Method and System for Interfacing to a Plurality of Antennas

• US 20080080451A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza
• Granted Patent: US 8,149,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/342
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0003 Software-defined radio [SDR] systems, i.e. systems wherein components typically implemented in hardware, e.g. filters or modulators/demodulators, are implented using software, e.g. by involving an AD or DA conversion stage such that at least part of the signal processing is performed in the digital domain digital baseband systems H04L25/00; digital modulation/demodulation H04L27/00; CDMA H04B1/707; TDMA H04B7/2643; image transmission H04N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0053 with common antenna for more than one band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0064 with separate antennas for the more than one band H04B1/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0082 with a common local oscillator for more than one band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/212 Time-division multiple access [TDMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2615 using hybrid frequency-time division multiple access [FDMA-TDMA]

Abstract

A method and system for interfacing to a plurality of antennas is provided. The method may comprise scheduling signals within different frequency ranges communicated from different antennas to use different timeslots in a TDM frame, such as a GSM frame. A plurality of antennas may be used, and at least one high frequency antenna may be adapted to operate at frequencies above 700 MHz and at least one low frequency antenna may be adapted to operate at frequencies below 700 MHz. The high frequency antenna may support WCDMA, HDSPA, HSUPA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and/or DVB communication. The low frequency antenna may support FM or NFC. NFC may be enabled by applying a DC bias voltage to the low frequency antenna. The method may also comprise dynamically tuning the antennas to frequency bands corresponding to particular communication protocols. The dynamic tuning may further comprise compensating the antennas for changes in frequency.

Claims

1. A method for processing signals in a communications system, the method comprising:

scheduling signals within different frequency ranges communicated from different antennas to use different timeslots in a TDM frame.

2. The method according to claim 1 comprising, dynamically tuning a first antenna to a frequency band corresponding to one of said different frequency ranges for a first communication protocol.

3. The method according to claim 1 comprising, dynamically tuning a second antenna to a frequency band corresponding to one of said different frequency ranges for a first communication protocol.

4. The method according to claim 1 comprising, storing at least one optimal filter configuration for compensating at least one of said different antennas for changes in frequency.

5. The method according to claim 4 comprising, compensating said at least one of said different antennas for changes in frequency based on said stored at least one optimal filter configuration.

6. The method according to claim 1 comprising, applying a DC bias voltage to at least one of said different antennas to enable NFC.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said different antennas is adapted to operate at frequencies greater than or equal to 600 MHz.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said different antennas is adapted to operate at frequencies below 600 MHz.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said different antennas is adapted to communicate at least one of:

WCDMA, HDSPA, HSUPA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, or DVB signals and at least one other of said different antennas is adapted to communicate at least one of;

FM radio or NFC signals.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said TDMA frame is a GSM frame.

11. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for processing signals in a communications system, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

scheduling signals within different frequency ranges communicated from different antennas to use different timeslots in a TDM frame.

12. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables dynamically tuning a first antenna to a frequency band corresponding to one of said different frequency ranges for a first communication protocol.

13. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables dynamically tuning a second antenna to a frequency band corresponding to one of said different frequency ranges for a first communication protocol.

14. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables storing at least one optimal filter configuration for compensating at least one of said different antennas for changes in frequency.

15. The machine-readable storage according to claim 14, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables compensating said at least one of said different antennas for changes in frequency based on said stored at least one optimal filter configuration.

16. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables applying a DC bias voltage to at least one of said different antennas to enable NFC.

17. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said different antennas is adapted to operate at frequencies greater than or equal to 600 MHz.

18. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said different antennas is adapted to operate at frequencies below 600 MHz.

19. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said different antennas is adapted to communicate at least one of:

WCDMA, HDSPA, HSUPA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, or DVB signals and at least one other of said different antennas is adapted to communicate at least one of;

FM radio or NFC signals.

20. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said TDMA frame is a GSM frame.

21. A system for processing signals in a communications system, the system comprising:

one or more circuits that enables scheduling signals within different frequency ranges communicated from different antennas to use different timeslots in a TDM frame.

22. The system according to 21, wherein said one or more circuits enables dynamically tuning a first antenna to a frequency band corresponding to one of said different frequency ranges for a first communication protocol.

23. The system according to 21, wherein said one or more circuits enables dynamically tuning a second antenna to a frequency band corresponding to one of said different frequency ranges for a first communication protocol.

24. The system according to 21, wherein said one or more circuits enables storing at least one optimal filter configuration for compensating at least one of said different antennas for changes in frequency.

25. The system according to 24, wherein said one or more circuits enables compensating said at least one of said different antennas for changes in frequency based on said stored at least one optimal filter configuration.

26. The system according to 21, wherein said one or more circuits enables applying a DC bias voltage to at least one of said different antennas to enable NFC.

27. The system according to 21, wherein at least one of said different antennas is adapted to operate at frequencies greater than or equal to 600 MHz.

28. The system according to 21, wherein at least one of said different antennas is adapted to operate at frequencies below 600 MHz.

29. The system according to 21, wherein at least one of said different antennas is adapted to communicate at least one of:

WCDMA, HDSPA, HSUPA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, or DVB signals and at least one other of said different antennas is adapted to communicate at least one of;

FM radio or NFC signals.

30. The system according to 21, wherein said TDMA frame is a GSM frame.