Method, System, and Apparatus for Coexistence of Plurality of Communication Technologies in Communication Device

Abstract

A method and system for enabling coexistence of a plurality of communication technologies in a communication device is provided. The method includes determining a time offset between a first communication event of a first communication technology of the plurality of communication technologies and a second communication event of a second communication technology of the plurality of communication technologies. The method further includes altering a first communication state of one or more of the first communication technology and the second communication technology to a second communication state based on one or more of the time offset and a plurality of parameters of one or more of the first communication technology and the second communication technology.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A base station, comprising:
 a transceiver configured to receive a communication message from a communication device that supports a first communication technology and a second communication technology; and   a processor configured to alter a first communication state of at least one of the first communication technology and the second communication technology to a second communication state responsive to the communication message.   
     
     
         2 . The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the communication message includes the second communication state. 
     
     
         3 . The base station of  claim 2 , wherein one of the first communication technology and the second communication technology is WiMAX, and wherein the communication message includes information regarding a listening window, a sleep window, and a start frame number. 
     
     
         4 . The base station of  claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to alter the first communication state to the second communication state beginning with a frame having a frame number equal to the start frame number. 
     
     
         5 . The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to send an acknowledgment of the second communication state to the communication device. 
     
     
         6 . The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the communication message includes a time offset between a first communication event of the first communication technology and a second communication event of the second communication technology. 
     
     
         7 . The base station of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to retrieve the second communication state from a database based on the time offset. 
     
     
         8 . The base station of  claim 6 , wherein the first communication technology is WiMAX and the second communication technology is Bluetooth. 
     
     
         9 . The base station of  claim 8 , wherein the time offset is between a beginning of a WiMAX downlink sub-frame and a Bluetooth eSCO reserved slot. 
     
     
         10 . The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication state and the second communication state each defines a respective sequence of availability and unavailability periods. 
     
     
         11 . A method for enabling coexistence of a first communication technology and a second communication technology in a communication device, comprising:
 receiving a communication message from the communication device; and   altering a first communication state of at least one of the first communication technology and the second communication technology to a second communication state responsive to the communication message.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the communication message includes the second communication state. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein one of the first communication technology and the second communication technology is WiMAX, and wherein the communication message includes information regarding a listening window, a sleep window, and a start frame number. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein altering the first communication state to the second communication state comprises altering the first communication state to the second communication state beginning with a frame having a frame number equal to the start frame number. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 sending an acknowledgment of the second communication state to the communication device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the communication message includes a time offset between a first communication event of the first communication technology and a second communication event of the second communication technology. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 retrieving the second communication state from a database based on the time offset.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first communication state and the second communication state each defines a respective sequence of availability and unavailability periods. 
     
     
         19 . A method for enabling coexistence of a first communication technology and a second communication technology in a communication device, comprising:
 receiving a time offset between a first communication event of the first communication technology and a second communication event of the second communication technology from the communication device; and   altering a first communication state of at least one of the first communication technology and the second communication technology to a second communication state responsive to the time offset.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 retrieving the second communication state from a database based on the time offset.