IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,489,024
Granted Patent B1
US 8,489,024 · App. 12/913,512 · Granted Jul 16, 2013

Determining chain configuration for a wireless protocol in a wireless device supporting multiple wireless protocols

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,489,024
App. No.
12/913,512
Granted
Jul 16, 2013
Kind
B1
Abstract

Arbitration between two wireless protocols in a wireless device. The wireless device may include first wireless protocol circuitry, configured to receive and process first signals according to a first wireless protocol and second wireless protocol circuitry, configured to receive and process second signals according to a second wireless protocol. The wireless device may also include coexistence circuitry. The coexistence circuitry may be configured to receive a request from the first wireless protocol circuitry to perform transmission or reception and arbitrate the requested transmission or reception between the first wireless protocol circuitry and the second wireless protocol circuitry. The decision may be based on current or future priority information, current configuration, or other factors. The coexistence circuitry (or other circuitry) may be configured to determine position of switches controlling antennas or transmission using shared or unshared antennas (or chains). The two wireless protocols may be WLAN and Bluetooth.

Claims (51)

1. A system for use in a wireless device, the system comprising:

first wireless protocol circuitry, wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry is configured to receive, transmit, and process first signals according to a first wireless protocol, wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry is configured to generate a request to perform a transmission or reception;

second wireless protocol circuitry, wherein the second wireless protocol circuitry is configured to receive, transmit, and process second signals according to a second wireless protocol, wherein the second wireless protocol circuitry is configured to generate a request to perform a transmission or reception;

wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry and the second wireless protocol circuitry are configured to share at least one first antenna, wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry is configured to use at least one second antenna that is not shared with the second wireless protocol circuitry;

coexistence circuitry configured to:

receive a request from the first wireless protocol circuitry to perform transmission or reception;

determine if the second wireless protocol circuitry is performing a transmission or reception;

determine if the first wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform the transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna;

determine whether to allow the first wireless protocol circuitry to perform transmission or reception based on the determination of whether if the first wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna; and

determine whether the requested transmission or reception from the first wireless protocol circuitry will conflict with a future transmission or reception of the second wireless protocol circuitry;

wherein said determining if the first wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform the transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna is performed if either the second wireless protocol circuitry is performing a transmission or reception or if the requested transmission or reception will conflict with the future transmission or reception of the second wireless protocol circuitry.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said determining whether the requested transmission or reception from the first wireless protocol circuitry will conflict with a future transmission or reception of the second wireless protocol circuitry is based on a scheduling table of the second wireless protocol circuitry.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second wireless protocol circuitry is Bluetooth, wherein the scheduling table comprises future Bluetooth transmissions or receptions.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless protocol is WLAN, and wherein the request is to perform a WLAN transmission.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said determining whether to allow the first wireless protocol circuitry to perform the transmission or reception is also based on priority information of first wireless protocol circuitry and the second wireless protocol circuitry.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a gain element configured to receive the first and second signals, wherein the gain element is adjustable to amplify the received first and second signals by an adjustable amount, wherein the gain element is shared by the first wireless protocol circuitry and the second wireless protocol circuitry.

7. A system for use in a wireless device, the system comprising:

first wireless protocol circuitry, wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry is configured to receive, transmit, and process first signals according to a first wireless protocol, wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry is configured to generate a request to perform a transmission or reception;

second wireless protocol circuitry, wherein the second wireless protocol circuitry is configured to receive, transmit, and process second signals according to a second wireless protocol, wherein the second wireless protocol circuitry is configured to generate a request to perform a transmission or reception;

wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry and the second wireless protocol circuitry is configured to share at least one first antenna, wherein the second wireless protocol circuitry is configured to use at least one second antenna that is not shared with the first wireless protocol circuitry;

coexistence circuitry coupled to the first wireless protocol circuitry and the second wireless protocol circuitry, wherein the coexistence circuitry is configured to receive transmit/receive requests from the first wireless protocol circuitry and/or the second wireless protocol circuitry;

wherein the coexistence circuitry is configured to:

receive a request from the first wireless protocol circuitry to perform transmission or reception;

determine if the second wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna;

