Method and apparatus for multiple radio access technology antenna front end controller integration

• US 10,420,023 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2018
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramasamy, Suresh K., Tan, Geroncio O., Velasco, Ricardo R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Taha, Shukri
• Application Number:
  US15/867,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20190215765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/04 Multimode antennas corrugated horns H01Q13/0208
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/102 Power radiated at antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/243 taking into account interferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/288 taking into account the usage mode, e.g. hands-free, data transmission, telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless adapter front end for an information handling system comprising a wireless adapter for communicating on a plurality of antennas for connection to a plurality of concurrently operating wireless links, wherein at least one of the plurality of antennas is configurable to have a plurality of antenna radiation patterns and is operating in a first antenna radiation pattern, a controller operating independently from an operating system of the information handling system and executing instructions of a dynamic tuning and power reduction control system to receive a trigger input indicating an operating condition of the plurality of antennas, wherein the trigger input may be selected from one or more indications of a radiation pattern of one or more of the antennas, a shared communication frequency band, a carrier aggregation operation, SAR proximity detection, or operation of a plurality of radio access technologies and to identify an optimal tuning and power reduction configuration associated with the trigger input and the first antenna radiation pattern in a truth table stored in a memory, wherein the optimal tuning and power reduction configuration defines a plurality of transmitting power levels, each of the plurality of transmitting power levels associated with one of the plurality of antennas.

Claims

1. A wireless adapter front end for an information handling system comprising:

a wireless adapter for communicating on a plurality of antennas for connection to a plurality of concurrently operating wireless links, wherein at least one of the plurality of antennas is configurable to have a plurality of antenna radiation patterns and is operating in a first antenna radiation pattern;

a controller operating independently from an operating system of the information handling system;

the controller executing instructions of a dynamic tuning and power reduction control system to;

receive a trigger input indicating an operating condition of the plurality of antennas, wherein the trigger input may be selected from one or more indications of a radiation pattern of one or more of the antennas, a shared communication frequency band, a carrier aggregation operation, Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) proximity detection, or operation of a plurality of radio access technologies;

identify an optimal power reduction configuration associated with the trigger input and the first antenna radiation pattern in a truth table stored in a memory, wherein the optimal power reduction configuration defines a plurality of transmitting power levels, each of the plurality of transmitting power levels associated with one of the plurality of antennas;

and implement the optimal power reduction configuration among the concurrently operating wireless links.

2. The wireless adapter front end of claim 1 further comprising:

the controller executing code instructions to;

identify an optimal tuning configuration associated with the trigger input in the truth table, wherein the optimal tuning configuration defines an operating state for one or more tunable impedance matching circuits within a tuning network; and

implement the optimal tuning configuration for at least one of the plurality of antennas.

3. The wireless adapter front end of claim 1, wherein the trigger input is an indication from a proximity sensor or a capacitive sensor of a condition requiring a decrease of a transmission power level of one of the plurality of antennas to maintain specific absorption rate (SAR) limits.

4. The wireless adapter front end of claim 1, wherein the trigger input is an indication of multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) operation of a Radio Access Technology (RAT) across the plurality of concurrently active wireless links.

5. The wireless adapter front end of claim 1, wherein the trigger input is an indication of a user configuration mode of the information handling system affecting orientation of the plurality of wireless antennas.

6. The wireless adapter front end of claim 2 wherein the optimal tuning configuration includes tuning a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) wireless link further comprising:

the controller steering an antenna radiation pattern of an antenna configurable to have a plurality of antenna radiation patterns to a second antenna radiation pattern prior to implementing the optimal power reduction configuration.

7. The wireless adapter front end of claim 6 further comprising:

the controller executing code instructions to;

poll antenna trigger inputs;

receive a plurality of updated trigger inputs in response;

identify an updated optimal tuning configuration associated with the updated trigger inputs and the second antenna radiation pattern in the truth table; and

implement the updated optimal tuning configuration to avoid interference between concurrently operating wireless links.

