SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ALLOCATION OF MULTIPLE RADIO FREQUENCIES

Abstract

A procedure that includes the following: Receiving a Wi-Fi channel assignment and filter bank configuration associated with a Wi-Fi radio transceiver (204-1; 534-1; 604-1) by a controller (210; 518; 610); Identify one or more Internet of Things (IoT) radio transceivers (204-2-204-N; ​​534-2-534-N; 604-2-604-N) that work with the Wi-Fi radio transceiver (204-1; 534-1; 604-1); for a corresponding IoT radio transceiver: Determining a set of values ​​based on a set of constraints (212) associated with an application type for the IoT radio transceiver; and Calculating a weighted average based on the set of values; and Determining a channel assignment for the IoT radio transceiver based on the weighted average value and the Wi-Fi channel assignment.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to a wireless radio communication system. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a system and method for performing multiple radio frequency allocation.

[0002] Recent advances in wireless technology address the exponential growth in demand for wireless communication services by integrating various wireless communication capabilities into a wide range of client devices, such as a laptop, a desktop computer, a mobile device, an Internet of Things device, and / or other wireless devices. It also provides an access point or access device that enables the various client devices to wirelessly connect to a wired network. The access device can act as a transmitter and / or receiver of wireless radio signals between the access device and the client device. The access device can include radio transceivers and antennas for transmitting and receiving radio signals.

[0003] However, there are some problems when the radio transceivers housed in the access device operate simultaneously. In particular, the availability of the radio spectrum may be limited due to the large number of wireless services using the radio spectrum. In other words, the radio transceivers may operate on different, overlapping frequency bands within the limited available radio spectrum, which can lead to significant channel interference and degradation of the radio signals. Such interference and degradation of the radio signals can significantly impair the quality of the wireless services provided by the radio devices located and operating simultaneously in the access device.

[0004] EP 3 547 792 A1 describes an access point comprising: a processing resource; a first radio transceiver; a first radio frequency (RF) subband filter on the first radio transceiver; a second radio transceiver; a second RF subband filter, complementary to the first RF subband filter, on the second radio transceiver; and instructions executable by the processing resource for enabling and disabling the first RF subband filter and the second RF subband filter based on a network metric. SHORT DESCRIPTION

[0005] Methods according to claims 1 to 9, a computer system according to claims 10 to 15 and an apparatus according to claims 16 to 20 are disclosed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows an exemplary block diagram of a dual-radio transceiver according to one embodiment. Fig. 2 shows an exemplary block diagram of a multiple radio transceiver system according to one embodiment. Fig. 3 shows two example tables with the value distribution for a set of constraints associated with a BLE application and a ZigBee application, respectively, according to one embodiment. Fig. 4 shows a flowchart illustrating a process for allocating multiple radio frequencies according to one embodiment. Fig. 5 shows an exemplary computer system that facilitates the allocation of multiple radio frequencies according to one embodiment. Fig. 6 shows an exemplary device that enables the allocation of multiple radio frequencies according to one embodiment.

[0006] In the figures, the same numbers refer to the same figure elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0007] The following description is intended to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the embodiments and is presented in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown, but is intended to be accorded the widest possible applicability consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

[0008] The embodiments described herein solve the technical problem of determining a channel allocation strategy for multiple radio transceivers operating simultaneously and jointly within a single physical device. In particular, the physical device, e.g., an access point device or a connection gateway device containing the radio transceivers, may include an arbitration mechanism that decides channel allocation and filtering on multiple radio transceivers based on a set of constraints associated with an application type, thereby improving the performance of a system with multiple simultaneously operating radio transceivers. System architecture

[0009] Fig. 1 shows an exemplary block diagram of a two-radio transceiver according to one embodiment. In the Fig. 1, the device 102 may represent an access point device or a connectivity gateway device that includes two simultaneously operating radio transceivers, i.e., 104 and 106. The device 102 may act as a wireless connection point for client devices. The term "client device" may refer to a device that includes a processor, memory, and an input / output interface for wired and / or wireless communication. A client device may, for example, be a laptop, a desktop computer, a mobile device, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, and / or other wireless devices. The device 102 may include a controller (in Fig. 1 not shown) for managing various operations in the device 102.

[0010] Device 102 may include radio antennas 112 and 114, corresponding to radio transceivers 104 and 106, respectively. Each radio antenna may include circuitry for converting the electrical signals generated by a corresponding radio transceiver into radio waves transmitted at a specific radio frequency. Furthermore, each radio antenna may convert the received radio waves into electrical signals transmitted to a corresponding radio transceiver in device 102.

[0011] The radio transceiver 104, e.g., a Wi-Fi radio transceiver, can utilize a 2.4 GHz UHF radio band to transmit and / or receive radio signals via the antenna 112 on various data channels, e.g., on channel 1 at 2412 MHz, channel 6 at 2437 MHz, or channel 11 at 2462 MHz. The radio transceiver 104 can establish a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) connection with client devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

[0012] Device 102 may include a second radio transceiver 106 that is different from radio transceiver 104, e.g., an IEEE 802.15.4 radio that operates concurrently with Wi-Fi radio transceiver 104. In other words, radio transceiver 106 may generate radio signals from various variants of the 802.15 technical standard.

