IP Library Granted Patent US 8,787,349
Granted Patent B2
US 8,787,349 · App. 13/040,495 · Granted Jul 22, 2014

Method and system for reducing timing uncertainty of data transmission and reception

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,787,349
App. No.
13/040,495
Granted
Jul 22, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

In accordance with the present disclosure, disadvantages and problems associated with timing accuracies of higher data rate communications systems may be reduced. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure a wireless communication element comprises a first controller configured to generate data transfer information indicating a trigger value. The wireless communication element further comprises a second controller communicatively coupled to the first controller. The second controller comprises a counter configured to increment a counter value and is configured to receive the data transfer information from the first controller. The second controller is further configured to generate a data transfer trigger when the counter value corresponds with the trigger value such that the wireless communication element initiates a data transfer with a second wireless communication element in response to the data transfer trigger.

Claims (36)

1. A wireless communication element comprising:

a first controller configured to:

operate within a first clock domain; and

generate data transfer information indicating a reference trigger and a trigger adjustment value; and

a second controller communicatively coupled to the first controller, and comprising a counter configured to increment a counter value, the second controller configured to:

receive the data transfer information from the first controller;

initiate a transfer of a reference subframe with a second wireless communication element based on the reference trigger;

start the counter upon the transfer of the reference subframe;

generate a data transfer trigger based on the counter value and the trigger adjustment value; and

initiate a data transfer of a data subframe with the second wireless communication element based on the data transfer trigger;

the counter configured to operate within a second clock domain separate from the first clock domain of the first controller.

2. The wireless communication element of claim 1 , wherein the data transfer comprises the wireless communication element transmitting the data subframe to the second wireless communication element.

3. The wireless communication element of claim 1 , wherein the data transfer comprises the wireless communication element receiving the data subframe from the second wireless communication element.

4. The wireless communication element of claim 1 , wherein the second controller is configured to reset the counter such that the counter resets and does not increment according to an event selected from the group consisting of powering on of the wireless communication element, an adaptive discontinuous reception cycle (DRX), and reception by the second controller from the first controller of instructions indicating a reset of the counter.

5. The wireless communication element of claim 1 , wherein the counter is configured to increment the counter value at a sampling rate of the data subframe.

6. The wireless communication element of claim 1 , wherein the counter is configured to reset and increment when the counter value corresponds with a data transfer time slot of the data subframe.

7. The wireless communication element of claim 1 , wherein the trigger adjustment value is configured to advance timing of the data transfer trigger.

8. The wireless communication element of claim 1 , wherein the trigger adjustment value is configured to delay timing of the data transfer trigger.

9. The wireless communication element of claim 1 , wherein the trigger adjustment value is based on information received by the wireless communication element from the second wireless communication element.

10. The wireless communication element of claim 1 , wherein the first controller is part of a digital baseband circuit and the second controller is part of a radio frequency circuit.

11. A method for timing data transfers of a wireless communication element comprising:

receiving, from a first controller operating within a first clock domain, by a second controller operating within a second clock domain separate from the first clock domain, data transfer information indicating a reference trigger and a trigger adjustment value, the second controller comprising a counter;

incrementing, by the counter operating within the second clock domain, a counter value of the counter;

transferring, by the second controller, a reference subframe with a second wireless communication element based on the reference trigger;

starting the counter upon the transfer of the reference subframe;

generating, by the second controller, a data transfer trigger based on the counter value and the trigger adjustment value; and

transferring a data subframe with the second wireless communication element based on the data transfer trigger.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein transferring the data subframe comprises transmitting the data subframe to the second communication element.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein transferring the data subframe comprises receiving the data subframe from the second communication element.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising resetting, by the second controller, the counter such that the counter resets and does not increment according to an event selected from the group consisting of powering on of the communication element, an adaptive discontinuous reception cycle (DRX), and reception, by the second controller, of instructions indicating a reset of the counter.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising incrementing the counter value at a sampling rate of the data subframe.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising resetting the counter when the counter value corresponds with a data transfer time slot of the data subframe.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the trigger adjustment value is configured to advance timing of the data transfer trigger.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the trigger adjustment value is configured to delay timing of the data transfer trigger.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the trigger adjustment value is based on information received by the communication element from the second communication element.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second controller is part of a radio frequency circuit of the communication element, and wherein the data transfer information is received by the second controller from a digital baseband circuit of the communication element.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2021
From: INTEL IP CORPORATION
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 056701/0807 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2013
From: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR WIRELESS PRODUCTS, INC.
To: INTEL IP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031105/0416 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2013
From: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
To: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR WIRELESS PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 030793/0586 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2011
From: PADMANABHAN, UDAY; XU, BING; STEBBINGS, KENNETH EDWARD
To: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 025901/0918 →