Multiple wireless communication protocol methods and apparatuses including quality of service considerations

• US 20050078616A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Nevo, Ron, Zhao, Xudong
• Granted Patent: US 7,420,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A multi-protocol wireless apparatus is provided with at least one wireless transceiver to transmit and receive signals in accordance with a first and a second protocol to and from first and second network devices of a first and a second wireless network communicatively coupled to the apparatus. The apparatus is further provided with at least one controller manager to operate the at least one wireless transceiver to perform the transmits and receives in accordance with the first and second protocols in a coordinated manner, taking into consideration quality of service criteria to be achieved for the respective protocols.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one wireless transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving signals in accordance with a first and a second protocol to and from first and second network devices of a first and a second wireless network communicatively coupled to the apparatus; and

at least one controller manager coupled to said at least one wireless transceiver to operate said at least one wireless transceiver capable of performing said transmission and reception in accordance with said first and second protocols in a coordinated manner establishing dominant devices, taking into consideration quality of service criteria to be achieved for the respective protocols wherein the quality of service criteria is based at least in part upon a first quality metric reflective of a first frequency of error maintained for the first protocol.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one controller manager is equipped with logic to determine message types of first messages to be transmitted to a selected one or selected ones of said first network devices in accordance with said first protocol, and to give priority to said first messages over second messages to be transmitted to a selected one or selected ones of said second network devices in accordance with said second protocol, if message types of said first messages are determined of a multi-media type.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and the second protocol are two protocols selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth, 802;

11 frequency hopping, 802. 11 direct sequence, 802. 11 a, 802. 11 b, and Home RF.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a computer having a form factor selected from a group consisting of a desktop type, a notebook type and a palm sized type.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the qualify of service criteria is further reflective of a second frequency of error for the second protocol.

5. In an apparatus having at least one wireless transceiver and at least one controller manager, a method of operation comprising:

controlling said at least one wireless transceiver to transmit and receive signals in accordance with a first protocol to and from first network devices of a first wireless network; and

controlling said at least one wireless transceiver to transmit and receive signals in accordance with a second protocol to and from second network devices of a second wireless network;

wherein both of said controlling are performed in a coordinated manner and establishing a dominant device, including taking into consideration quality of service criteria to be achieved for the respective protocols wherein the quality of service criteria is based at least in part upon a first quality metric reflective of a first frequency of error maintained for the first protocol.

6. The method of claim 5, said taking into consideration quality of service criteria to be achieved for the respective protocols comprises determining message types of first messages to be transmitted to a selected one or selected ones of said first network devices in accordance with said first protocol, and giving priority to said first messages over second messages to be transmitted to a selected one or selected ones of said second network devices in accordance with said second protocol, if message types of said first messages are determined of a multi-media type.

9. The method of claim 5, said taking into consideration quality of service criteria to be achieved for the respective protocols comprises determining the message types of first messages to be transmitted to a selected one, or selected ones of said first network devices in accordance with said first protocol, and giving priority to said first messages over second messages to be transmitted to a selected one or selected ones of said second network devices in accordance with said second protocol, if message types of said first messages are determined of a multi-media type.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the quality of service criteria is further reflective of a second frequency of error for the second protocol.

7. A collection of networked apparatuses comprising:

a first plurality of apparatuses wirelessly networked together, with each apparatus being equipped to communicate wirelessly in accordance with a first protocol;

a second plurality of apparatuses wirelessly networked together, with each apparatus being equipped to communicate wirelessly in accordance with a second protocol; and

a multi-protocol apparatus equipped to communicate wirelessly with said first and second plurality of apparatuses in accordance with said first and second protocols respectively, in a coordinated manner to establish a dominant device, including having been equipped to take into consideration quality of service criteria to be achieved for the respective protocols wherein the quality of service criteria is based at least in part upon a first quality metric reflective of a first frequency of error maintained for the first protocol.

8. The apparatuses of claim 7, wherein said multi-protocol apparatus is equipped with logic to determine message types of first messages to be transmitted to a selected one or selected ones of said first network devices in accordance with said first protocol, and to give priority to said first messages over second messages to be transmitted to a selected one or selected ones of said second network devices in accordance with said second protocol, if message types of said first messages are determined of a multi-media type.