[0013] While co-locating two radio transceivers in device 102 may offer some advantages, such as adding additional wireless services within a single physical device, the operation of one transceiver may interfere with the operation of the other due to the proximity of the radio transceivers. In particular, the proximity of the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 104 and the IEEE 802.15.4 radio transceiver 106 in device 102 may result in increased demand for radio spectrum usage.

[0014] For example, in asset tracking applications, the radio transceiver unit 106 may scan for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons on some advertising channels, such as channel 37 corresponding to 2402 MHz, channel 38 corresponding to 2426 MHz, and channel 39 corresponding to 2480 MHz in the 2.4 GHz radio band. If the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 104 is transmitting on any of the channels during operation of the device 102, such as channels 1, 6, or 11, the radio transceiver 106 (associated with an asset tracking application) may have trouble receiving beacons on its advertising channels. This is because the transmitted Wi-Fi radio signals have high energy levels, such as 802 MHz. B. 18 dBm or 20 dBm in the 2.4 GHz radio band, which can significantly interfere with the BLE radio signals.

[0015] While the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 104 is transmitting, the transmitted Wi-Fi radio signals can have two types of impacts on the IEEE 802.15.4 transmit / receive radio signals. First, due to the high energy level of the Wi-Fi transmit radio signal, some radio signal energy may appear at the other end of the spectrum, e.g., at 2480 MHz, even if the radio transceiver 104 is transmitting at 2412 MHz. Since the IEEE 802.15.4 radio transceiver 106 can operate at 2480 MHz, the radio signal energy introduced by the radio transceiver 104 can reduce the sensitivity of the transceiver 106. Second, the high energy level of the transmitted Wi-Fi radio signal at 2412 MHz may prevent the IEEE 802.15.4 radio transceiver 106 from transmitting and / or receiving IEEE 802.15.4 radio signals on interfered channels. In other words, while the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 104 is transmitting, the Wi-Fi radio signal may saturate the IEEE 802.15.4 radio channel to the point where the IEEE 802.15.4-radio transceiver 106 is unable to receive and / or detect IEEE 802.15.4 radio beacons.

[0016] In another example, a BLE radio transceiver, i.e., radio transceiver 106, may have a sensitivity in the range of -90 dBm to -95 dBm when Wi-Fi radio transceiver 104 is not transmitting any radio signals. This means that the BLE radio transceiver can detect radio signals even if they come from another, distant BLE radio transceiver. However, when Wi-Fi transceiver 104 is transmitting, for example, on channel 11 centered at 2462 MHz, the high energy level of the Wi-Fi radio signals can significantly interfere with the BLE radio signals. In other words, the sensitivity of BLE radio transceiver 106 may drop from -90 dBm to -40 dBm. This disadvantage of a device 102 with two radios can affect the performance and ability of the device 102 to track objects while the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 104 is transmitting.

[0017] To overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages in a dual-radio transceiver device 102, the device 102 may include filter banks 108 and 110. Each filter bank may include a plurality of filters arranged as a bank of switchable filters. Each filter in the bank of switchable filters may include switches, e.g., two single-pole, three-throw (SP3T) switches, for switching the filters between an enabled state and a disabled state. Each filter may correspond to a radio frequency (RF) subband filter for tuning to a portion of the RF band.

[0018] The Wi-Fi radio transceiver 104 is connected to a switchable filter bank 108, which may include three bandpass filters controlled by two SP3T switches. The three bandpass filters may include: a first bandpass filter for Wi-Fi channel 1, centered at 2412 MHz, and Wi-Fi channel 6, centered at 2437 MHz; a second bandpass filter for Wi-Fi channel 11, centered at 2462 MHz; and a third full-band filter for all Wi-Fi data channels in the 2.4 GHz radio band.

[0019] The filters in switchable filter bank 110 associated with radio transceiver 106 are complementary to the filters in switchable filter bank 108. Complementary filters may comprise a pair of filters, e.g., a transmit-side filter associated with radio transceiver 104 and a receive-side filter associated with radio transceiver 106. The complementary filters are paired such that the transmit-side filter of the pair can attenuate interference on the channel emanating from the radio transceiver to which the transmit-side filter is coupled. Furthermore, the complementary filters are paired such that the receive-side filter of the pair can attenuate interference effects resulting from transmission by the radio transceiver to which the transmit-side filter is coupled.

[0020] For example, applying a filter on the transmit side of the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 104 can solve the sock energy problem, meaning the filter can attenuate the Wi-Fi radio signal energy that propagates up to 2480 MHz (which is at the opposite end of the radio spectrum). Furthermore, the device 102 can also apply a filter on the receive side of the IEEE 802.15.4 radio transceiver 106 to solve the interference problem due to the fundamental signal energy of the Wi-Fi radio signal. For example, if the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 104 is transmitting on channel 11 at 2462 MHz, the device 102 can apply a filter on the receive side of the IEEE 802.15.4 radio transceiver 106, e.g., a sock energy filter. B. a BLE radio transmitter / receiver, to restore the sensitivity of the BLE radio transmitter / receiver, e.g. to -92 dBm.

[0021] The integration of switchable filter banks, i.e., 108 and 110, can solve the problem of interference and rock energy in a two-radio transceiver system. However, the inclusion of additional IEEE 802.15.4 radio transceivers operating simultaneously can introduce another dimension of problems to be resolved. In particular, the interference and rock energies of the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 104 can now interfere with the radio signals of multiple IEEE 802.15.4 radio transceivers located in a single physical device. The following sections describe a multiple radio transceiver system that provides a novel mechanism for allocating multiple radio channels to solve the above-mentioned problems and improve the performance of a device with multiple radio transceivers.

