Reconfigurable multi-chip processing platform for concurrent aggregation of wireless technologies

• US 9,119,222 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2011
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Krishnaswamy, Dilip, Khan, Irfan H., Soliman, Samir S., Prasad, Mohit K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sinkantarakorn, Pao
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, RICHARD K
• Application Number:
  US13/224,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20130058216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 370/228, 370/241, 370/255, 370/310, 370/311, 370/338, 370/352, 455/466
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing a reconfigurable multi-chip WWAN processing platform on a communications device. The processing platform allows the device to access multiple WWANs and multiple WWAN technologies concurrently. A first multiplexer is communicatively coupled with a number of baseband processing chips. A first baseband processing chip is selectively coupled with a first transceiver and a first UICC module to establish a first connection. A second baseband processing chip is selectively coupled with a second transceiver and a second UICC module to establish a second connection operable concurrently with the first connection. A multiplexer controller performs a configurable search for available networks. One or more networks are selected. The controller selects a specific transceiver for each selected network based on the capabilities of the transceiver. Baseband processing chips that consume less power serve as proxies for other baseband processing chips that consume more power.

Claims

1. A communications device comprising:

a plurality of baseband processing chips;

a plurality of Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) chips; and

a first multiplexer, communicatively coupled with the plurality of baseband processing chips and configured to;

selectively couple a first baseband processing chip with a first UICC module to establish a first connection;

selectively couple a second baseband processing chip with a second UICC module to establish a second connection operable concurrently with the first connection; and

decouple the second baseband processing chip from the second UICC module and couple the first baseband processing chip to the second UICC module based on reduced consumption of power by the first baseband processing chip compared to a consumption of power by the second baseband processing chip.

2. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of transceivers;

wherein the first multiplexer is further configured to;

selectively couple the first baseband processing chip with a first transceiver; and

selectively couple the second baseband processing chip with a second transceiver.

3. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the first baseband processing chip is configured to function as a proxy for the second baseband processing chip by executing operations on behalf of the second baseband processing chip.

4. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the second baseband processing chip is configured to enter a sleep mode while the first baseband processing chip functions as a proxy for the second baseband processing chip.

5. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the first baseband processing chip is configured to execute email operations on behalf of the second baseband processing chip.

6. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the first baseband processing chip is configured to execute instant messaging (IM) operations on behalf of the second baseband processing chip.

7. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the first baseband processing chip is configured to monitor for a receipt of an active request directed to the second baseband processing chip.

8. The communications device of claim 1, wherein upon receipt of an active request, the second baseband processing chip is configured to enter an active mode;

and

the first baseband processing chip is configured to cease to function as a proxy by ceasing to execute operations on behalf of the second baseband processing chip.

9. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the first multiplexer is integrated into one of the plurality of baseband processing chips.

10. The communications device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of baseband processing chips is configured to manage one or more applications executing on the communications device.

11. The communications device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of baseband processing chips is configured to manage a display of the communications device.

12. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising a second multiplexer, communicatively coupled with the plurality of baseband processing chips and configured to:

selectively couple the first baseband processing chip with a first transceiver to establish a third connection; and

selectively couple the second baseband processing chip with a second transceiver to establish a fourth connection operable concurrently with the third connection.

13. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising a multiplexer controller configured to:

search for available networks;

select one or more of the available networks based on the search;

select an operational frequency band for each of the one or more selected networks; and

select one of the plurality of transceivers for each of the one or more selected networks.

14. The communications device of claim 2, wherein the first connection comprises the first baseband processing chip coupled with the first transceiver.

15. The communications device of claim 2, wherein the second connection comprises the second baseband processing chip coupled with the second transceiver.

