Coexistence manager for controlling operation of multiple radios

• US 9,155,103 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wietfeldt, Richard D., Chrisikos, George
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALES, APRIL GUZMAN
• Application Number:
  US12/549,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20100304770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,230 Days
• Field of Search: 455/553.1, 455/68, 370/465, 370/252
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• 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

Techniques for performing radio coexistence management to control operation of multiple radios to achieve good performance are described. In one design, an entity (e.g., a coexistence manager or a radio controller) may receive inputs from one or more radios among multiple radios operating concurrently. An input from a radio may indicate a planned operating state or planned activity of the radio in an upcoming time interval. The entity may determine controls for at least one radio based on the received inputs and a database of performance versus operating states to mitigate interference caused or observed by each of the at least one radio. The control for a radio may indicate a selected operating state or selected setting for at least one configurable parameter for the radio in the upcoming interval. The entity may send the controls to the at least one radio. Each radio may operate in accordance with its control.

Claims

1. A method of supporting wireless communication, comprising:

receiving notifications from one or more radios among multiple radios operating concurrently in each decision period when the one or more radios have planned activity in an upcoming time interval;

determining controls for at least one radio among the multiple radios based on the received notifications to mitigate interference in the upcoming time interval between the at least one radio and the one or more radios having the planned activity, wherein determining controls for the at least one radio comprises;

determining at least one setting for at least one configurable parameter of the at least one radio,

determining performance of another radio from the one or more radios having the planned activity based on the at least one setting,

retaining the at least one setting when the determined performance is acceptable, and

changing the at least one setting when the determined performance is unacceptable; and

sending the controls to the at least one radio.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received notifications comprise information indicative of a planned operating state of the one or more radios in the upcoming time interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received notifications comprise information indicative of the planned activity of the one or more radios in the upcoming time interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the controls comprises determining the controls for the at least one radio based on a database of information on performance versus operating states for different combinations of radios.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining the controls comprises selecting at least one operating state for the at least one radio based on the database to obtain acceptable performance for the at least one radio.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the controls comprises determining the controls to adjust time of at least one event for the at least one radio to mitigate the interference in the upcoming time interval.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the controls comprises determining the controls to adjust transmit power of the at least one radio to mitigate the interference in the upcoming time interval.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the controls comprises determining the controls to adjust at least one frequency channel for the at least one radio to mitigate the interference in the upcoming time interval,

sending the controls to the at least one radio.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the controls sent to the at least one radio indicate a selected operating state for the at least one radio in the upcoming interval, and wherein the at least one radio operates in the selected operating state in the upcoming time interval to reduce the interference to the one or more radios having the planned activity or to combat the interference from the one or more radios having the planned activity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the controls sent to the at least one radio set at least one configurable parameter of the at least one radio in the upcoming time interval.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the controls sent to the at least one radio comprise a configurable parameter setting for one or more of an amplifier, a filter, a transmit power level, an antenna, an antenna array, a frequency channel, or a traffic channel of the at least one radio in the upcoming time interval.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the controls comprises sending the controls from a coexistence manager to a controller for the at least one radio, the controller being co-located with the coexistence manager on an integrated circuit and setting at least one configurable parameter of the at least one radio in the upcoming time interval in accordance with the controls.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the controls comprises sending the controls from a coexistence manager to a controller for the at least one radio, the controller being located within the radio and setting at least one configurable parameter of the at least one radio in the upcoming time interval in accordance with the controls.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, determining, and sending are performed by a coexistence manager designated to control operation of all of the multiple radios.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, determining, and sending are performed by a controller for one of the multiple radios.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the controls for the at least one radio are determined iteratively.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the notifications from the one or more radios are received via software messages, and wherein the controls are sent to the at least one radio via software messages.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the notifications from the

one or more radios are received via a hardware bus, and wherein the controls are sent to the at least one radio via the hardware bus.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating with a radio for registration of the radio; and

obtaining information used to control operation of the radio via the registration.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a portion of a database for controlling the operation of the radio; and

loading the portion of the database from external memory to internal memory to obtain the information used to control the operation of the radio.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple radios comprise at least one transmitter radio and at least one receiver radio.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one radio comprises a single radio for a single radio technology.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple radios comprise at least two radios for at least two different radio technologies.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple radios comprise a software defined radio (SDR) supporting multiple radio technologies.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple radios comprise a cognitive radio configurable to search for a clear frequency channel and to operate on the clear frequency channel.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple radios comprise a unit emitting one or more of noise or interference without supporting wireless communication.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple radios are located within a single device.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple radios are located in multiple devices.

