SYSTEM FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE NOISE REDUCTION WITHIN AN ENCLOSURE

• US 20160301132A1
• Filed: 04/07/2015
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Global Technologies International Ltd. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte., Ltd. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hogan, Michael William James, Rusu, Lucian, Flint, Stephen John
• Granted Patent: US 9,876,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/52 Means for reducing coupling between antennas; Means for reducing coupling between an antenna and another structure absorbing means H01Q17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/02 Reducing interference from electric apparatus by means located at or near the interfering apparatus

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) noise reduction system is disclosed to include a first antenna for receiving a RF signal, a phase shifter coupled to the first antenna for generating a phase shifted RF signal, and an amplitude detector coupled to the first antenna for outputting a signal representative of an amplitude of the RF signal. Additionally, the RF noise reduction system includes a microcontroller coupled to the amplitude detector for controlling the phase shifter. Still yet, the RF noise reduction system includes a second antenna coupled to the phase shifter and being configured to transmit the phase shifted RF signal.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) noise reduction system, comprising:

a first antenna for receiving a RF signal;

a phase shifter coupled to the first antenna for generating a phase shifted RF signal;

an amplitude detector coupled to the first antenna for outputting a signal representative of an amplitude of the RF signal;

a microcontroller coupled to the amplitude detector for controlling the phase shifter; and

a second antenna coupled to the phase shifter, the second antenna being configured to transmit the phase shifted RF signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are separated by a distance of approximately 2-12 inches.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are separated by a distance of approximately 6 inches.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the microcontroller controls the phase shifter to shift a phase of the RF signal between approximately 0 and 400 degrees.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the microcontroller controls the phase shifter to shift a phase of the RF signal between approximately 90 and 270 degrees.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the system is coupled to a printed circuit board (PCB).

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the PCB is a component of IT hardware.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the IT hardware comprises networking hardware.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the networking hardware includes at least one noise source.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the networking hardware is installed in an enclosure such that the system is installed in the enclosure.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is installed in the enclosure such that the first antenna is more proximal than the second antenna to a faceplate of the enclosure, and the second antenna is more proximal than the first antenna to a rear of the enclosure.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first antenna comprises a first chip antenna, and the second antenna comprises a second chip antenna.

13. The system of claim 12, comprising a first amplifier between the first antenna and the phase shifter, and a second amplifier between the phase shifter and the second antenna, wherein the first amplifier comprises a first monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC), and the second amplifier comprises a second MMIC.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first MMIC amplifies a 10-20 GHz band of the RF signal received by the first antenna.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the signal representative of the amplitude of the amplified RF signal output by the first amplifier comprises a DC voltage proportional to the amplitude of the amplified RF signal.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the amplitude detector comprises a high frequency amplitude detector.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the phase shifter comprises a voltage variable surface acoustic wave (SAW) phase shifter.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the voltage variable SAW phase shifter generates a phase inverted high frequency spectrum of the RF signal received at the first antenna.

19. A method for reducing radio frequency (RF) noise, comprising:

receiving a first RF signal;

determining a first amplitude of the first RF signal;

generating a phase shifted RF signal by phase shifting the first RF signal;

transmitting the phase shifted RF signal as output;

receiving a second RF signal and the transmitted phase shifted RF signal;

determining a second amplitude of the second RF signal; and

identifying a minimum RF envelope based on at least the first amplitude and the second amplitude.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising setting a phase shift value based on the minimum RF envelope.