DECISION DIRECTED ANTENNA DIVERSITY IN RADIO FREQUENCY RECEIVERS

• US 20120052827A1
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sadek, Ahmed K., Balamurthi, Raamkumar
• Application Number:
  US13/215,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20120052827A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/226.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0808 comparing all antennas before reception
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

A white space sensing method includes receiving a signal on each of multiple antennas in an alternating fashion. The method also includes calculating feature metrics for incumbent signals on a given frequency channel for all antennas (e.g., pilot strength, luminance carrier strength (for NTSC)). The strongest of the antennas can be selected, based on the calculated feature metrics, for white space sensing.

Claims

1. A white space sensing method, comprising:

receiving a signal on each of a plurality of antennas in an alternating fashion;

calculating feature metrics for incumbent signals on a given frequency channel for all antennas; and

selecting the strongest of the antennas, based on the calculated feature metrics, for white space sensing.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing feature metrics for different incumbent signals;

tracking a signal with the strongest feature metric for a predetermined period; and

identifying an antenna from which the strongest feature metric is received.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the receiving, calculating, and selecting after a predetermined period has elapsed.

4. The method of claim 3, in which the predetermined period is based on one of system requirements and channel conditions, the system requirements comprising one of delay and throughput requirements, the channel conditions comprising fading characteristics.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the feature metrics comprise at least one of pilot signal strength, luminance carrier strength, signal energy, cyclostationary features, pseudorandom noise (PN) sequence correlation, signal bandwidth, signal height, area under a curve of a signal, Lp norm of a signal, and generalized average of the signal strength.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the feature metrics comprise a variation in at least one of pilot signal strength, luminance carrier strength, signal energy, cyclostationary features, pseudorandom noise (PN) sequence correlation, signal bandwidth, signal height, area under a curve of a signal, Lp norm of a signal, and generalized average of the signal strength.

7. An apparatus for wireless communication in white space, comprising:

means for receiving a signal on each of a plurality of antennas in an alternating fashion;

means for calculating feature metrics for incumbent signals on a given frequency channel for all antennas; and

means for selecting the strongest of the antennas, based on the calculated feature metrics, for white space sensing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

means for comparing feature metrics for different incumbent signals;

means for tracking a signal with the strongest feature metric for a predetermined period; and

means for identifying an antenna from which the strongest feature metric is received.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising means for repeating the receiving, calculating, and selecting after a predetermined period has elapsed.

10. The method of claim 9, in which the predetermined period is based on at least one of system requirements and channel conditions, the system requirements comprising one of delay and throughput requirements, the channel conditions comprising fading characteristics.

11. A computer program product for wireless communication in white space, comprising:

a computer-readable medium having non-transitory program code recorded thereon, the program code comprising;

program code to receive a signal on each of a plurality of antennas in an alternating fashion;

program code to calculate feature metrics for incumbent signals on a given frequency channel for all antennas; and

program code to select the strongest of the antennas, based on the calculated feature metrics, for white space sensing.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

program code to compare feature metrics for different incumbent signals;

program code to track a signal with the strongest feature metric for a predetermined period; and

program code to identify an antenna from which the strongest feature metric is received.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising program code to repeat the receiving, calculating, and selecting after a predetermined period has elapsed.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, in which the predetermined period is based on at least one of system requirements and channel conditions, the system requirements comprising one of delay and throughput requirements, the channel conditions comprising fading characteristics.

15. An apparatus for wireless communication in white space, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor being configured;

to receive a signal on each of a plurality of antennas in an alternating fashion;

to calculate feature metrics for incumbent signals on a given frequency channel for all antennas; and

to select the strongest of the antennas, based on the calculated feature metrics, for white space sensing.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, in which the processor is further configured:

to compare feature metrics for different incumbent signals;

to track a signal with the strongest feature metric for a predetermined period; and

to identify an antenna from which the strongest feature metric is received.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, in which the processor is further configured to repeat the receiving, calculating, and selecting after a predetermined period has elapsed.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, in which the predetermined period is based on at least one of system requirements and channel conditions, the system requirements comprising one of delay and throughput requirements, the channel conditions comprising fading characteristics.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, in which the feature metrics comprise at least one of pilot signal strength, luminance carrier strength, signal energy, cyclostationary features, pseudorandom noise (PN) sequence correlation, signal bandwidth, signal height, area under a curve of a signal, Lp norm of a signal, and generalized average of the signal strength.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, in which the feature metrics comprise a variation in at least one of pilot signal strength, luminance carrier strength, signal energy, cyclostationary features, pseudorandom noise (PN) sequence correlation, signal bandwidth, signal height, area under a curve of a signal, Lp norm of a signal, and generalized average of the signal strength.