Patent Application
20090284416
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system wireless networking, and more particularly to a system and method for configurable information handling system wireless network antenna.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling system manufacturers have succeeded over time in packaging increased processing capabilities in smaller chassis sizes. In particular, this trend has resulted in ever more powerful portable information handling systems. The processing capability of portable information handling systems has increased to the point where many end users have replaced desktop information handling systems with portable systems. Portable information handling systems typically have an integrated power source, such as a battery, an integrated display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), and an integrated keyboard so that an end user can carry the system and use the system free from any physical connections, such as electrical outlets or peripheral cables. In order to provide networking capability, portable information handling systems often include integrated wireless devices that support communication through wireless local area networks (WLAN), such as 802.11 b, g and n compliant networks, through wireless wide area networks (WWAN), such as cellular telephone networks, through Bluetooth, though ultrawide bandwidth (UWB) and or through WiMax. Wireless networking technology has made portable information handling systems an attractive alternative for end users who can communicate through the Internet from virtually anywhere.
One difficulty with wireless networking on a portable information handling system is that the various wireless networking technologies use different frequency bands and channels to communicate. In order to have optimal communication through a wireless network, an information handling system typically must have an antenna design capable of supporting each of the frequencies for the underlying wireless networks. Thus, integrating multiple wireless devices into a portable information handling system typically requires an antenna structure for each wireless device class. Integrating multiple antenna systems into an information handling system chassis increases design complexity and presents difficulty with portable information handling systems having small chassis sizes. An alternative is to limit the number of wireless frequencies that a portable information handling system supports, however, this has a negative impact on end user satisfaction. The challenge is to have design flexibility and support in the system to adapt and operate across multiple frequency bands to support multiple use cases. End users have come to expect that multiple wireless classes will be supported by an information handling system's integrated wireless networking subsystem.
Therefore a need has arisen for a system and method which supports multiple wireless device classes through a common antenna array structure with a smart antenna system.
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are provided which substantially reduce the disadvantages and problems associated with previous methods and systems for integrating multiple wireless components into an information handling system that use multiple antennas. A common antenna supports plural wireless components by selectively configuring antenna segments of the antenna to support each wireless component. The antenna segments are selectively interfaced with the wireless component to form an antenna configuration having a conductive path that supports the interfaced wireless component.
More specifically, an information handling system has plural processing components to process information and one or more integrated wireless components to wirelessly communicate information with one or more wireless communication devices. For example, a wireless transceiver has a first component that supports wireless local area networks, such as 802.11 b, g and n compliant networks operating in a first frequency band, and a second component that supports wireless wide area networks, such as with cellular telephone communications in a different frequency band. A connection manager determines a wireless component of the information handling system for communication with an external wireless communication device, such as a wireless access point or cellular telephone tower, and configures one or more integrated antennas to support the communication. The antenna system array has plural segments arranged in a grid with each segment selectively interfaced with the wireless component by a connection device, such as a switch or a MEMS device. For example, an array of MEMS devices disposed in the grid selectively interfaces antenna segments with the wireless component to form a conductive transmission path that supports the frequency bands associated with the wireless component. The connection manager, such as a software module running on processing components of the information handling system, adjusts the conductive path to support optimal communication, such as with beam and null steering.
The present invention provides a number of important technical advantages. One example of an important technical advantage is that a common antenna array structure provides support for multiple wireless device classes that communicate through a variety of frequency bands. A universal connection manager adjusts a common antenna array structure using MEMS technology to select and tune the frequency bands and spectrum for a selected wireless device and application. Having a single antenna structure reduces the space needed for the antenna in the chassis, thus reducing chassis size and design complexity. Silicon geometries of 65 nm in CMOS is enabling MEMS multi-function wireless single chip solutions. For example, a single integrate circuit chip providing an 802.11n solution might also support GPS, BT and FM wireless communication. A reduction in silicon size allows architectures that reduce packaging and layout footprint and eliminate multiple coaxial feed cables communicating between multiple antenna array structures. A software controlled MEMS antenna array structure provides an integrated and tunable RF device L/C element that not only adjusts its mechanical structure for a desired frequency band but also supports beam and null steering and output power level control down to specific profiles for channel segments within a frequency spectrum band.
The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.
Plural selectively interfaced antenna segments form plural antenna configurations to support plural wireless components of an information handling system communication through plural frequency bands. For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.
Referring now to
In order to communicate with wireless communication devices 32, a connection manager 34 determines the class of wireless communication that is desired and configures wireless antenna 12 to support the communication. For example, if communication is desired by an end user with a wireless local area network, connection manager 34 configures wireless network antenna to support frequency bands associated with wireless local area networks so that wireless components 30 associated with wireless local area networks can attempt to establish communication with a wireless communication device 32 that is associated with wireless local area network communication, such as 802.11 b, g or n compliant communication. Once communication is established, connection manager 34 adjusts the configuration of antenna 12 to adapt to the type of communication and the conditions of the communication, such as by performing beam and null steering to improve signal strength. If communication is desired with a wireless wide area network, connection manager 34 configures wireless network antenna 12 to support frequency bands associated with wireless wide area networks, such as cellular telephone frequency bands. The selection of the wireless component to establish communication is managed through an operating system interface with connection manager 34 or other type of interface, such as firmware-based interface or an application based interface.
Referring now to
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Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
