Using multiple radios to provide service on the same channel to support a new standard while maintaining compatibility with legacy devices
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a first radio operable to communicate on a first channel employing a first protocol;
a second radio operable to communicate on a second channel employing a second protocol, wherein at least a portion of the first and second channels overlap; and
a transmit interlock coupled with the first radio and the second radio;
wherein the transmit interlock includes an input operable to receive a first transmit request signal from the first radio and to receive a second transmit request signal from the second radio;
wherein the transmit interlock is operable to prevent the first and second radios from transmitting over a medium concurrently by selectively enabling or disabling the radios responsive to receiving the first and second transmit request signals;
wherein the transmit interlock is operable, when receiving both the first transmit request from the first radio and the second transmit request from the second radio, to enable the first radio to transmit over the medium and to wait until after the first and second transmit requests from the first and second radios have both been de-asserted before selectively enabling the second radio to transmit responsive to a receiving the second transmit request from the second radio.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an example embodiment, a wireless device, such as an access point, employs multiple radios that operate on the same or overlapping channels. For example, the wireless device can be upgraded with a new radio that is compatible with a newer protocol to provide service to newer clients that are capable of employing the new protocol, while also providing backwards compatibility to legacy clients.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first radio operable to communicate on a first channel employing a first protocol; a second radio operable to communicate on a second channel employing a second protocol, wherein at least a portion of the first and second channels overlap; and a transmit interlock coupled with the first radio and the second radio; wherein the transmit interlock includes an input operable to receive a first transmit request signal from the first radio and to receive a second transmit request signal from the second radio; wherein the transmit interlock is operable to prevent the first and second radios from transmitting over a medium concurrently by selectively enabling or disabling the radios responsive to receiving the first and second transmit request signals; wherein the transmit interlock is operable, when receiving both the first transmit request from the first radio and the second transmit request from the second radio, to enable the first radio to transmit over the medium and to wait until after the first and second transmit requests from the first and second radios have both been de-asserted before selectively enabling the second radio to transmit responsive to a receiving the second transmit request from the second radio. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Logic encoded in a non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium for execution by a processor, and when executed operable to:
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receive a first transmit request from a first radio operable to communicate on a first channel employing a first protocol; concurrently receive a second transmit request from a second radio operable to communicate on a second channel employing a second protocol, wherein at least a portion of the second channel overlaps the first channel; prevent the first and second radios from transmitting over a medium concurrently responsive to one of the transmit request signals; enable one of the first or second radios to transmit and disable the other of the first or second radios to transmit responsive to concurrently receiving the first and second transmit request signals; and wait until after the first and second transmit requests from the first and second radios have both been de-asserted before selectively enabling the other of the first or second radios to transmit responsive to a re-assertion of the transmit request from the other of the first or second radios. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method, comprising:
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receiving a first transmit request from a first radio operable to communicate on a first channel employing a first protocol; concurrent with receiving the first transmit request from the first radio, receiving a second transmit request from a second radio operable to communicate on a second channel employing a second protocol, wherein at least a portion of the second channel overlaps the first channel; preventing the first and second radios from transmitting over a medium concurrently by selectively enabling or disabling the radios responsive to the transmit request signal, the preventing comprising enabling one of the first or second radios to transmit and disabling the other of the first or second radios to transmit responsive to concurrently receiving the first and second transmit request signals; and waiting until after both the first and second transmit requests from the first and second radios have been de-asserted before selectively enabling the other of the first or second radios to transmit responsive to a re-assertion of the transmit request from the other of the first or second radios. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification