Method And System For 60 GHZ Antenna Adaptation And User Coordination Based On Base Station Beacons

• US 20080311944A1
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hansen, Christopher J., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/517
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/44 Rotating or oscillating beam beacons defining directions in the plane of rotation or oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/02 Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas RAKE receivers H04B1/7115
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

Information may be communicated between two or more wireless devices via adaptive or steered antennas or antenna systems and 60 GHz signals. The adaptive or steered antennas or antenna systems may be initialized based upon location information determined from a beacon signal and/or a reference system. The beacon signal may be swept through an angle and may be utilized along with reference system information to determine the direction and/or distance between the two or more wireless devices. Spatial relationships between the two or more wireless devices may vary. The two or more wireless devices may communicate and coordinate communications between them via alternate lower frequency signals.

Claims

1. A method for enabling communication between a plurality of devices, the method comprising:

in a 60 GHz communication system comprising a plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices that utilize adaptive or steered antennas or antenna systems for communication, communicating location information to at least one of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices via beacon signals to enable communication between said at least one of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices and at least one other of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising sweeping a direction of a beam comprising said beacon signal over one or more angles.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining direction and/or distance between said plurality of wireless devices based on said beacon signal.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising initializing said adaptive or steered antennas or antenna systems for transmission and/or reception of 60 GHz band signals based on said determined direction and/or distance between said two or more wireless devices.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising varying spatial relationships between said plurality of wireless devices.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating control information via an 802.11 WLAN, a Bluetooth WPAN and/or a Wimedia UWB between said plurality of wireless devices.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising coordinating said communication between said plurality of wireless devices via an 802.11 WLAN, a Bluetooth WPAN and/or a Wimedia UWB.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating one or more of identity information, configuration information, timing information and spatial information via said beacon signals.

9. A system for communication between a plurality of devices, the system comprising:

in a 60 GHz communication system comprising a plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices that utilize adaptive or steered antennas or antenna systems for communication, one or more circuits that enable communicating location information to at least one of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices via beacon signals to enable communication between said at least one of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices and at least one other of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits enables sweeping a direction of a beam comprising said beacon signal over one or more angles.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits enables determination of direction and/or distance between said plurality of wireless devices based on said beacon signal.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits enables initialization of said adaptive or steered antennas or antenna systems for transmission and/or reception of 60 GHz band signals based on said determined direction and/or distance between said two or more wireless devices.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits enables variation in the spatial relationships between said two or more wireless devices.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits enables communication of control information via an 802.11 WLAN, a Bluetooth WPAN and/or a Wimedia UWB between said plurality of wireless devices.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits enables coordination of said communication between said plurality of wireless devices via an 802.11 WLAN, a Bluetooth WPAN and/or a Wimedia UWB.

16. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits enables communication of one or more of identity information, configuration information, timing information and spatial information via said beacon signals.

17. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for enabling communication between a plurality of devices, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

in a 60 GHz communication system comprising a plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices that utilize adaptive or steered antennas or antenna systems for communication, communicating location information to at least one of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices via beacon signals to enable communication between said at least one of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices and at least one other of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices.

18. The machine-readable storage according to claim 17, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables sweeping a direction of a beam comprising said beacon signal over one or more angles.

19. The machine-readable storage according to claim 17, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables determining direction and/or distance between said plurality of wireless devices based on said beacon signal.

20. The machine-readable storage according to claim 19, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables initializing said adaptive or steered antennas or antenna systems for transmission and/or reception of 60 GHz band signals based on said determined direction and/or distance between said two or more wireless devices.

21. The machine-readable storage according to claim 17, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables varying spatial relationships between said plurality of wireless devices.

22. The machine-readable storage according to claim 17, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables communicating control information via an 802.11 WLAN, a Bluetooth WPAN and/or a Wimedia UWB between said plurality of wireless devices.

23. The machine-readable storage according to claim 17, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables coordinating said communication between said plurality of wireless devices via an 802.11 WLAN, a Bluetooth WPAN and/or a Wimedia UWB.

24. The machine-readable storage according to claim 17, wherein said at least one code section comprises code that enables communicating one or more of identity information, configuration formation, timing information and spatial information via said beacon signals.

25. A method for enabling communication between a plurality of devices, the method comprising:

in a 60 GHz communication system comprising a plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices that utilize adaptive or steered antennas or antenna systems for communication, receiving location information by at least one of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices via beacon signals to enable communication between said at least one of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices and at least one other of said plurality of 60 GHz wireless devices.