[0022] Fig. Figure 2 shows an exemplary block diagram of a system with multiple radio transceivers according to one embodiment. Fig. In the example shown in Figure 2, the device 202, e.g., an access point device or a connectivity gateway device, may comprise a plurality of radio transceivers, i.e., 204-1...204-N, wherein each radio transceiver is coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of switchable filter banks 206-1...206-N. Furthermore, each switchable filter bank is coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of antennas 208-1...208-N.

[0023] The device 202 may include a controller 210, which may include hardware components, e.g., application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), transistor logic, etc., and / or software components for managing switchable filter banks 206-1... 206-N and channel allocation for radio transceivers 204-1... 204-N.

[0024] The radio transceivers 204-2...204-N, e.g., Internet of Things (IoT) radio transceivers, may be different from the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 204-1 and may operate concurrently with the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 204-1 in the device 202. In particular, the radio transceivers 204-2...204-N may generate radio signals conforming to various variants of the 802.15 technical standard. Some of the variants of the IEEE 802.15 technical standard may include, for example, Bluetooth, BLE, ZigBee, Thread, etc.

[0025] Similar to Fig. 1, each switchable filter bank may comprise a bank of RF subband filters, i.e., a plurality of bandpass filters. Each RF subband filter may be tuned to a specific portion of the RF band. In addition, the switchable filter banks 206-1... 206-N may contain complementary filters (similar to the switchable filter banks in Fig. 1). Generally, the filters in the filter bank are activated when the effect of an active transmitter corresponding to one of the multiple radio transceivers, such as a Wi-Fi radio transceiver, is to be reduced.

[0026] Controller 210 can assign a specific radio channel to an IoT radio transceiver based on a function or application type associated with the IoT radio transceiver. For example, if the IoT radio transceiver 204-2 is connected to the ZigBee application (a wireless technology based on IEEE 802.15.4), the radio transceiver 204-2 can transmit and / or receive the ZigBee radio signal on channel 2405 MHz. In addition, the radio transceiver 204-2 can transmit and / or receive another ZigBee radio signal on channel 2420 MHz. If the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 204-1 transmits the Wi-Fi signal on channel 11 (2462 MHz), the sensitivity of the ZigBee radio transceiver 204-2 may be better on channels 2405 MHz and 2420 MHz than on channels above 2440 MHz. In other words, ZigBee radio channels in the middle of the radio spectrum have a narrower coverage area than radio channels at the end of the radio spectrum.However, if an application type associated with the ZigBee radio can meet a set of constraints even when using radio channels in the middle of the radio spectrum, the controller 210 may assign radio frequency channels in the middle of the radio spectrum to the ZigBee radio transceiver 204-2.

[0027] Therefore, depending on the application type and a set of constraints 212, the controller 210 may assign channels to different radio transceivers 204-2...204-N in the device 202. In particular, the controller 210 may calculate a value for a respective radio transceiver based on a set of constraints 212 associated with an application type of the radio transceiver under consideration. The set of constraints 212 may include an application constraint 212-1, a coverage area constraint 212-2, a duty cycle constraint 212-3, a frequency range existence constraint 212-4, a fidelity constraint 212-5, an error correction constraint 212-6, and other types of constraints 212-7 relevant to performing the channel assignment between the radio transceivers 204-2...204-N. Multiple allocation of radio frequencies based on a set of restrictions

[0028] In one embodiment, the controller 210 may assume that the frequency allocation for the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 204-1 is already known and a corresponding filter bank has already been configured. Alternatively, the channels associated with the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 204-1 may vary, and the filter bank 206-1 is configured accordingly. The controller 210 may apply a novel frequency allocation mechanism to assign channels to the IoT radio transceivers 204-2...204-N in the device 202 based on an application associated with the respective radio transceivers. In particular, the controller 210 may implement a scoring algorithm to prioritize applications based on a set of constraints 212, i.e., each application type may be scored differently based on a set of constraints 212. The constraints 212-2...212-7 are described below.

[0029] The application restriction 212-1 may indicate whether a contemplated application includes active transmit and / or receive data sessions with client devices or whether the application merely involves scanning received radio signals. For example, an application may track all devices in the vicinity of device 202 by continuously scanning the air for the presence of other devices. Such scanning may provide information about the presence of other devices and their location. If the application relates to asset tracking, the associated IoT radio transceiver may scan the air, e.g., every 10 minutes, to meet the application's requirements, rather than continuously scanning the air. On the other hand, if an application is intended to perform continuous monitoring, i.e.If every radio signal arriving at the IoT radio transceiver is detected, then the continuous air monitoring application may receive a higher value than the asset tracking application. Assigning a high value to a specific application may indicate that the application must meet critical conditions compared to other applications that must meet non-critical conditions.

