Dual mode radio for frequency division duplexing and time division duplexing communication modes

A system, comprising:

• a processor comprising:
• a multi-mode communication unit, wherein the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for a time based communication mode and a frequency based communication mode;
• a first RF/analog front end, wherein the multi-mode communication unit using the time based communication mode is provided at least in part using the first RF/analog front end;
• a second RF/analog front end, wherein the multi-mode communication unit using the frequency based communication mode is provided at least in part using the second RF/analog front end;
• and
• a communication interface coupled to the processor and configured to provide the communication interface with instructions,
• wherein the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for communication by operating a TDD Downlink (TDD DL) communication mode and a TDD Uplink (TDD UL) communication mode using a first carrier frequency, and one of a FDD Uplink (FDD UL) and a FDD Downlink (FDD DL) using a second carrier frequency;
• wherein a guard band subframe, using the first carrier frequency, is between a TDD DL subframe and a TDD UL subframe;
• and
• wherein the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for communication by operating the TDD Downlink (TDD DL) communication mode and the TDD Uplink (TDD UL) communication mode in an FDD Downlink (FDD DL) carrier frequency, using the first carrier frequency for FDD DL and TDD DL/UL, and using the second carrier frequency for FDD Uplink (FDD UL), and wherein within the first carrier frequency, using a TDM frame structure to separate FDD DL communications from TDD DL and TDD UL communications.

A method, comprising:

• executing a multi-mode communication unit, wherein the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for a time based communication mode and a frequency based communication mode, and wherein the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for communication using the time based communication mode and the frequency based communication mode based on a scheduling function to coordinate transmissions using a shared RF front end;
• executing a first RF/analog front end, wherein the multi-mode communication unit using the time based communication mode is provided at least in part using the first RF/analog front end;
• executing a second RF/analog front end, wherein the multi-mode communication unit using the frequency based communication mode is provided at least in part using the second RF/analog front end;
• and
• executing radio resource manager, wherein the radio resource manager performs at least in part the allocation of access to the shared RF front end for communication using the time based communication mode and the frequency based communication mode,
• wherein the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for communication by operating a TDD Downlink (TDD DL) communication mode and a TDD Uplink (TDD UL) communication mode using a first carrier frequency, and one of a FDD Uplink (FDD UL) and a FDD Downlink (FDD DL) using a second carrier frequency;
• wherein a guard band subframe, using the first carrier frequency, is between a TDD DL subframe and a TDD UL subframe;
• and
• wherein the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for communication by operating the TDD Downlink (TDD DL) communication mode and the TDD Uplink (TDD UL) communication mode in an FDD Downlink (FDD DL) carrier frequency, using the first carrier frequency for FDD DL and TDD DL/UL, and using the second carrier frequency for FDD Uplink (FDD UL), and wherein within the first carrier frequency, using a TDM frame structure to separate FDD DL communications from TDD DL and TDD UL communications.

A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

• executing a multi-mode communication unit, wherein the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for a time based communication mode and a frequency based communication mode;
• executing a first RF/analog front end, wherein the multi-mode communication unit using the time based communication mode is provided at least in part using the first RF/analog front end;
• executing a second RF/analog front end, wherein the multi-mode communication unit using the frequency based communication mode is provided at least in part using the second RF/analog front end;
• and
• executing radio resource manager, wherein the radio resource manager performs at least in part the allocation of access for communication using the time based communication mode and the frequency based communication mode,
• wherein the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for communication by operating a TDD Downlink (TDD DL) communication mode and a TDD Uplink (TDD UL) communication mode using a first carrier frequency, and one of a FDD Uplink (FDD UL) and a FDD Downlink (FDD DL) using a second carrier frequency;
• wherein a guard band subframe, using the first carrier frequency, is between a TDD DL subframe and a TDD UL subframe;
• and
• wherein the multi-mode communication unit allocates access for communication by operating the TDD Downlink (TDD DL) communication mode and the TDD Uplink (TDD UL) communication mode in an FDD Downlink (FDD DL) carrier frequency, using the first carrier frequency for FDD DL and TDD DL/UL, and using the second carrier frequency for FDD Uplink (FDD UL), and wherein within the first carrier frequency, using a TDM frame structure to separate FDD DL communications from TDD DL and TDD UL communications.