Patent Application
20200280354
The present disclosure relates generally to controlling the transmit path of a wireless communication device, and more particularly, to selective coupling of the transceiver to one of multiple antennas in support of the transmission of a wireless radio frequency signal.
Wireless communication devices are continuously integrating new and enhanced features, that leverage an ability to remotely transmit and receive data using wireless communication capabilities. As the features are added and/or enhanced, there often is a need to communicate wirelessly, an ever increasing amount of information/data in order to support the added and/or enhanced features of the device. This need for additional data throughput impacts both the overall operation of the network, as well as the data throughput relative to individual devices operating within the network.
The overall desire for higher data throughput for at least some cellular networks has led to at least some networks implementing support for Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) forms of communication, including for example 4×4 MIMO relative to one or more bands of operation, while simultaneously supporting carrier aggregation. MIMO is a method for expanding the capacity of a radio link using multiple transmit and receive antennas, where multipath propagation properties are used to distinguish between different sets of signaling sent simultaneously over the same radio channel via separate antennas. MIMO is distinct from other throughput enhancement techniques developed to augment the performance of a propagated data signal, such as a beamforming signal processing technique and/or a multiple antenna diversity scheme. Carrier aggregation allows a number of separate carriers to be combined into a single data channel to enhance the data rates and data throughput capacity relative to a particular user.
While many prior communication techniques combined the performance of a pair of antennas in support of a communication connection, a 4×4 MIMO technique expands this requirement for multiple antennas in support of a communication connection even further, so as to include at least four spatially distinct antennas. Such a requirement extends beyond the two spatially distinct antennas that supported prior signal diversity schemes. Correspondingly, some manufacturers have begun to integrate sets of antennas that incorporate individual respective antennas that each reside proximate a separate location around the device. For example, each of the four antennas can each separately reside proximate a corresponding one of the four corners of the device for use in receiving a 4×4 MIMO signal. In at least some instances, the device continues to transmit via a single transmit antenna.
However, it is possible that a particular one of the antennas assigned to transmit a signal can be at least temporarily compromised. For example, depending upon how a user is holding the device, the user's hand could come within proximity of one or more of the antennas. For example, in some instances, such as use in landscape mode, where multiple hands may be holding the device, it is possible for multiple antennas including antennas located at opposite sides of the device to be compromised. This can be particularly problematic, where the antennas are formed as part of an exterior metal housing.
When a user's hand encroaches upon and/or comes into contact with an antenna, for lower frequency signals, the hand can de-tune the antenna. In some of these cases, an antenna tuner can help to alleviate these concerns. However for higher frequency signal bands, the hand can absorb some of the energy, where an antenna tuner may be insufficient to fully recover from the corresponding adverse affects.
The present innovators have recognized that often there is an antenna among the various three or more spatially distinct antennas, that has not been compromised. Correspondingly by switching the transmit function to one of the uncompromised antennas, via a switch coupled to each of the three or more antennas, acceptable signal transmission performance may continue to be possible.
The present application provides an antenna switching circuit. The antenna switching circuit includes three or more antennas, and a switch coupled to each of the three or more antennas. The antenna switching circuit further includes a controller coupled to the switch, as well as a transceiver, which is coupled to each of the three or more antennas via the switch. Each of the coupled antennas is selectively associated with a different respective receive path of the transceiver, and the transceiver has a transmitter path that can be separately selectively coupled to any one of the three or more antennas via the switch under the control of the controller.
In at least one embodiment, the antenna switching circuit further includes one or more sensors, which can be used to detect the conditions in which one or more of the three or more antennas are at least temporarily excluded from being coupled to the transmitter path of the transceiver by the controller.
In at least a further embodiment, the controller monitors, on an ongoing basis, the one or more sensors, and adjusts where appropriate an exclusion by the controller of any one of the three or more antennas from being coupled to the transmitter path of the transceiver.
The present application further provides a method for switching a transmit path of a transceiver between three or more antennas. The method includes evaluating signal propagation characteristics for each propagation path respectively associated with conveying a signal between each of the three or more antennas and a separate remote communication partner. A selection is then made by a controller via a switch of a particular one of the three or more antennas to couple to the transmit path of the transceiver.
The present invention still further provides a wireless communication device. The wireless communication device includes an antenna switching circuit having three or more antennas, a switch coupled to each of the three or more antennas, and a controller coupled to the switch. The wireless communication device further includes a transceiver, which is coupled to each of the three or more antennas via the switch, where each of the coupled antennas is selectively associated with a different respective receive path of the transceiver, and wherein the transceiver has a transmitter path that can be separately selectively coupled to any one of the three or more antennas via the switch under the control of the controller.
These and other features, and advantages of the present disclosure are evident from the following description of one or more preferred embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described presently preferred embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. One skilled in the art will hopefully appreciate that the elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements with the intent to help improve understanding of the aspects of the embodiments being illustrated and described.
A base station 104 will generally have an expected associated area 108 of coverage, which defines the area over which wireless radio frequency signaling from the base station can generally reach. While the strength of wireless radio frequency signaling is generally affected by the range of transmission, within an expected area of coverage, terrain and/or other physical elements can impact the ability of the signaling to be perceived at particular locations within the expected area 108 of coverage. Depending upon the reception capabilities of the user equipment 102, the current signal strength of the signal being transmitted at a particular location will affect whether a particular user equipment 102 can send or receive data with a particular base station 104. As such, some networks 106 will make use of multiple geographically spaced apart base stations 104, to provide communication capabilities across a larger geographical area.
It is further possible that different base stations 104 can be more directly associated with different networks 106, which may interact with one another at different parts of the respective networks. The network(s) 106 can include any type of network that is capable of conveying signals between different associated elements of the network including the one or more user equipment 102.
In some instances, the user equipment 102 is generally a wireless communication device that could take the form of a radio frequency cellular telephone. However, the user equipment 102 could also take the form of other types of devices that could support wireless communication capabilities. For example, the different potential types of user equipment can include a tablet, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a netbook, a cordless telephone, a selective call receiver, a gaming device, a personal digital assistant, as well as any other type of wireless communication device that might be used to support wireless forms of communication.
The various networks 106, base stations 104 and user equipment 102 could be associated with one or more different communication standards. A few examples of different communication standards that a particular network 106 could support include Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), New Radio Access Technology (NR), Global Positioning System (GPS), Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11), as well as various other communication standards. It is possible that each network and/or associated element could support one or more different communication standards. It is also possible that different networks 106 can support one or more of the same standards. In addition, the wireless communication devices 102, base stations 104 and networks 106 may utilize a number of additional various forms of communication and communication techniques including beamforming, signal diversity, and simultaneous voice and data that concurrently enables the use of simultaneous signal propagation.
The exemplary electronic device, illustrated in
A user, however, can interact with a communication device 102 in multiple different ways. For example, a device 102 could be alternatively tilted and held using two hands 404, which could change the portions of the device with which a user's hand 404 might encroach.
In at least some instances, various antennas can be positioned so as to correspond with different spatially distinct locations around the device. In some of these instances, various antennas can be respectively located proximate different corners of a device. Depending upon how the device is being held, one or more of the antennas may come into proximity to one of the hands of the user.
The storage element 506 could include one or more forms of volatile and/or non-volatile memory, including conventional ROM, EPROM, RAM, or EEPROM. The possible additional data storage capabilities may also include one or more forms of auxiliary storage, which is either fixed or removable, such as a hard drive, a floppy drive, or a memory card or stick. One skilled in the art will still further appreciate that still other further forms of storage elements could be used without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. In the same or other instances, the controller 502 may additionally or alternatively incorporate state machines and/or logic circuitry, which can be used to implement at least partially, some of the modules and/or functionality associated with the controller 502 including all or portions of the claimed methods.
In the illustrated embodiment, the device further includes a transceiver 508, which is coupled to the controller 502 and which serves to manage the external communication of data including their wireless communication using one or more forms of communications. In such an instance, the transceiver 508 will generally be coupled to one or more antennas 510, via which the wireless communication signals will be radiated and received. For example, the transceiver 508 might include one or more transceiver, transmitter, and/or receiver sub-elements 512 for supporting wireless communications with various networks. Transceivers, receivers and/or transmitters for other forms of communication are additionally and/or alternatively possible. In the present instance, the transceiver 508 is coupled to the one or more antennas 510 via front end circuitry 513 and an N-pole, N-throw switch 511, which can help to facilitate the transceiver 508, and the various transmit and receive paths supported within the transceiver 508 interacting with various respective ones of the one or more antennas 510.