[0030] The coverage area constraint 212-2 may specify a coverage area for a particular application type. For example, if the application type associated with an IoT radio transceiver specifies that radio signals should be received from devices within a short range, e.g., 10 feet, then even a sensitivity of -70 dBm is sufficient to successfully receive the radio signal. However, if the application type associated with the IoT radio transceiver specifies that radio signals should be received from devices far away, e.g., 100 feet, from the IoT transceiver, then the radio signal will be successfully received if the sensitivity of the IoT radio transceiver is designed to be better than -90 dBm. In one embodiment, the controller 210 may select the filters in each switchable filter bank, i.e., 206-1...206-N, strategically switch based on a level of receiver sensitization that can be tolerated for operation within desirable limits. In other words, the frequency allocation mechanism in controller 210 can implement application-based dynamic range to meet the requirements associated with the application type. Therefore, the coverage area associated with a particular application type can be relevant for allocating frequencies to different IoT radio transceivers. For example, controller 210 can assign a high value to an application type that requires a higher coverage area compared to other application types that require a lower coverage area.

[0031] The duty cycle limitation 212-3 may refer to a power amplifier's transmission time based on the performance requirements of an application type. For example, a short transmission duration may result in more flexible filtering requirements in the frequency domain, and vice versa. For example, if a Wi-Fi radio transceiver, e.g., 204-1, is actively transmitting, the active transmission time of other IoT radio transceivers and their corresponding application requirements may represent relevant parameters for performing channel allocation. In other words, if the Wi-Fi radio transceiver 204-1 is actively transmitting packets with a high duty cycle, e.g., 500 ms, this high duty cycle may result in limited options for performing channel allocation for other IoT radio transceivers, e.g., a BLE radio transceiver, a ZigBee radio transceiver, etc.On the other hand, if the duty cycle associated with Wi-Fi radio transceiver 204-1 is relatively low, controller 210 may have greater flexibility in allocating frequency channels in the radio spectrum to the IoT radio transceivers. Therefore, duty cycle constraint 212-3 is important because it may impact the transmission and / or reception of radio signals on IoT radio transceivers when the Wi-Fi radio transceiver is actively transmitting.

[0032] The frequency range restriction 212-4 may relate to the existence of a protocol in the frequency domain. For example, the device 202 may include three radio transceivers, i.e., Wi-Fi, BLE, and ZigBee radio transceivers, with the Wi-Fi radio transceiver transmitting on channel 1 at the frequency 2412 MHz. If the ZigBee radio is assigned the 2420 MHz channel, the ZigBee radio may remain on that channel until the controller 210 changes the channel assignment. Because the Wi-Fi radio transceiver transmits on 2412 MHz, the ZigBee radio signal on 2420 MHz may be significantly degraded due to the high energy level of the Wi-Fi radio signal overlapping with the ZigBee radio signal. In the case of BLE radios, BLE data communication can take place on different channels because BLE uses frequency hopping between channels, e.g., across all 40 channels in the entire radio spectrum.Because BLE provides the capability of channel hopping, the controller 210 can assign a Zigbee channel that is farther away from channel 1, thereby reducing the impact of the high-energy Wi-Fi radio signal on channel 1. Therefore, depending on whether an application type associated with an IoT radio transceiver has the ability to hop between channels or remain on a specific channel, the controller 210 can determine a value for the frequency range restriction 212-4.

[0033] Fidelity condition 212-5 may relate to an application's fidelity requirements. For example, a BLE asset tracking application may receive only one packet (or channel) out of three packets for each transmitted beacon, and this received packet may be sufficient to meet the asset tracking application's requirements. In other words, although the BLE asset tracking transceiver transmits a beacon on three frequencies, such as channel 37 (2402 MHz), channel 38 (2426 MHz), and channel 39 (2480 MHz), to obtain information about a device's location, receiving a single beacon in response to the three transmitted beacons is sufficient for the application to calculate the device's location.

[0034] The error correction constraint 212-6 may refer to an error correction capability in a radio protocol. Generally, radio protocols are equipped with different error correction capabilities; for example, some radio protocols have good error correction capabilities, while some have moderate to poor error correction capabilities. If the device 202 includes an IoT radio transceiver connected to a radio protocol that meets critical requirements, such as high fidelity, long range, etc., but the radio protocol lacks error correction capability, the controller 210 may assign a high value for the error correction constraint 212-6 in such a case. For example, the controller 210 may assign a frequency channel that is at the end of the radio spectrum where there is less interference from the Wi-Fi radio signal, or assign a frequency channel where error recovery is possible.However, for radio protocols with built-in error correction, the controller 210 may have additional degrees of freedom in allocating frequency channels. In other words, due to the enhanced error recovery capability of the radio protocol, the controller 210 may select a frequency channel that may be subject to interference from radio signals from neighboring radio transceivers. Therefore, the evaluation algorithm may evaluate the error correction constraint 212-6 based on how intelligent the radio transceivers are for a particular radio protocol. The present disclosure is not limited to constraints 212-1 through 212-6; the controller 210 may also include other constraints 212-7 relevant to performing frequency allocation for radio transceivers.

[0035] Fig. 3 shows two example tables with the value distribution for a set of constraints associated with a BLE application and a ZigBee application, respectively, according to one embodiment. Table 302 shows an example distribution of various values ​​and weights associated with a set of constraints for a BLE application for tracking objects. For example, for the BLE application for asset tracking, the coverage area 304 is considered an important constraint, which is why the evaluation algorithm may apply a value of 8.0 to the coverage area constraint and a weighting of 30% (shown in row 304 in Table 302). The evaluation algorithm may then calculate a weighted sum of the values ​​to generate a total weighted score 306 for the BLE application, i.e., an average weighted score of 6.2.

