Cooperative transceiving between wireless interface devices of a host device

Abstract

A method and/or apparatus for cooperative transceiving between wireless interface devices of a host device includes processing that begins by providing an indication of receiving an inbound packet from one wireless interface device (e.g., Bluetooth compliant radio transceiver, IEEE 802.11 compliant radio transceiver, etc.) to another. The wireless interface device receiving the indication processes the indication and, based on the processing, transmits an outbound packet in accordance with the processing of the indication. For example, the wireless interface device receiving the indication may delay transmission until the other wireless interface device has received the packet, or, if transmission of the packet would not interfere with the receiving of the packet by the other wireless interface device, the wireless interface device receiving the indication would transmit its packet.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for cooperative transceiving between wireless interface devices of a host device, the method comprises: 
 providing, by one of the wireless interface devices, an indication of receiving an inbound packet to another one of the wireless interface devices;    processing, by the another one of the wireless interface devices, the indication; and    transmitting, by the another one of the wireless interface devices, an outbound packet in accordance with the processing of the indication.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing of the indication and the transmitting the outbound packet further comprise: 
 determining that the one of the wireless interface devices is receiving the inbound packet; and    delaying transmitting the outbound packet until the one of the wireless interface devices has received the inbound packet.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing of the indication and the transmitting the outbound packet further comprise: 
 determining whether the transmitting of the outbound packet would interfere with the receiving of the inbound packet;    when the transmitting of the outbound packet would not interfere with the receiving of the inbound packet, transmitting the outbound packet while the inbound packet is being received; and    when the transmitting of the outbound packet would not interfere with the receiving of the inbound packet, delaying transmitting the outbound packet until the one of the wireless interface devices has received the inbound packet.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one of the wireless interface devices transceives data packets in accordance with a Bluetooth standard and the another one of the wireless interface devices transceives data packets in accordance with an IEEE 802.11 standard.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprises: 
 adaptively adjusting frequency hopping by the one of the wireless interface devices to reduce interference.  
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprises: 
 optimizing packet size of the inbound packet and the outbound packet to minimize transmission time and reception time.  
 
     
     
         7 . A method for cooperative transceiving between wireless interface devices of a host device, the method comprises: 
 exchanging status messages regarding transmission and reception of packets by the wireless interface devices;    processing, by each of the wireless interface devices, received status messages; and    transmitting, by the each of the wireless interface devices, an outbound packet in accordance with the processing of the received status messages.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the exchanging the status messages further comprises: 
 providing a status message to another wireless interface device in response to a request.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the processing the status message and transmitting the outbound packet further comprise: 
 determining that another wireless interface device is currently receiving an inbound packet; and    delaying transmitting the outbound packet until the another wireless interface device has received the inbound packet.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the processing the status message and transmitting the outbound packet further comprise: 
 determining that another wireless interface device is expecting to receive an inbound packet; and    delaying transmitting the outbound packet until the another wireless interface device has received the inbound packet.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the processing the status message and transmitting the outbound packet further comprise: 
 determining that another wireless interface device is transmitting another outbound message; and    delaying transmitting the outbound packet until the another wireless interface device has transmitted the inbound packet.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the processing the status message and transmitting the outbound packet further comprise: 
 determining that another wireless interface device is expecting to transmit another outbound message; and    randomizing delaying transmitting the outbound packet in accordance with a random transmission protocol.    
     
     
         13 . A wireless communication device comprises: 
 host module;    first wireless interface device operably coupled to the host module, wherein the first wireless interface device transceives data between the host module and a first external device in accordance with a first wireless communication protocol;    second wireless interface device operably coupled to the host module, wherein the second wireless interface device transceives data between the host module and a second external device in accordance with a second wireless communication protocol; and    antenna section operably coupled to the first and second wireless interface devices to provide at least one radio frequency communication path between the first wireless interface device and the first external device and between the second wireless interface device and the second external device.    
     
     
         14 . The wireless communication device of  claim 13 , wherein the antenna section further comprises: 
 a first directional antenna operably coupled to the first wireless interface device; and    a second directional antenna operably coupled to the second wireless interface device.    
     
     
         15 . The wireless communication device of  claim 13 , wherein the antenna section further comprises: 
 at least two antennas; and    antenna switch operable to couple one of the at least two antennas to the first wireless interface device and to couple another one of the at least two antennas to the second wireless interface device.    
     
