Method and apparatus for frequency management
View Patent ↗Disclosed are a method, apparatus, and system for managing frequency use in a system while engaged in multiple communications. When a wireless communication device (WCD) is engaging in a first communication on a first frequency, the WCD receives a request for the WCD to engage in a second communication. Responsive to receiving the request, the WCD hands off the first communication from the first frequency to a second frequency and engages in the second communication on the first frequency. The method may thereby help to reduce likelihood of interference.
1. A method comprising:
a wireless communication device (WCD) engaging in a first communication on a first frequency under a first cellular air interface protocol;
while the WCD is engaged in the first communication on the first frequency, the WCD receiving a request for the WCD to engage in a second communication under a second cellular air interface protocol; and
responsive to receiving the request, (i) the WCD handing off the first communication from the first frequency to a second frequency and (ii) the WCD engaging in the second communication on the first frequency, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are different.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the second communication has higher priority for use of the first frequency than the first communication, wherein the WCD handing off the first communication and engaging in the second communication are done in response to the determination.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first cellular air interface protocol is different from the second cellular air interface protocol.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising determining that the second air interface protocol has higher priority for use of the first frequency than the first air interface protocol, wherein the WCD handing off the first communication and engaging in the second communication are done in response to the determination.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first air interface protocol is Code Division Multiple Access and the second air interface protocol is Long Term Evolution.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first frequency is a 1900 MHz frequency band and the second frequency is an 800 MHz frequency band.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication is a voice communication and the second communication is a data communication.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to receiving the request, the WCD simultaneously (i) handing off the first communication to the second frequency and (ii) engaging in the second communication on the first frequency.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to receiving the request, the WCD autonomously (i) handing off the first communication to the second frequency and (ii) engaging in the second communication on the first frequency.
10. A wireless communication device (WCD) comprising:
a radio module; and
control logic coupled to the radio module and configured to:
operate the radio module to engage in a plurality of communications on a plurality of frequencies, while the radio module is engaged in a first communication on a first frequency under a first cellular air interface protocol, receive a request for the WCD to engage in a second communication under a second cellular air interface protocol, responsive to receiving the request for the WCD to engage in the second communication, request an inter-frequency handoff of the first communication to a second frequency, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are different, responsive to requesting the handoff, receive approval to hand off the first communication to the second frequency,
responsive to receiving the approval, operate the radio module to (i) engage in the first communication on the second frequency and (ii) engage in the second communication on the first frequency.
11. The WCD of claim 10 , wherein the control logic is further configured to:
determine that the second communication has higher priority to use the first frequency than the first communication, and
responsive to receiving the request for the WCD to engage in the second communication and to determining that the second communication has higher priority, request the inter-frequency handoff.
12. The WCD of claim 10 , wherein first and second cellular air interface protocols are different.
13. The WCD of claim 10 , wherein responsive to receiving the request for the WCD to engage in the second communication under the second air interface protocol, the control logic is configured to:
determine that the second air interface protocol has higher priority to use the first frequency than the first air interface protocol, and
responsive to receiving the request for the WCD to engage in the second communication and to determining that the second air interface protocol has higher priority, request the inter-frequency handoff.
14. The WCD of claim 13 , wherein the first air interface protocol is Code Division Multiple Access and the second air interface protocol is Long Term Evolution.
15. The WCD of claim 10 , wherein the first communication is a voice communication and the second communication is a data communication, and wherein the request is encoded as a data burst message within the voice communication.