ADAPTIVE MILLIMETER-WAVE ANTENNA SYSTEM

• US 20090149146A1
• Filed: 12/05/2007
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Emrick, Rudy, Bosco, Bruce
• Application Number:
  US11/950,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20090149146A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/277.200
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0805 with single receiver and antenna switching H04B7/0822 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity

Abstract

A method of receiving an RF signal in a wireless communication device includes receiving (1002) a signal having a frequency greater than 10 gigahertz by at least two of a plurality of millimeter wave antennas (122, 124, 126, 128, 822, 824, 826, 828, 922, 924, 926, 928) positioned within the portable wireless communication device. A characteristic of the signal at each antenna (122, 124, 126, 128, 822, 824, 826, 828, 922, 924, 926, 928) is determined (1004) and at least one of the plurality of millimeter wave antennas (122, 124, 126, 128, 822, 824, 826, 828, 922, 924, 926, 928) is selected (1006) based on the characteristics. The signal from the selected millimeter wave antenna (122, 124, 126, 128, 822, 824, 826, 828, 922, 924, 926, 928) is forwarded (1008) to a device controller 104. A combination of signals from the plurality of antennas may be evaluated prior to selecting two or more of the antennas (122, 124, 126, 128, 822, 824, 826, 828, 922, 924, 926, 928).

Claims

1. A method of receiving an RF signal in a wireless communication device, comprising:

receiving a signal having a frequency greater than 10 gigahertz by at least two of a plurality of millimeter wave antennas positioned within the portable wireless communication device;

determining a characteristic of the signal at each antenna;

selecting at least one of the plurality of millimeter wave antennas based on the characteristics; and

forwarding the signal from the selected millimeter wave antennas to a device controller.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting step comprises selecting at least two antennas and combining the signals therefrom for forwarding to a device controller.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising evaluating the signal from each antenna in a plurality of combinations prior to selecting step.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying step comprises determining the phase of the RF signal received at each of the plurality of antennas.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the disabling step comprises determining whether the strength of the RF signal received is below a threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying step comprises identifying antennas determined by a function of the wireless communication device selected.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the disabling step comprises disabling an antenna when an unknown signal is received.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying step comprises identifying an antenna based on the polarization of the RF signal.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving step comprises receiving the signal by tuned antennas.

10. A method of selecting at least one of a plurality of millimeter wave antennas of a wireless communication device to receive an RF signal having a frequency in the range of 60 to 80 gigahertz, comprising:

receiving the RF signal by at least two of the plurality of millimeter wave antennas;

determining a characteristic of the received RF signal at each of the plurality of millimeter wave antennas at which the RF signal is received;

identifying at least one of the plurality of millimeter wave antennas when the RF signal characteristic is above a threshold;

disabling at least one of the plurality of millimeter wave antennas when its respective RF signal characteristic is below a threshold; and

forwarding the RF signal from the identified antennas to a device controller.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the identifying step comprises identifying at least two antennas.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising combining the signal from the at least two antennas.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the identifying step comprises determining the phase of the RF signal received at each of the plurality of antennas.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the disabling step comprises determining whether the strength of the RF signal received is below a threshold.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the identifying step comprises identifying antennas determined by a function of the wireless communication device selected.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the disabling step comprises disabling an antenna when an unknown signal is received.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the identifying step comprises identifying an antenna based on the polarization of the RF signal.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein receiving step comprises receiving the signal by tuned antennas.