WLAN DEVICE WITH AUXILIARY RECEIVER CHAIN

• US 20140355532A1
• Filed: 05/15/2014
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Celeno Communications (Israel) Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Celeno Communications (Israel) Ltd.
• Inventors: Shapira, Nir
• Granted Patent: US 9,877,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• 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]

Abstract

A method includes, in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) device, communicating on a given communication channel using one or more primary transmission/reception (TX/RX) chains. Concurrently with communicating on the given communication channel using the primary TX/RX chains, signal activity is evaluated on one or more alternative communication channels using an auxiliary reception (RX) chain whose hardware is partially shared with one of the primary TX/RX chains.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) device, communicating on a given communication channel using one or more primary transmission/reception (TX/RX) chains;

concurrently with communicating on the given communication channel using the primary TX/RX chains, evaluating signal activity on one or more alternative communication channels using an auxiliary reception (RX) chain whose hardware is partially shared with one of the primary TX/RX chains.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein evaluating the signal activity comprises verifying whether radar signals are present on the alternative communication channels.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein evaluating the signal activity comprises carrying out an off-channel Channel Availability Check (CAC) process.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein evaluating the signal activity comprises collecting statistical signal activity data on the alternative communication channels.

5. The method according to claim 1, and comprising, in response to an event that warrants switching from the given communication channel, switching the primary TX/RX chains to communicate on an alternative communication channel identified using the auxiliary RX chain as suitable.

6. The method according to claim 1, and comprising generating Local Oscillator (LO) signals for the primary TX/RX chains and for the auxiliary RX chain using respective different first and second frequency sources.

7. The method according to claim 1, and comprising providing an input signal for the auxiliary RX chain from an output of an amplifier in a primary TX/RX chain, designated from among the primary TX/RX chains.

8. The method according to claim 7, and comprising setting a gain of the amplifier based on a signal received in the primary TX/RX chain.

9. The method according to claim 7, and comprising setting a gain of the amplifier based on a signal received in the auxiliary RX chain.

10. The method according to claim 7, and comprising, in response to detecting a signal in only one of the auxiliary RX chain and the primary TX/RX chain, setting a gain of the amplifier based on the detected signal.

11. The method according to claim 7, and comprising setting a gain of the amplifier based on a signal received in the auxiliary RX chain in response to verifying that no signal is received in the primary TX/RX chain.

12. The method according to claim 7, and comprising modifying a gain of the amplifier based on a signal received in the primary TX/RX chain, and compensating for the modified gain by adjusting a variable-gain element in the auxiliary RX chain.

13. The method according to claim 1, and comprising assigning baseband processing circuitry alternately between the auxiliary RX chain and a primary TX/RX chain, designated from among the primary TX/RX chains.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein assigning the baseband processing circuitry comprises assigning the baseband processing circuitry to the auxiliary RX chain only when no signal is to be processed by the primary TX/RX chain.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein assigning the baseband processing circuitry comprises, in response to detecting a signal in one of the auxiliary RX chain and the primary TX/RX chain, assigning the baseband processing circuitry to process the detected signal.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein assigning the baseband processing circuitry comprises initially assigning the baseband processing circuitry to the auxiliary RX chain, and, upon detecting a signal in the primary TX/RX chain, re-assigning the baseband processing circuitry to the primary TX/RX chain regardless of whether the auxiliary RX chain is processing signals.

17. The method according to claim 1, and comprising deactivating the auxiliary RX chain while one or more of the primary TX/RX chains are in a transmission mode.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein evaluating the signal activity comprises, for a given alternative communication channel having a first bandwidth, assessing the signal activity for multiple sub-channels of the given alternative communication channel, which have a second bandwidth that is smaller than the first bandwidth.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein assessing the signal activity comprises measuring a respective duty cycle of the signal activity in each of the sub-channels.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein evaluating the signal activity comprises assessing the signal activity on multiple alternative communication channels in parallel using both the auxiliary RX chain and the primary TX/RX chains.