[0036] Table 308 shows an example of the distribution of the various values ​​and weights associated with constraints for a ZigBee room lighting application. Similar to the BLE asset tracking application, for example, the coverage area may also be an important constraint for the ZigBee room lighting application. Although the scoring algorithm may apply a lower value than for the BLE asset tracking application, the overall weight of 30% (shown in row 310 in Table 308) is identical. The scoring algorithm can then calculate a weighted sum of the values ​​to produce a weighted overall score 312, e.g., 4.7, for the ZigBee application.

[0037] For example, if a Wi-Fi radio transceiver is actively transmitting radio signals and BLE is to be added as a positioning radio and ZigBee as a lighting radio, BLE can receive a high score (as in Fig. 3), i.e., BLE has an average weighted overall score of 6.2, while ZigBee has a weighted score of 4.7. Since the BLE radio can broadcast across multiple channels, the system can assign the 2402 MHz channel or another channel where the performance criteria for the BLE asset tracking application are met. The system can assign a fixed channel to the ZigBee radio, such as 2440 MHz or 2435 MHz, based on a sensitivity requirement that must be met. The evaluation algorithm assigns a lower score of 4.7 to the ZigBee room lighting application because the ZigBee room lighting application may not have any critical requirements to meet. In other words, for the ZigBee room lighting application to operate successfully, a sensitivity even 20% lower than the desired sensitivity is sufficient.

[0038] In addition, depending on the application type, the evaluation algorithm may assign a high score to a radio if the coverage area is large, has a high duty cycle, has poor error correction capability, etc. On the other hand, the evaluation algorithm may assign a low score to a radio if the radio protocol utilizes channel hopping, has strong error correction capability, etc. Based on the scores and the average weighted total score, a multi-radio frequency allocation mechanism can strategically allocate frequencies to different radio transceivers operating simultaneously in a single physical device.

[0039] Fig. 4 shows a flowchart illustrating a process for performing multiple radio frequency assignment according to one embodiment. During operation, a system, e.g., a controller integrated with a device, may receive a Wi-Fi channel assignment and filter bank configuration associated with a Wi-Fi radio transceiver in a device. The system may then determine whether one or more IoT radio transceivers coexist with the Wi-Fi radio transceiver (operation 402). If the condition in operation 402 is not met, the process returns. In response to the system identifying one or more IoT radio transceivers coexisting with the Wi-Fi radio transceiver, the system may apply an evaluation algorithm to all IoT radio transceivers coexisting in the device (operation 404).The evaluation algorithm may determine a value for each constraint in a set of constraints based on an application type associated with a respective IoT radio transceiver. The evaluation algorithm may then calculate a weighted sum of the values ​​to determine a weighted total value for the respective IoT radio application type. Next, the system may identify a channel number or frequencies on which the Wi-Fi radio transceiver transmits radio signals, e.g., channel 1 at 2412 MHz, channel 6 at 2437 MHz, or channel 11 at 2462 MHz (operation 406).

[0040] If the system determines that a Wi-Fi radio transceiver is transmitting on channel 1, the system may assign an IoT radio transceiver with the highest score a channel located at the end of the 2.4 GHz radio band (operation 408). In other words, the IoT radio transceiver with the highest score may correspond to a radio application with the most critical requirements compared to the requirements of the other IoT radio application types. The system may then proceed to assign frequencies to other IoT radio transceivers based on their respective weighted average scores, e.g., in descending order of weighted average score, until the remaining radios are assigned (operation 410).

[0041] Specifically, in response to assigning a first IoT radio transceiver with the highest value a frequency at the end of the 2.4 GHz radio band, the system may identify a second IoT radio transceiver with the next highest value and assign a next frequency to the left of the frequency assigned to the first IoT radio transceiver. Similarly, the system may assign frequencies to the remaining IoT radio transceivers based on their respective values.

[0042] The system can only activate the filters in the filter banks when the Wi-Fi radio transceiver is actively transmitting. The system can then periodically monitor the device's performance and / or monitor an event trigger to reassign channels to the IoT radio transceivers (operation 420). When the system detects an event, the system can continue operation with the tag 402.

[0043] If the system determines that the Wi-Fi radio transceiver is transmitting on channel 6 (operation 406), the system may assign the IoT radio transceiver with the highest value to a channel at the end of the 2.4 GHz radio band (operation 412). In response to the system assigning a first IoT radio transceiver with the highest value a frequency at the end of the 2.4 GHz radio band, the system may identify a second IoT radio transceiver with the next highest value and assign it a next frequency to the left of the frequency assigned to the first IoT radio transceiver. Similarly, the system may assign frequencies to the remaining IoT radio transceivers based on their respective values ​​(operation 414). The system may then periodically monitor device performance and / or monitor an event trigger to reassign channels to the IoT radio transceivers (operation 420).In response to the system detecting an event, the system may continue operation with label 402.

