Single-Antenna Wireless Communication Window Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication devices face challenges in maintaining audio quality due to packet loss when using multiple communication protocols with the same or similar carrier frequencies, leading to poor performance during real-time communications.
Innovation Solution
A wireless communication device configuration that utilizes a single radio-frequency antenna to manage multiple communication protocols by employing separate processing units and a wireless communication unit to synchronize communication windows, minimizing interference and packet loss through an event signal mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a single radio-frequency antenna is used to communicate with multiple external devices using different protocols, then device compactness is improved, but packet loss occurs due to interference between protocols with same or similar carrier frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the communication process into separate communication windows for different protocols (e.g., Bluetooth and Wi-Fi). Each protocol is assigned specific time intervals where it can transmit or receive packets without interference from other protocols, thus preventing packet loss while using a single shared antenna.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic switching between different communication protocols by controlling the timing and duration of communication windows. The system can adaptively adjust the allocation of communication windows based on which protocol needs to transmit or receive data at any given moment, optimizing resource utilization while avoiding interference.
2Reliability
If multiple antennas are used to avoid packet loss during real-time communication, then audio quality is improved, but device size increases making it unsuitable for wearable applications
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple physical antennas, the patent segments the time domain into separate communication windows for different protocols. This temporal segmentation allows a single antenna to serve multiple protocols without interference, maintaining audio quality while avoiding the need for multiple antennas that would increase device size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a spatial solution (multiple antennas in different physical locations) to a temporal solution (multiple communication windows in different time intervals). By moving the differentiation dimension from space to time, the system achieves protocol isolation without increasing physical device dimensions.
3Reliability
If a switching mean is used to allocate antenna between protocols, then packet loss is reduced, but packet loss still occurs when both protocols need to transmit simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes communication windows in advance for each protocol, determining which protocol can transmit or receive during specific time intervals. This preliminary allocation prevents conflicts before they occur, ensuring that when one protocol needs to transmit, the antenna is already reserved for it, eliminating packet loss during simultaneous transmission attempts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic communication windows that alternate between different protocols. Each protocol is granted regular time intervals for transmission and reception, creating a rhythmic pattern of protocol activation that ensures fair resource allocation and prevents simultaneous transmission conflicts.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and wireless communication device use a first processing unit to perform a first communication event within a first communication window by use of a first communication protocol, a second processing unit to perform a second communication event within a second communication window by use of a second communication protocol, and a wireless communication unit connected to a radio-frequency antenna to transmit and/or receive a packet wirelessly. The first and second processing units may perform the first and second communication events via the wireless communication unit. The second processing unit or the wireless communication unit may transmit an event signal to the first processing unit when performing the second communication event or receiving a packet, respectively, to allow the first processing unit to arrange the first communication window (or first communication event) with respect to the second communication window (or second communication event) to minimize interference.