More specifically, the front end circuitry 513 and N-pole, N-throw switch 511 are intended to allow one or more transceiver ports to be selectively coupled to one or more ports associated with the various antenna elements. Front end circuitry can often include various sub-elements, such as power amplifiers, filters, diplexers, duplexers and switches, which help to facilitate the coupling of a produced signal to an antenna. The front end circuitry 513 can further include impedance matching elements, antenna tuners, and/or additional signal amplifiers, so as to more effectively manage the conveyance of signals between the transceivers and the antenna elements.
In the illustrated embodiment, the device can additionally include user interface circuitry 515, some of which can be associated with producing an output 516 to be perceived by the user, and some of which can be associated with detecting an input 518 from the user. For example, the user interface circuitry 515 can include a display 202 adapted for producing a visually perceptible output, which may further support a touch sensitive array for receiving an input from the user. The user interface circuitry may also include a speaker 206 for producing an audio output, and a microphone 208 for receiving an audio input. The user interface output 515 could further include a vibrational element. The user interface input 518 could further include one or more user actuatable switches 204, as well as one or more cameras 210. Still further alternative and additional forms of user interface elements may be possible.
In the illustrated embodiment, the device can still further include one or more sensors 520, which can be used for gathering status information relative to the operating environment as well as the manner in which the device is being used. For example, the one or more sensors 520 can include one or more of tilt sensors 522 and/or proximity sensors 524, which the device can use to detect the usage orientation, as well as the presence of nearby elements proximate the corresponding sensors. In turn, this information can be used to help determine how other elements of the device are controlled including to which ones of the antenna elements 510 a transmit path of the transceiver 508 might be coupled.
In turn, each of the output ports of the switch 611 is coupled to an antenna element 610 via an antenna tuner 630. In at least some instances, the antenna tuner 630 can compensate for at least some detuning of the antenna due to external factors, such as the contact and/or proximity of an external element relative to the corresponding antenna element 610 for signals having at least some frequencies, i.e. typically relatively lower radio frequency signals. Alternatively, the 4-pole, 4-throw switch 611 can be used to reroute the transmit path associated with the transmitter sub-element 612 away from antennas 610 that are deemed to be adversely affected by external factors. While an antenna is deemed to be adversely affected, the antenna can be excluded from being used with the corresponding transceiver 608 sub element having a transmit path.
In some cases, the determination of an antenna 610 being adversely affected can be determined through an analysis by the controller 502 of the readings of the one or more sensors 520. In other instances, the controller 502 can rely upon feedback signaling received from the intended destination, such as a network base station 104, to determine the extent that a particular antenna might be being affected. For example, a closed loop feedback path could be evaluated including a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) for each of the antenna elements 610 could be evaluated, and the element 610 producing the strongest signal at the intended destination could be selected. Such a check could be performed periodically to account for the possibility of changing circumstances. The output of the sensors might be monitored to control how frequently the closed loop feedback is checked.
The transceiver sub elements (receiver sub-elements 611 and transceiver sub-element 612 can each be coupled to one or more modems. The one or more modems can each be implemented as part of at least one of the one or more processors 503 of the controller 502. The controller/modem can further provide various control signaling which in turn can affect the performance of the duplexers 626 and receive filters 628, as well as the antenna tuner 630. The controller/modem can still further provide the control signal used by the 4-pole, 4-throw switch 611 to determine to which one of the antenna elements 610 the transmit path is to be currently coupled.
By taking advantage of the increase in the number of antenna elements that are included in support of enhanced signaling techniques, such as 4×4 MIMO, the instances in which a transmit path can be negatively affected by the manner in which the device is being used can be reduced. In turn this can improve transmitter functionality without necessarily resorting to increases in transmitter power, by routing transmit signal paths to antenna elements that are less likely to be experiencing current degradations in performance.
In some instances, the evaluation of the signal propagation characteristics are at least periodically repeated 706. When the propagation characteristics have changed, the particular one of the three or more antennas that is coupled to the transmit path of the transceiver is updated 708, where appropriate. In some instances, selecting by the controller includes a selection for coupling of the particular one of the three or more antennas, that is respectively associated with the propagation path having the smallest path losses.
While the preferred embodiments have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
