Method and apparatus for assisted/coordinated intra-home communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9860939-B2
Application number	US-201113520989-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2011
Priority date	Jan 6, 2010
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed that may provide assistance across networks using different radio access technologies. A centralized gateway CGW ( 210, 710 ) may be provided to facilitate the assistance via client devices in the networks ( 220 ). The CGW ( 210, 710 ) and client devices may use a common protocol ( 311 ) and common interface to take actions relating to the assistance ( 780 ).

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method to provide assistance across networks using different radio access technologies, the method comprising:
collecting first information from a first device associated with a first network, wherein the first information is received from the first device over a first radio access technology via a control interface;
collecting second information from a second device associated with a second network, wherein the second information is received from the second device over a second radio access technology via the control interface, wherein the control interface is common to the first network and the second network;
sending, via the first radio access technology and based on the first information and the second information, an instruction to the first device to measure an operating channel associated with the second network; and
collecting, from the first device and via the first radio access technology, a measurement of the operating channel associated with the second network, wherein the measurement indicates interference on the operating channel,
wherein the first information comprises a location of the first device and the second information comprises a location of the second device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending an instruction to the second device to switch a configuration.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the instruction to the second device to switch the configuration indicates that the second device switch channels.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the first device and the second device are collocated.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information comprises operating characteristics of the first network and the second information comprises operating characteristics of the second network.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising fusing the first information and the second information.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network is a Wi-Fi network and the second network is a ZigBee® network.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the instruction causes the first device to perform the measurement using a ZigBee®-specific sensing algorithm.

9. A centralized gateway (CGW) to provide assistance across networks using different radio access technologies, the CGW comprising:
a receiver configured to:
collect first information from a first device associated with a first network, wherein the first information is received from the first device over a first radio access technology via a control interface, and
collect second information from a second device associated with a second network, wherein the second information is received from the second device over a second radio access technology via the control interface, wherein the control interface is common to the first network and the second network; and

a processor configured to send, via the first radio access technology and based on the first information and the second information, an instruction to the first device via a transmitter to measure an operating channel associated with the second network,
wherein the receiver is further configured to collect, from the first device and via the first radio access technology, a measurement of the operating channel associated with the second network, wherein the measurement indicates interference on the operating channel, and
wherein the first information comprises a location of the first device and the second information comprises a location of the second device.

10. The CGW of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to send an instruction to the second device via the transmitter to switch a configuration.

11. The CGW of claim 10 , wherein the instruction to the second device to switch the configuration indicates that the second device switch channels.

12. The CGW of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the first device and the second device are collocated.

13. The CGW of claim 9 , wherein the first information comprises operating characteristics of the first network and the second information comprises operating characteristics of the second network.

14. The CGW of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to fuse the first information and the second information.

15. The CGW of claim 9 , wherein the first network is a Wi-Fi network and the second network is a ZigBee® network.

16. The CGW of claim 15 , wherein the instruction causes the first device to perform the measurement using a ZigBee®-specific sensing algorithm.

Assignees

• Di Girolamo Rocco
• Gauvreau Jean-Louis
• Lin Zinan
• Murray Joseph M
• Touag Athmane
• Ahmad Saad
• Freda Martino
• Interdigital Patent Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Di Girolamo Rocco
• Gauvreau Jean-Louis
• Lin Zinan
• Murray Joseph M
• Touag Athmane
• Ahmad Saad
• Freda Martino

Classifications

• H04W48/18

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title

• H04W84/10

  Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks · CPC title

• H04W88/10

  adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points · CPC title

• H04W48/12

  using downlink control channel · CPC title

• H04L12/66 Primary

  Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways · CPC title