Radio apparatus

• US 8,942,274 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm technologies international, ltd. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cambridge Silicon Radio Limited (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thoukydides, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Timory, Kabir A
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKIE, GINA M
• Application Number:
  US13/146,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20120250737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,842 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1829 Arrangements specially adapted for the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/22 using redundant apparatus to increase reliability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information
• 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 radio apparatus comprising: a first transceiver means arranged to receive and transmit packets according to a first protocol; a second transceiver means arranged to receive or transmit packets according to a second, different protocol, the second transceiver means being located such that interference is possible between packets of the first and second protocols; analyzing means for determining a probability that a packet to be transmitted or received by the first transceiver means does not contain only redundant information; and decision means for making a decision based on the determined probability as to whether or not the packet should be respectively transmitted or received. The first transceiver means is arranged to respectively transmit or receive the packet or not according to the decision.

Claims

1. A radio apparatus comprising:

a first transceiver means arranged to receive and transmit packets according to a first protocol;

a second transceiver means arranged to receive or transmit packets according to a second, different protocol, the second transceiver means being located such that interference is possible between packets of the first and second protocols;

a third transceiver means arranged to receive packets;

analyzing means for determining a probability that a packet to be transmitted by the first transceiver means does not contain only redundant information, and for determining a probability that a packet to be received by the first transmitter means does not contain only redundant information; and

decision means for making a respective decision based on a respective determined probability as to whether or not a packet to be transmitted should be transmitted and whether or not a packet to be received should be received,

wherein the first transceiver means is arranged to transmit a packet that should be transmitted according to a respective decision, and to receive a packet that should be received according to a respective decision,

and the analyzing means comprises an information detection means, arranged to detect the presence of non-redundant information in packets received at the third transceiver means,

and wherein the analyzing means is arranged to determine the said probability in dependence on whether the presence of non-redundant information is detected in said packets received at the third transceiver means or not.

2. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing means is configured to determine a high probability for a packet to be transmitted by the first transceiver means and a low probability for a packet to be received by the first transceiver means if non-redundant information is detected in packets received at the third transceiver means.

3. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing means is configured to determine a low probability for a packet to be transmitted by the first transceiver means and a high probability for a packet to be received by the first transceiver means if only redundant information is detected in packets received at the third transceiver means.

4. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the decision means is arranged to, if the determined probability that a packet to be transmitted or received by the first transceiver means does not contain only redundant information is high, make a decision that the packet should be received or transmitted.

5. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the decision means is arranged to, if the determined probability that a packet to be transmitted or received by the first transceiver means does not contain only redundant information is low, make a decision that the packet should not be received or transmitted.

6. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising storing means for storing one or more criteria defining whether information is redundant or non-redundant, wherein the analyzing means is arranged to determine the said probability that a packet to be transmitted or received by the first transceiver means does not contain only redundant information by means of the stored one or more criteria.

7. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information detection means comprises a voice activity detection means, arranged to detect the presence of voice data in packets received at the third transceiver means.

8. A radio apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the analyzing means is further arranged to determine the said probability that a packet to be transmitted or received by the first transceiver means does not contain only redundant information in dependence on whether the presence of voice data is detected or not.

9. A radio apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the analyzing means is arranged to determine a high probability for a packet to be transmitted by the first transceiver means and a low probability for a packet to be received by the first transceiver means if voice data is detected in packets received at the third transceiver means.

10. A radio apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the analyzing means is arranged to determine a low probability for a packet to be transmitted by the first transceiver means and a high probability for a packet to be received by the first transceiver means if no voice data is detected in packets received at the third transceiver means.

11. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information detection means comprises a non-voice audio activity detection means, arranged to detect the presence of non-voice audio data in packets received at the third transceiver means and wherein the analyzing means is further arranged to determine the said probability in dependence on whether the presence of non-voice audio data is detected or not and to thereby determine a high probability for a packet to be transmitted and a low probability for a packet to be received if non-voice audio data is detected and a low probability for a packet to be transmitted and a high probability for a packet to be received if no non-voice audio data is detected.

12. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information detection means is further arranged to detect the absence of packets at the third transceiver means and to thereby determine a low probability for a packet to be transmitted by the first transceiver means if an absence is detected.

13. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third transceiver means is different from the second transceiver means and is arranged to receive packets according to a third protocol.

14. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the decision means comprises an arbitration means, arranged to receive notification of the determined probability that a packet to be transmitted or received by the first transceiver means does not contain only redundant information from the analyzing means and to allocate a transmission or receiving priority to a packet based on said determined probability and wherein the decision means is further arranged to make the said decision based on the allocated priority.

15. A radio apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the second transceiver means is further arranged to request the arbitration means to allocate a transmitting or receiving priority to packets, and wherein the arbitration means is arranged to allocate a transmitting or receiving priority to the said packets based on transmission and receiving priorities of other packets.

16. A radio apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the arbitration means is further arranged to inform the second transceiver means of the transmission or receiving priority of packets and wherein the second transceiver means is further arranged to respectively transmit or receive packets according to their allocated priority.

17. A radio apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the analyzing means is further arranged to request the arbitration means to allocate a transmission or receiving priority to a packet, and wherein the arbitration means is arranged to allocate a priority to the said packet based on transmission or receiving priorities of other packets.

18. A radio apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the arbitration means is further arranged to allocate receiving and transmission priorities of packets based on other information including at least one of:

type of data carried in packet;

size of packet;

amount of data in packet;

signal strengths in the first and second protocols;

throughput requirement of message of which the packet forms a part;

number of packets of the message of which the packet forms part;

number of packets awaiting reception and/or transmission;

processing or transmission status of previously-received packets;

position of packet in a message; and

priority pre-assigned to packet.

19. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second transceiver means is additionally for determining an indication of a signal quality of packets received according to the second protocol and wherein the radio apparatus further comprises:

storing means for storing information relating to characteristics of signals of the first protocol; and

comparing means for comparing the said indication to the stored information to determine a likelihood of interference between signals of the first and second protocols, and wherein the decision means is additionally for making the said decision based on the determined likelihood.

20. A radio apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the storing means is further for storing further information relating to characteristics of signals of the second protocol and wherein the comparing means is additionally for determining the likelihood of interference based on the stored further information.

21. A radio apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the stored information and further information comprise one or more of:

minimum desirable signal strengths;

modeled interference behavior of the first and second radio signals; and

working frequency ranges of the first and second radio signals.

22. A radio apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the decision means is arranged to, if the determined indication is below a predetermined threshold, cause the analyzing means not to be used.

23. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first local arbitration means associated with the first transceiver means and arranged to allocate receiving and/or transmission priorities to packets of the first protocol; and

a second local arbitration means associated with the second transceiver means and arranged to allocate receiving and/or transmission priorities to packets of the second protocol,

wherein the first and second arbitration means are arranged to inform each other of allocated priorities.

24. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna means for receiving packets from the first and second transceiver means and arranged to transmit said packets, and wherein the first and second transceiver means are arranged to send packets to the antenna means according to priorities of packets and/or said decision.

25. A radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the decision means is arranged to, if no real-time data is being received or transmitted according to the second protocol, cause the analyzing means not to be used.

26. A method of reducing interference between a first and a second transceiver located in a radio apparatus, the first transceiver being operable to receive and transmit packets according to a first protocol and the second transceiver being operable to receive or transmit packets according to a second, different protocol, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a probability that a packet to be transmitted by the first radio apparatus does not contain only redundant information;

determining a probability that a packet to be received by the first radio apparatus does not contain only redundant information;

making a respective decision based on a respective determined probability as to whether or not a packet to be transmitted should be transmitted and whether or not a packet to be received should be received; and

transmitting a packet that should be transmitted according to a respective decision, and receiving a packet that should be received according to a respective decision,

wherein the probability is determined in dependence on whether the presence of non-redundant information is detected in packets received at a third transceiver means or not.