Single transceiver for wireless peer-to-peer connections

• US 8,725,202 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2013
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Newport Media Inc. (Nexstar Media Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wasily, Nabil Yousef
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US13/904,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20130324186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 455/73, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/41.2, 455/500, 370/338, 370/328, 370/469
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area 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

Data transfer in a communications network includes a first communication device including a transceiver; and an interface operatively connected to the first communication device, wherein the interface provides multiple operative connections for data transfer, wherein the multiple operative connections include a WLAN connection adapted for communication with an access point that generates data exchange signals; and a P2P connection adapted for communication with a second communication device, wherein the transceiver is shared between the multiple operative connections. The first and second communication devices may include a WiFi device. The first communication device may further include a pair of data registers and state machines; a MAC layer controller that receives input from the pair of data registers and state machines; and a PHY layer controller that receives input from the pair of data registers and state machines and the MAC layer controller, and sends instructions to the transceiver.

Claims

1. A system for performing data transfer in a communications network, said system comprising:

a first communication device comprising;

a transceiver;

a pair of data registers and state machines;

a media access control (MAC) layer controller that receives input from said pair of data registers and state machines; and

a physical (PHY) layer controller that receives input from said pair of data registers and state machines and said MAC layer controller, and sends instructions to said transceiver; and

an interface operatively connected to said first communication device, wherein said interface provides multiple operative connections for data transfer, wherein said multiple operative connections comprise;

a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection adapted for communication with an access point that generates data exchange signals; and

a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection adapted for communication with a second communication device,

wherein said transceiver is shared between said multiple operative connections.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first communication device comprises a WiFi device, and wherein said second communication device comprises a WiFi device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) that generates carrier frequencies, selectively switches between a WLAN carrier frequency and a P2P carrier frequency, and inputs the selected carrier frequency to said transceiver.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pair of voltage-controlled oscillator (VCOs) that provide for switching of selected carrier frequencies to said transceiver, wherein said pair of VCOs comprises:

a first VCO that generates a WLAN carrier frequency; and

a second VCO that generates a P2P carrier frequency,

wherein said WLAN carrier frequency and said P2P carrier frequency are selectively input into said transceiver based on a switching criteria.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a fairness algorithm unit that defines said switching criteria between the WLAN and P2P connections.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said switching criteria comprises instructions for prioritizing multiplexed traffic between said WLAN and P2P connections.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said pair of data registers and state machines comprises:

a first data register bank associated with said WLAN connection; and

a second data register bank associated with said P2P connection,

wherein said first data register bank and said second data register bank store control registers.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said pair of data registers and state machines comprises:

a first state machine associated with said WLAN connection; and

a second state machine associated with said P2P connection,

wherein said first state machine and said second state machine share a MAC layer and a PHY layer in said communications network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said access point comprises a WiFi access point.

10. A method of performing data transfer in a communications network, said method comprising:

providing a first communication device comprising;

a transceiver;

a pair of data registers and state machines;

a media access control (MAC) layer controller that receives input from said pair of data registers and state machines; and

a physical (PHY) layer controller that receives input from said pair of data registers and state machines and said MAC layer controller, and sends instructions to said transceiver;

providing multiple operative connections for data transfer with said first communication device;

associating a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection for communication with an access point that generates data exchange signals;

associating a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection for communication with a second communication device; and

sharing said transceiver between said multiple operative connections.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said first communication device comprises a WiFi device, and wherein said second communication device comprises a WiFi device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating carrier frequencies using a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO);

selectively switching between a WLAN carrier frequency and a P2P carrier frequency using said VCO; and

inputting the selected carrier frequency to said transceiver.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

switching of selected carrier frequencies to said transceiver using a pair of voltage-controlled oscillator (VCOs), wherein said pair of VCOs comprises a first VCO that generates a WLAN carrier frequency, and a second VCO that generates a P2P carrier frequency; and

selectively inputting said WLAN carrier frequency and said P2P carrier frequency input into said transceiver based on a switching criteria.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising using a fairness algorithm unit that defines said switching criteria between the WLAN and P2P connections.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said switching criteria comprises instructions for prioritizing multiplexed traffic between said WLAN and P2P connections.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said pair of data registers and state machines comprises:

a first data register bank associated with said WLAN connection; and

a second data register bank associated with said P2P connection,

wherein said first data register bank and said second data register bank store control registers.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said pair of data registers and state machines comprises:

a first state machine associated with said WLAN connection; and

a second state machine associated with said P2P connection,

wherein said first state machine and said second state machine share a MAC layer and a PHY layer in said communications network.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein said access point comprises a WiFi access point.

19. A system for performing data transfer comprising:

an interface that provides multiple operative connections for data transfer, wherein said multiple operative connections comprise a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection adapted for communication with an access point that generates data exchange signals, and a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection adapted for communication with a communication device,

a transceiver that is shared between said multiple operative connections; and

a plurality of voltage-controlled oscillator (VCOs) that provide for switching of selected carrier frequencies to said transceiver, wherein said plurality of VCOs comprises a first VCO that generates a WLAN carrier frequency, and a second VCO that generates a P2P carrier frequency, wherein said WLAN carrier frequency and said P2P carrier frequency are selectively input into said transceiver based on a switching criteria.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a fairness algorithm unit that defines said switching criteria between the WLAN and P2P connections, wherein said switching criteria comprises instructions for prioritizing multiplexed traffic between said WLAN and P2P connections.