determine whether to allow the first wireless protocol circuitry to perform transmission or reception based on the determination of whether the second wireless;

determine whether the requested transmission or reception from the first wireless protocol circuitry will conflict with a future transmission or reception of the second wireless protocol circuitry; and

wherein said determining if the first wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform the transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna is performed if either the second wireless protocol circuitry is performing a transmission or reception or if the requested transmission or reception will conflict with the future transmission or reception of the second wireless protocol circuitry.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the transmission or reception by the second wireless protocol circuitry is a future transmission or reception.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein said determining whether to allow the first wireless protocol circuitry to perform the transmission or reception is also based on priority information of first wireless protocol circuitry and the second wireless protocol circuitry.

10. A method for determining a mode for transmission or reception within a wireless device, comprising:

receiving a request from first wireless protocol circuitry to perform transmission or reception, wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry is configured to receive, transmit, and process first signals according to a first wireless protocol;

determining if second wireless protocol circuitry is performing a transmission or reception, wherein the second wireless protocol circuitry is configured to receive, transmit, and process second signals according to a second wireless protocol, wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry and the second wireless protocol circuitry is configured to share at least one first antenna, wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry is configured to use at least one second antenna that is not shared with the second wireless protocol circuitry;

determining if the first wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform the transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna;

determining whether to allow the first wireless protocol circuitry to perform transmission or reception based on the determination of whether the first wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna; and

determine whether the requested transmission or reception from the first wireless protocol circuitry will conflict with a future transmission or reception of the second wireless protocol circuitry;

wherein said determining if the first wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform the transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna is performed if either the second wireless protocol circuitry is performing a transmission or reception or if the requested transmission or reception will conflict with the future transmission or reception of the second wireless protocol circuitry.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said determining whether the requested transmission or reception from the first wireless protocol circuitry will conflict with a future transmission or reception of the second wireless protocol circuitry is based on a scheduling table of the second wireless protocol circuitry.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second wireless protocol circuitry is Bluetooth, wherein the scheduling table comprises future Bluetooth transmissions or receptions.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first wireless protocol is WLAN, and wherein the request is to perform a WLAN transmission.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein said determining whether to allow the first wireless protocol circuitry to perform the transmission or reception is also based on priority information of first wireless protocol circuitry and the second wireless protocol circuitry.

15. A method for determining a mode for transmission or reception within a wireless device, comprising:

receiving a request from first wireless protocol circuitry to perform transmission or reception, wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry is configured to receive, transmit, and process first signals according to a first wireless protocol;

determining if second wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform a transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna, wherein the second wireless protocol circuitry is configured to receive, transmit, and process second signals according to a second wireless protocol, wherein the first wireless protocol circuitry and the second wireless protocol circuitry is configured to share at least one first antenna, wherein the second wireless protocol circuitry is configured to use at least one second antenna that is not shared with the first wireless protocol circuitry;

determining if the second wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna;

determining whether to allow the first wireless protocol circuitry to perform transmission or reception based on the determination of whether the second wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna;

determine whether the requested transmission or reception from the first wireless protocol circuitry will conflict with a future transmission or reception of the second wireless protocol circuitry;

wherein said determining if the first wireless protocol circuitry is able to perform the transmission or reception using the at least one second antenna without using the at least one first antenna is performed if either the second wireless protocol circuitry is performing a transmission or reception or if the requested transmission or reception will conflict with the future transmission or reception of the second wireless protocol circuitry.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the transmission or reception by the second wireless protocol circuitry is a future transmission or reception.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the transmission or reception by the second wireless protocol circuitry is a current transmission or reception.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein said determining whether to allow the first wireless protocol circuitry to perform the transmission or reception is also based on priority information of first wireless protocol circuitry and the second wireless protocol circuitry.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2012
From: QUALCOMM ATHEROS, INC.
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 029504/0793 →
MERGER Recorded Nov 4, 2011
From: ATHEROS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: QUALCOMM ATHEROS, INC.
Reel/Frame 027178/0530 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2010
From: YUCEK, TEVFIK; GAO, QINGHAI; SANKARAN, SUNDAR G.; GULASEKARAN, SUSINDER R.
To: ATHEROS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025206/0037 →