Method and system for multiple shared antenna mobile devices

• US 8,095,083 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Raghuraman, Shankara
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US12/034,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20090207082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/101, 455/103, 455/132, 455/137, 455/272, 455/277.1, 455/277.2, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 375/267, 375/347
• US Class Current: 455/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0064 with separate antennas for the more than one band H04B1/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0857 using maximum ratio combining techniques, e.g. signal-to- interference ratio [SIR], received signal strenght indication [RSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0874 using subgroups of receive antennas

Abstract

A wireless device may comprise a plurality of antennas that may be utilized during communications via various wireless interfaces. The wireless interfaces may comprise mobile interfaces, wireless personal area network (WPAN) interfaces, and/or wireless local area network (WLAN). The plurality of antennas may be utilized during a communication via a wireless interface in the mobile device. The mobile device may switch among antennas in the plurality of antennas utilizing one or more RF switches to enable utilizing best path for transmitted and/or received RF signals during the wireless communication. The mobile device may also perform signal combining of RF signals received via the plurality of antenna, and to enable a receiving end to perform signal combining of RF signals transmitted via the mobile device. A multiple-input- multiple-output (MIMO) combiner may be utilized to perform signal combing; the MIMO combiner may utilize maximal ratio combining to perform signal combining and equalization.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, the method comprising:

in a wireless device that comprises a plurality of antennas, wherein each of said plurality of antennas is configured to handle a particular one of a plurality of wireless protocols;

during operation of said wireless device;

determining whether one or more of said plurality of antennas provides greater transmission and/or reception of signal for at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols, wherein said at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols differs from said particular one of said plurality of wireless protocols; and

reconfiguring said one or more of said plurality of antennas to handle said at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols based on said determination.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising switching among said plurality of antennas to enable transmission and/or reception of signals, via said one or more of said plurality of antennas, during communication via said at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols.

3. The method according to claim 2, comprising switching among said plurality of antennas based on determination of path performance via each of said one or more of said plurality of antennas.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising combining signals for said plurality of antennas to enable performing transmission and/or reception of signals during communication via said at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said signal combining comprises spatial diversity combining.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising utilizing Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC) equalizer to perform said spatial diversity combining.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising performing antenna gain adjustment when utilizing said one or more of said plurality of antennas during communication via said at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of wireless protocols comprise mobile interfaces, wireless personal area network (WPAN) interfaces, and/or wireless local area network (WLAN) interfaces.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said mobile interfaces comprise CDMA, WCDMA, CDMA2000, HSDPA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, and/or UMTS interface.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said wireless personal area network (WPAN) interfaces comprise Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15) and/or ZigBee.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said wireless local area network (WLAN) interfaces comprise WiFi, and/or WiMAX (802.16).

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein said determination of said one or more of said plurality of antennas is based on proximity in frequency bands utilized for each of said mobile interfaces, wireless personal area network (WPAN) interfaces, and/or wireless local area network (WLAN) interfaces.

13. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits in a wireless device comprising a plurality of antennas, wherein each of said plurality of antennas is configured to handle a particular one of a plurality of wireless protocols;

said one or more circuits enable, during operation of said wireless device;

determination of whether one or more of said plurality of antennas provides greater transmission and/or reception of signal for at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols, wherein said at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols differs from said particular one of said plurality of wireless protocols; and

reconfiguration of said one or more of said plurality of antennas to handle said at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols based on said determination.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits enable switching among said plurality of antennas to enable transmission and/or reception of signals, via said one or more of said plurality of antennas, during communication via said at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more circuits enable switching among said plurality of antennas based on determination of path performance via each of said one or more of said plurality of antennas.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits enable combining signals for said plurality of antennas to enable performing transmission and/or reception of signals during communication via said at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said signal combining comprises spatial diversity combining.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more circuits comprise a Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC) equalizer that enables performing of said spatial diversity combining.

19. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits enable performing antenna gain adjustment when utilizing said one or more of said plurality of antennas during communication via said at least one other of said plurality of wireless protocols.

20. The system according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of wireless protocols comprise mobile interfaces, wireless personal area network (WPAN) interfaces, and/or wireless local area network (WLAN) interfaces.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said mobile interfaces comprise CDMA, WCDMA, CDMA2000, HSDPA, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, and/or UMTS interface.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein said wireless personal area network (WPAN) interfaces comprise Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15) and/or ZigBee.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein said wireless local area network (WLAN) interfaces comprise WiFi, and/or WiMAX (802.16).

24. The system according to claim 20, wherein said determination of said one or more of said plurality of antennas is based on proximity in frequency bands utilized for each of said mobile interfaces, wireless personal area network (WPAN) interfaces, and/or wireless local area network (WLAN) interfaces.