Wireless Terminal Time Slot Allocation for Interference Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless terminals operating multiple communication protocols like WLAN, WiMAX, and Bluetooth often experience interference due to overlapping frequency bands, leading to mutual interference and disrupted communication when used simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for coordinating time slots and intervals in a wireless terminal to allow concurrent operation of WLAN, WiMAX, and Bluetooth connections without overlap, using a coexistence processor to allocate time slots and intervals based on a predetermined super-frame structure, prioritizing Bluetooth links to reduce latency and jitter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple wireless communication protocols (WLAN, WiMAX, Bluetooth) operate simultaneously in the same terminal, then communication versatility is improved, but mutual interference between protocols increases due to overlapping frequency bands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication timeline into distinct time slots for different protocols. A time slot allocation mechanism divides the communication period into non-overlapping intervals, assigning specific slots to WLAN, WiMAX, and Bluetooth operations. This temporal segmentation allows multiple protocols to share the same frequency band without mutual interference, resolving the contradiction between versatility and interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic time slot allocation where WLAN, WiMAX, and Bluetooth operations cycle through predetermined time intervals. The system uses periodic beacon signals and synchronized frame structures to manage the periodic switching between protocols, ensuring that each protocol operates in its allocated period without interfering with others, thus enabling simultaneous operation without mutual interference.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If time slots are allocated for multiple protocols, then interference is reduced, but communication latency increases due to time sharing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic time slot allocation where the allocation pattern can be adjusted based on traffic conditions and protocol requirements. The system dynamically modifies time slot durations and allocation patterns to optimize between interference avoidance and latency minimization, allowing flexible adaptation to different communication scenarios while maintaining low latency through efficient time sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary time slot allocation where time frames and slots are pre-configured before actual data transmission begins. The system establishes the time slot structure in advance, allowing protocols to prepare their transmissions according to the predetermined schedule, which reduces latency by eliminating the need for real-time negotiation and ensures predictable communication timing.
3Reliability
If Bluetooth links are prioritized to reduce latency and jitter, then voice communication quality is improved, but time slots available for other protocols are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality differentiation by assigning higher priority and more flexible time slot allocation to Bluetooth voice communications compared to other protocols. The system treats different protocol needs differently, ensuring that voice-sensitive Bluetooth links receive guaranteed time slots with minimal latency, while other protocols share remaining slots based on their specific requirements, thus improving voice quality without completely restricting other protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication method includes establishing a first communication session over a first connection between a wireless terminal and a base station (BS) of a long-range wireless data network, which operates in accordance with a first protocol that defines a sequence of time frames. Based on the time frames defined by the BS, time slots are allocated for establishing a second communication session over a second connection between the wireless terminal and a peripheral wireless device, which operates in accordance with a second, short-range time-slotted communication protocol different from the first protocol.Time intervals are allocated within the time frames for communication between the BS and the wireless terminal over the first connection, such that the allocated time intervals are interleaved with and do not overlap the allocated time slots. The first and second communication sessions are concurrently conducted in the allocated time intervals and the assigned time slots, respectively.