Data transfer between electronic devices

• US 9,531,501 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2012
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Linde, Joakim, Tucker, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsieh, Ping
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jia, Xin
• Application Number:
  US13/403,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20130102251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 370/311
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/04 using frequency diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/189 Transmission or retransmission of more than one copy of a message

Abstract

During operation in the described embodiments, a transmitting electronic device transmits a first data channel protocol data unit (PDU) with a payload containing data D to a receiving electronic device using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device during a regular event, wherein transmitting the first data channel PDU during the regular event comprises using a first frequency to transmit the first data channel PDU. The transmitting electronic device then transmits a second data channel PDU with a payload containing the same data D to the receiving electronic device using the BTLE interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device during a corresponding retransmission event, wherein transmitting the second data channel PDU during the retransmission event comprises using a second frequency to transmit the second data channel PDU.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between electronic devices, comprising:

in a transmitting electronic device,

transmitting a first data channel protocol data unit (PDU) to a receiving electronic device using a short-range wireless communication interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device during a regular event during a connection interval, wherein the first data channel PDU comprises a payload with data D, and wherein the transmitting the first data channel PDU during the regular event comprises using a first frequency to transmit the first data channel PDU; and

transmitting a second data channel PDU to the receiving electronic device using the short-range wireless communication interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device during a retransmission event during the connection interval, wherein the second data channel PDU comprises a payload with the data D, and wherein the transmitting the second data channel PDU during the retransmission event comprises using a second frequency different from the first frequency to transmit the second data channel PDU and transmitting the second data channel PDU independent from whether the receiving electronic device listens for the second data channel PDU.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a message from the receiving electronic device that indicates that the first data channel PDU or the second data channel PDU was received successfully in a receiving window for the transmitting electronic device during the regular event or the retransmission event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data D comprises audio data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving electronic device comprises an assistive-listening device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to transmitting the first data channel PDU and second data channel PDU during the regular event and the retransmission event, respectively, communicating with the receiving electronic device to configure a schedule of times at which the regular event and the retransmission events occur.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a message from the receiving electronic device that indicates that the first data channel PDU was received successfully during the regular event; and

responsive to receiving the message that indicates that the first data channel PDU was received successfully during the regular event, preventing the transmitting of the second data channel PDU to the receiving electronic device during the retransmission event.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

failing to receive a message from the receiving electronic device that indicates that either of the first data channel PDU or the second data channel PDU was received successfully; and

in response to failing to receive the message from the receiving electronic device, transmitting a third data channel PDU to the receiving electronic device using the short-range wireless communication interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device during a next regular event.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting electronic device transmits the first data channel PDU and the second data channel PDU without receiving a message from the receiving electronic device that indicates that the first data channel PDU or the second data channel PDU was received successfully.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first data channel PDU and the second data channel PDU comprises a link-layer ID field in a corresponding header.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the link-layer ID field is set to indicate whether the corresponding PDU comprises audio data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the second data channel PDU during the retransmission event comprises automatically transmitting the second data channel PDU without receiving a request from the receiving electronic device to transmit the second data channel PDU.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

a processing subsystem, wherein the processing subsystem is configured to;

transmit a first data channel protocol data unit (PDU) to a receiving electronic device using a short-range wireless communication interface in a sending window for a transmitting electronic device, wherein the first data channel PDU comprises a payload with data D, and wherein the transmitting electronic device uses a first frequency to transmit the first data channel PDU; and

transmit a second data channel PDU to the receiving electronic device using the short-range wireless communication interface in a sending window for the transmitting electronic device, wherein the second data channel PDU comprises a payload with the data D, and wherein the transmitting electronic device uses a second frequency to transmit the second data channel PDU and transmits the second data channel PDU independent from whether the receiving electronic device listens for the second data channel PDU, and wherein the first frequency is a different frequency than the second frequency.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the processing subsystem is further configured to receive a message from the receiving electronic device that indicates that the first and second data channel PDUs were received successfully in a receiving window for the transmitting electronic device.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the data D comprises audio data.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the receiving electronic device comprises an assistive-listening device.

16. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein, prior to transmitting the first and second data channel PDUs, the processing subsystem is configured to communicate with the receiving electronic device to configure a schedule of times at which a regular event and a retransmission event occur.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein to transmit the second data channel PDU, the processing subsystem automatically transmits the second data channel PDU without receiving a request from the receiving electronic device to transmit the second data channel PDU.