Systems and methods for silencing wireless devices

• US 9,036,609 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2014
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Xhafa, Ariton E., Sun, Yanjun, Vedantham, Ramanuja
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Latorre, Ivan O
• Application Number:
  US14/496,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20150016393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 236 Days
• Field of Search: 370/334, 370/336, 370/338, 370346-348, 370/350, 370/401, 370449-457, 370/459, 455/41.2, 455/127.1, 455/127.4, 455/448, 455/501, 455/502, 455/509, 455/552.1, 455/553.1
• US Class Current: 370/334
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• 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

Embodiments provide systems and methods to optimize the time when to receive transmissions from dissimilar wireless networks, and hence, improve the overall network throughput and avoid access point transmission rate fall-back mechanism having an avalanche effect during coexistence of dissimilar wireless network technologies. A receiver comprises at least two dissimilar network technology subsystems and is able to receive transmissions from dissimilar wireless network technology subsystems during a predetermined reception window.

Claims

1. A method for the coexistence of multiple wireless technologies, comprising:

providing a device comprising a first wireless technology subsystem with a first mode of operation and a second wireless technology subsystem with a second mode of operation wherein the first mode of operation has a higher priority that the second mode of operation;

operating the device in the second mode of operation; and

transmitting a silencing frame by the device only during a predetermined transmission window while operating in the second mode of operation and prior to a transition by the device to the first mode of operation;

setting a length of a network allocation vector (NAV) of the silencing frame that is dependent on a length of time the device will operate in the first mode of operation and a data rate and/or a packet size during device operation in the second mode of operation; and

adjusting the length of the silencing frame depending on where in the transmission window the silencing frame is transmitted.

2. The method of claim 1 where the first mode of operation is Bluetooth (BT) and the second mode of operation is wireless local area network (WLAN).

3. A system with co-existing multiple wireless technologies, comprising:

a plurality of processors that execute instructions present in on-board processor memory;

one or more of the processors communicatively coupled to a first wireless subsystem configured to operate in a first mode with a high priority and communicatively coupled to a second wireless subsystem configured to operate in a second mode with a low priority; and

the system configured to determine a length of a network allocation vector (NAV) of a silencing frame, the silencing frame for transmission only during a predetermined transmission window when the system is in the second mode and before a switch by the system to the first mode wherein the length of the NAV of the silencing frame will depend on a time that the system will be in the first mode after the switch from the second mode and a data rate and/or a packet size in the second mode; and

the system further configured to adjust the length of the silencing frame depending on where in the transmission window the silencing frame is to be transmitted.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising one of more of the processors configured to provide medium access controller (MAC) functionality.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising an interface communicatively coupled to one or more of the processors through which the one or more of the processors can communicate with the first wireless subsystem and the second wireless subsystem.

6. A system with co-existing multiple wireless technologies, comprising:

a plurality of processors that execute instructions present in on-board processor memory;

one or more of the processors communicatively coupled to at least one input device and at least one output device;

one or more of the processors communicatively coupled to a first wireless subsystem configured to operate in a first mode with a high priority and communicatively coupled to a second wireless subsystem configured to operate in a second mode with a low priority;

the system configured to determine a length of a network allocation vector (NAV) of a silencing frame, the silencing frame for transmission only during a predetermined transmission window when the system is in the second mode and before a switch by the system to the first mode wherein the length of the NAV of the silencing frame will depend on a time that the system will be in the first mode after the switch from the second mode and a data rate and/or a packet size in the second mode; and

the system further configured to adjust the length of the silencing frame depending on where in the transmission window the silencing frame is to be transmitted.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising one of more of the processors configured to provide medium access controller (MAC) functionality.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising an interface communicatively coupled to one or more of the processors through which the one or more of the processors can communicate with the first wireless subsystem and the second wireless subsystem.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the at least one input device is selected from a group consisting of a keyboard, a touchpad, a mouse and a voice recognizer.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one output device is selected from a group consisting of a liquid crystal display (LCD), printer, touch screen display and a light-emitting diode (LED).

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the at least one input device and the at least one output device is a touch screen display.

12. The method of claim 8 where the first mode of operation is Bluetooth (BT) and the second mode of operation is wireless local area network (WLAN).

13. A wireless system with co-existing multiple wireless technologies, comprising:

a plurality of processors that execute instructions present in on-board processor memory;

one or more of the processors communicatively coupled to at least one input device and at least one output device;

one or more of the processors communicatively coupled to a wireless modem that is coupled to a radio frequency (RF) antenna;

one or more of the processors configured to provide medium access controller (MAC) functionality;

one or more of the processors communicatively coupled to a first wireless subsystem configured to operate in a first mode with a high priority and communicatively coupled to a second wireless subsystem configured to operate in a second mode with a low priority;

the system configured to determine a length of a network allocation vector (NAV) of a silencing frame, the silencing frame for transmission only during a predetermined transmission window when the system is in the second mode and before a switch by the system to the first mode wherein the length of the NAV of the silencing frame will depend on a time that the system will be in the first mode after the switch from the second mode and a data rate and/or a packet size in the second mode; and

the system further configured to adjust the length of the silencing frame depending on where in the transmission window the silencing frame is to be transmitted.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising an interface communicatively coupled to one or more of the processors through which the one or more of the processors can communicate with the first wireless subsystem and the second wireless subsystem.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one input device is selected from a group consisting of a keyboard, a touchpad, a mouse and a voice recognizer.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one output device is selected from a group consisting of a liquid crystal display (LCD), printer, touch screen display and a light-mitting diode (LED).

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least one input device and the at least one output device is a touch screen display.

18. The method of claim 13 where the first mode of operation is Bluetooth (BT) and the second mode of operation is wireless local area network (WLAN).