Antenna Selection Method and Device

• US 20120142295A1
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ralink Technology Corporation (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ralink Technology Corporation (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tseng, Kuo-Wei, Chen, Chien-Chia
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/226.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/082 selecting best antenna path

Abstract

An antenna selection method includes respectively utilizing each antenna of a plurality of antennas to receive a plurality of transmission signals from a plurality of stations to generate a plurality of reception signals, respectively estimating a plurality of signal quality indicators corresponding to the plurality of stations according to the plurality of reception signals for each of the plurality of antennas, calculating a weighted sum of the plurality of corresponding signal quality indicators to generate a calculation result for each of the plurality of antennas, and selecting a receiving antenna from the plurality of antennas according to the corresponding calculation result of each of the plurality of antennas.

Claims

1. An antenna selection method, comprising:

utilizing each of a plurality of antennas to receive a plurality of transmission signals from a plurality of stations, respectively, to generate a plurality of reception signals;

estimating a plurality of signal quality indicators corresponding to the plurality of stations according to the plurality of reception signals for each of the plurality of antennas, respectively;

calculating a weighted sum of the plurality of corresponding signal quality indicators to generate a calculation result for each of the plurality of antennas; and

selecting a receiving antenna from the plurality of antennas according to the corresponding calculation result of each of the plurality of antennas, respectively.

2. The antenna selection method of claim 1, wherein the steps of estimating the plurality of signal quality indicators corresponding to the plurality of stations according to the plurality of reception signals for each of the plurality of antennas, respectively, comprise:

obtaining a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value recorded in a receive descriptor of the plurality of reception signals for each of the plurality of antennas, respectively, as the plurality of signal quality indicators corresponding to the plurality of stations.

3. The antenna selection method of claim 1, wherein the steps of estimating the plurality of signal quality indicators corresponding to the plurality of stations according to the plurality of reception signals for each antenna of the plurality of antennas, respectively, further comprise:

obtaining and determining a communication target record in a receive descriptor of the plurality of reception signals for each of the plurality of antennas, respectively.

4. The antenna selection method of claim 1, wherein the steps of calculating the weighted sum of the plurality of corresponding signal quality indicators to generate the calculation result for each of the plurality of antennas comprise:

generating a plurality of corresponding weight factors according to the plurality of corresponding signal quality indicators;

multiplying the plurality of signal quality indicators corresponding to the plurality of reception signals by the plurality of corresponding weight factors, to generate a plurality of multiplied products, respectively; and

calculating a sum of the plurality of multiplied products, to generate the calculation result.

5. The antenna selection method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of weight factors are related to the plurality of signal quality indicators.

6. The antenna selection method of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of weight factors depends on a comparison result between the corresponding signal quality indicator and a threshold indication value, respectively.

7. The antenna selection method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of weight factors are inversely proportional to the plurality of corresponding signal quality indicators.

8. The antenna selection method of claim 4, wherein a sum of the plurality of weight factors is a predefined value.

9. The antenna selection method of claim 1, wherein the steps of selecting the receiving antenna from the plurality of antennas according to the corresponding calculation result of each of the plurality of antennas comprise:

comparing the plurality of calculation results, and selecting an antenna with a larger calculation result as the receiving antenna.

10. The antenna selection method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of signal quality indicators are received signal strength indication values.

11. An antenna selection device for a wireless network system having a plurality of antennas, comprising:

a signal conversion unit, coupled to the plurality of antennas, for converting a plurality of transmission signals received by the plurality of antennas into a plurality of reception signals, wherein the plurality of transmission signals are from a plurality of stations of the wireless network system;

a signal quality estimation unit, coupled to the signal conversion unit, for estimating a plurality of signal quality indicators corresponding to the plurality of stations according to the plurality of reception signals, respectively;

a setting unit, coupled to the signal quality estimation unit, for generating a plurality of weight factors according to the plurality of signal quality indicators;

a signal calculation unit, coupled to the signal quality estimation unit and the setting unit, for calculating a weighted sum of the plurality of corresponding signal quality indicators to generate a calculation result for each the plurality of antennas; and

a decision unit, coupled to the signal calculation unit, for selecting a receiving antenna from the plurality of antennas according to corresponding calculation results of the plurality of antennas, respectively, to provide at least an access point in the wireless network system and the plurality of stations to build a communication connection.

12. The antenna selection device of claim 11, wherein the signal quality estimation unit obtains a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value recorded in a receive descriptor of the plurality of reception signals, respectively, as the plurality of signal quality indicators corresponding to the plurality of stations.

13. The antenna selection device of claim 11, wherein the signal quality estimation unit obtains and determines a communication target record in a receive descriptor of the plurality of reception signals.

14. The antenna selection device of claim 11, wherein the signal calculation unit multiplies the plurality of signal quality indicators corresponding to the plurality of reception signals by the plurality of corresponding weight factors, to generate a plurality of multiplied products, respectively, and calculates a sum of the plurality of multiplied products to generate the calculation result.

15. The antenna selection device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of weight factors are related to the plurality of signal quality indicators.

16. The antenna selection device of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of weight factors depends on a comparison result between the corresponding signal quality indicator and a threshold indication value.

17. The antenna selection device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of weight factors are inversely proportional to the plurality of corresponding signal quality indicators.

18. The antenna selection device of claim 11, wherein a sum of the plurality of weight factors is a predefined value.

19. The antenna selection device of claim 11, wherein the decision unit compares the plurality of calculation results and selects an antenna with a larger calculation result as the receiving antenna.

20. The antenna selection device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of signal quality indicators are received signal strength indication values.