Dual Radio Interface Background Scanning for Wireless Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current 802.11 wireless devices with single antennas must suspend data traffic to perform background scanning, significantly impacting data throughput, which is counterproductive to the goal of increasing throughput in the proposed 802.11n standard using MIMO technology.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a background scan process in wireless devices with at least two independent radio interfaces, allowing simultaneous data transfer on one interface and scan data reception on another, thereby minimizing the disruption to data traffic.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single antenna is used for background scanning, then the device can detect available access points, but data traffic must be suspended causing reduced data throughput

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess point detection capabilityVSAvoiddata throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the radio interface into multiple independent radio interfaces, allowing one interface to handle data traffic while another performs background scanning. This segmentation eliminates the need to suspend data traffic for scanning, as each radio interface operates independently on different channels simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling the wireless device to perform both data transmission and background scanning operations simultaneously through multiple radio interfaces. Each interface can be configured for different functions (data channel vs. scan channel), allowing the device to maintain data throughput while performing scanning operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If data traffic is suspended for background scanning, then complete channel scanning can be performed, but data transfer is completely stopped during scanning periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescan data reception accuracyVSAvoiddata transfer interruption time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent ensures continuous data transfer by using multiple radio interfaces that operate simultaneously. While one interface performs background scanning, the other maintains uninterrupted data traffic flow. This eliminates the start-stop pattern of traditional scanning and maintains continuous useful action for data transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a dimensional aspect by introducing multiple radio interfaces operating on different channels simultaneously. Instead of time-sequential operations (scan then data), the system uses spatial/channel parallelism, where data and scan operations occur in different dimensional spaces (different radio channels) at the same time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS9020552B1Background scan process for wireless devices

Publication Date: 2015.04.28 MARVELL ASIA PTE LTD

AI summary

An apparatus includes a first wireless interface that includes a first antenna and a second wireless interface that includes a second antenna. The apparatus is configured to, in a first mode, exchange data with a first wireless access point using both the first wireless interface and the second wireless interface. The apparatus is configured to, in a second mode, (i) exchange data with the first wireless access point using the first wireless interface but not the second wireless interface, and (ii) scan for a second wireless access point using the second wireless interface.