[0044] If the system determines that the Wi-Fi radio transceiver is transmitting on channel 11 (operation 406), the system may assign the IoT radio transceiver with the highest value to a frequency channel at the beginning of the 2.4 GHz radio band (operation 416). In response to the system assigning a first IoT radio transceiver with the highest value a frequency at the beginning of the 2.4 GHz radio band, the system may identify a second IoT radio transceiver with the next highest value and assign a next frequency to the right of the frequency assigned to the first IoT radio transceiver. Similarly, the system may assign frequencies to the remaining IoT radio transceivers based on their respective values ​​(operation 418). The system can then periodically monitor the device's performance and / or monitor an event trigger to reassign channels to the IoT radio transceivers (operation 420).In response to the system detecting an event, the system may continue to operate with the label 402. Example computer system and device

[0045] Fig. 5 shows an exemplary computer system that enables the allocation of multiple radio frequencies, according to one embodiment. In this example, computer system 500 may include a processor 502, a memory 504, and a storage device 506. Computer system 500 may be coupled to peripheral input / output user devices 530, such as a display device 510, a keyboard 512, and a pointing device 514, and may also be connected to network 508 via one or more network interfaces. Storage device 506 may store instructions for an operating system 516 and a controller 518. Furthermore, the computer system 500 can communicate with a multiple radio circuit 532 comprising radio transceivers 534-1 ... 534-N with a corresponding set of filter banks 536-1 ... 536-N and a set of antennas 538-1 ... 538-N.

[0046] In one embodiment, controller 518 may include instructions that, when executed by processor 502, may cause computer system 500 to perform the methods and / or processes described in this disclosure. Controller 518 may include a communications module 520 to receive a Wi-Fi channel assignment and filter bank configuration associated with a Wi-Fi radio transceiver, such as a radio transceiver 534-1 in a multi-radio circuit 532. Controller 518 may also include instructions implementing a multiple-radio determination module 522 to determine one or more IoT radio transceivers present alongside the Wi-Fi radio transceiver in the multi-radio circuit 532.

[0047] Controller 518 may include a value determination module 524 that may apply a scoring algorithm to determine a set of values ​​corresponding to a set of constraints associated with an application type of a respective IoT radio transceiver, i.e., 534-2...534-N. Furthermore, the value determination module 524 may calculate a weighted sum of the values ​​for the set of constraints to determine a total weighted value for a respective IoT radio transceiver. Controller 518 may also include a channel allocation module 526 for strategically allocating frequencies to various radio transceivers 534-2...534-N based on their respective total weighted values ​​and the Wi-Fi channel allocation. Controller 518 may further include a filter module 528 for managing filter banks 536-1 through 536-N in multiple radio circuits 532.

[0048] The communications module 520 may further include instructions to periodically monitor the performance of multiple radio circuits 532, or it may monitor for the presence of an event trigger. In response to receiving an event trigger or determining that the performance of multiple radio circuits 532 has changed, the controller 518 may apply modules 522, 524, 526, and 528 to reassign channels to the radio transceivers 534-1...534-N.

[0049] Fig. Figure 6 shows an exemplary device that facilitates the allocation of multiple radio frequencies, according to one embodiment. The device 600 may include units 612-618 that perform similar functions or operations as the modules 520-528 of the computer system 500 in Fig.5. The device 600 may include a controller 610, which may further include a communication unit 612, a multiple radio device determination unit 614, a value determination unit 616, a channel assignment unit 618, and a filter unit 620. The device 600 may further include a multiple radio circuit 602 with multiple radio transceivers 604-1...604-N, with corresponding filter banks 606-1...606-N, and antennas 608-1...608-N.

[0050] An embodiment may provide a method and system for performing multiple radio frequency allocation. During operation, the system, including a controller, may receive a Wi-Fi channel allocation and a filter bank configuration associated with a Wi-Fi radio transceiver. The system may determine one or more Internet of Things (IoT) radio transceivers that operate with the Wi-Fi radio transceiver. For a respective IoT radio transceiver, the system may perform the following operations: determining a set of values ​​based on a set of constraints associated with an application type for the IoT radio transceiver; and calculating a weighted average value based on the set of values; and determining a channel allocation for the IoT radio transceiver based on the weighted average value and the Wi-Fi channel allocation.

[0051] In a variation of this embodiment, the system may rank the IoT radio transceivers based on a descending order of weighted averages, with each weighted average corresponding to an IoT radio transceiver. The system may then assign a radio channel in a 2.4 GHz radio band to a corresponding IoT radio transceiver based on the order of the IoT radio transceivers and a threshold number of radio channel assignments for a particular Wi-Fi channel assignment.

[0052] In a variation of this embodiment, the system may determine the set of values ​​based on the set of constraints associated with the application type for the IoT radio transceiver by applying one or more of the following operations: determining an application constraint value; determining a coverage area constraint value; determining a duty cycle constraint value; determining a frequency range constraint value; determining a fidelity constraint value; and determining an error correction constraint value.

[0053] In a variation of this embodiment, the system may determine the application limit value by: determining, based on the application type, a communication mode associated with the IoT radio transceiver, wherein the communication mode includes transmitting, receiving, or both; and determining the application limit value for the IoT radio transceiver based on the communication mode and the application type.

[0054] In a variation of this embodiment, the system may determine the coverage area restriction value by: determining a coverage area associated with the application type, wherein the coverage area provides insight into a desirable sensitivity for the IoT radio transceiver; and determining the coverage area restriction value for the IoT radio transceiver based on the coverage area.

[0055] In a variation of this embodiment, the system may determine the duty cycle constraint value by: determining a duty cycle associated with the IoT radio transceiver based on performance specifications for the application type, wherein the duty cycle provides insight into a set of filter specifications in the frequency range corresponding to the IoT radio transceiver; and determining the duty cycle constraint value based on the duty cycle and the application type.

