ANTENNA STRUCTURES AND METHODS THEREOF FOR SELECTING ANTENNA CONFIGURATIONS

• US 20150116153A1
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SkyCross Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SkyCross, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Li, Caimi, Frank M.
• Application Number:
  US14/516,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20150116153A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/359
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 23/02 Arrangements for measuring frequency, e.g. pulse repetition rate; Arrangements for measuring period of current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 25/00 Arrangements for measuring phase angle between a voltage and a current or between voltages or currents
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/0807 characterised by the application
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/10 Radiation diagrams of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/521 reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/103 with variable reactance for tuning the antenna tuning resonant circuits H03J
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0006 Particular feeding systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/12 Parallel arrangements of substantially straight elongated conductive units travelling-wave antennas comprising transmission line loaded with transverse elements H01Q11/02; Yagi antennas H01Q19/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/00 : Arrangements for simultaneous operation of antennas on two or more different wavebands, e.g. dual-band or multi-band arrangements combinations of separate active antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system H01Q21/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/22 : RF wavebands combined with non-RF wavebands, e.g. infrared or optical
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 : Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 : Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/48 : Combinations of two or more dipole type antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/04 : Resonant antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 : with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/145 : by varying the electrical length
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 : with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 : Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 : with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 : Element having extended radiating surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 : with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/15 : Tuning of resonator by means of digitally controlled inductor bank
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/0245 : Discontinuous tuning using an electrical variable impedance element, e.g. a voltage variable reactive diode, in which no corresponding analogue value either exists or is preset, i.e. the tuning information is only available in a digital form microprocessor tuning H03J1/0008
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/242 : used exclusively for band selection
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/244 : using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0053 : with common antenna for more than one band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 : Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• 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 7/0404 : the mobile station comprising multiple antennas, e.g. to provide uplink diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 : MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0417 : Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0608 : Antenna selection according to transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0628 : Diversity capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0632 : Channel quality parameters, e.g. channel quality indicator [CQI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 : using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 : using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00692 : using simultaneous multiple data streams, e.g. cooperative multipoint [CoMP], carrier aggregation [CA] or multiple input multiple output [MIMO] allocation of physical resources in CoMP or in CA H04L5/0035
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/085 : involving beams of access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 : by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 : using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/12 : based on transmission quality or channel quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 : based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• 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: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A system incorporating the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method including determining, by a communication device comprising a processor, a usage state of the communication device. The communication device includes selectable antennas, and the usage state includes an orientation of the communication device. The method also includes selecting a set of antennas according to the usage state, and obtaining an antenna gain pattern for an antenna in the selected set of antennas. The method further includes evaluating an expected performance of an antenna configuration corresponding to the selected set of antennas, relative to a performance of an existing antenna configuration. The method also includes initiating usage of the antenna configuration in accordance with improved performance relative to the existing antenna configuration. The antenna configuration comprises a polarization configuration, and the selected set of antennas comprises elements in different planes. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a communication device comprising a processor, a usage state of the communication device, wherein the communication device comprises a plurality of selectable antennas for engaging in wireless communications, the usage state including an orientation of the communication device;

selecting, by the communication device, a set of antennas from the plurality of antennas in accordance with the usage state;

obtaining, by the communication device, an antenna gain pattern for an antenna in the selected set of antennas;

evaluating, by the communication device, an expected performance of an antenna configuration corresponding to the selected set of antennas relative to a performance of an existing antenna configuration; and

initiating, by the communication device, usage of the antenna configuration corresponding to the selected set of antennas in accordance with improved performance relative to the existing antenna configuration,

wherein the antenna configuration comprises a polarization configuration, and

wherein the selected set of antennas comprises a first antenna element in a first plane and a second antenna element in a different second plane.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected set of antennas comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, the first antenna including the first antenna element, the second antenna element, and a connector connecting the first antenna element and the second antenna element, wherein the obtaining comprises obtaining a first antenna gain pattern for the first antenna and obtaining a second antenna gain pattern for the second antenna, and wherein the second antenna gain pattern fits a null in the first antenna gain pattern.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating further comprises evaluating a first envelope correlation coefficient for the existing antenna configuration and a second envelope correlation coefficient for the antenna configuration corresponding to the selected set of antennas.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluating further comprises evaluating a first antenna isolation for the existing antenna configuration and a second antenna isolation for the antenna configuration corresponding to the selected set of antennas.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first antenna element and the second antenna element are oriented at 180°

