Apparatus supporting multi-radio coexistence

Abstract

An apparatus supporting multi-radio coexistence is provided. The apparatus is configured to support coexistence between multiple transceiver circuits configured to communicate radio frequency (RF) signals in a shared RF medium. In examples discussed herein, one transceiver circuit asserts a medium access request via a standard-defined coexistence interface for communicating an RF signal in the shared RF medium. The transceiver circuit may be configured to assert or de-assert the medium access request in response to a variety of trigger events. Depending on whether the medium access request is granted, the transceiver circuit may start communicating the RF signal in the shared RF medium in different modes. As such, it may be possible to reduce medium access delay for the transceiver circuit requesting to access the shared RF medium, while protecting the transceiver circuit currently occupying the shared RF medium from undue interruption and interference.

1 . A multi-radio apparatus comprising:
 a first transceiver circuit configured to communicate a first radio frequency (RF) signal in a shared RF medium;   a standard-defined coexistence interface coupled to the first transceiver circuit; and   a second transceiver circuit coupled to the standard-defined coexistence interface and configured to:
 assert a medium access request via the standard-defined coexistence interface for communicating a second RF signal in the shared RF medium in response to a first trigger event; 
 transmit the second RF signal in a first mode in response to a medium access grant for the medium access request being asserted via the standard-defined coexistence interface; 
 transmit the second RF signal in a second mode in response to the medium access grant for the medium access request not being asserted; and 
 de-assert the medium access request in response to a second trigger event. 
   
     
     
         2 . The multi-radio apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first trigger event corresponds to reception of a preamble/start-frame delimiter (SFD) of an incoming packet in the second RF signal. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-radio apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first trigger event corresponds to reception of a ZigBee cluster library (ZCL) request. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-radio apparatus of  claim 1  wherein, in the first mode, the second transceiver circuit is further configured to cause the second RF signal to be amplified prior to transmission in the shared RF medium in the first mode. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-radio apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second transceiver circuit is further configured to cause the second RF signal to not be amplified prior to transmission in the shared RF medium in the second mode. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-radio apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second transceiver circuit is further configured to cause the second RF signal to be attenuated prior to transmission in the shared RF medium in the second mode. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-radio apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second transceiver circuit is further configured to:
 de-assert the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of transmitting an acknowledge (ACK) packet in the shared RF medium after receiving an incoming packet in the second RF signal; 
 de-assert the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of receiving the ACK packet in the shared RF medium after transmitting an outgoing packet in the second RF signal; 
 de-assert the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of an expiration of a predefined time-out timer; 
 de-assert the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of a detection of an invalid incoming packet received in the second RF signal; and 
 de-assert the medium access request in response to receiving a ZigBee cluster library (ZCL) response. 
 
     
     
         8 . The multi-radio apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second transceiver circuit is further configured to de-assert the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of transmitting an acknowledge (ACK) packet in the shared RF medium after receiving an incoming packet in the second RF signal. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-radio apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second transceiver circuit is further configured to de-assert the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of receiving an acknowledge (ACK) packet in the shared RF medium after transmitting an outgoing packet in the second RF signal. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-radio apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second transceiver circuit is further configured to de-assert the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of an expiration of a predefined time-out timer. 
     
     
         11 . The multi-radio apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the second transceiver circuit is further configured to de-assert the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of detection of an invalid incoming packet received in the second RF signal. 
     
     
         12 . A method for supporting coexistence between a first transceiver circuit configured to communicate a first radio frequency (RF) signal and a second transceiver circuit configured to communicate a second RF signal in a shared RF medium comprising:
 asserting a medium access request for communicating the second RF signal in the shared RF medium in response to a first trigger event;   transmitting the second RF signal in a first mode in response to a medium access grant for the medium access request being asserted;   transmitting the second RF signal in a second mode in response to the medium access grant for the medium access request not being asserted; and   de-asserting the medium access request in response to a second trigger event.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising asserting the medium access request in response to detecting a preamble/start-frame delimiter (SFD) of an incoming packet in the second RF signal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising asserting the medium access request in response to receiving a ZigBee cluster library (ZCL) request. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising causing the second RF signal to be amplified prior to transmission in the shared RF medium in the first mode. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising causing the second RF signal to not be amplified prior to transmission in the shared RF medium in the second mode. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising causing the second RF signal to be attenuated prior to transmission in the shared RF medium in the second mode. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 de-asserting the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of transmitting an acknowledge (ACK) packet in the shared RF medium after receiving an incoming packet in the second RF signal; 
 de-asserting the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of receiving the ACK packet in the shared RF medium after transmitting an outgoing packet in the second RF signal; 
 de-asserting the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of an expiration of a predefined time-out timer; 
 de-asserting the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of a detection of an invalid incoming packet received in the second RF signal; and 
 de-asserting the medium access request in response to receiving a ZigBee cluster library (ZCL) response. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising de-asserting the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of transmitting an acknowledge (ACK) packet in the shared RF medium after receiving an incoming packet in the second RF signal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising de-asserting the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of receiving an acknowledge (ACK) packet in the shared RF medium after transmitting an outgoing packet in the second RF signal. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising de-asserting the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of an expiration of a predefined time-out timer. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising de-asserting the medium access request in response to the second trigger event indicative of a detection of an invalid incoming packet received in the second RF signal.