Coordination architecture for wireless communication devices using multiple protocols
View Patent ↗A system and methods for coordinating transmissions in a wireless network wherein a plurality of frequency-overlapping protocols are used to exchange information between devices. In this system, a coordination point device integrates a monitoring functionality to identify impending data collisions between the frequency-overlapping protocols. The coordination point device further identifies quality of service parameters to determine if the protocols are operating within desirable ranges. Moderation one or more of the protocols is then performed to avoid data collisions arising from overlapping transmissions between the protocols while maintaining data throughput within acceptable ranges.
1. A data collision rectification device for use in a wireless communication network wherein data transmissions using frequency-overlapping protocols comprising a first protocol and a second protocol operate to exchange information between a plurality of data transfer nodes, the device comprising:
a coordination module which determines first and second transmission priorities associated with a first data transmission using the first protocol and a second data transmission using the second protocol, respectively; and determines a first current quality of service of the first transmission and a second current quality of service of the second transmission; and
a synchronization module which moderates the first transmission in response to determining that (1) the first transmission priority is higher than the second transmission priority, (2) the second current quality of service is not within an acceptable quality of service range for transmissions using the second protocol, and (3) the first current quality of service is within an acceptable quality of service range for transmissions using the first protocol.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the synchronization module moderates the second transmission in response to determining that (1) the second transmission priority is lower than the first transmission priority and (2) the second current quality of service is within an acceptable quality of service range for transmissions using the second protocol.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the first current quality of service and the second current quality of service are determined by assessing one or more transmission characteristics of respective first and second transmissions.
4. The device of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first and second transmissions comprises voice data.
5. The device of claim 2 , wherein the first and second quality of service ranges each comprise one or more ranges of acceptable values for different quality of service metrics.
6. The device of claim 2 , wherein the synchronization module moderates the traffic types to maintain acceptable quality of service.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the frequency-overlapping protocols comprises a frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) protocol.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein the FHSS protocol further comprises a Bluetooth protocol.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the frequency-overlapping protocols comprises a direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) protocol.
10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the DSSS protocol comprises an IEEE 802.11 DSSS protocol or an IEEE 802.11b DSSS protocol.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the frequency-overlapping protocols comprise fixed-frequency protocols or alternating-frequency protocols.
12. A method of moderating transmission of data in a communication network, wherein a first device transmits a first transmission using a first protocol and a second device transmits a second transmission using a second protocol, the first and second protocols being associated with respective first and second priorities, wherein the first priority is higher than the second priority, the method comprising:
determining first and second quality of services ranges associated with respective first and second protocols;
monitoring a first current quality of service level of the first transmission and a second current quality of service level of the second transmission, wherein the first and second current quality of service levels are continuously updated during transmission of the first and second transmissions;
in response to detecting a collision between the first and second transmissions, moderating one of the first and second transmissions in the following manner:
moderating the second transmission in response to determining that the second current quality of service level is within the second quality of service range;
moderating the first transmission in response to determining that (1) the second current quality of service level is not within the second quality of service range and (2) the first current quality of service level is within the first quality of service range; and
moderating the first transmission in response to determining that (1) the second current quality of service level is not within the second quality of service range and (2) the first current quality of service level is not within the second quality of service level.