[0056] In a variation of this embodiment, the system may determine the frequency range restriction value by: determining, based on the application type, a frequency range existence of a protocol associated with the IoT radio transceiver, wherein the frequency range existence of the protocol indicates whether the protocol allows channel hopping; and determining the frequency range restriction value based on the frequency range existence of the protocol.

[0057] In a variant of this embodiment, the system may determine the fidelity constraint value and the error correction constraint value by: determining the fidelity constraint value based on a fidelity associated with the application type; and determining the error correction constraint value based on an error correction capability of a radio protocol associated with the IoT radio transceiver

[0058] In another variant, the IoT radio transceivers can correspond to two or more IEEE 802.15.4 protocol-based radio transceivers.

[0059] In another variant, the Wi-Fi radio transceiver can use a 2.4 GHz UHF (Ultra High Frequency) radio band.

[0060] The methods and processes described in the "Detailed Description" section may be embodied as code and / or data stored in a computer-readable storage medium, as described above. When a computer system reads and executes the code and / or data stored on the computer-readable storage medium, the computer system executes the methods and processes embodied as data structures and code stored in the computer-readable storage medium.

[0061] Furthermore, the methods and processes described above can be integrated into hardware modules or devices. The hardware modules or devices can include, but are not limited to, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), dedicated or shared processors that execute a specific software module or piece of code at a specific time, and other known or later developed programmable logic devices. When activated, the hardware modules or devices execute the methods and processes contained within them.

[0062] The foregoing descriptions of embodiments are for purposes of illustration and description only. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of this disclosure to the forms disclosed. Accordingly, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