21. A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) device, comprising:

one or more primary transmission/reception (TX/RX) chains, which are configured to communicate on a given communication channel;

an auxiliary reception (RX) chain, having hardware that is partially shared with one of the primary TX/RX chains; and

a control unit, which is configured to evaluate using the auxiliary RX chain signal activity on one or more alternative communication channels, concurrently with communication on the given communication channel using the primary TX/RX chains.

22. The WLAN device according to claim 21, wherein the auxiliary RX chain is configured to evaluate the signal activity by verifying whether radar signals are present on the alternative communication channels.

23. The WLAN device according to claim 21, wherein the auxiliary RX chain is configured to evaluate the signal activity by carrying out an off-channel Channel Availability Check (CAC) process.

24. The WLAN device according to claim 21, wherein the auxiliary RX chain is configured to evaluate the signal activity by collecting statistical signal activity data on the alternative communication channels.

25. The WLAN device according to claim 21, wherein, in response to an event that warrants switching from the given communication channel, the control unit is configured to switch the primary TX/RX chains to communicate on an alternative communication channel identified using the auxiliary RX chain as suitable.

26. The WLAN device according to claim 21, and comprising first and second different frequency sources, which are configured to generate Local Oscillator (LO) signals for the primary TX/RX chains and for the auxiliary RX chain, respectively.

27. The WLAN device according to claim 21, wherein the auxiliary RX chain is configured to receive an input signal from an output of an amplifier in a primary TX/RX chain, designated from among the primary TX/RX chains.

28. The WLAN device according to claim 27, wherein the control unit is configured to set a gain of the amplifier based on a signal received in the primary TX/RX chain.

29. The WLAN device according to claim 27, wherein the control unit is configured to set a gain of the amplifier based on a signal received in the auxiliary RX chain.

30. The WLAN device according to claim 27, wherein, in response to detecting a signal in only one of the auxiliary RX chain and the primary TX/RX chain, the control unit is configured to set a gain of the amplifier based on the detected signal.

31. The WLAN device according to claim 27, wherein the control unit is configured to set a gain of the amplifier based on a signal received in the auxiliary RX chain in response to verifying that no signal is received in the primary TX/RX chain.

32. The WLAN device according to claim 27, wherein the control unit is configured to modify a gain of the amplifier based on a signal received in the primary TX/RX chain, and to compensate for the modified gain by adjusting a variable-gain element in the auxiliary RX chain.

33. The WLAN device according to claim 21, wherein the control unit is configured to assign baseband processing circuitry alternately between the auxiliary RX chain and a primary TX/RX chain, designated from among the primary TX/RX chains.

34. The WLAN device according to claim 33, wherein the control unit is configured to assign the baseband processing circuitry to the auxiliary RX chain only when no signal is to be processed by the primary TX/RX chain.

35. The WLAN device according to claim 33, wherein the control unit is configured to assign the baseband processing circuitry, in response to detecting a signal in one of the auxiliary RX chain and the primary TX/RX chain, so as to process the detected signal.

36. The WLAN device according to claim 33, wherein the control unit is configured to initially assign the baseband processing circuitry to the auxiliary RX chain, and, upon detecting a signal in the primary TX/RX chain, to re-assign the baseband processing circuitry to the primary TX/RX chain regardless of whether the auxiliary RX chain is processing signals.

37. The WLAN device according to claim 21, wherein the control unit is configured to deactivate the auxiliary RX chain while one or more of the primary TX/RX chains are in a transmission mode.

38. The WLAN device according to claim 21, wherein, for a given alternative communication channel having a first bandwidth, the auxiliary RX chain is configured to evaluate the signal activity for multiple sub-channels of the given alternative communication channel, which have a second bandwidth that is smaller than the first bandwidth.

39. The WLAN device according to claim 38, wherein the auxiliary RX chain is configured to evaluate the signal activity by measuring a respective duty cycle of the signal activity in each of the sub-channels.

40. The WLAN device according to claim 21, wherein the auxiliary RX chain is configured to assess the signal activity on multiple alternative communication channels in parallel using both the auxiliary RX chain and the primary TX/RX chains.