Apparatus, method and system of controlling communications of a multi-radio device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9532370-B2
Application number	US-201414472404-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2014
Priority date	Aug 29, 2014
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and methods of controlling communications of a multi-radio device. For example, a multi-radio device may include a first radio to communicate over a first wireless network; a first controller to control the first radio; a second radio to communicate over a second wireless network; a second controller to control the second radio; and an interface to communicate signaling messages between the first and second controllers, wherein the first controller is to send to the second controller a request to transmit, the request to transmit indicating a request to allow the first radio to transmit over the first wireless network, and wherein the second controller is to assert a transmit-allowed signal over the interface to indicate that the request to transmit is granted, or to de-assert the transmit-allowed signal to indicate that the request to transmit is denied.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-radio device comprising:
a first radio to communicate over a first wireless network;
a first controller to control said first radio;
a second radio to communicate over a second wireless network;
a second controller to control said second radio; and
an interface to communicate signaling messages between said first and second controllers,
wherein said first controller is to send to said second controller a request to transmit by asserting a first signaling bit and setting a second signaling bit to a first value indicating said first signaling bit includes said request to transmit, the request to transmit indicating a request to allow said first radio to transmit over the first wireless network, the first controller is to assert a transmit indication over said interface by asserting the first signaling bit and setting the second signaling bit to a second value indicating said first signaling bit includes said transmit indication, the transmit indication to indicate actual transmission by said first radio over the first wireless network,
and wherein said second controller is to assert a transmit-allowed signal over said interface to indicate that said request to transmit is granted, or to de-assert said transmit-allowed signal to indicate that said request to transmit is denied.

2. The multi-radio device of claim 1 , wherein said first controller is to send the request to transmit by asserting a transmit-on signal prior to a time for transmitting over said first network.

3. The multi-radio device of claim 1 , wherein said first controller is to control communication of a third radio over a third wireless network, wherein said second controller is to send a first transmit allowed signal to indicate if a request to transmit over said first wireless network is granted, and a second transmit allowed signal to indicate if a request to transmit over said third wireless network is granted.

4. The multi-radio device of claim 3 , wherein said first radio comprises a Bluetooth radio, and said third radio comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) radio.

5. The multi-radio device of claim 1 , wherein said request to transmit includes a priority indication to indicate said request to transmit has a first priority, or a second priority, higher than the first priority.

6. The multi-radio device of claim 1 , wherein said second controller is to assert a downlink synchronization signal to indicate a timing of a downlink subframe over said second wireless network.

7. The multi-radio device of claim 1 , wherein said first radio comprises a Bluetooth (BT) radio.

8. The multi-radio device of claim 7 , wherein said request to transmit includes an indication of a BT transmit power and a BT transmit channel.

9. The multi-radio device of claim 1 , wherein said first radio comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) radio.

10. The multi-radio device of claim 1 , wherein said second radio comprises a cellular radio.

11. The multi-radio device of claim 1 being a mobile device including one or more antennas, a processor, and a memory.

12. A multi-radio device comprising:
a first radio to communicate over a first wireless network;
a first controller to control said first radio;
a second radio to communicate over a second wireless network;
a second controller to control said second radio; and
an interface to communicate signaling messages between said first and second controllers,
wherein said first controller is to send to said second controller a request to receive, the request to receive indicating a request to allow said first radio to receive over the first wireless network,
wherein said second controller is to select between granting said request to receive and denying said request to receive, and when, granting said request to receive, said controller is to send over said interface a transmit-off signal to indicate a time period during which said second radio is not to transmit over said second wireless network, said second controller is to receive said request to receive during a sub-frame period of said second wireless network, and to send said transmit-off signal during said sub-frame period, said second controller is to assert a transmit indication signal a predefined assert-offset time prior to beginning an uplink transmission over said second wireless network, and to de-assert the transmit indication signal a predefined de-assert-offset time after ending the uplink transmission over said second wireless network, said second controller is to send said transmit-off signal, prior to de-asserting said transmit indication signal.

13. The multi-radio device of claim 12 , wherein said second controller is to terminate an uplink transmission over said second wireless network, when selecting to grant said request to receive during said uplink transmission.

14. The multi-radio device of claim 12 , wherein said request to receive includes a priority indication to indicate said request to receive has a first priority, or a second priority, higher than the first priority.

15. The multi-radio device of claim 12 being a mobile device including one or more antennas, a processor, and a memory.

16. A product including one or more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one computer processor, enable the at least one computer processor to implement operations at a multi-radio device including a first controller to control a first radio to communicate over a first wireless network, and a second controller to control a second radio to communicate over a second wireless network, operations comprising:
asserting a transmit indication over an interface by asserting a first signaling bit and setting a second signaling bit to a first value indicating said first signaling bit includes said transmit indication, the transmit indication to indicate to said second controller actual transmission by said first radio over the first wireless network;
sending a request to transmit from said first controller to said second controller by asserting the first signaling bit and setting the second signaling bit to a second value indicating said first signaling bit includes said request to transmit, the request to transmit indicating a request to allow said first radio to transmit over the first wireless network; and
selecting between asserting and de-asserting a transmit-allowed signal from the second controller to the first controller, wherein asserting said transmit-allowed signal is to indicate that said request to transmit is granted, and de-asserting said transmit-allowed signal is to indicate that said request to transmit is denied.

17. The product of claim 16 , wherein said first controller is to control communication of a third radio over a third wireless network, the operations comprise sending from said second controller a first transmit allowed signal to indicate if a request to transmit over said first wireless network is granted, and a second transmit allowed signal to indicate if a request to transmit over said third wireless network is granted.

18. A product including one or more tangible computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one computer processor, enable the at least one computer processor to implement operations at a multi-radio device including a first controller to control a first radio to communicate over a first wireless network, and a second controller to control

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Jakoby Assi
• Dor Keren
• Chay Dor
• Bi Dongsheng
• Shahar Itzik
• Jechoux Bruno
• Ouzieli Ido

Classifications

• H04W72/1215 Primary

  for collaboration of different radio technologies · CPC title

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title