METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR HIGH-THROUGHPUT AND LOW-POWER COMMUNICATION LINKS IN A DISTRIBUTED TRANSCEIVER NETWORK

• US 20130095770A1
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peltbeam Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Golba LLC
• Inventors: Moshfeghi, Mehran
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/043 using best eigenmode, e.g. beam forming or beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0689 using different transmission schemes, at least one of them being a diversity transmission scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0897 using beamforming per multi-path, e.g. to cope with different directions of arrival [DOA] at different multi-paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/12 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• 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 device comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a plurality of distributed beamformers, a baseband processor, and a network management engine. The distributed transceivers perform beamforming in a radio frequency band. The distributed beamformers, however, performs beamforming in an intermediate frequency band. Each of the distributed transceivers is coupled to a corresponding one of the distributed beamformers. Each transceiver-beamformer pair is coupled to the baseband processor utilizing a same communication medium such as a cable. For transmission, a data stream generated at baseband is converted to intermediate frequencies. With a low-power transmission, the distributed beamformers transmit the data stream wirelessly in the intermediate frequencies to a receiving device. With a normal-power transmission, the distributed transceivers transmit the data stream to the receiving device in the radio frequency band. The transceivers and the beamformers are turned OFF whenever not being used. A high-throughput communication link may be established through resource sharing.

Claims

1. A method of processing signals, the method comprising:

in a device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a plurality of distributed beamformers, a baseband processor and a network management engine, wherein said plurality of distributed transceivers perform beamforming in a radio frequency band, said plurality of distributed beamformers perform beamforming in an intermediate frequency band, and each of said plurality of distributed transceivers is coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of distributed beamformers;

generating a data stream at baseband by said baseband processor;

converting said data stream at baseband to one or more intermediate frequencies within said intermediate frequency band; and

transmitting said data stream wirelessly at said one or more intermediate frequencies to a receiving device utilizing said plurality of distributed beamformers.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each pair of said plurality of distributed transceivers and said plurality of corresponding coupled distributed beamformers are connected to said baseband processor within said device utilizing a same communication medium.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising negotiating resource sharing with said receiving device utilizing a low-throughput link between said device and said receiving device.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising configuring by said network management engine, said plurality of distributed transceivers and said plurality of distributed beamformers based on said resource sharing negotiation for said transmitting.

5. The method according to claim 4, comprising turning off said plurality of distributed transceivers during said transmitting through said plurality of distributed beamformers based on said configuring.

6. The method according to claim 4, comprising utilizing available resources on said receiving device based on said configuring for said transmitting of said plurality of distributed beamformers to said receiving device and/or to another receiving device.

7. The method according to claim 4, comprising converting by said plurality of distributed transceivers, said data stream at said one or more intermediate frequencies to said radio frequency band based on said configuring.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising transmitting said data stream at said radio frequency band to said receiving device utilizing said plurality of distributed transceivers.

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising turning off said plurality of distributed beamformers during said transmitting through said plurality of distributed transceivers based on said configuring.

10. The method according to claim 7, comprising utilizing available resources on said receiving device, based on said configuring, for said transmitting through said plurality of distributed transceivers to said receiving device and/or to another receiving device.

11. A system for processing signals, the system comprising:

a device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a plurality of distributed beamformers, a baseband processor and a network management engine, wherein said plurality of distributed transceivers perform beamforming in a radio frequency band, said plurality of distributed beamformers perform beamforming in an intermediate frequency band, and each of said plurality of distributed transceivers is coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of distributed beamformers, said device being operable to;

generate a data stream at baseband by said baseband processor;

convert said data stream at baseband to one or more intermediate frequencies within said intermediate frequency band; and

transmit said data stream wirelessly at said one or more intermediate frequencies to a receiving device utilizing said plurality of distributed beamformers.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein each pair of said plurality of distributed transceivers and said plurality of corresponding coupled distributed beamformers are connected to said baseband processor within said device utilizing a same communication medium.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said device negotiates resource sharing with said receiving device utilizing a low-throughput link between said device and said receiving device.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said network management engine configures said plurality of distributed transceivers and said plurality of distributed beamformers based on said resource sharing negotiation for said transmitting.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said device turns off said plurality of distributed transceivers during said transmitting through said plurality of distributed beamformers based on said configuring.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said device utilizes available resources on said receiving device based on said configuring for said transmitting of said plurality of distributed beamformers to said receiving device and/or to another receiving device.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of distributed transceivers converts said data stream at said one or more intermediate frequencies to said radio frequency band based on said configuring.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said device transmits said data stream at said radio frequency band to said receiving device utilizing said plurality of distributed transceivers.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said device turns off said plurality of distributed beamformers during said transmitting through said plurality of distributed transceivers based on said configuring.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said device utilizes available resources on said receiving device, based on said configuring, for said transmitting through said plurality of distributed transceivers to said receiving device and/or to another receiving device.