Seamless link transfers between primary and secondary devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10979990-B2
Application number	US-201916421216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2019
Priority date	May 23, 2019
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications at a wireless audio device are described. A first (e.g., primary) wireless audio device may initiate a role switch procedure with a second (e.g., secondary) wireless audio device. The first wireless audio device may disable traffic flow between the source device and the first wireless audio device and transmit synchronization information and timing information necessary for taking over the role of primary wireless audio device to the second wireless audio device. The first wireless audio device may transmit a device role switch message, and the first wireless audio device and the second wireless audio device may perform the role switch. After performing the role switch, the first wireless audio device may assume the role of a secondary wireless audio device and the second wireless audio device may assume the role of a primary wireless audio device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for wireless communications at a first wireless audio device, comprising:
disabling a traffic flow between a source device and the first wireless audio device;
transmitting, based at least in part on disabling the traffic flow, synchronization information and timing information to a second wireless audio device;
transmitting, based at least in part on transmitting the synchronization information and the timing information, a device role switch message indicating a device role switch between the first wireless audio device and the second wireless audio device;
performing, based at least in part on the device role switch message, the role switch, wherein performing the role switch comprises assuming a Bluetooth device address previously associated with the first wireless audio device, assuming a Bluetooth slave role previously held by the second wireless audio device and releasing a Bluetooth master device role previously held by the first wireless audio device, and releasing an asynchronous connection-less (ACL) connection with the source device and an extended synchronous connection oriented (eSCO) connection with the source device; and
sniffing, based at least in part on the role switch, air traffic from the source device to the second wireless audio device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a role switch trigger, wherein disabling traffic flow is based at least in part on identifying the role switch trigger.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the role switch trigger comprises a physical distance between the first wireless audio device and the source device satisfying a threshold, a power balance between the first wireless audio device and the source device satisfying a threshold, a link quality between the first wireless audio device and the source device satisfying a threshold, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling traffic flow further comprises:
identifying a gap period during which no communication is expected from the source device; and
disabling the traffic flow during the gap period.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the gap period comprises a coexistence window during which the source device performs wireless communication with another device, via another wireless communication protocol, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling traffic flow further comprises:
receiving one or more data packets from the source device; and
sending one or more negative acknowledgement (NACK) messages to the source device in response to the one or more data packets.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein disabling traffic flow further comprises:
receiving one or more data packets from the source device; and
refraining from sending an acknowledgement (ACK) message to the source device in response to the one or more data packets.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting control state information to the second wireless audio device, wherein:
transmitting the device role switch message is based at least in part on the control state information.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the control state information comprises Bluetooth upper layer information, data structure information, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device role switch message comprises a single message, and performing the role switch occurs instantaneously.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device role switch message comprises a plurality of messages, and wherein performing the role switch occurs incrementally in response to the plurality of messages.

12. A method for wireless communications between a first wireless audio device and a second wireless audio device at the second wireless audio device, comprising:
sniffing air traffic between a source device and the first wireless audio device;
receiving, from the first wireless audio device, synchronization information and timing information;
receiving, based at least in part on receiving the synchronization information and the timing information, a device role switch message from the first wireless audio device, the device role switch message indicating a device role switch between the second wireless audio device and the first wireless audio device;
performing, based at least in part on the device role switch message, the role switch, wherein performing the role switch comprises assuming a Bluetooth device address previously corresponding to the first wireless audio device and releasing a Bluetooth device address previously associated with the second wireless audio device, releasing a Bluetooth slave role previously held by the second wireless audio device and assuming a Bluetooth master device role previously held by the first wireless audio device, and assuming an asynchronous connection-less (ACL) connection with the source device and an extended synchronous connection oriented (eSCO) connection with the source device; and
enabling a traffic flow between the source device and the second wireless audio device.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving control state information from the first wireless audio device, wherein:
receiving the device role switch message is based at least in part on the control state information.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the control state information comprises Bluetooth upper layer information, data structure information, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the device role switch message comprises a single message, and performing the role switch occurs instantaneously.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the device role switch message comprises a plurality of messages, and wherein performing the role switch occurs incrementally in response to the plurality of messages.

17. An apparatus for wireless communications at a first wireless audio device, comprising:
a processor,
memory in electronic communication with the processor; and
instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
disable a traffic flow between a source device and the first wireless audio device;
transmit, based at least in part on disabling the traffic flow, synchronization information and timing information to a second wireless audio device;
transmit, based at least in part on transmitting the synchronization information and the timing information, a device role switch message indicating a device role switch between the first wireless audio device and the second wireless audio device;
perform, based at least in part on the device role switch message, the role switch; and
sniff, based at least in part on the role switch, air traffic from the source device to the second wireless audio device.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Srivastava Dishant
• Singer Steven
• Heydon Robin
• Batra Mayank
• Linsky Joel

Classifications

• H04W84/20

  Leader-follower arrangements · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H04W28/021

  in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks (self-organizing networks H04W84/18) · CPC title

• H04W56/001 Primary

  Synchronization between nodes · CPC title

• H04L5/0055

  Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK (for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861) · CPC title