Patent ID: 7643463

Claim:
A method of implementing a dual-mode radio (DMR) in a wireless communication system, wherein the communication system includes a plurality of dual-mode radios, and wherein the DMR includes a Bluetooth™ radio, an 802.11 radio, and an antenna, and wherein the Bluetooth™ radio is in communication with a Bluetooth™ medium access control (MAC), and wherein the 802.11 radio is in communication with an 802.11 MAC, comprising the acts of: (a) determining whether a Bluetooth™ event is a low-priority event or a high-priority event; (b) operating the Bluetooth™ radio in an unprotected mode of operation if the Bluetooth™ event is a low-priority event; (c) operating the Bluetooth™ radio in a protected mode of operation if the Bluetooth™ event is a high-priority event; and (d) returning to the act (a); wherein the 802.11 radio is disabled while the Bluetooth™ radio transmits and receives data in a protected mode of operation; and wherein the Bluetooth™ radio disables transmissions by the 802.11 radio during the act (c).