METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ANTENNA SWITCHING FOR 60 GHZ DISTRIBUTED COMMUNICATION

• US 20120083306A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza, Rofougaran, Maryam
• Granted Patent: US 8,942,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0689 using different transmission schemes, at least one of them being a diversity transmission scheme

Abstract

Methods and systems for antenna switching for 60 GHz distributed communication are disclosed and may include enabling antenna configurations in a plurality of remote RF modules within a computing device to receive RF signals. A signal characteristic may be measured for the configurations receiving an RF signal from a remote device. IF signals may be generated from baseband signals and may be communicated to RF modules based on the signal characteristic via coaxial lines, and may be up-converted to output RF signals utilizing the RF modules. The output RF signals may be transmitted via antennas in the RF modules. The IF signals in the one or more coaxial lines may be tapped via taps coupled to the RF modules. The baseband signals may comprise video data, Internet streamed data, and/or data from a local data source. Control signals for the RF devices may be communicated utilizing the coaxial lines.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, the method comprising:

in a wireless communication device comprising a plurality of remote RF modules;

enabling one or more antenna configurations in said plurality of remote RF modules within said wireless communication device to receive RF signals;

measuring a signal characteristic for each of said one or more antenna configurations receiving an RF signal from one or more devices external to said wireless communication device;

communicating, via one or more coaxial lines, IF signals that are generated within said wireless communication device to one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules based on said measurement;

upconverting said communicated IF signals to output RF signals utilizing said one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules; and

transmitting said output RF signals via one or more antennas in said one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising tapping said IF signals in said one or more coaxial lines at taps coupled to said plurality of remote RF modules.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said baseband signals comprise one or more of:

video data, streamed Internet data, and data from a local data source.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating said IF signals from one or more baseband signals.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising amplifying said IF signals in a power amplifier prior to said communication via said one or more coaxial lines.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising transmitting said RF signals to a display device.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating control signals for said plurality of remote RF devices utilizing said one or more coaxial lines.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said signal characteristic comprises a received signal strength indicator.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said signal characteristic comprises bit error rate.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said output RF signals comprise 60 GHz signals.

11. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits in a computing device with wireless capability, said one or more circuits are operable to;

enable one or more antenna configurations in a plurality of remote RF modules within said computing device to receive RF signals;

measure a signal characteristic for each of said one or more antenna configurations receiving an RF signal from a remote device;

communicate IF signals generated from baseband signals to one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules based on said signal characteristic via one or more coaxial lines;

up-convert said IF signals to output RF signals utilizing said one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules; and

transmit said output RF signals via one or more antennas in said one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to tap said IF signals in said one or more coaxial lines at taps coupled to said plurality of remote RF modules.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said baseband signals comprise one or more of:

video data, streamed Internet data, and data from a local data source.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to generate said IF signals from one or more baseband signals.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to amplify said IF signals in a power amplifier prior to said communication via said one or more coaxial lines.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to transmit said RF signals to a display device.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to communicate control signals for said plurality of remote RF devices utilizing said one or more coaxial lines.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said signal characteristic comprises a received signal strength indicator.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein said signal characteristic comprises bit error rate.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein said output RF signals comprise 60 GHz signals.