Supporting Virtually Simultaneous Operation of Dual Wireless Protocols in a Single Device

Abstract

Appearance of simultaneous connections is provided to devices that support two wireless protocols which are not permitted to operation simultaneously. As an example the method and systems disclosed are applied to the communication between a phone and a smartwatch wherein Bluetooth (BT) classic protocol is used for e.g. voice commands and phone calls and Bluetooth low Energy (BLE) protocol is used for data notifications. In a first embodiment of the disclosure automatic mode switching between BT and BLE is provided. In a second embodiment a dual-ID device utilizes separate IDs for both protocols in time multiplexed connections. It operates as logically independent devices with individual ID's although physically it is a single device.

1 . A system to provide appearance of simultaneous connections between two devices each supporting two different wireless communication protocols, which are not permitted to operate simultaneously, wherein the system comprises
 a first of the two devices utilizing dual separate communication protocol addresses for the two wireless communication protocols in time-multiplexed connection with a second of both devices, wherein the first device is configured to support both wireless protocols as a dual mode device, wherein the first device is configured to operate as two logical independent devices with independent addresses although it is a single physical device; and   the second of the two devices configured as dual wireless protocol master.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first device is configured to support slave operations for both wireless protocols. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first device comprises individual instantiations of all blocks related to each of both protocol addresses 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first device is a smartwatch and the second device is a phone. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless protocol is Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication protocol and the second wireless protocol is Bluetooth Classic (BT) protocol. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein BLE communication protocol is used for relative low power consuming operations. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the relative low power operations comprise data notifications generated by apps comprising emails, messages and news. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the BT protocol is used for voice applications. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the voice applications comprise voice commands and phone calls. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first device is configured to receive an external wireless event and a user action-triggered mode switch. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the user action-triggered mode switch is activated by pressing a button of the first device 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the external wireless event is an incoming phone call. 
     
     
         13 . A first device providing an appearance of simultaneous connections between two devices each supporting two different wireless communication protocols, which are not permitted to operate simultaneously, wherein the system comprises
 the first device utilizing dual separate communication protocol addresses for the two wireless communication protocols, wherein said first device is capable of having a time-multiplexed connection with the second device, wherein the first device is configured to support both wireless protocols as a dual mode device, and wherein the first device is configured to operate as two logical independent devices with independent addresses although it is a single physical device, and wherein said first device is able to be connected to said second device when said second device is configured as a dual wireless protocol master.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first device is configured to support slave operations for both wireless protocols. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first device comprises individual instantiations of all blocks related to each of both protocol addresses 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first device is a smartwatch. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first wireless protocol is Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication protocol and the second wireless protocol is Bluetooth Classic (BT) protocol. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein BLE communication protocol is used for relative low power consuming operations. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the relative low power operations comprise data notifications generated by apps comprising emails, messages and news. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the BT protocol is used for voice applications. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the voice applications comprise voice commands and phone calls. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first device is configured to receive an external wireless event and a user action-triggered mode switch. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the user action-triggered mode switch is activated by pressing a button of the first device