System and method for dynamic receive diversity allocation
First Claim
1. A communications device comprising:
- a first physical layer (PHY) unit, the first PHY unit configured to transmit and/or receive data based on a first wireless communications specification;
a second PHY unit, the second PHY unit configured to transmit and/or receive data based on a second wireless communications specification;
a first signal path coupled to a first antenna and to the first PHY unit, the first signal path configured to perform processing on a signal in the first signal path; and
a switchable signal path coupled to a second antenna and switchably coupled to the first PHY unit and to the second PHY unit, the switchable signal path configured to perform processing on a signal in the switchable signal path and to switchably couple the second antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit based on a control signal, the switchable signal path comprisesa radio frequency (RF) switch coupled to the second antenna, the RF switch to switchably couple the switchable signal path to the second antenna based on the control signal;
a second analog hardware unit coupled to the RF switch, the second analog hardware unit to perform analog signal processing on the signal in the switchable signal path based on the first wireless communications specification;
a third analog hardware unit coupled to the RF switch, the third analog hardware unit to perform analog signal processing on the signal in the switchable signal path based on the second wireless communications specification;
a second digital hardware unit to perform digital signal processing on the signal in the switchable signal path according to either the first wireless communications specification or the second wireless communications specification;
a first switch coupled to the second digital hardware unit, to the second analog hardware unit, and to the third analog hardware unit, the first switch to switchably couple the second digital hardware unit to either the second analog hardware unit or the third analog hardware unit based on the control signal; and
a second switch coupled to the second digital hardware unit, the second switch to switchably couple the second digital hardware unit to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit based on the control signal; and
a switch control unit coupled to the second antenna, the switch control unit configured to generate the control signal to specify the coupling of the second antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for dynamic receive diversity allocation. A communications device comprises a first physical layer (PHY) unit, a second PHY unit, a first signal path coupled to a first antenna and to the first PHY unit, a switchable signal path coupled to a second antenna and switchably coupled to the first PHY unit and the second PHY unit, and a switch control unit coupled to the second antenna. The switch control unit dynamically generates a control signal used to switchably couple the second antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit. The second antenna may be used to provided a needed transmit or receive antenna or an extra antenna for use in increasing diversity. Switching antennas reduces the total number of antennas and support hardware, such as digital processing hardware, for wireless communications standards having a high ratio of idle to busy time.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A communications device comprising:
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a first physical layer (PHY) unit, the first PHY unit configured to transmit and/or receive data based on a first wireless communications specification; a second PHY unit, the second PHY unit configured to transmit and/or receive data based on a second wireless communications specification; a first signal path coupled to a first antenna and to the first PHY unit, the first signal path configured to perform processing on a signal in the first signal path; and a switchable signal path coupled to a second antenna and switchably coupled to the first PHY unit and to the second PHY unit, the switchable signal path configured to perform processing on a signal in the switchable signal path and to switchably couple the second antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit based on a control signal, the switchable signal path comprises a radio frequency (RF) switch coupled to the second antenna, the RF switch to switchably couple the switchable signal path to the second antenna based on the control signal; a second analog hardware unit coupled to the RF switch, the second analog hardware unit to perform analog signal processing on the signal in the switchable signal path based on the first wireless communications specification; a third analog hardware unit coupled to the RF switch, the third analog hardware unit to perform analog signal processing on the signal in the switchable signal path based on the second wireless communications specification; a second digital hardware unit to perform digital signal processing on the signal in the switchable signal path according to either the first wireless communications specification or the second wireless communications specification; a first switch coupled to the second digital hardware unit, to the second analog hardware unit, and to the third analog hardware unit, the first switch to switchably couple the second digital hardware unit to either the second analog hardware unit or the third analog hardware unit based on the control signal; and a second switch coupled to the second digital hardware unit, the second switch to switchably couple the second digital hardware unit to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit based on the control signal; and a switch control unit coupled to the second antenna, the switch control unit configured to generate the control signal to specify the coupling of the second antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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determining an operating mode of each physical layer (PHY) unit of a plurality of PHY units in a communications device, wherein a PHY unit is in a LISTEN, RECEIVE, or TRANSMIT mode; selecting the PHY unit from the plurality of PHY units to be coupled to a switchable antenna, wherein selecting the PHY unit comprises selecting a first PHY unit in response to a determining that, the first PHY unit is in the RECEIVE mode and the first PHY unit requires the switchable antenna, or the first PHY unit is in the TRANSMIT mode and the first PHY unit has been assigned the switchable antenna; and selecting a second PHY unit in response to a determining that, the first PHY unit is in the TRANSMIT mode and the first PHY unit has not been assigned the switchable antenna, or the first PHY unit is in the RECEIVE mode and the first PHY unit does not require the switchable antenna, or the first PHY unit is in the LISTEN mode; and applying a control signal to switches in the communications device to couple the selected PHY unit to the switchable antenna. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification