1. A method for wireless communication, the method comprising:
scanning by a wireless communication device, a plurality of radio frequencies for beacon messages from a plurality of master communication devices, each of said plurality of master communication devices associated with one of a plurality of time-synchronous RF networks, to identify whether establishment of communication with at least one of said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks is possible;
selecting in accordance with a predefined criteria, a network associated with one of said beacon messages, wherein said selected network is one of said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks; and
establishing communication with said selected network by said wireless communication device.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks comprises a personal area network that supports data transfer rates up to 1 Mbitsec and a distance of up to 10 meters.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks comprises a Wireless Local Area (WLAN) network.
4. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring said wireless communication device to scan a first of said plurality of radio frequencies for a first network during a first scanning window and scan a second of said plurality of radio frequencies for a second network during a second scanning window.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said first scanning window comprises a first predefined time period and said second scanning window comprises a second predefined time period.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said first predefined time period is equal to said second predefined time period.
7. The method according to claim 5, comprising performing multiple scans during said first scanning window.
8. The method according to claim 7, comprising performing each of said multiple scans during said first scanning window for a predefined time period.
9. The method according to claim 5, comprising performing multiple scans during said second scanning window.
10. The method according to claim 9, comprising performing each of said multiple scans during said second scanning window for a predefined time period.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said predefined criteria comprises a user preference.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said predefined criteria comprises relative bandwidth.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said predefined criteria comprises relative quality of service (QoS).
14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said predefined criteria comprises relative content.
15. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring said wireless communication device to use a common portion of an RF radio front end to communicate with said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks.
16. The method according to claim 1, comprising sequentially scanning said plurality of radio frequencies for said beacon messages.
17. The method according to claim 1, comprising sequentially scanning said plurality of radio frequencies for said beacon messages using different radio interfaces.
18. The method according to claim 1, comprising sequentially scanning said plurality of radio frequencies for said beacon messages using different protocols for at least a portion of said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks.
19. The method according to claim 1, comprising sequentially scanning said plurality of radio frequencies for said beacon messages using different frequency hopping and modulation rate parameters.
20. The method according to claim 1, comprising sequentially scanning said plurality of radio frequencies for said beacon messages using different baseband processors.
21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said different baseband processors use a common RF radio front end to communicate with different ones of said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks.
22. The method according to claim 1, comprising sequentially scanning for an inquiry sequence from at least one of said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks.
23. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:
at least one circuit for use in a wireless communication device that enables scanning of a plurality of radio frequencies for beacon messages from a plurality of master communication devices, each of said plurality of master communication devices associated with one of a plurality of time-synchronous RF networks, to identify whether establishment of communication with at least one of said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks is possible;
said at least one circuit enables selection of a network associated with one of said received beacon messages, in accordance with a predefined criteria, wherein said selected network is one of said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks; and
said at least one circuit enables establishment of communication with said selected network by said wireless communication device.
24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks comprises a personal area network that supports data transfer rates up to 1 Mbitsec and a distance of up to 10 meters.
25. The system according to claim 23, wherein said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks comprises a Wireless Local Area (WLAN) network.
26. The system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one circuit enables configuration of said wireless communication device to scan a first of said plurality of radio frequencies for a first network during a first scanning window and scan a second of said plurality of radio frequencies for a second network during a second scanning window.
27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said first scanning window comprises a first predefined time period and said second scanning window comprises a second predefined time period.
28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said first predefined time period is equal to said second predefined time period.
29. The system according to claim 27, wherein said at least one circuit performs multiple scans during said first scanning window.
30. The system according to claim 29, wherein said at least one circuit performs each of said multiple scans during said first scanning window for a predefined time period.
31. The system according to claim 27, wherein said at least one circuit performs multiple scans during said second scanning window.
32. The system according to claim 31, wherein said at least one circuit performs each of said multiple scans during said second scanning window for a predefined time period.
33. The system according to claim 23, wherein said predefined criteria comprises a user preference.
34. The system according to claim 23, wherein said predefined criteria comprises relative bandwidth.
35. The system according to claim 23, wherein said predefined criteria comprises relative quality of service (QoS).
36. The system according to claim 23, wherein said predefined criteria comprises relative content.
37. The system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one circuit enables configuration of said wireless communication device to use a common portion of an RF radio front end to communicate with said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks.
38. The system according to claim 23, said at least one circuit enables sequential scanning of said plurality of radio frequencies for said beacon messages.
39. The system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one circuit enables sequential scanning of said plurality of radio frequencies for said beacon messages using different radio interfaces.
40. The system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one circuit enables sequential scanning of said plurality of radio frequencies for said beacon messages using different protocols for at least a portion of said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks.
41. The system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one circuit enables sequential scanning of said plurality of radio frequencies for said beacon messages using different frequency hopping and modulation rate parameters.
42. The system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one circuit enables sequential scanning of said plurality of radio frequencies for said beacon messages using different baseband processors.
43. The system according to claim 42, wherein said different baseband processors use a common RF radio front end to communicate with different ones of said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks.
44. The system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one circuit enables sequential scanning for an inquiry sequence from at least one of said plurality of time-synchronous RF networks.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A wireless communication device comprising:
a wireless communication unit that is configured to:
perform a wireless communication in a first mode using a first frequency band serving as a first communication channel; and
perform the wireless communication in a second mode using a second frequency band including the first communication channel and a second communication channel that is adjacent to the first communication channel;
a detection unit that is configured to:
monitor each of the first frequency band and the second frequency band;
output a first detection signal when an interference signal is detected in the first frequency band; and
output a second detection signal when the interference signal is detected in the second frequency band; and
a determination unit that determines whether the interference signal is in the first communication channel or in the second communication channel based on the first detection signal and the second detection signal.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines that the interference signal is in the second communication channel when the first detection signal is not output and the second detection signal is output from the detection unit.
3. The device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a first filter that filters a radio signal received by the wireless communication unit to output a first component of the radio signal corresponding to the first frequency band; and
a second filter that filters the radio signal to output a second component of the radio signal corresponding to the second frequency band,
wherein the detection unit comprises:
a first detector that is configured to detect the interference signal in the first component output from the first filter; and
a second detector that is configured to detect the interference signal in the second component output from the second filter.
4. A wireless communication device comprising:
a wireless communication unit that is configured to:
perform a wireless communication in a first mode using a first frequency band serving as a first communication channel; and
perform the wireless communication in a second mode using a second frequency band including the first communication channel and a second communication channel that is adjacent to the first communication channel;
an AD converter that converts a radio signal received by the wireless communication unit into a digital signal; and
a detection unit that monitors the digital signal to detect an interference signal in the first communication channel or the second communication channel,
wherein the detection unit comprises:
a frequency converter that converts a frequency of the digital signal using an oscillation signal having a given oscillation frequency to output a converted signal;
a filter that has a cutoff frequency that equals to the oscillation frequency and filters the converted signal to output a first component of the converted signal corresponding to the first communication channel and a second component of the converted signal corresponding to the second communication channel;
a measurement unit that measures a first intensity of the first component and a second intensity of the second component; and
a determination unit that determines the interference signal based on the first intensity and the second intensity.
5. A signal detection circuit comprising:
a frequency converter that converts a frequency of a digital signal using an oscillation signal having a given oscillation frequency to output a converted signal;
a filter that has a cutoff frequency that equals to the oscillation frequency and filters the converted signal to output a given component of the converted signal;
a measurement unit that measures an intensity of the component output from the filter; and
a detection unit that detects a pulse signal in the digital signal based on the intensity measured by the measurement unit.
6. The circuit according to claim 5, wherein the oscillation frequency equals to a reciprocal of a power of two of the frequency of the digital signal.