Database for antenna system matching for wireless communications in portable information handling systems

• US 8,280,433 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Quinn, Liam B., Sicher, Alan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/807,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20080300009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,953 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/426.1, 370/332, 370/329, 370/334, 370/328, 370/522
• US Class Current: 455/553.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0483 Transmitters with multiple parallel paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits

Abstract

Systems and method are disclosed for internal matching and configuration of radio frequency communication modules and antenna systems within a portable information handling system to help alleviate contentions among wireless communication technologies. A database stores operational information associated with wireless communication radio modules and antenna systems. A central control and switching module then matches and configures antenna systems and communication modules based upon stored operational information. The stored information can include device requirements, regional communication requirements, communication protocols and/or any other desired operational information. Flexibility is thereby provided for wireless communications, and worldwide intelligent access is allowed to radio frequency (RF) spectrums while adhering to localized spectrum and regulatory policies.

Claims

1. A portable information handling system having configurable wireless communication systems, comprising:

a chassis having a display;

a plurality of different wireless communication modules coupled within the chassis, each wireless communications module being configured to process a different communication protocol, each of the plurality of different wireless communication modules having an identification number;

a plurality of antenna modules coupled within the chassis, each antenna module being configured to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals associated with one or more of the communication protocols, each of the plurality of antenna modules having an identification number;

a database configured to use the identification numbers to store operational information associated with each wireless communication module and each antenna module; and

control and switching module coupled to the plurality of different wireless communication modules, the plurality of antenna modules and the database, the control and switching module being configured to allocate at least one antenna module for use by each communication module when active, to utilize the identification numbers for the wireless communication modules and the antenna modules to obtain operational information from the database associated with the wireless communication modules and the antenna modules, and to modify communication parameters for the wireless communication modules and the antenna modules based upon the operational information obtained from the database.

2. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antenna modules are fewer in number than the plurality of communication modules.

3. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein the database comprises a memory device configured to store the operational information.

4. The portable information handling system of claim 3, wherein the memory device comprises a programmable memory device.

5. The portable information handling system of claim 4, wherein the programmable memory device is configured to be programmed by external signals.

6. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein the operational information comprises regional regulatory requirements related to one or more of the communication protocols.

7. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein the database is configured to be accessed only through one or more security features.

8. The portable information handling system of claim 7, wherein the security feature is a BIOS setting.

9. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication modules each comprises radio circuitry and power amplifier circuitry configured together on a single card.

10. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication modules each comprises radio circuitry configured for a different communication protocol, and further comprising a plurality of receive circuitry modules and a plurality of power amplifier modules, the control and switching module being configured to allocate and configure one of the communication modules, one of the receive circuitry modules, one of the power amplifier modules and one of the antenna modules for wireless communications in one of the communication protocols.

11. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein the chassis comprises a bottom portion and a display portion rotatably coupled to the bottom portion, the plurality of different wireless communication modules being located within the bottom portion and the plurality of antenna modules being located in the display portion.

12. A wireless communication system for an information handling system, comprising:

a plurality of different wireless communication modules each being configured to process a different communication protocol, each of the plurality of different wireless communication modules having an identification number;

a plurality of antenna modules for transmitting or receiving radio frequency signals associated with one or more of the communication protocols, each of the plurality of antenna modules having an identification number;

a database configured to use the identification numbers to store operational information associated with each wireless communication module and each antenna module; and

control and switching module configured to determine active wireless communication modules, to allocate at least one antenna module for use by each active communication module, to utilize the identification numbers for the wireless communication modules and the antenna modules to obtain operational information from the database associated with the wireless communication modules and the antenna modules, and to modify communication parameters for the wireless communication modules and the antenna modules based upon the operational information obtained from the database.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of antenna modules are fewer in number than the plurality of communication modules.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein the database comprises a memory device configured to store the operational information.

15. The wireless communication system of claim 13, wherein the memory device comprises a programmable memory device.

16. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein the operational information comprises regional regulatory requirements related to one or more of the communication protocols.

17. A method for configuring wireless communications for an information handling systems, comprising:

providing a database within an information handling system configured to store operational information associated with a plurality of wireless communication modules and a plurality of antenna modules within an information handling system, each wireless communications module being configured to process a different communication protocol, and each antenna module being configured to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals associated with one or more of the communication protocols, the operational information being stored using identification numbers associated with the wireless communication modules and the antenna modules;

selecting one of the plurality of wireless communication modules;

selecting one of the plurality of antenna modules;

utilizing the identification numbers to obtain from the database operational information for the selected wireless communication module and the selected antenna module;

configuring communication parameters for the selected wireless communication module and the selected antenna module based upon the operational information obtained from the database; and

communicating with an external device using the configured wireless communication module and the configured antenna module.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising updating the operational information stored within the database through an external interface for the information handling system.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising initiating the updating steps from the information handling system.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising initiating the updating step from a source external to the information handling system.