bluetooth communication device. The arbitration may be based on, for example, whether a packet will be received by one of the plurality of collocated communication devices at a time of transmission of the present data packet and/or a priority for data to be transmitted. An exemplary scenario may be where a Bluetooth headset may be used for communication over a WiMax voice connection. One arbitration method may comprise allowing the WiMax packet to be transmitted, and replacing the received Bluetooth packet with data indicating silence. Another method may comprise not allowing transmission of the present WiMax packet. Rather, the present WiMax packet and a subsequent WiMax packet may e transmitted at the next transmission period.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, the method comprising:

in a mobile terminal, predicting whether transmission by one of a plurality of collocated communication devices will result in a collision with transmission or reception by another of said plurality of collocated communication devices, wherein said plurality of collocated communication devices comprises a WLAN communication device, a broadband wireless technology communication device and a Bluetooth communication device;

arbitrating among said plurality of collocated communication devices to grant permission to transmit, based on both of said predicting and previous data received by one or more of said plurality of collocated communication devices;

wherein said arbitrating includes choosing to either grant permission to the broadband wireless technology communication device to transmit responsive to the transmission being predicted to result in a collision with reception of data by the Bluetooth communication device and responsive to the previous data received by the Bluetooth communication device being non-voice data;

or deny permission to the broadband wireless technology communication device to transmit responsive to the transmission being predicted to result in a collision with reception of data by the Bluetooth communication device and responsive to the previous data received by the Bluetooth communication device being voice data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said permission to transmit is granted to a subset of said plurality of collocated communication devices, wherein said subset of said plurality of collocated communication devices comprises a range from none of said plurality of collocated communication devices to all of said plurality of collocated communication devices.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said arbitrating is based on priorities assigned to a type of packet to be transmitted by said plurality of collocated communication devices from which one or more transmit requests are received.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising granting to one of said plurality of collocated communication devices, permission to transmit a first packet if a second packet is not predicted to be received by another of said plurality of collocated communication devices during a period of time when said first packet is transmitted.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving one or more transmit requests from said broadband wireless technology communication device, wherein said broadband wireless technology communication device transmits broadband wireless technology packets that correspond to one or more received Bluetooth packets.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising granting permission to said broadband wireless technology communication device, to transmit a first broadband wireless technology packet.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising, if a first Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received by said Bluetooth communication device during a period of time when said first broadband wireless technology packet is to be transmitted, transmitting a second broadband wireless technology packet after said first broadband wireless technology packet is transmitted, wherein said second broadband wireless technology packet comprises data that indicate silence, wherein said second broadband wireless technology packet corresponds to said first Bluetooth packet, and wherein the previous data received by the Bluetooth communication device is non-voice data.

8. The method according to claim 5, comprising, if a Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received by said Bluetooth communication device during a period of time when a first broadband wireless technology packet is to be transmitted, denying permission to said broadband wireless technology communication device to transmit said first broadband wireless technology packet, wherein the previous data received by the Bluetooth communication device is voice data.

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising making a request to a broadband wireless technology base station, by said broadband wireless technology communication device, to use a wider bandwidth for transmission at a next available broadband wireless technology transmission period for said broadband wireless technology communication device.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising, if permission to use said wider bandwidth is received from said broadband wireless technology base station, transmitting both said first broadband wireless technology packet and a second broadband wireless technology packet, by said broadband wireless technology communication device at said next available broadband wireless technology transmission period utilizing said wider bandwidth.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said broadband wireless technology communication device transmits broadband wireless technology packets that correspond to one or more received Bluetooth packets.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said broadband wireless technology comprises WiMAX technology.

13. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits in a mobile terminal comprising a plurality of collocated communication devices that enables prediction of whether transmission by one of said plurality of collocated communication devices will result in a collision with transmission and/or reception by another of said plurality of collocated communication devices, wherein said plurality of collocated communication devices comprises a WLAN communication device, a broadband wireless technology communication device and a Bluetooth communication device; and

said one or more circuits enable arbitrating among said plurality of collocated communication devices to grant permission to transmit, based on one or both of said predicting and previous data received by one or more of said plurality of collocated communication devices;

wherein said arbitrating includes choosing to either grant permission to the broadband wireless technology communication device to transmit responsive to the transmission being predicted to result in a collision with reception of data by the Bluetooth communication device and responsive to the previous data received by the Bluetooth communication device being non-voice data;

or deny permission to the broadband wireless technology communication device to transmit responsive to the transmission being predicted to result in a collision with reception of data by the Bluetooth communication device and responsive to the previous data received by the Bluetooth communication device being voice data.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said permission to transmit is granted to a subset of said plurality of collocated communication devices, wherein said subset of said plurality of collocated communication devices comprises a range from none of said plurality of collocated communication devices to all of said plurality of collocated communication devices.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said arbitrating is based on priorities assigned to a type of packet to be transmitted by said plurality of collocated communication devices from which said one or more transmit requests are received.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits enable granting to one of said plurality of collocated communication devices, permission to transmit a first packet, if a second packet is not predicted to be received by another of said plurality of collocated communication devices during a period of time when said first packet is transmitted.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits enable reception of one or more transmit requests from said broadband wireless technology communication device, and wherein said broadband wireless technology communication device transmits broadband wireless technology packets that correspond to one or more received Bluetooth packets.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits enable granting of permission to said broadband wireless technology communication device to transmit a first broadband wireless technology packet.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more circuits enable transmission of a second broadband wireless technology packet after said first broadband wireless technology packet is transmitted, if a first Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received by said Bluetooth communication device during a period of time when said first broadband wireless technology packet is to be transmitted, wherein said second broadband wireless technology packet corresponds to said first Bluetooth packet and wherein said second broadband wireless technology packet comprises data that indicate silence, and wherein the previous data received by the Bluetooth communication device is non-voice data.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more circuits enable denying permission to said broadband wireless technology communication device to transmit said first broadband wireless technology packet, if a Bluetooth packet is predicted to be received by said Bluetooth communication device during a period of time when a first broadband wireless technology packet is to be transmitted, wherein the previous data received by the Bluetooth communication device is voice data.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said broadband wireless technology communication device is configured to transmit the request for additional bandwidth to a broadband wireless technology base station.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said broadband wireless technology communication device enables transmission of both said packet associated with said denied transmission and said next packet, if permission to use said additional bandwidth is received from said broadband wireless technology base station.

23. The system according to claim 13, wherein said broadband wireless technology communication device transmits broadband wireless technology packets that correspond to one or more received Bluetooth packets.

24. The system according to claim 13, wherein said broadband wireless technology comprises WiMAX technology.