Low power very high-data rate device

• US 20070224951A1
• Filed: 03/22/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SiBEAM, Inc. (Lattice Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nassiri-Toussi, Karim, Gilbert, Jeffrey, Gilb, James, Li, Sheung
• Granted Patent: US 8,155,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/127.500
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/287 when the channel is in stand-by
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/42 in systems with time, space, frequency or polarisation diversity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) transmitter has a plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas coupled to and controlled by the processor to transmit data. The processor is to enable one or more antennas to be turned off during a use of the apparatus to reduce a power consumption of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter having a plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas coupled to and controlled by the processor to transmit data,

wherein the processor is to enable one or more antennas to be turned off during a use of the apparatus to reduce a power consumption of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of power amplifiers corresponding to the plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the processor is to turn off a power amplifier associated with an antenna to be turned off.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more antennas are turned off based on a user selection.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more antennas are turned off when the apparatus is powered with a battery.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein all antennas are turned on when the apparatus is powered with an AC power supply.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the number of antennas to be turned off is based on a data rate and a signal quality received at the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the number of antennas to be turned off is based on a feedback of a data rate and a signal quality received at a device at another location.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more selected antennas to be turned off are based on a data rate and a signal quality received at the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more selected antennas to be turned off are based on a feedback of a data rate and a signal quality received at a device at another location.

11. A method comprising:

detecting a power source of a wireless device, the wireless device comprising a processor and a radio frequency (RF) transmitter having a plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas coupled to and controlled by the processor to transmit data; and

enabling one or more antennas to be turned off during a use of the wireless device based on the power source to reduce a power consumption of the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the wireless device further comprises a plurality of power amplifiers corresponding to the plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

turning off a power amplifier associated with an antenna to be turned off.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

turning off one or more antennas based on a user selection.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

turning off one or more antennas when the wireless device is powered with a battery.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

turning on all antennas when the wireless device is powered with an AC power supply.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

turning off a number of antennas based on a data rate and a signal quality received at the wireless device.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

turning off a number of antennas based on a feedback of a data rate and a signal quality received at another wireless device at another location.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

selecting one or more antennas to be turned off based on a data rate and a signal quality received at the apparatus.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

selecting one or more antennas to be turned off based on a feedback of a data rate and a signal quality received at another wireless device at another location.

21. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, the method including:

detecting a power source of a wireless device, the wireless device comprising a processor and a radio frequency (RF) transmitter having a plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas coupled to and controlled by the processor to transmit data; and

enabling one or more antennas to be turned off during a use of the wireless device based on the power source to reduce a power consumption of the wireless device.

22. The program storage device of claim 21 wherein the wireless device further comprises a plurality of power amplifiers corresponding to the plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas.

23. The program storage device of claim 21 wherein the method further comprises:

turning off a power amplifier associated with an antenna to be turned off.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter having a plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas coupled to and controlled by the processor to transmit data,

wherein the RF transmitter is to transmit a portion of the data to reduce a power consumption of the apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising:

a plurality of power amplifiers corresponding to the plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the portion of the data comprises one or more lines of pixels, a plurality of predetermined pixels, a predetermined pattern of pixels, a predetermined subset of pixels, or a predetermined subset of bits per pixel.

27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the portion of the data includes the most significant bits for each color signal.

28. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the RF transmitter is to transmit data at a reduced data rate when the apparatus is only powered with a battery.

29. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the RF transmitter is to transmit data at a reduced duty cycle when the apparatus is only powered with a battery.

30. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the RF transmitter is to transmit the portion of the data when the apparatus is only powered with a battery.

31. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the RF transmitter is to transmit on a narrow signal bandwidth when the apparatus is only powered with a battery.

32. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the portion of the data is determined based on a feedback of a data rate and a signal quality received at another wireless device at another location.

47. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising:

a plurality of power amplifiers corresponding to the plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas.

33. A method comprising:

detecting a power source of a wireless device, the wireless device comprising a processor and a radio frequency (RF) transmitter having a plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas coupled to and controlled by the processor to transmit data; and

enabling the RF transmitter to transmit a portion of the data to reduce a power consumption of the apparatus based on the power source.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the wireless device further comprises a plurality of power amplifiers corresponding to the plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the portion of the data comprises an entire line of pixels, a plurality of predetermined pixels, a predetermined pattern of pixels, a predetermined subset of pixels, or a predetermined subset of bits per pixel.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein the portion of the data includes the most significant bits for each color signal.

37. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

transmitting data at a reduced data rate when the wireless device is only powered with a battery.

38. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

transmitting data at a reduced duty cycle when the wireless device is only powered with a battery.

39. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

transmitting the portion of the data when the wireless device is only powered with a battery.

40. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

transmitting on a narrow signal bandwidth when the apparatus is only powered with a battery.

41. The method of claim 33 wherein the portion of the data is determined based on a feedback of a data rate and a signal quality received at another wireless device at another location.

42. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, the method including:

detecting a power source of a wireless device, the wireless device comprising a processor and a radio frequency (RF) transmitter having a plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas coupled to and controlled by the processor to transmit data; and

enabling the RF transmitter to transmit a portion of the data to reduce a power consumption of the apparatus based on the power source.

43. The program storage device of claim 42 wherein the portion of the data comprises an entire line of pixels, a plurality of predetermined pixels, a predetermined pattern of pixels, a predetermined subset of pixels, or a predetermined subset of bits per pixel.

44. The program storage device of claim 42 wherein the portion of the data is determined based on a feedback of a data rate and a signal quality received at another wireless device at another location.

45. The program storage device of claim 42 wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting data at a reduced data rate when the wireless device is only powered with a battery.

46. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter having a plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas coupled to and controlled by the processor to transmit data,

wherein the RF transmitter is to cycle between data processing and data transmission to reduce a power consumption of the apparatus.

48. A method comprising:

detecting a power source of a wireless device, the wireless device comprising a processor and a radio frequency (RF) transmitter having a plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas coupled to and controlled by the processor to transmit data; and

enabling the RF transmitter to cycle between data processing and data transmission to reduce a power consumption of the wireless device based on the power source.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the wireless device further comprises a plurality of power amplifiers corresponding to the plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas.

51. The program storage device of claim 48 wherein the wireless device further comprises a plurality of power amplifiers corresponding to the plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas.

50. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, the method including:

detecting a power source of a wireless device, the wireless device comprising a processor and a radio frequency (RF) transmitter having a plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas coupled to and controlled by the processor to transmit data; and

enabling the RF transmitter to cycle between data processing and data transmission to reduce a power consumption of the wireless device based on the power source.

52. An wireless transceiver comprising:

a plurality of adaptive beamforming antennas to transmit data; and

a processor coupled to the plurality of antennas to enable one or more antennas to be turned off to reduce a power consumption of the wireless transceiver while maintaining a minimum predetermined signal quality threshold.