Simultaneous operation of multiple communications protocols

Patent No. US9743421 (titled "Simultaneous operation of multiple communications protocols") on Dec 3, 2014. The application was issued on Aug 22, 2017.

'421 is related to the field of digital communications, specifically the simultaneous operation of multiple communications protocols within a network. The background involves computing devices needing specialized hardware for each protocol, which increases manufacturing costs and power consumption. The invention addresses this by enabling a single device to coordinate multiple protocols without needing to constantly re-initialize software stacks.

The underlying idea behind '421 is to allow a coordinator device to communicate with devices using different protocols concurrently by adapting the timing of one protocol to accommodate the timing of another. This involves determining the frame period of a first protocol (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy) and then adjusting the frame period and timing of a second protocol (e.g., 802.15.4) to align with the communication events of the first. The key is to allocate portions of the second protocol's frame for the first protocol's communication, ensuring they don't interfere with beacon signals or contention periods.

The claims of '421 focus on a method, a network communication device, and a computer-readable medium that enable the simultaneous operation of a first and second communication protocol. Specifically, the claims cover establishing a connection with a first device using the first protocol, determining its frame period, selecting a ratio of communication events to data frames of the second protocol, selecting a second frame period based on this ratio (including delaying a beacon signal), and allocating portions of the second frame period for communication using the first protocol.

In practice, the coordinator device acts as a central hub, communicating with devices using different protocols. It determines the frame period of a protocol like BLE, which might be dictated by a master device. Based on this, it adjusts the frame period of a protocol like 802.15.4, ensuring that the BLE communication events occur during the contention-free periods of the 802.15.4 frames. This might involve adjusting the length of time slots, adding dead time, or shifting the frames of the 802.15.4 protocol.

A key differentiation from prior approaches is the ability to operate multiple protocols simultaneously without constantly switching software stacks. This is achieved by intelligently adapting the timing of one protocol to accommodate another. For example, the coordinator device might delay a beacon signal in the 802.15.4 protocol to ensure that a BLE communication event doesn't overlap with it. The coordinator device also allocates a communication window within the 802.15.4 frame, including leading and trailing buffers for software stack switching, ensuring seamless communication across different protocols and enabling devices using a low-power protocol to communicate with an external network through the coordinator device.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical Landscape

In the mid-2010s when ’421 was filed, multi-protocol digital communication was typically implemented using discrete hardware components for each individual protocol, where a central processor managed coordination between isolated radio subsystems. This was a time when systems commonly relied on dedicated physical transceivers to maintain concurrent connections rather than unified timing-based resource allocation across disparate protocol stacks. Hardware and software constraints made the simultaneous operation of multiple protocols on shared resources non-trivial, as switching between protocols often required the re-initialization of software stacks and precise synchronization to avoid frame collisions or latency issues.

Prosecution Position

Following the filing of this application, the applicant amended the claims and submitted arguments to address outstanding rejections. The examiner subsequently issued a Final Office Action rejecting several claims under 35 U.S.C. § 101, asserting that the claimed invention was directed to an abstract idea without sufficient additional elements to constitute an inventive concept. While the examiner indicated that certain dependent claims would be allowable if rewritten in independent form, the prosecution record does not describe the specific technical reasoning or claim changes that ultimately led to the allowance of the application.

Claims

This patent contains 21 claims, of which claims 1, 11, and 15 are independent. The independent claims are directed to a method, a network communication device, and a computer-readable medium, respectively, all relating to operating a first communication protocol within a network using a second communication protocol by adjusting frame periods and allocating portions for communication. The dependent claims generally elaborate on the specifics of the method, device, and medium, adding details and features to the core concepts defined in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)	Support for Specification	Interpretation
Coordinator device (Claim 1)	Using techniques described herein, a processor-based device such as a dedicated coordinator device may operate two or more communications protocols simultaneously, without being required to re-initialize software stacks for each protocol when switching. By adapting one communications protocol to the other protocol through timing coordination and/or timing adjustments, the coordinator device may permit connected devices to communicate across different protocols. In some embodiments, devices using a first protocol may be coupled to an external network, such that adapting the first protocol provides an uplink for the second protocol-based devices to communicate with the external network.	A device within the network that manages the communication between the first and second processing devices using the first and second communication protocols.
Delaying a beacon signal (Claim 1, Claim 11, Claim 15)	Using techniques described herein, a processor-based device such as a dedicated coordinator device may operate two or more communications protocols simultaneously, without being required to re-initialize software stacks for each protocol when switching. By adapting one communications protocol to the other protocol through timing coordination and/or timing adjustments, the coordinator device may permit connected devices to communicate across different protocols. In some embodiments, devices using a first protocol may be coupled to an external network, such that adapting the first protocol provides an uplink for the second protocol-based devices to communicate with the external network.	A process of postponing the transmission of a beacon signal for at least one of the plurality of data frames.
First frame period (Claim 1, Claim 11, Claim 15)	Embodiments are generally directed to a method, network communication device, and computer program product that may perform simultaneous operation of a plurality of communications protocols including first and second communications protocols. The method includes determining a first frame period for communicating with a first processing device using the first communications protocol, selecting, based on the first frame period, a second frame period for communicating with a second processing device using the second communications protocol, and allocating a portion of the second frame period for communicating with the first processing device using the first communications protocol.	A duration of time associated with the first communication protocol.
Ratio of predefined communication events (Claim 1, Claim 11, Claim 15)	By adapting one communications protocol to the other protocol through timing coordination and/or timing adjustments, the coordinator device may permit connected devices to communicate across different protocols. In some embodiments, devices using a first protocol may be coupled to an external network, such that adapting the first protocol provides an uplink for the second protocol-based devices to communicate with the external network. The coordinator device may thus support a flexible network implementation for dynamically adding new devices using various communications protocols.	A ratio of communication events of the first communication protocol to data frames of the second communication protocol, selected based on the first frame period.
Second frame period (Claim 1, Claim 11, Claim 15)	Embodiments are generally directed to a method, network communication device, and computer program product that may perform simultaneous operation of a plurality of communications protocols including first and second communications protocols. The method includes determining a first frame period for communicating with a first processing device using the first communications protocol, selecting, based on the first frame period, a second frame period for communicating with a second processing device using the second communications protocol, and allocating a portion of the second frame period for communicating with the first processing device using the first communications protocol.	A duration of time for data frames communicated using the second communication protocol, selected based on the first frame period.

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Case Number	Filing Date	Title
2:25-cv-00559	Jul 14, 2025	S A International V. Xante

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US9743421

Application Number: US14558971A
Filing Date: Dec 3, 2014
Publication Date: Aug 22, 2017
External Links: Slate, USPTO, Google Patents

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