Multiradio control interface element in modem

• US 20070265034A1
• Filed: 05/11/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Wijting, Carl, Kiukkonen, Niko, Kasslin, Mika, Palin, Arto
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• 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 system for managing the simultaneous operation of a plurality of radio modems in a single wireless communication device (WCD). The multiradio control may be integrated into the WCD as a subsystem responsible for scheduling wireless communications by temporarily enabling or disabling the plurality of radio modems within the device. The multiradio control system may comprise a multiradio controller (MRC) and a plurality dedicated radio interfaces. The radio interfaces are dedicated to quickly conveying delay sensitive information to and from the radio modems. This information may be requested by the MRC, or provided by one or more of the plurality of radio modems, if a change occurs during operation.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a plurality of radio modems, comprising:

transmitting synchronization information from a plurality of radio modems through interfaces to a multiradio controller, wherein each interface is coupled to at least a radio modem and is dedicated to conveying time-sensitive information;

utilizing the synchronization information in the multiradio controller to create an operational schedule for controlling the plurality of radio modems; and

transmitting control information from the multiradio controller through the interfaces to the plurality of radio modems.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of radio modems, the interfaces and the multiradio controller are comprised within the same wireless communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the time-sensitive synchronization information is transmitted due to a change in at least one of the plurality of modems.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the change is the result of at least one of a modem entering a wireless network and a modem experiencing handover or handoff.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the time-sensitive synchronization information is transmitted per policy and configuration settings from the multiradio controller.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the time-sensitive synchronization information is transmitted due to a request from the multiradio controller.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the multiradio controller includes policies and/or rules dictating when to make the request for time-sensitive synchronization information from at least one of the plurality of radio modems.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational schedule is created in order to avoid communication conflicts between the plurality of radio modems.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational schedule is created based on the time-sensitive synchronization information and communication priority rules stored in the multiradio controller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the control information includes enable or disable commands that are checked by the plurality of radio modems prior to activating.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the time at which the control information is checked by the plurality of radio modems is based on a constant delay between a control point and a radio modem antenna.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the plurality of radio modems buffering some radio packets prior to transmission to compensate for when the activation of at least one of the plurality of radio modems is disallowed.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the control information controls the radio modems to the smallest message size granularity allowed by the particular radio modem.

14. A terminal device for controlling a plurality of radio modems, comprising:

a plurality of radio modems;

a multiradio controller; and

interfaces, coupled to the plurality radio modems and the multiradio controller, the interfaces being dedicated to conveying time-sensitive information;

wherein the interfaces convey synchronization information from the plurality of radio modems to the multiradio controller, the multiradio controller utilizing the synchronization information to create an operational schedule for controlling the plurality of radio modems; and

the interfaces further transmitting control information from the multiradio controller to the plurality of radio modems based on the operational schedule.

15. The terminal device of claim 14, wherein the multiradio controller includes policies and/or rules dictating when to request time-sensitive synchronization information from at least one of the plurality of radio modems.

16. The terminal device of claim 14, wherein the operational schedule is created based on the time-sensitive synchronization information and communication medium priority rules stored in the multiradio controller.

17. The terminal device of claim 14, wherein the control information includes enable or disable commands that are checked by the plurality of radio modems prior to activating.

18. The terminal device of claim 17, wherein the time at which the control information is checked by the plurality of radio modems is based on a constant delay between a control point and a radio modem antenna.

19. The terminal device of claim 17 wherein the plurality of radio modems further comprise a buffer for temporarily storing some radio packets prior to transmission to compensate for when the activation of at least one of the plurality of radio modems is disallowed.

20. The terminal device of claim 14, wherein the control information controls the radio modems to the smallest message size granularity allowed by the particular radio modem.

21. An interface for transmitting information between a plurality of radio modems and a multiradio controller, comprising:

a communication structure for transmitting time-sensitive synchronization information from a plurality of radio modems to a multiradio controller; and

a communication structure for transmitting time-sensitive control information from the multiradio controller to the plurality of radio modems.

22. The interface of claim 21, wherein the interfaces are combined within each radio modem to form a single device.

23. The interface of claim 21, wherein the interfaces are stand-alone devices coupled to each radio modem.

24. The interface of claim 21, wherein the radio interface is enabled to distinguish time-sensitive synchronization information from other information provided by the plurality of radio modems.

25. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for controlling a plurality of radio modems, comprising:

a computer readable program code for transmitting synchronization information from a plurality of radio modems through interfaces to a multiradio controller, wherein each interface is coupled to at least a radio modem and is dedicated to conveying time-sensitive information;

a computer readable program code for utilizing the synchronization information in the multiradio controller to create an operational schedule for controlling the plurality of radio modems; and

a computer readable program code for transmitting control information from the multiradio controller through the interfaces to the plurality of radio modems.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the plurality of radio modems, the interfaces and the multiradio controller are comprised within the same wireless communication device.

27. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the time-sensitive synchronization information is transmitted due to a change in at least one of the plurality of modems.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein the change is the result of at least one of a modem entering a wireless network and a modem experiencing handover or handoff.

29. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the time-sensitive synchronization information is transmitted per policy and configuration settings from the multiradio controller.

30. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the time-sensitive synchronization information is transmitted due to a request from the multiradio controller.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the multiradio controller includes policies and/or rules dictating when to make the request for time-sensitive synchronization information from at least one of the plurality of radio modems.

32. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the operational schedule is created in order to avoid communication conflicts between the plurality of radio modems.

33. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the operational schedule is created based on the time-sensitive synchronization information and communication priority rules stored in the multiradio controller.

34. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the control information includes enable or disable commands that are checked by the plurality of radio modems prior to activating.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the time at which the control information is checked by the plurality of radio modems is based on a constant delay between a control point and a radio modem antenna.

36. The computer program product of claim 34, further comprising the plurality of radio modems buffering some radio packets prior to transmission to compensate for when the activation of at least one of the plurality of radio modems is disallowed.

37. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the control information controls the radio modems to the smallest message size granularity allowed by the particular radio modem.

38. A system for controlling a plurality of radio modems, comprising:

a plurality of radio modems;

a multiradio controller; and

interfaces, coupled to the plurality radio modems and the multiradio controller, the interfaces being dedicated to conveying time-sensitive information;

wherein the interfaces transmit synchronization information from the plurality of radio modems to the multiradio controller, the multiradio controller utilizing the synchronization information to create an operational schedule for controlling the plurality of radio modems; and

the one or more radio interfaces further employed for transmitting control information from the multiradio controller to the plurality of radio modems based on the operational schedule.