29. An apparatus supporting wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving notifications from one or more radios among multiple radios operating concurrently in each decision period when the one or more radios have planned activity in an upcoming time interval;

means for determining controls for at least one radio among the multiple radios based on the received inputs notifications to mitigate interference in the upcoming time interval between the at least one radio and the one or more radios having the planned activity, wherein the means for determining controls for the at least one radio comprises;

means for determining at least one setting for at least one configurable parameter of the at least one radio,

means for determining performance of another radio from the one or more radios having the planned activity based on the at least one setting,

means for retaining the at least one setting when the determined performance is acceptable, and

means for changing the at least one setting when the determined performance is unacceptable; and

means for sending the controls to the at least one radio.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein received notifications comprise information indicative of one or more of a planned operating state or the planned activity of the one or more radios in the upcoming time interval.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the means for determining the controls comprises means for determining the controls for the at least one radio based on a database of information on performance versus operating states for different combinations of radios.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the means for determining the controls comprises means for selecting at least one operating state for the at least one radio based on the database to obtain acceptable performance for the at least one radio.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the controls sent to the at least one radio indicate one or more of a selected operating state or at least one configurable parameter setting for the at least one radio in the upcoming interval, and wherein the at least one radio operates in accordance with the selected operating state or the at least one configurable parameter setting in the upcoming time interval to reduce the interference to the one or more radios having the planned activity or to combat the interference from the one or more radios having the planned activity.

34. An apparatus supporting wireless communication, comprising:

at least one processor configured to receive notifications from one or more radios among multiple radios operating concurrently in each decision period when the one or more radios have planned activity in an upcoming time interval, to determine controls for at least one radio among the multiple radios based on the received notifications to mitigate interference in the upcoming time interval between the at least one radio and the one or more radios having the planned activity, and to send the controls to the at least one radio, wherein to determine controls for the at least one radio comprises;

determining at least one setting for at least one configurable parameter of the at least one radio,

determining performance of another radio from the one or more radios having the planned activity based on the at least one setting,

retaining the at least one setting when the determined performance is acceptable, and

changing the at least one setting when the determined performance is unacceptable.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the received notifications comprise information indicative of one or more of a planned operating state or the planned activity of the one or more radios in the upcoming time interval.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the controls for the at least one radio based on a database of information on performance versus operating states for different combinations of radios.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the at least one processor is configured to select at least one operating state for the at least one radio based on the database to obtain acceptable performance for the at least one radio.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the controls sent to the at least one radio indicate one or more of a selected operating state or at least one configurable parameter setting for the at least one radio in the upcoming interval, and wherein the at least one radio operates in accordance with the selected operating state or the at least one configurable parameter setting in the upcoming time interval to reduce the interference to the one or more radios having the planned activity or to combat the interference from the one or more radios having the planned activity.

39. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive notifications from one or more radios among multiple radios operating concurrently in each decision period when the one or more radios have planned activity in an upcoming time interval,

code for causing the at least one computer to determine controls for at least one radio among the multiple radios based on the received notifications to mitigate interference in the upcoming time interval between the at least one radio and the one or more radios having the planned activity, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine controls comprises;

code for determining at least one setting for at least one configurable parameter of the at least one radio,

code for determining performance of another radio from the one or more radios having the planned activity based on the at least one setting,

code for retaining the at least one setting when the determined performance is acceptable, and

code for changing the at least one setting when the determined performance is unacceptable; and

code for causing the at least one computer to send the controls to the at least one radio.

