Systems and methods for multi-channel concurrency

• US 9,426,738 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2012
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Hoon Ki, Upadhyay, Dinesh K., Venkatappa, Kiran
• Primary Examiner(s): Mesfin, Yemane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elmejjarmi, Abdelillah
• Application Number:
  US13/676,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20140133469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329, 370/338, 370/336
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed to dynamically assign priorities to beacons sent from different networks to allow a device to selectively receive a beacon from one of the networks when a conflict occurs. When two or more beacons from different networks arrive at times that do not allow the client device to receive all of the beacons, one beacon may be selected for reception based upon a priority determination. An initial priority may be assigned to beacons from each network. Further, the initial priorities may be adjusted so that a more desirable rate of receiving the beacons may be achieved.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication comprising:

communicably coupling a client device to a first network and a second network, wherein the first network and the second network are independent and wherein;

the client device associates the first network with a first priority, and the client device associates the second network with a second priority lower than the first priority;

selectively receiving by the client device a beacon from the first network as a result of the first priority being higher than the second priority when the client device is associated with both networks, wherein the first and second priorities are based at least in part on a factor selected from the group consisting of a beacon interval length, a delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) period and a prior priority determination;

determining by the client device not to receive a beacon from the second network, wherein the beacon from the second network exists within a specified amount of time from time of existence of the beacon from the first network; and

adjusting the first priority relative to the second priority in response to receiving the beacon from the first network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the beacon from the first network and the beacon from the second network may conflict before selectively receiving the beacon.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the beacon from the first network and the beacon from the second network may conflict comprises determining a duration between a target beacon transmission time for the first network and a target beacon transmission time for the second network is below a threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively receiving the beacon from the first network comprises switching wireless channels by the client device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning the first priority to the first network and assigning the second priority to the second network, wherein the first priority and the second priority are based upon beacon interval length for the first network and beacon interval length for the second network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first priority and the second priority are based at least in part upon delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) periods for the first network and DTIM periods for the second network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the first priority relative to the second priority comprises reducing the priority of the first network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the first priority relative to the second priority comprises increasing the priority of the second network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively receiving a beacon from the second network, wherein the second priority is higher than the first priority after adjusting the first priority relative to the second priority.

10. A client device for wirelessly communicating with at least a first network and a second network, wherein the first network and the second network periodically transmit beacons and are independent, comprising:

a priority module to assign a first priority to the first network and assign a second priority to the second network, wherein the first priority is higher than the second priority; and

a wireless local area network (WLAN) module having circuitry for receiving wireless transmissions from the first network and the second network coupled to the priority module and to selectively receive a beacon from the first network as a result of the first priority being higher than the second priority when the client device is associated with both networks, wherein the first and second priorities are based at least in part on a factor selected from the group consisting of a beacon interval length, a delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) period and a prior priority determination, the WLAN module further to determine not to receive a beacon from the second network, wherein the beacon from the second network exists within a specified amount of time from time of existence of the beacon from the first network and the priority module further to adjust the first priority relative to the second priority in response to receiving the beacon from the first network.

11. The client device of claim 10, wherein the priority module further to determine the beacon from the first network may conflict with the beacon from the second network before the WLAN module selectively receives the beacon.

12. The client device of claim 11, wherein the priority module to determine the beacon from the first network may conflict by determining a duration between a target beacon transmission time for the first network and a target beacon transmission time for the second network is below a threshold.

13. The client device of claim 10, wherein the WLAN module selectively receives the beacon from the first network by switching wireless channels.

14. The client device of claim 10, wherein the priority module further to assign the first priority to the first network and to assign the second priority to the second network, wherein the first priority and the second priority are based upon beacon interval length for the first network and beacon interval length for the second network.

15. The client device of claim 10, wherein the first priority and the second priority are based at least in part upon delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) periods for the first network and DTIM periods for the second network.

16. The client device of claim 10, wherein the priority module adjusts the first priority relative to the second priority by reducing the priority of the first network.

17. The client device of claim 10, wherein the priority module adjusts the first priority relative to the second priority by increasing the priority of the second network.

18. The client device of claim 10, wherein the WLAN module further to selectively receive a beacon from the second network, wherein the second priority is higher than the first priority after adjusting the first priority relative to the second priority.

19. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium for a client device for wirelessly communicating with at least a first network and a second network, wherein the first network and the second network periodically transmit beacons and are independent, comprising;

the processor-readable storage medium having instructions thereon, the instructions comprising;

code for assigning a first priority to the first network;

code for assigning a second priority to the second network, wherein the second priority is lower than the first priority;

code for causing the client device to selectively receive a beacon from the first network as a result of the first priority being higher than the second priority when the client device is associated with both networks, wherein the first and second priorities are based at least in part on a factor selected from the group consisting of a beacon interval length, a delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) period and a prior priority determination;

code for causing the client device not to receive a beacon from the second network if the beacon from the second network exists within a specified amount of time from time of existence of the beacon from the first network; and

code for adjusting the first priority relative to the second priority in response to receiving the beacon from the first network.

20. The storage medium of claim 19, further comprising code for determining the beacon from the first network and the beacon from the second network may conflict before selectively receiving the beacon.

21. The storage medium of claim 20, wherein the code for determining the beacon from the first network and the beacon from the second network may conflict comprises code for determining a duration between a target beacon transmission time for the first network and a target beacon transmission time for the second network is below a threshold.

22. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the code for causing the client device to selectively receive the beacon from the first network comprises code for causing the client device to switch wireless channels.

23. The storage medium of claim 19, further comprising code for assigning the first priority to the first network and code for assigning the second priority to the second network, wherein the first priority and the second priority are based upon beacon interval length for the first network and beacon interval length for the second network.

24. The storage medium of claim 23, wherein the first priority and the second priority are based at least in part upon delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) periods for the first network and DTIM periods for the second network.

25. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the code for adjusting the first priority relative to the second priority comprises code for reducing the priority of the first network.

26. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the code for adjusting the first priority relative to the second priority comprises code for increasing the priority of the second network.

27. The storage medium of claim 19, further comprising code for causing the client device to selectively receive a beacon from the second network, wherein the second priority is higher than the first priority after adjusting the first priority relative to the second priority.