     
         16 . A method for cooperative transceiving between wireless interface devices of a host device, the method comprises: 
 determining, by a first wireless interface device of the wireless interface devices, whether a second wireless interface device of the wireless interface devices is transmitting a second outbound packet;    when the second wireless interface device is transmitting the second outbound packet, determining, by the first wireless interface device, whether transmitting a first outbound packet would interfere with the transmitting of the second outbound packet; and    when the transmitting of the first outbound packet would interfere with the transmitting of the second outbound packet, delaying transmitting of the first outbound packet until the second outbound packet has been transmitted.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprises: 
 when the transmitting of the first outbound packet would not interfere with the transmitting of the second outbound packet, transmitting the first outbound packet while the second outbound packet is being transmitted.  
 
     
     
         18 . A method for cooperative wireless communication by wireless interface devices of a host device, the method comprises: 
 determining, by a first wireless interface device of the wireless interface devices, whether a first communication between the first wireless interface device and a first peripheral wireless device is in conflict with a second communication between a second wireless interface device of the wireless interface devices and a second peripheral wireless device; and    when the first communication is in conflict with the second communication, resolving, by the first and second wireless interface devices, the conflict.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the determining the conflict further comprises at least one of: 
 determining whether concurrent transmissions by the first and second wireless interface devices would cause interference of the first communication or the second communication;    determining whether transmission by the first wireless interface device would interfere with reception by the second wireless interface device;    determining whether transmission by the second wireless interface device would interfere with reception by the first wireless interface device;    determining whether concurrent reception by the first and second wireless interface devices would cause interference of the first or second communication;    determining whether a host protocol prohibits concurrent communications by the first and second wireless interface devices; and    determining whether a priority protocol applies to communications with the first or second peripheral wireless device.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the resolving the conflict further comprises: 
 when concurrent transceiving by the first and second wireless interface devices causes interference of the first or second communication, determining, by at least one of the first and second wireless interface devices, whether transmission power can be reduced to substantially eliminate the interference; and    when the transmission power can be reduced to substantially eliminate the interference, adjusting the transmission power to substantially eliminate the interference.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the resolving the conflict further comprises: 
 when a priority protocol exists: 
 determining priority of the first peripheral wireless device to produce a first priority;  
 determining priority of the second peripheral wireless device to produce a second priority; and  
 prioritizing the first and second communication based on the first and second priorities.  
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the priority protocol further comprises at least one of: 
 user interface peripheral wireless devices have a higher priority than data transfer peripheral wireless devices;    real time communications have a higher priority than non-real time communications;    user defined priority list; and    default priority list.    
     
     
         23 . A wireless communication device comprises: 
 host module;    first wireless interface device operably coupled to the host module, wherein the first wireless interface device transceives data between the host module and a first peripheral wireless device;    second wireless interface device operably coupled to the host module, wherein the second wireless interface device transceives data between the host module and a second peripheral wireless device, wherein the first and second wireless interfaces devices function to: 
 determine whether a first communication between the first wireless interface device and the first peripheral wireless device is in conflict with a second communication between the second wireless interface device and the second peripheral wireless device; and  
 resolve the conflict when the first communication is in conflict with the second communication.  
   
     
     
         24 . The wireless communication device of  claim 23 , wherein the first and second wireless interface devices further function to determine the conflict by at least one of: 
 determining whether concurrent transmissions by the first and second wireless interface devices would cause interference of the first communication or the second communication;    determining whether transmission by the first wireless interface device would interfere with reception by the second wireless interface device;    determining whether transmission by the second wireless interface device would interfere with reception by the first wireless interface device;    determining whether concurrent reception by the first and second wireless interface devices would cause interference of the first or second communication;    determining whether a host protocol prohibits concurrent communications by the first and second wireless interface devices; and    determining whether a priority protocol applies to communications with the first or second peripheral wireless device.    
     
     
         25 . The wireless communication device of  claim 23 , wherein the first and second wireless interface devices further function to resolve the conflict by: 
 when concurrent transceiving by the first and second wireless interface devices causes interference of the first or second communication, determining, by at least one of the first and second wireless interface devices, whether transmission power can be reduced to substantially eliminate the interference; and    when the transmission power can be reduced to substantially eliminate the interference, adjusting the transmission power to substantially eliminate the interference.    
     
     
         26 . The wireless communication device of  claim 23 , wherein the first and second wireless interface devices further function to resolve the conflict by: 
 when a priority protocol exists: 
 determining priority of the first peripheral wireless device to produce a first priority;  
 determining priority of the second peripheral wireless device to produce a second priority; and  
 prioritizing the first and second communication based on the first and second priorities.  
   
     
     
         27 . The wireless communication device of  claim 23 , wherein the priority protocol further comprises at least one of: 
 user interface peripheral wireless devices have a higher priority than data transfer peripheral wireless devices;    real time communications have a higher priority than non-real time communications;    user defined priority list; and    default priority list.