40. A method of supporting wireless communication, comprising:

receiving one or more notifications from one or more radios among multiple radios operating concurrently in each decision period when the one or more radios have planned activity in an upcoming time interval, wherein the one or more notifications each indicate the planned activity of the corresponding one or more radios in the upcoming time interval;

determining proposed operation of at least one radio among the multiple radios based on the one or more notifications to mitigate interference in the upcoming time interval between the at least one radio and the one or more radios having the planned activity, wherein determining proposed operation of the at least one radio comprises;

determining at least one setting for at least one configurable parameter of the at least one radio,

determining performance of another radio from the one or more radios having the planned activity based on the at least one setting,

retaining the at least one setting when the determined performance is acceptable, and

changing the at least one setting when the determined performance is unacceptable; and

sending at least one response to the at least one radio, wherein the at least one response conveys the proposed operation of the at least one radio in the upcoming time interval.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the one or more notifications are sent synchronously by the one or more radios in time slots assigned to each of the one or more radios in each decision period.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

performing the receiving, determining, and sending in different intervals of each decision period.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the proposed operation of the at least one radio is determined during a first interval of each decision period and the at least one response is sent during a second interval of each decision period.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the one or more notifications are sent asynchronously by the one or more radios in response to the planned activity in the upcoming time interval triggering the one or more notifications.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein the proposed operation of the at least one radio is determined and at least one response is sent to the at least one radio asynchronously in response to receiving the one or more notifications that indicate the planned activity in the upcoming time interval.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein the one or more notifications include a notification sent by a corresponding radio to indicate a change in the planned activity of the corresponding radio in the upcoming time interval.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the at least one response is sent to the at least one radio to convey a change in the proposed operation of the at least one radio in the upcoming time interval.

48. An apparatus supporting wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving one or more notifications from one or more radios among multiple radios operating concurrently in each decision period when the one or more radios have planned activity in an upcoming time interval, wherein the one or more notifications each indicate the planned activity of the corresponding one or more radios in the upcoming time interval;

means for determining proposed operation of at least one radio among the multiple radios based on the one or more notifications to mitigate interference in the upcoming time interval between the at least one radio and the one or more radios having the planned activity, wherein the means for determining proposed operation of the at least one radio comprises;

means for determining at least one setting for at least one configured parameter of the at least one radio,

means for determining performance of another radio from the one or more radios having the planned activity based on the at least one setting,

means for retaining the at least one setting when the determined performance is acceptable, and

means for changing the at least one setting when the determined performance is unacceptable; and

means for sending at least one response to the at least one radio, wherein the at least one response conveys the proposed operation of the at least one radio in the upcoming time interval.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the one or more notifications are sent synchronously by the one or more radios in time slots assigned to each of the one or more radios in each decision period.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the one or more notifications are sent asynchronously by the one or more radios in response to the planned activity in the upcoming time interval triggering the one or more notifications.

51. A method of supporting wireless communication, comprising:

identifying at least one first radio on a first device and at least one second radio on a second device, the at least one first radio and the at least one second radio operating concurrently;

receiving a notification from the at least one first radio on the first device in each decision period when the at least one first radio has planned activity in an upcoming time interval; and

controlling operation of the at least one first radio on the first device in each decision period to reduce interference to or combat interference from the at least one second radio on the second device in the upcoming time interval, wherein the controlling the operation of the at least one first radio comprises;

determining at least one setting for the at least one configurable parameter of the at least one radio, determining performance of another radio from the one or more radios having the planned activity based on the at least one setting, retaining the at least one setting when the determined performance is acceptable, and changing the at least one setting when the determined performance is unacceptable.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the at least one setting for the at least one configurable parameter relates to one or more of a frequency channel, a transmit power level, a traffic channel, an antenna, an antenna array, an amplifier, or a filter of the at least one first radio.

53. An apparatus supporting wireless communication, comprising:

means for identifying at least one first radio on a first device and at least one second radio on a second device, the at least one first radio and the at least one second radio operating concurrently; and

means for receiving a notification from the at least one first radio on the first device in each decision period when the at least one first radio has planned activity in an upcoming time interval; and

means for controlling operation of the at least one first radio on the first device in each decision period to reduce interference to or combat interference from the at least one second radio on the second device in the upcoming time interval, wherein the means for controlling the operation of the at least one first radio comprises;

means for determining at least one setting for at least one configurable parameter of the at least one first radio,

means for determining performance of the at least one second radio based on the at least one setting,

means for retaining the at least one setting when the determined performance if acceptable, and

means for changing the at least one setting when the determined performance is unacceptable.