relative to each other, and wherein the first plane and the second plane are orthogonal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the selected set of antennas further comprises a third antenna element and a fourth antenna element, the first, second, third and fourth antenna elements being arranged in an array with the first antenna element and the third antenna element diagonally opposite and substantially coplanar, and wherein the fourth antenna is in a plane orthogonal to the first plane and orthogonal to the second plane.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first antenna element comprises a first antenna segment connected to a ground plane and having a first current therein, wherein the second antenna element comprises a second antenna segment connected to the ground plane and having a second current therein, wherein the first current and the second current are in planes orthogonal to each other, and wherein the antenna configuration has a reduced envelope correlation coefficient relative to the existing antenna configuration.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a first antenna of the selected set of antennas is provided with a motor for moving the first antenna relative to a second antenna of the selected set of antennas, and further comprising directing the motor to move the first antenna relative to the second antenna so that the first antenna and the second antenna are in different planes.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring electric fields associated with the selected set of antennas while in use and their corresponding phase difference;

determining whether the fields are additive based on the phase difference; and

responsive to a determination that the fields are additive, adjusting electric fields of at least one antenna of the selected set of antennas to cause the fields to be subtractive.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining further comprises detecting a change in the orientation of the communication device between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation.

11. An antenna structure for a communication device, comprising:

a set of antennas selected from a plurality of antennas of the communication device, the set of antennas being selected in accordance with a usage state of the communication device; and

a controller that facilitates selection of the set of antennas based on an evaluation of a performance of an antenna configuration corresponding to the selected set of antennas indicating an improved performance relative to a previous antenna configuration, wherein the evaluation comprises an envelope correlation coefficient for the antenna configuration corresponding to the selected set of antennas and an antenna isolation for the antenna configuration corresponding to the selected set of antennas.

12. The antenna structure of claim 11, wherein the selected set of antennas comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, the first antenna including a first antenna element, a second antenna element, and a connector connecting the first antenna element and the second antenna element, wherein the evaluation is performed based on a first antenna gain pattern for the first antenna and a second antenna gain pattern for the second antenna, and wherein the second antenna gain pattern fits a null in the first antenna gain pattern.

13. The antenna structure of claim 11, wherein the selected set of antennas comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the first antenna is in a first plane and the second antenna is in a different second plane, wherein a first antenna element of the first antenna and a second antenna element of the second antenna are oriented at 180°

relative to each other, and wherein the first plane and the second plane are orthogonal.

14. The antenna structure of claim 11, wherein the selected set of antennas comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, and further comprising a motor coupled to the first antenna for moving the first antenna relative to the second antenna.

15. The antenna structure of claim 14, further comprising:

a sensor for detecting an orientation of the communication device; and

a processor coupled to the sensor and to the motor for directing the motor to move the first antenna in accordance with a change in the orientation,

wherein the processor directs the motor to move the first antenna relative to the second antenna so that the first antenna and the second antenna are in different planes.

16. The antenna structure of claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of near-field sensors, each located in a vicinity of the plurality of antennas for measuring a phase differential between the set of antennas selected; and

a phase shifter for adjusting radiated signals from at least one of the set of antennas when the phase differential between the set of antennas is additive.

17. A machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, a processor performs operations comprising:

detecting a usage state of a communication device, wherein the communication device comprises a plurality of selectable antennas for engaging in wireless communications, the usage state including an orientation of the communication device;

selecting a set of antennas from the plurality of antennas in accordance with the usage state;

obtaining a first antenna gain pattern for a first antenna in the selected set of antennas;

obtaining a second antenna gain pattern for a second antenna in the selected set of antennas; and

evaluating an expected performance of an antenna configuration corresponding to the selected set of antennas relative to a performance of an existing antenna configuration, wherein the evaluating comprises determining an envelope correlation coefficient for the antenna configuration corresponding to the selected set of antennas and an antenna isolation for the antenna configuration corresponding to the selected set of antennas, wherein the evaluating is based on the first antenna gain pattern and the second antenna gain pattern, and wherein the second antenna gain pattern fits a null in the first antenna gain pattern.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the first antenna is in a first plane and the second antenna is in a different second plane, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna respectively include a first antenna element and a second antenna element, and wherein the first antenna element and the second antenna element are oriented at 180°

relative to each other.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the first antenna is provided with a motor for moving the first antenna relative to the second antenna.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise directing the motor to move the first antenna relative to the second antenna so that the first antenna and the second antenna are in different planes.