Modal adaptive antenna using reference signal LTE protocol

• US 10,116,050 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2017
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera AVX Components San Diego Inc (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ethertronics, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Desclos, Laurent, Rowson, Sebastian, Shamblin, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tho G
• Application Number:
  US15/671,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20180040952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/12 Parallel arrangements of substantially straight elongated conductive units travelling-wave antennas comprising transmission line loaded with transverse elements H01Q11/02; Yagi antennas H01Q19/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/00 Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system means for positioning H01Q1/125
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2647 Retrodirective arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence

Abstract

One or more input signals are used to generate a Pseudo noise generator and re-inject the signal to obtain a more efficient method of control of a receiver using adaptive antenna array technology. The antenna array automatically adjusts its direction to the optimum using information obtained from the input signal by the receiving antenna elements. The input signals may be stored in memory for retrieval, comparison and then used to optimize reception. The difference between the outputs of the memorized signals and the reference signal is used as an error signal. One or multiple Modal antennas, where the Modal antenna is capable of generating several unique radiation patterns, can implement this optimization technique in a MIMO configuration.

Claims

1. A multi-input multi-output (MIMO) antenna processing system comprising:

a first automatic tuning module configured to communicate first voltage signals to active components associated with a first modal antenna, wherein a first input of the first automatic tuning module is generated from a first lookup table and a second input of the first automatic tuning module is communicated from a first adaptive processor; and

a second automatic tuning module configured to communicate second voltage signals to active components associated with a second modal antenna, wherein a first input of the second automatic tuning module is generated from a second lookup table and a second input of the second automatic tuning module is communicated from one of;

the first adaptive processor or a second adaptive processor.

2. The MIMO antenna processing system of claim 1, wherein the first adaptive processor is coupled to a first circuit block.

3. The MIMO antenna processing system of claim 2, wherein the first adaptive processor is further coupled to a second circuit block.

4. The MIMO antenna processing system of claim 3, wherein the system is configured to store error signals outputted from the first adaptive processor in memory for retrieval and comparison to optimize antenna modes related to the first and second circuit blocks.

5. The MIMO antenna processing system of claim 4, wherein reference signals from the first and second circuit blocks are used to generate additional signals for controlling the first adaptive processor.

6. The MIMO antenna processing system of claim 2, wherein the second adaptive processor is further coupled to a second circuit block.

7. The MIMO antenna processing system of claim 6, further comprising:

the first circuit block coupled to a first comparator and first counter, the first comparator configured to receive inputs from the first circuit block and compare with a reference voltage communicated to the first comparator from the adaptive processor, the first counter is configured to receive a first comparator output signal from the first comparator, and a first counter output of the first counter is configured for communication with the first automatic tuning module and the lookup table associated; and

the second circuit block coupled to a second comparator and second counter, the second comparator configured to receive inputs from the second circuit block and compare with a reference voltage communicated to the second comparator from the adaptive processor, the second counter is configured to receive a second comparator output signal from the second comparator, and a second counter output of the second counter is configured for communication with the second automatic tuning module and the lookup table associated;

wherein the first voltage signals associated with the first automatic tuning module are determined from the lookup table based on a combination of the first counter output signal, a first output signal associated with the adaptive processor, and a first bi-directional signal associated with the first automatic tuning module; and

wherein the second voltage signals associated with the second automatic tuning module are determined from the lookup table based on a combination of the second counter output signal, a second output signal associated with the adaptive processor, and a second bi-directional signal associated with the second automatic tuning module.