Method and apparatus for implementing coexistence of multiple homogeneous radios and traffic management therein

• US 9,241,370 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NETGEAR, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NETGEAR, Inc.
• Inventors: Amini, Peiman, Yongyuth, Arms, Emmanuel, Joseph Amalan Arul
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Frank
• Application Number:
  US14/089,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20140369271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/525 with means for reducing leakage of transmitter signal into the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/03006 Arrangements for removing intersymbol interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/9005 using dynamic buffer space allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/323 in the physical layer [OSI layer 1]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/386 centralized, e.g. when the radio network controller or equivalent takes part in the power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• 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 72/566 of the information or information source or recipient
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for controlling, in a network device, multiple radio circuits operating in a same or similar frequency band and in close physical proximity. In some embodiments, the radio circuits operate on the same network protocol. The network device can include a coexistence controller coupled to the network circuits. According to some embodiments, the network circuits are each assigned a priority, and the coexistence controller can control operations among the network circuits by selectively adjusting one or more transmission operating parameters of a respective network circuit based on a plurality of operating criteria, which include each network circuit'"'"'s priority. Among other benefits, the embodiments disclosed herein can increase wireless network bandwidth and reduce mobile device power consumption by providing coordination among the radio circuits so that the transmitting and receiving operations are performed in a way that they do not interfere with their respective antennas.

Claims

1. A network device, comprising:

a plurality of wireless network circuits, the network circuits operating on a same network technology and in a same radio frequency band, wherein each network circuit is assigned a priority; and

a coexistence controller coupled to the network circuits and configured to;

determine a plurality of operating criteria for based on the priority assigned to each network circuit;

control operations among the network circuits by selectively adjusting one or more transmission operating parameters of a respective network circuit based on a plurality of operating criteria.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein the coexistence controller is further configured to:

manage network data traffic from a select number of network circuits so as to aggregate a bandwidth of the selected number of network circuits.

3. The network device of claim 1, wherein the coexistence controller is to control the operations, based on the operating criteria, in a way that reduces a probability that network circuits desensitize one another.

4. The network device of claim 1, wherein the operations among the network circuits are controlled in a way such that different network circuits transmit and receive data at or near the same time.

5. The network device of claim 1, wherein the operations among the network circuits are controlled in a way such that the network circuits perform transmitting or receiving in a synchronized manner.

6. The network device of claim 1, wherein the operation controls by the coexistence controller are independently performed to each of the network circuits.

7. The network device of claim 1, wherein the coexistence controller is further configured to:

coordinate with another plurality of wireless network circuits on a client so that network circuits on the network device each communicate with a corresponding network circuit on the client using a uniquely designated channel.

8. The network device of claim 1, wherein the coexistence controller is further configured to:

determine a transmitting time schedule in controlling the operations of the network circuits based on the operating criteria.

9. The network device of claim 1, wherein the operating criteria further include how much noise is observed by one or more radios of each network circuit.

10. The network device of claim 1, wherein the operating criteria further include based on what type of traffic each network circuit is assigned to process.

11. The network device of claim 1, wherein the transmission operating parameters include a data rate at which the respective network circuit operates.

12. The network device of claim 1, wherein the transmission operating parameters include a power level at which the respective network circuit transmits.

13. The network device of claim 1, wherein the transmission operating parameters include a channel on which the respective network circuit operates.

14. The network device of claim 13, wherein the operation controls by the coexistence controller comprises changing the channel based on noise observed by one or more radios of the respective network circuit.

15. The network device of claim 1, wherein the network circuits each include individual media access control (MAC) layer and physical (PHY) layer circuitry.

16. The network device of claim 1, wherein at least a first network circuit is assigned the same priority as a second network circuit.

17. The network device of claim 1, wherein the coexistence controller is further configured to:

utilize one or more radio frequency (RF) filters coupled to the network circuits so as to select channels for each network circuit based on noise observed by each network circuit,

wherein the RF filters are configured to reduce desensitization of at least one network circuit.

18. A method for controlling operations of a plurality of wireless network circuits in a network device, the network circuits operating on a same network technology and in a same radio frequency band, wherein each network circuit is assigned a priority, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of operating criteria based on the priority assigned to each network circuit; and

controlling operations among the network circuits by selectively adjusting one or more transmission operating parameters of a respective network circuit based on the plurality of operating criteria.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

managing network data traffic from a select number of network circuits so as to aggregate a bandwidth of the selected number of network circuits.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the operations among the network circuits are controlled in a way such that the network circuits perform transmitting or receiving in a synchronized manner.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

coordinating with another plurality of wireless network circuits on a client so that network circuits on the network device each communicate with a corresponding network circuit on the client using a uniquely designated channel.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining a transmitting time schedule in controlling the operations of the network circuits based on the operating criteria.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the operating criteria further include one or more of:

(i) how much noise is observed by one or more radios of each network circuit;

or (ii) what type of traffic each network circuit is assigned to process.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the transmission operating parameters include one or more of:

(i) a data rate at which the respective network circuit operates;

(ii) a power level at which the respective network circuit transmits;

or (iii) a channel on which the respective network circuit operates.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the controlling comprises changing the channel based on noise observed by one or more radios of the respective network circuit.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the controlling is performed in a way that reduces a probability that network circuits desensitize one another.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the operations among the network circuits are controlled in a way such that different network circuits transmit and receive data at or near the same time.