[1] A process comprising: Receiving, by a controller (210; 518; 610), a Wi-Fi channel assignment and a filter bank configuration associated with a Wi-Fi radio transceiver (204-1; 534-1; 604-1); Determining one or more Internet of Things (IoT) radio transceivers (204-2-204-N; ​​534-2-534-N; 604-2-604-N) that work with the Wi-Fi radio transceiver (204-1; 534-1; 604-1); for a corresponding IoT radio transceiver: Determining a set of values ​​based on a set of constraints (212) associated with an application type for the IoT radio transceiver; and Calculating a weighted average based on the set of values; and Determine a channel assignment for the IoT radio transceiver based on the weighted average and the Wi-Fi channel assignment. [2] The method of claim 1 further comprising: Ordering the IoT radio transceivers (204-2-204-N; ​​534-2-534-N; 604-2-604-N) based on a descending order of weighted averages, wherein each weighted average corresponds to an IoT radio transceiver; and Assigning a corresponding IoT radio transceiver with a radio channel in a 2.4 GHz radio band based on the order of the IoT radio transceivers (204-2-204-N; ​​534-2-534-N; 604-2-604-N) and a threshold number of radio channel assignments for a given Wi-Fi channel assignment. [3] The method of claim 1, wherein determining the set of values ​​based on the set of constraints (212) associated with the application type for the IoT radio transceiver comprises one or more of the following: Determining an application restriction value; Determining a coverage area restriction value; Determining a duty cycle limit value; Determining a frequency range restriction value; Determining a fidelity constraint value; and Determine an error correction constraint value. [4] The method of claim 3, wherein determining the application restriction value comprises: Determining, based on the application type, a communication mode associated with the IoT radio transceiver, wherein the communication mode comprises transmitting, receiving, or both; and Determine the application limit value for the IoT radio transceiver based on the communication mode and application type. [5] The method of claim 3, wherein determining the coverage area restriction value comprises: Determining a coverage area associated with the application type, wherein the coverage area provides insight into a desirable sensitivity for the IoT radio transceiver; and Determine, based on the coverage area, the coverage area restriction value for the IoT radio transceiver. [6] The method of claim 3, wherein determining the duty cycle limit value comprises: Determining, based on performance specifications for the application type, a duty cycle associated with the IoT radio transceiver, wherein the duty cycle provides insight into a set of filter specifications in the frequency range corresponding to the IoT radio transceiver; and Determine the duty cycle limit value based on the duty cycle and application type. [7] The method of claim 3, wherein determining the frequency range constraint value comprises: Determining, based on the application type, a frequency domain existence of a protocol associated with the IoT radio transceiver, wherein the frequency domain existence of the protocol indicates whether the protocol allows hopping across channels; and Determine the frequency domain constraint value based on the frequency domain existence of the protocol. [8] The method of claim 3, wherein determining the fidelity constraint value and the error correction constraint value comprises: Determining, based on a fidelity associated with the application type, the fidelity constraint value; and Determining, based on an error correction capability of a radio protocol connected to the IoT radio transceiver, the error correction constraint value. [9] The method of claim 1, wherein the IoT radio transceivers (204-2-204-N; ​​534-2-534-N; 604-2-604-N) correspond to two or more IEEE 802.15.4 protocol-based radio transceivers; and wherein the Wi-Fi radio transceiver (204-1; 534-1; 604-1) uses a 2.4 GHz UHF radio band. [10] A computer system (500) comprising: a processor (502); and a memory device (506) connected to the processor (502) and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor (502), cause the processor (502) to perform a method, the method comprising: receiving, by a controller (518), a Wi-Fi channel assignment and a filter bank configuration associated with a Wi-Fi radio transceiver (534-1); Determining one or more Internet of Things (IoT) radio transceivers (534-2-534-N) that operate with the Wi-Fi radio transceiver (534-1); for a corresponding IoT radio transceiver: Determining a set of values ​​based on a set of constraints (212) associated with an application type for the IoT radio transceiver; and Calculating a weighted average based on the set of values; and Determine a channel assignment for the IoT radio transceiver based on the weighted average and the Wi-Fi channel assignment. [11] The computer system (500) of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises: Ordering the IoT radio transceivers based on a descending order of weighted averages, where each weighted average corresponds to an IoT radio transceiver; and Assigning a corresponding IoT radio transceiver with a radio channel in a 2.4 GHz radio band based on the order of the IoT radio transceivers (534-2-534-N) and a threshold number of radio channel assignments for a given Wi-Fi channel assignment. [12] The computer system (500) of claim 10, wherein determining the set of values ​​based on the set of constraints (212) associated with the application type for the IoT radio transceiver comprises one or more of the following: determining an application restriction value; Determining a coverage area restriction value; Determining a duty cycle limit value; Determining a frequency range restriction value; Determining a fidelity constraint value; and Determine an error correction constraint value. [13] The computer system (500) of claim 12, wherein determining the application restriction value comprises: Determining, based on the application type, a communication mode associated with the IoT radio transceiver, wherein the communication mode comprises transmitting, receiving, or both; and Determine the application limit value for the IoT radio transceiver based on the communication mode and application type. [14] The computer system (500) of claim 12, wherein determining the coverage area restriction value comprises: Determining a coverage area associated with the application type, wherein the coverage area provides insight into a desirable sensitivity for the IoT radio transceiver; and Determine, based on the coverage area, the coverage area restriction value for the IoT radio transceiver. [15] The computer system (500) of claim 12, wherein determining the duty cycle constraint value and the frequency range constraint value comprises: Determining a duty cycle associated with the IoT radio transceiver based on performance specifications for the application type, wherein the duty cycle provides insight into a set of filter specifications in the frequency range corresponding to the IoT radio transceiver; Determining, based on the duty cycle and the application type, the duty cycle limit value; Determining, based on the application type, a frequency domain existence of a protocol associated with the IoT radio transceiver, wherein the frequency domain existence of the protocol indicates whether the protocol allows hopping across channels; and Determine the frequency domain constraint value based on the frequency domain existence of the protocol. [16] A device (600) comprising: a variety of Internet of Things (IoT) radio transceivers (604-2-604-N); a Wi-Fi radio transceiver (604-1); a plurality of switchable filter banks (606-1-606-N) coupled to corresponding IoT radio transceivers (604-2-604-N) and the Wi-Fi radio transceiver (604-1); a set of antennas (608-1-608-N) coupled to corresponding switchable filter banks (606-1-606-N); and a controller (610) coupled to the IoT radio transceivers (604-2-604-N) and the Wi-Fi radio transceiver (604-1), the controller (610) being configured to receive a Wi-Fi channel assignment and a filter bank configuration associated with the Wi-Fi radio transceiver (604-1); to designate one or more Internet of Things (IoT) radio transceivers (604-2-604-N) that work with the Wi-Fi radio transceiver (604-1); for a corresponding IoT radio transceiver: Determining a set of values ​​based on a set of constraints (212) associated with an application type for the IoT radio transceiver; and calculate a weighted average based on the set of values; and determine a channel assignment for the IoT radio transceiver based on the weighted average value and the Wi-Fi channel assignment. [17] The device (600) of claim 16, wherein the controller (610) is further configured to: to rank the IoT radio transceivers (604-2-604-N) based on a descending order of weighted averages, where each weighted average corresponds to an IoT radio transceiver to assign a respective IoT radio transceiver a radio channel in a 2.4 GHz radio band based on the order of the IoT radio transceivers (604-2-604-N) and a threshold number of radio channel assignments for a given Wi-Fi channel assignment. [18] The device (600) of claim 16, wherein the controller (610) is configured to determine the set of values ​​based on the set of constraints (212) associated with the application type for the IoT radio transceiver by performing one or more of the following: determining an application restriction value; Determining a coverage area restriction value; Determining a duty cycle limit value; determining a frequency range restriction value; Determining a fidelity constraint value; and Determine an error correction constraint value. [19] The apparatus (600) of claim 18, wherein determining the application restriction value comprises: Determining, based on the application type, a communication mode associated with the IoT radio transceiver, wherein the communication mode comprises transmitting, receiving, or both; and Determine the application limit value for the IoT radio transceiver based on the communication mode and application type. [20] The apparatus (600) of claim 18, wherein determining the coverage area constraint value, the duty cycle constraint value, and the frequency range constraint value comprises: Determining a coverage area associated with the application type, wherein the coverage area provides insight into a desirable sensitivity for the IoT radio transceiver; Determining, based on the coverage area, the coverage area restriction value for the IoT radio transceiver; Determining a duty cycle associated with the IoT radio transceiver based on performance specifications for the application type, wherein the duty cycle provides insight into a set of filter specifications in the frequency range corresponding to the IoT radio transceiver; Determining, based on the duty cycle and the application type, the duty cycle limit value; Determining, based on the application type, a frequency domain existence of a protocol associated with the IoT radio transceiver, wherein the frequency domain existence of the protocol indicates whether the protocol allows hopping across channels; and Determine the frequency domain constraint value based on the frequency domain existence of the protocol.

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