16. A method for establishing a reconfigurable multi-chip wireless wide area network (WWAN) processing platform, the method comprising:

communicatively coupling a first multiplexer with a plurality of baseband processing chips;

selectively coupling a first baseband processing chip with a first Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) module to establish a first connection;

selectively coupling a second baseband processing chip with a second UICC module to establish a second connection operable concurrently with the first connection; and

decoupling the second baseband processing chip from the second UICC module and coupling the first baseband processing chip to the second UICC module based on reduced consumption of power by the first baseband processing chip compared to the consumption of power by the second baseband processing chip.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

selectively coupling the first baseband processing chip with a first transceiver; and

selectively coupling the second baseband processing chip with a second transceiver.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising functioning, by the first baseband processing chip, as a proxy for the second baseband processing chip by executing operations on behalf of the second baseband processing chip.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising entering, by the second baseband processing chip, a sleep mode while the first baseband processing chip functions as a proxy for the second baseband processing chip.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising executing, by the first baseband processing chip, email operations on behalf of the second baseband processing chip.

21. The method claim 16, further comprising executing, by the first baseband processing chip, instant messaging (IM) operations on behalf of the second baseband processing chip.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising monitoring, by the first baseband processing chip, for a receipt of an active request directed to the second baseband processing chip.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein upon receipt of an active request, further comprising:

entering, by the second baseband processing chip, an active mode; and

ceasing, by the first baseband processing chip, to function as a proxy by ceasing to execute operations on behalf of the second baseband processing chip.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the first multiplexer is integrated into one of the plurality of baseband processing chips.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising managing, by at least one baseband processing chip, one or more applications executing on the communications device.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising managing, by at least one baseband processing chip, a display of the communications device.

27. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

communicatively coupling a second multiplexer with the plurality of baseband processing chips;

selectively coupling the first baseband processing chip with a first transceiver to establish a third connection; and

selectively coupling the second baseband processing chip with a second transceiver to establish a fourth connection operable concurrently with the third connection.

28. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

searching for available networks;

selecting one or more of the available networks based on the search;

selecting an operational frequency band for each of the one or more selected networks; and

selecting one of the plurality of transceivers for each of the one or more selected networks.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the first connection comprises the first baseband processing chip coupled with the first transceiver.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein the second connection comprises the second baseband processing chip coupled with the second transceiver.

31. A system for establishing a reconfigurable multi-chip wireless wide area network (WWAN) processing platform, the system comprising:

means for communicatively coupling a first multiplexer with a plurality of baseband processing chips;

means for selectively coupling a first baseband processing chip with a first Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) module to establish a first connection;

means for selectively coupling a second baseband processing chip with a second UICC module to establish a second connection operable concurrently with the first connection;

means for decoupling the second baseband processing chip from the second UICC module; and

means for coupling the first baseband processing chip to the second UICC module based on reduced consumption of power by the first baseband processing chip compared to a consumption of power by the second baseband processing chip.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

means for selectively coupling the first baseband processing chip with a first transceiver; and

means for selectively coupling the second baseband processing chip with a second transceiver.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the first connection comprises the first baseband processing chip coupled with the first transceiver.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the second connection comprises the second baseband processing chip coupled with the second transceiver.

35. A computer program product for establishing a reconfigurable multi-chip wireless wide area network (WWAN) processing platform, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code for communicatively coupling a first multiplexer with a plurality of baseband processing chips;

code for selectively coupling a first baseband processing chip with a first Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) module to establish a first connection;

code for selectively coupling a second baseband processing chip with a second UICC module to establish a second connection operable concurrently with the first connection;

code for decoupling the second baseband processing chip from the second UICC module; and

code for coupling the first baseband processing chip to the second UICC module based on reduced consumption of power by the first baseband processing chip compared to a consumption of power by the second baseband processing chip.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, further comprising:

code for selectively coupling the first baseband processing chip with a first transceiver; and

code for selectively coupling the second baseband processing chip with a second transceiver.

37. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the first connection comprises first baseband processing chip coupled with the first transceiver.

38. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the second connection comprises the second baseband processing chip coupled with the second transceiver.