Antenna control system and method

• US 8,437,330 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2012
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Proctor, James A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Blanche
• Application Number:
  US13/442,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20120201199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/342
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0619 using feedback from receiving side feedback signaling for adaptive modulation/coding H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/08 at the receiving station
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2628 using code-division multiple access [CDMA] or spread spectrum multiple access [SSMA] H04B7/2618 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/146 Uplink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/243 taking into account interferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/386 centralized, e.g. when the radio network controller or equivalent takes part in the power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/42 in systems with time, space, frequency or polarisation diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/54 Signalisation aspects of the TPC commands, e.g. frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/58 Format of the TPC bits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A subscriber unit, including an antenna array and an antenna array interface coupled to the antenna array, is described. Wireless transmissions, at least two of which are based on different directional transmissions from a transmitter, are received at the antenna array. Feedback messages are generated using the antenna array interface. The feedback messages are communicated using the antenna array to adjust settings of the transmitter.

Claims

1. A subscriber unit comprising:

an antenna array; and

an antenna array interface coupled to the antenna array;

wherein the antenna array and antenna array interface are configured to implement a method;

the method comprising;

receiving, at the antenna array, wireless transmissions, at least two of which are based on different directional transmissions from a transmitter;

generating, using the antenna array interface, a first type of feedback messages to control a power output level of the transmitter;

generating, using the antenna array interface, a second type of feedback messages to indicate which of the at least two different directional transmissions from the transmitter supports a higher quality received signal;

communicating, using the antenna array, the first and second type of feedback messages over a shared feedback channel to adjust settings of the transmitter;

partitioning the shared feedback channel into multiple repeating sequences of frames; and

communicating, using the antenna array, either a first or second type of feedback message in a frame of the shared feedback channel depending on a position of the frame in a sequence of periodically repeating frames.

2. The subscriber unit as in claim 1, wherein the antenna array and antenna array interface are further configured to implement the method further comprising:

in a first frame of the shared feedback channel, transmitting a first type of feedback message, and

in a frame contiguous with the first frame, transmitting a second type of feedback message.

3. The subscriber unit as in claim 2, wherein the antenna array and antenna array interface are further configured to implement the method wherein at least one of the first type of feedback message or the second type of feedback message is a single bit.

4. The subscriber unit as in claim 2, wherein the antenna array and antenna array interface are further configured to implement the method wherein the first type of feedback message is a power control bit.

5. The subscriber unit as in claim 2, wherein the antenna array and antenna array interface are further configured to implement the method wherein the second type of feedback message is a lobe control bit.

6. The subscriber unit as in claim 1, wherein the antenna array and antenna array interface are further configured to implement the method further comprising:

partitioning a data channel into frames in which data information is transmitted; and

for two successive frames of the data channel, generating two different directional transmissions from the transmitter.

7. The subscriber unit as in claim 6, wherein the antenna array and antenna array interface are further configured to implement the method further comprising:

receiving a feedback message at the transmitter indicating which of the two different directional data transmissions results in a higher quality received signal.