Allocating transmit power among multiple air interfaces

• US 8,792,839 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2010
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hu, Jun, Lin, Yu-Chuan, Shahidi, Reza, Ramasami, Vijaya C., Garach, Ravindra M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Junpeng
• Application Number:
  US12/775,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20100291884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 455/127.1, 455/127.5, 455/67.11, 455/343.1, 455/343.3, 455/343.5, 455/13.4, 455/522, 455/574, 455/101, 370/311
• US Class Current: 455/127.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0026 Division using four or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0028 Variable division signaling therefor H04L5/0092
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0058 Allocation criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/346 distributing total power among users or channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power
• 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

Systems and methods for allocating transmit power among multiple interfaces in a wireless communication system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining a first power level that is used for transmitting over a first air interface, determining a maximum power level available for transmitting over a second interface, comparing the first power level to the maximum power level, determining a second power level that is used for transmitting over the second air interface based on the comparison of the first power level to the maximum power level, and generating a power-based payload constraint based on the second power level.

Claims

1. A method for allocating power among multiple air interfaces for a communication device supporting simultaneous transmission over multiple air interfaces, the method comprising:

determining a first power level that is used for transmitting over a first air interface;

determining an available power level for transmitting over a second air interface;

comparing a difference between the available power level and the first power level to a power differential threshold;

setting a second power level for transmitting over the second air interface to the available power level in response to a determination that the difference between the available power level and the first power level fails to exceed the power differential threshold;

setting the second power level for transmitting over the second air interface to an adjusted power level in response to a determination that the difference between the available power level and the first power level exceeds the power differential threshold, wherein a difference between the adjusted power level and the first power level fails to exceed the power differential threshold; and

generating a power-based payload constraint based on at least the second power level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising allocating power to the first air interface and to the second air interface based on the power-based payload constraint.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the power allocated to the first air interface is prioritized over the power allocated to the second air interface.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the power allocated to the first air interface is prioritized over the power allocated to the second air interface up to a priority power level, and wherein the power allocated to the second air interface is prioritized over the power allocated to the first air interface from a range between the priority power level and a total available power.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the total available power corresponds to a sum of the first power level and the available power level.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the power-based payload constraint is further based on a power margin, an overhead gain, and a transmit pilot power for transmitting a pilot over the second air interface.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a power margin based on a transmit pilot power.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising adjusting the power margin based on a total transmit power.

9. A wireless communication device supporting simultaneous transmission over multiple air interfaces, the wireless communication device comprising:

a first interface power level calculator configured to determine a first power level that is used for transmitting over a first air interface;

a second interface power level calculator configured to determine an available power level for transmitting over a second air interface;

a differential check unit configured to compare a difference between the available power level and the first power level to a power differential threshold;

a second interface power level adjuster configured to;

set a second power level for transmitting over the second air interface to the available power level in response to a determination that the difference between the available power level and the first power level fails to exceed the power differential threshold; and

set the second power level for transmitting over the second air interface to an adjusted power level in response to a determination that the difference between the available power level and the first power level exceeds the power differential threshold, wherein a difference between the adjusted power level and the first power level fails to exceed the power differential threshold; and

a power-based payload constraint calculator configured to generate a power-based payload constraint based on at least the estimated second power level.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a power controller configured to allocate power to the first air interface and to the second air interface based on the power-based payload constraint.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the power allocated to the first air interface is prioritized over the power allocated to the second air interface.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the power allocated to the first air interface is prioritized over the power allocated to the second air interface up to a priority power level, and wherein the power allocated to the second air interface is prioritized over the power allocated to the first air interface from a range between the priority power level and a total available power.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the total available power corresponds to a sum of the first power level and the available power level.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the power-based payload constraint calculator is further configured to generate the power-based payload constraint based on a power margin, an overhead gain, and a transmit pilot power for transmitting a pilot over the second air interface.

15. The device of claim 9, further comprising a processor configured to adjust a power margin based on a transmit pilot power.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising a processor configured to adjust the power margin based on a total transmit power.

17. A system for allocating power among multiple air interfaces for a communication device supporting simultaneous transmission over multiple air interfaces, the system comprising:

means for determining a first power level that is used for transmitting over a first air interface;

means for determining an available power level for transmitting over a second air interface;

means for comparing a difference between the available power level and the first power level to a power differential threshold;

means for setting a second power level for transmitting over the second air interface, wherein the second power level is set to the available power level in response to a determination that the difference between the available power level and the first power level fails to exceed the power differential threshold, wherein the second power level is set to an adjusted power level in response to a determination that the difference between the available power level and the first power level exceeds the power differential threshold, and wherein a difference between the adjusted power level and the first power level fails to exceed the power differential threshold; and

means for generating a power-based payload constraint based on at least the estimated second power level.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for allocating power to the first air interface and to the second air interface based on the power-based payload constraint.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the power allocated to the first air interface is prioritized over the power allocated to the second air interface.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the power allocated to the first air interface is prioritized over the power allocated to the second air interface up to a priority power level, and wherein the power allocated to the second air interface is prioritized over the power allocated to the first air interface from a range between the priority power level and a total available power.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the total available power corresponds to a sum of the first power level and the available power level.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for generating the power-based payload constraint is further configured to generate the power-based payload constraint based on a power margin, an overhead gain, and a transmit pilot power for transmitting a pilot over the second air interface.

23. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for adjusting a power margin based on a transmit pilot power.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising means for adjusting the power margin based on a total transmit power.

25. A computer-readable storage device comprising:

code for causing a computer to determine a first power level that is used for transmitting over a first air interface;

code for causing the computer to determine an available power level for transmitting over a second air interface;

code for causing the computer to compare a difference between the available power level and the first power level to a power differential threshold;

code for causing the computer to set a second power level for transmitting over the second air interface to the available power level in response to a determination that the difference between the available power level and the first power level fails to exceed the power differential threshold;

code for causing the computer to set the second power level for transmitting over the second air interface to an adjusted power level in response to a determination that the difference between the available power level and the first power level exceeds the power differential threshold, wherein a difference between the adjusted power level and the first power level fails to exceed the power differential threshold; and

code for causing the computer to generate a power-based payload constraint based on at least the second power level.