8. A computer implemented method comprising:

detecting, via a controller operating independently of an operating system of the information handling system and executing code instructions of a dynamic tuning and power reduction control system in a wireless adapter front end, a plurality of concurrently operating wireless links operating via a plurality of antennas of an information handling system, wherein at least one of the plurality of antennas is configurable to have a plurality of antenna radiation patterns;

receiving a trigger input indicating a first operating antenna radiation condition of one Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) wireless link of the plurality of concurrently operating wireless links and receiving a trigger input indicating a second operating antenna radiation condition of a second Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) wireless link of the plurality of concurrently operating wireless links, wherein the trigger input may be selected from one or more indications of an antenna radiation pattern, transmission or reception state, or Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) proximity detection;

identifying a first optimal tuning and power reduction configuration associated with the trigger input and a first antenna radiation pattern in a truth table stored in a memory, wherein the first optimal tuning and power reduction configuration defines a plurality of transmitting power levels associated with the plurality of antennas and a tuning configuration for at least one antenna of the plurality of antennas; and

implementing the second optimal power reduction configuration to avoid interference between concurrently operating wireless links;

steering an antenna radiation pattern of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) antenna configurable to have a plurality of antenna radiation patterns to a second antenna radiation pattern, when the first optimal tuning and power reduction configuration includes decreasing transmission power of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) wireless link;

identifying a second optimal power reduction configuration associated with the trigger input and the second antenna radiation pattern in the truth table.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8 wherein the first optimal tuning and power reduction configuration defines an operating state for one or more tunable impedance matching circuits within a tuning network.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein implementing the first optimal tuning and power reduction configuration further comprises altering capacitance or impedance to adjust coupling Radio Frequency (RF) currents from at least one of the plurality of antennas to the information handling system chassis.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the trigger input is an indication from a proximity sensor or a capacitive sensor of a condition requiring a decrease of a transmission power level of one of the plurality of antennas to maintain specific absorption rate (SAR) limits.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the trigger input is an indication of multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) operation of a Radio Access Technology (RAT) across the plurality of concurrently active wireless links.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the trigger input is an indication of a user configuration mode of the information handling system affecting orientation of the plurality of wireless antennas.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein a second optimal tuning and power reduction configuration includes decreasing transmission power of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) wireless link further comprising:

polling antenna trigger inputs;

receiving a plurality of updated trigger inputs in response;

identifying the second optimal tuning and power reduction configuration associated with the updated trigger inputs and the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) or Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) wireless link operating conditions in the truth table; and

dynamically implementing the second optimal tuning and power reduction configuration to avoid interference between concurrently operating wireless links.

15. A wireless adapter front end for an information handling system comprising:

a wireless adapter for communicating on a plurality of antennas for connection to a plurality of concurrently operating wireless links;

a first antenna of a plurality of antennas configurable to have a plurality of antenna radiation patterns and is operating in a first antenna radiation pattern;

the controller executing instructions of a dynamic tuning and power reduction control system to;

receive a trigger input indicating an operating condition of the plurality of antennas, wherein the trigger input may be selected from one or more indications of a radiation pattern of one or more of the antennas, a shared communication frequency band, a carrier aggregation operation, Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) proximity detection, or operation of a plurality of radio access technologies;

identify a first optimal tuning and power reduction configuration associated with the trigger input and the first antenna radiation pattern in a truth table stored in a memory, wherein the first optimal tuning and power reduction configuration defines a plurality of transmitting power levels associated with the plurality of antennas;

steer the first antenna radiation pattern of the first antenna configurable to have a plurality of antenna radiation patterns to a second antenna radiation pattern, when the first optimal tuning and power reduction configuration includes decreasing transmission power of at least one wireless link of the plurality of concurrently operating wireless links;

determine when the second radiation pattern also requires a decrease in transmission power of the at least one wireless link according to a second optimal tuning and power reduction configuration in the truth table;

and implement the optimal tuning and power reduction configuration requiring a smaller decrease in transmission power of the at least one wireless link of the plurality of concurrently operating wireless links.

16. The wireless adapter front end of claim 15 further comprising:

the controller executing code instructions to;

poll antenna trigger inputs;

receive a plurality of updated trigger inputs in response;

identify a third optimal tuning and power reduction configuration associated with the updated trigger inputs and the second antenna radiation pattern in the truth table; and

implement the third optimal tuning and power reduction configuration to avoid interference between concurrently operating wireless links.

17. The wireless adapter front end of claim 15 further comprising:

the controller executing code instructions to;

determine the second optimal tuning and power reduction configuration does not include decreasing transmission power of the at least one wireless link, wherein the second optimal tuning configuration defines an operating state for one or more tunable impedance matching circuits within a tuning network; and

implement the second optimal tuning and power reduction configuration.

18. The wireless adapter front end of claim 15, wherein the trigger input is an indication from a proximity sensor or a capacitive sensor of a condition requiring a decrease of a transmission power level of one of the plurality of antennas to maintain specific absorption rate (SAR) limits.

19. The wireless adapter front end of claim 15, wherein the trigger input is an indication of multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) operation of a Radio Access Technology (RAT) across the plurality of concurrently active wireless links.

20. The wireless adapter front end of claim 15, wherein the trigger input is an indication of a user configuration mode of the information handling system affecting orientation of the plurality of wireless antennas.