Patent ID: 8254365

Claim:
A method for maintaining timing across discontinuous activity gaps for a non-real time data interface, in a radio frequency (RF) IC, the method comprising: starting a first receive mode in the RF IC in response to receiving a first command from a base band (BB) IC; converting analog RF signals received by the first receive mode into a first stream of digital data samples at a defined sample rate; collecting the first stream of digital data samples in a first buffer; transmitting samples from the first buffer over the non-real time data interface to the BB IC at a first rate different from the defined sample rate as a transport mechanism is available; stopping the first receive mode in response to receiving a second command from the BB IC; placing dummy data samples in the first buffer, after the first stream of digital data samples, wherein the dummy data samples are placed at the defined sample rate; continuing to transmit the samples from the first buffer to the BB IC at the first rate as the transport mechanism is available, wherein the samples include the dummy data samples; re-starting the first receive mode in response to receiving a third command from the BB IC; converting analog RF signals received by the first receive mode into a second stream of digital data samples at the defined sample rate; discontinuing placing the dummy data samples in the first buffer in response to re-starting the first receive mode; starting to place the second stream of digital data samples in the first buffer after the dummy data samples; and continuing to transmit the samples from the first buffer to the BB IC at a second rate different from the defined sample rate as the transport mechanism is available.