Systems and methods for bluetooth and WLAN traffic synchronization in a same wireless network device

• US 9,999,011 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Donovan, Timothy J., Mishra, Partho, Ho, Ken Kinwah, Chung, Chia-Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Steiner, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US14/143,305
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0658 Clock or time synchronisation among packet nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0661 using timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/08 the synchronisation signals recurring cyclically
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A wireless network device including, in the wireless network device, a Bluetooth device and a wireless local area network device. The Bluetooth device is configured to establish a network of Bluetooth client stations and output a synchronization signal prior to a start of Bluetooth data transmission between the Bluetooth device and the Bluetooth client stations. The synchronization signal indicates the start of the Bluetooth data transmission. The wireless local area network device is configured to establish a network of wireless local area network client stations, receive the synchronization signal from the Bluetooth device, and transmit, a predetermined time subsequent to receiving the synchronization signal, a beacon to the wireless local area network client stations. The beacon instructs the wireless local area network client stations when to begin wireless local area network data transmission.

Claims

1. A wireless network device, comprising:

a Bluetooth device configured to (i) establish a network of Bluetooth client stations, and (ii) output, prior to a start of Bluetooth data transmission between the Bluetooth device and the Bluetooth client stations, a synchronization signal including a synchronization pulse, wherein the synchronization pulse indicates the start of the Bluetooth data transmission; and

a wireless local area network device located in the wireless network device with the Bluetooth device, the wireless local area network device configured to (i) establish a network of wireless local area network client stations, (ii) receive, over a wired connection, from within the wireless network device, the synchronization signal including the synchronization pulse from the Bluetooth device, and (iii) transmit, at a predetermined time subsequent to receiving the synchronization signal, a beacon to the wireless local area network client stations, wherein the beacon instructs the wireless local area network client stations, based on the synchronization pulse, when to begin wireless local area network data transmission.

2. The wireless network device of claim 1, wherein the synchronization signal is indicative of a Bluetooth traffic period, and wherein a length of the Bluetooth traffic period is based on a number of the Bluetooth client stations.

3. The wireless network device of claim 2, wherein the synchronization pulse is followed by the Bluetooth traffic period.

4. The wireless network device of claim 3, wherein the predetermined time corresponds to a combination of the Bluetooth traffic period and an offset time.

5. The wireless network device of claim 4, wherein the beacon adjusts timing of the wireless local area network client stations based on the offset time.

6. The wireless network device of claim 5, wherein the beacon includes an adjustment factor based on the offset time.

7. The wireless network device of claim 6, wherein the adjustment factor advances timers of the wireless local area network client stations based on the offset time.

8. The wireless network device of claim 4, wherein the offset time corresponds to a desired phase for wireless local area network traffic.

9. A method of operating a wireless network device including each of a Bluetooth device and a wireless local area network device, the method comprising:

using the Bluetooth device,

establishing a network of Bluetooth client stations, and

outputting, prior to a start of Bluetooth data transmission between the Bluetooth device and the Bluetooth client stations, a synchronization signal including a synchronization pulse, wherein the synchronization pulse indicates the start of the Bluetooth data transmission; and

using the wireless local area network device,

establishing a network of wireless local area network client stations, receiving, over a wired connection, from within the wireless network device, the synchronization signal including the synchronization pulse from the Bluetooth device, and

transmitting, at a predetermined time subsequent to receiving the synchronization signal, a beacon to the wireless local area network client stations, wherein the beacon instructs, based on the synchronization pulse, the wireless local area network client stations when to begin wireless local area network data transmission.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the synchronization signal is indicative of a Bluetooth traffic period, and wherein a length of the Bluetooth traffic period is based on a number of the Bluetooth client stations.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the synchronization pulse is followed by the Bluetooth traffic period.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined time corresponds to a combination of the Bluetooth traffic period and an offset time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the beacon includes using the beacon to adjust timing of the wireless local area network client stations based on the offset time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the beacon includes an adjustment factor based on the offset time.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising using the adjustment factor to advances timers of the wireless local area network client stations based on the offset time.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the offset time corresponds to a desired phase for wireless local area network traffic.