Multi-technology coexistence for IBSS networks

• US 9,026,162 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Wagholikar, Sarang Shrikrishna, Ramamurthy, Harish, Bhagwat, Rajesh Shreeram, Semersky, Matthew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US13/458,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20120276938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 455/514
• US Class Current: 455/514
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0092 Indication of how the channel is divided
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• 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

Apparatus configured to be implemented in a first wireless communication device, having corresponding non-transitory computer-readable media, comprise a memory configured to store a coexistence schedule, wherein the coexistence schedule defines WLAN intervals and non-WLAN intervals; a WLAN transceiver configured to transmit WLAN signals in an IBSS network; a non-WLAN transceiver configured to transmit wireless non-WLAN signals; and a coexistence circuit configured to allow the WLAN transceiver to transmit the WLAN signals in the IBSS network only during the WLAN intervals, wherein the coexistence circuit is further configured to allow the non-WLAN transceiver to transmit the wireless non-WLAN signals only during the non-WLAN intervals; and wherein the coexistence circuit is further configured to cause the WLAN transceiver to transmit one or more coexistence request messages, each indicating a duration of at least one of a respective one of the WLAN intervals, and a respective one of the non-WLAN intervals.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to be implemented in a first wireless communication device, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a memory configured to store a coexistence schedule, wherein the coexistence schedule defines wireless local-area network (WLAN) intervals and non-WLAN intervals;

a WLAN transceiver configured to transmit WLAN signals in an independent basic service set (IBSS) network;

a non-WLAN transceiver configured to transmit wireless non-WLAN signals; and

a coexistence circuit configured to allow the WLAN transceiver to transmit the WLAN signals in the IBSS network only during the WLAN intervals,

wherein the coexistence circuit is further configured to allow the non-WLAN transceiver to transmit the wireless non-WLAN signals only during the non-WLAN intervals; and

wherein the coexistence circuit is further configured to cause the WLAN transceiver to transmit a coexistence request message, prior to each of the non-WLAN intervals, to one or more second wireless communication devices in the IBSS network, wherein each of the coexistence request messages indicates a duration of a respective one of the non-WLAN intervals, to prevent the one or more second wireless communication devices from transmitting during the respective one of the non-WLAN intervals.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the non-WLAN signals comprise at least one of:

Bluetooth signals;

near field communication (NFC) signals;

FM signals; and

GPS signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the coexistence request messages comprises:

a clear-to-send-to-self frame, wherein the clear-to-send-to-self frame includes a duration parameter, wherein the duration parameter indicates the duration of the respective one of the non-WLAN intervals.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the coexistence request messages comprises:

a vendor-specific action frame, wherein the vendor-specific action frame includes a duration parameter, wherein the duration parameter indicates the duration of the respective one of the non-WLAN intervals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the coexistence request messages comprises:

a vendor-specific action frame, wherein the vendor-specific action frame includes a duration parameter, wherein the duration parameter indicates the duration of a period between a respective one of the non-WLAN intervals and another one of the non-WLAN intervals.

6. A wireless communication device comprising the apparatus of claim 1.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 6, wherein the wireless communication device is implemented as one of:

a mobile telephone;

a personal digital assistant (PDA);

a tablet computer; and

a personal computer.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 6, wherein the wireless communication device is compliant with all or part of IEEE standard 802.11, including draft and approved amendments such as 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11e, 802.11g, 802.11i, 802.11k, 802.11n, 802.11v, 802.11w, 802.11aa, 802.11ac, 802.11ad, 802.11ae, 802.11af, 802.11ah, and 802.11ai.

9. Non-transitory computer-readable media embodying instructions executable by a computer to perform functions comprising:

storing a coexistence schedule, wherein the coexistence schedule defines wireless local-area network (WLAN) intervals and non-WLAN intervals;

allowing a WLAN transceiver to transmit WLAN signals in an independent basic service set (IBSS) network only during the WLAN intervals;

allowing a non-WLAN transceiver to transmit wireless non-WLAN signals only during the non-WLAN intervals; and

causing the WLAN transceiver to transmit a coexistence request message, prior to each of the non-WLAN intervals, to one or more second wireless communication devices in the IBSS network, wherein each of the coexistence request messages indicates a duration of a respective one of the non-WLAN intervals, to prevent the one or more second wireless communication devices from transmitting during the respective one of the non-WLAN intervals.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the non-WLAN signals comprise at least one of:

Bluetooth signals;

near field communication (NFC) signals;

FM signals; and

GPS signals.

11. An apparatus configured to be implemented in a first wireless communication device, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a wireless local-area network (WLAN) transceiver configured to transmit WLAN signals in an independent basic service set (IBSS) network, wherein the IBSS network comprises one or more second wireless communication devices; and

a coexistence circuit configured to allow the WLAN transceiver to transmit no WLAN signals during non-WLAN intervals responsive to the WLAN transceiver receiving coexistence request messages, wherein each coexistence request message (i) is received by the coexistence circuit, from the one or more second wireless communication devices, prior to each of the non-WLAN intervals, and (ii) indicates a duration of at least one of

a respective one of the non-WLAN intervals, and

a period between a respective one of the non-WLAN intervals and another one of the non-WLAN intervals.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the non-WLAN signals comprise at least one of:

Bluetooth signals;

near field communication (NFC) signals;

FM signals; and

GPS signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the coexistence request messages comprises:

a clear-to-send-to-self frame, wherein the clear-to-send-to-self frame includes a duration parameter, wherein the duration parameter indicates the duration of the respective one of the non-WLAN intervals.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the coexistence request messages comprises:

a vendor-specific action frame, wherein the vendor-specific action frame includes a duration parameter, wherein the duration parameter indicates a duration of the respective one of the non-WLAN intervals.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the coexistence request messages comprises:

a vendor-specific action frame, wherein the vendor-specific action frame includes a duration parameter, wherein the duration parameter indicates a duration of a period between a respective one of the non-WLAN intervals and another one of the non-WLAN intervals.

16. A wireless communication device comprising the apparatus of claim 11.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication device is implemented as one of:

a mobile telephone;

a personal digital assistant (PDA);

a tablet computer; and

a personal computer.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication device is compliant with all or part of IEEE standard 802.11, including draft and approved amendments such as 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11e, 802.11g, 802.11i, 802.11k, 802.11n, 802.11v, 802.11w, 802.11aa, 802.11ac, 802.11ad, 802.11ae, 802.11af, 802.11ah, and 802.11ai.