Wireless communication device capable of utilizing multiple radio access technologies

• US 9,264,987 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2015
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jay P
• Application Number:
  US14/658,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20150189587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/16 Half-duplex systems; Simplex/duplex switching; Transmission of break signals non-automatically inverting the direction of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0203 in the radio access network or backbone network of wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless communication device is disclosed that is capable of utilizing multiple radio access technologies (RATs) in various coordinated ways so as to optimize, and enhance the versatility, of the device'"'"'s communication capabilities. One or more RATs may be selected for use, either alone or in cooperation with each other, based on various conditions, such as channel conditions, traffic, data type, and priority. When conditions change, the originally-selected communication scheme may no longer be preferred. Consequently, the device can initiate a handover to another communication scheme. Transmitters corresponding to RATs that are not currently selected are controlled to enter a low-power state in order to conserve power. However, in some circumstances, the device may utilize both RATs simultaneously. For example, redundant communications can be made over both RATs for error-reduction or other purposes, and partial communications can be made over multiple RATs for increased speed and bandwidth, among other reasons.

Claims

1. A service node within a wireless communication environment that is supported by a communication architecture and that is configured to coordinate communication between a network backhaul and a wireless communication device using a first communication pathway and a second communication pathway, the communication architecture having a first access node that has a first access requirement for communication on the first communication pathway, a second access node that has a second access requirement different from the first access requirement for communication on the second communication pathway, the service node comprising:

a transmitter module configured to transmit on the first communication pathway and the second communication pathway;

a receiver module configured to receive from the first communication pathway and the second communication pathway; and

a control module configured to coordinate the communication between the network backhaul and the wireless communication device by enabling one of upstream communication or downstream communication between the network backhaul and the wireless communication device via the first communication pathway, and to enable the other of upstream communication or downstream communication between the network backhaul and the wireless communication device via the second communication pathway.

2. The service node of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first communication pathway or the second communication pathway is supported by an intermediate node.

3. The service node of claim 1, wherein the control module includes a power control module configured to direct at least one of a transmitter and a receiver within the wireless communication device to enter a low power state.

4. The service node of claim 1, wherein the control module is further configured to receive acknowledgement signals from the wireless communication device via the first communication pathway for communications that took place between the wireless communication device and the network backhaul on the second communication pathway.

5. The service node of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to set link aggregation as part of coordinating the communication between the network backhaul and the wireless communication device.

6. The service node of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to coordinate the communication between the network backhaul and the wireless communication device by enabling upstream communication from the wireless communication device to the network backhaul via the first communication pathway, and by enabling downstream communication from the network backhaul to the wireless communication device via the second communication pathway.

7. The service node of claim 1, wherein the communication on the first communication pathway occurs in a different frequency band than the communication on the second communication pathway.

8. A service node supported by a wireless communication environment, the service node comprising:

a first communication link configured to communicate with a wireless communication device via a first communication path;

a second communication link configured to communicate with an access node that is capable of communicating with the wireless communication device via a second communication path; and

a multi-path coordination module configured to select a communication scheme from among the group of a single path communication scheme, a half-duplex multiple path communication scheme, or a full-duplex multiple path communication scheme, and to set, as a current communication scheme for communicating with the wireless communication device the selected communication scheme.

9. The service node of claim 8, wherein for the half-duplex multiple path communication scheme, the multi-path coordination module is configured to enable upstream communication of the wireless communication device via only the second communication path and enables downstream communication of the wireless communication device via only the first communication path.

10. The service node of claim 8, wherein the multi-path coordination module is configured to set the communication scheme based on at least one parameter, including channel conditions, traffic, data type, data priority, power consumption, and cost.

11. The service node of claim 8, further comprising a power control module configured to set a transmitter module of at least one of the service node or the wireless communication device to a low power state based on the set communication scheme.

12. The service node of claim 8, wherein for the full-duplex multiple path communication scheme, the multi-path coordination module is configured to enable one of standard communication, redundant communication, or link aggregation communication by the wireless communication device.

13. The service node of claim 8, wherein the first communication path and the second communication path operate in different frequency bands.

14. A service node, within a wireless communication environment that is supported by a communication architecture, configured to coordinate communication between a network backhaul and a wireless communication device using a first communication pathway and a second communication pathway, the communication architecture having a first access node that has a first access requirement for communication on the first communication pathway, a second access node that has a second access requirement different from the first access requirement for communication on the second communication pathway, the service node comprising:

a transmitter module configured to transmit to the first access node and to the second access node;

a receiver module configured to receive from the first access node and from the second access node; and

a control module configured to;

identify the second access node using the receiver module;

assess a usability of the second access node; and

coordinate the communication between the network backhaul and the wireless communication device by enabling one of upstream communication or downstream communication between the network backhaul and the wireless communication device via the first communication pathway, and to enable the other of upstream communication or downstream communication between the network backhaul and the wireless communication device via the second communication pathway, based on the assessment of the usability of the second access node.

15. The service node of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first communication pathway or the second communication pathway is supported by an intermediate node.

16. The service node of claim 14, wherein the control module includes a power control module configured to direct at least one of a transmitter and a receiver within the wireless communication device to enter a low power state.

17. The service node of claim 14, wherein the control module is further configured to receive acknowledgement signals from the wireless communication device via the first communication pathway for communications that took place between the wireless communication device and the network backhaul on the second communication pathway.

18. The service node of claim 14, wherein the control module is configured to set link aggregation as part of coordinating the communication between the network backhaul and the wireless communication device.

19. The service node of claim 14, wherein the control module is configured to coordinate the communication between the network backhaul and the wireless communication device by enabling upstream communication from the wireless communication device to the network backhaul via the first communication pathway, and by enabling downstream communication from the network backhaul to the wireless communication device via the second communication pathway.

20. The service node of claim 14, wherein the communication on the first communication pathway occurs in a different frequency band than the communication on the second communication pathway.