Systems and methods for enabling coexistence of multiple wireless components operating in the same frequency band
Methods and systems for enabling coexistence of multiple potentially interfering wireless components in a device are provided. A device may include a wireless module using a proprietary protocol and one or more modules using standardized protocols. The device further includes a coexistence arbitration module configured to arbitrate access to a shared communication medium among the wireless modules based on assertion of medium access requests by the modules and the associated priority of the asserted medium access requests. When multiple medium access requests have the same priority, precedence for access to the shared medium is determined based on additional criteria. The coexistence arbitration module may be a separate module or may be integrated into another module or distributed among the modules. The device may include a host processor for altering transmission characteristics of a module to increase the likelihood that another module can receive data within a reasonable time period.
1. An apparatus for arbitrating access in a communications device, the apparatus comprising:
a memory;
a plurality of wireless modules;
an arbiter configured to:
monitor each of the plurality of wireless modules operating at a same frequency;
determine a precedence for access between access requests from each of the plurality of wireless modules; and
a status determinator configured to:
synchronize a first wireless module of the plurality of wireless modules with an external device by limiting data associated with transmission characteristics of other wireless modules of the plurality of wireless modules, the synchronizing performed in response to a comparison between the precedence for access for each of the plurality of wireless modules after the first wireless module asserts a first access request exceeding a predetermined duration.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the external device includes a sensor configured to periodically transmit data to the plurality of wireless modules.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the status determinator is further configured to modify the transmission characteristics of the other wireless modules of the plurality of wireless modules.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arbiter is further configured to arbitrate among the plurality of wireless modules for access to a shared station medium by using historical data related to recent use of the shared station medium.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the status determinator includes a user application that monitors and measures data provided by the external device.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the status determinator is further configured to:
receive data from the external device; and
transmit the data to the first wireless module while blocking access of the other wireless modules of the plurality of wireless modules.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arbiter is further configured to:
modify the precedence among the plurality of wireless modules based on a duration of time or a change in priority among the plurality of wireless modules.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the arbiter is further configured to:
modify the precedence among the plurality of wireless modules based on a failure of the external device to provide data to a host application.
9. A method of arbitrating access in a communications device including a status determination module communicatively coupled to a plurality of wireless modules, the method comprising:
monitoring each of the plurality of wireless modules operating at a same frequency;
determining a precedence for access between access requests from each of the plurality of wireless modules; and
synchronizing a first wireless module of the plurality of wireless modules with an external device by limiting data associated with transmission characteristics of other wireless modules of the plurality of wireless modules, the synchronizing performed in response to a comparison between the precedence for access for each of the plurality of wireless modules after the first wireless module asserts a first access request exceeding a predetermined duration.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the external device is a sensor configured to periodically transmit data to a user application that monitors and measures data provided by the external device.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
modifying the transmission characteristics of the other wireless modules of the plurality of wireless modules.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
arbitrating among the plurality of wireless modules for access to a shared station medium by using historical data related to recent use of the shared station medium.