DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF MULTIPLE COMMUNICATION ACCESS TECHNOLOGIES

• US 20090082017A1
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: CHANG, Henry S., Dunn, Doug
• Granted Patent: US 8,073,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• 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 multimode wireless communication device and method for having the device detect a communication access technology is described. The multimode wireless device comprises a multimode transceiver module, a CAT detection module, and at least one CAT threshold level corresponding to each CAT. The multimode transceiver module is operatively coupled to a first antenna. The multimode transceiver module comprises at least two communication access technology (CAT) receiver modules operatively coupled to at least one antenna, wherein each CAT receiver module complies with a receiver requirement. The CAT detection module is operatively coupled to one of the CAT transceiver antenna and the CAT detection module is configured to detect a plurality of CAT RF energy levels associated with each CAT receiver module without activating the corresponding CAT transceiver module.

Claims

1. A multimode wireless device, comprising:

a multimode transceiver module operatively coupled to at least one antenna, the multimode receiver comprising at least two communication access technology (CAT) transceiver modules operatively coupled to at least one antenna, wherein each CAT transceiver module complies with a CAT receiver requirement;

a CAT detection module operatively coupled to a CAT transceiver antenna, wherein the CAT detection module complies with different requirements than the CAT receiver requirements, the CAT detection module configured to detect a plurality of CAT RF energy levels associated with each CAT transceiver module;

at least one CAT threshold level that is compared to the detected CAT RF energy levels so that the comparison is performed without activating the corresponding CAT receiver module.

2. The multimode wireless device of claim 1 further comprising a first CAT transceiver module that is configured to enter an active state and a second CAT transceiver module that is configured to be in an inactive state, wherein the CAT detection module is configured to detect CAT RF energy levels corresponding to the second inactive CAT transceiver module.

3. The multimode wireless device of claim 2 wherein the second inactive CAT transceiver module is configured to be activated when a second detected CAT energy level exceeds a second inactive CAT threshold level.

4. The multimode wireless device of claim 1 wherein the wireless standards is selected from the group of standards consisting of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Universal Mobile Broadband (UMB), wireless local area network (WLAN), wireless personal area network (WPAN), Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (MBWA) and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX).

5. The multimode wireless device of claim 4 wherein the CAT detection module is configured to determine the wireless standard associated with the detected CAT RF energy levels.

6. The multimode wireless device of claim 1 wherein the CAT detection module is configured to reduce power consumption by only activating an inactive CAT receiver module when the corresponding inactive CAT threshold is exceeded.

7. The multimode wireless device of claim 1 wherein the CAT detection module further comprises a filtering module that is operatively coupled to the antenna, the filtering module configured to select a plurality of frequency bands that are processed by the CAT detection module.

8. The multimode wireless device of claim 7 further comprising a location component that identifies a location for the multimode wireless device and the location of the multimode wireless device determines the configuration of the filtering module.

9. The multimode wireless device of claim 8 wherein the filtering module associates a particular frequency band with a particular CAT.

10. The multimode wireless device of claim 9 wherein the CAT detection module is configured to determine the wireless standard associated with the detected CAT RF energy levels.

11. The wireless device of claim 1 further comprising a tunable matching network that is configured to be dynamically tuned to a particular frequency band for CAT detection by the CAT detection module.

12. The wireless device of claim 1 further comprising,

at least two CAT transceiver modules, wherein each CAT receiver module is operatively coupled to the antenna;

at least two CAT threshold levels; and

a means for selecting between the at least two inactive CAT transceiver modules.

24. The method of claim 2 wherein determining when to activate the CAT detection module further comprises detecting changes to signal strength.

13. A multimode wireless communication device, comprising:

a multimode transceiver module operatively coupled to at least one antenna, the multimode transceiver comprising at least two communication access technology (CAT) transceiver modules operatively coupled to at least one antenna, wherein each CAT transceiver module complies with a CAT receiver requirement;

a CAT detection module operatively coupled to a CAT transceiver antenna wherein the CAT detection module complies with different requirements than the CAT receiver requirements, the CAT detection module configured to detect a plurality of CAT RF energy levels associated with each inactive CAT transceiver module without activating the corresponding CAT transceiver module; and

a triggering event that activates the CAT detection module comprising,

at least one inactive CAT threshold level that is compared to the detected CAT RF energy levels; and

a logic component that activates one of the CAT transceiver modules based on the result of the comparison.

14. The multimode wireless communication device of claim 13 wherein the CAT receiver requirement is the CAT receiver sensitivity requirement and at least one inactive CAT threshold is greater than the corresponding CAT receiver sensitivity requirement associated with the CAT transceiver module.

15. The multimode wireless communication device of claim 14 wherein the CAT receiver requirement complies with a wireless standard.

16. The multimode wireless communication device of claim 13 wherein the triggering event that activates the CAT detection module further comprises a location component that determines the location of the multimode wireless communication device.

17. The multimode wireless communication device of claim 13 wherein the triggering event that activates the CAT detection module further comprises a means for detecting changes to signal strength.

18. The multimode wireless communication device of claim 13 wherein the triggering event that activates the CAT detection module further comprises a quality of service (QoS) requirement that is associated with at least one user initiated application.

19. The multimode wireless communication device of claim 18 wherein the triggering event that complies with the QoS requirement for the corresponding user initiated application activates the CAT detection module.

20. A method for a multimode wireless communication device to detect a communication access technology (CAT), the method comprising:

coupling a CAT detection module to a CAT transceiver antenna;

processing RF signals that correspond to at least two CAT transceiver modules that are operatively coupled to at least one antenna, wherein each CAT transceiver module complies with a CAT receiver requirement;

detecting a plurality of CAT RF energy levels with the CAT detection module without activating the corresponding CAT transceiver module, wherein the CAT RF energy levels are associated with each inactive CAT;

enabling the CAT detection module to comply with different requirements than the CAT receiver requirements; and

determining when to activate the CAT detection module by comparing at least one CAT threshold to the detected CAT RF energy levels.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein at least one inactive CAT threshold is greater than the corresponding CAT receiver requirement associated with the CAT transceiver module.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the CAT receiver requirement complies with a wireless standard.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein determining when to activate the CAT detection module further comprises determining a location for the multimode wireless communication device.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein determining when to activate the CAT detection module further comprises a quality of service (QoS) requirement that corresponds to at least user initiated application.