Multiple input multiple output user equipment radio frequency assistant system

• US 8,583,035 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2010
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Xin, Yan, Devries, Christopher, Qu, Shouxing, Sheynman, Arnold, Badiere, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B
• Application Number:
  US12/698,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20110189984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 455/7, 455/11.1, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/63.1, 455/67.13, 455/68, 455/88, 455/101, 455/272, 455/420, 455/556.1, 455/557
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003

Abstract

A user equipment and a wireless radio frequency assistant in a communication system that supports multiple input multiple output. The wireless radio frequency assistant and the user equipment operate together as a single system. The user equipment controls and activates the wireless radio frequency assistant to transform a first frequency of a radio frequency signal transmitted to the system of user equipment and the wireless radio frequency assistant to a second frequency. The wireless radio frequency assistant transmits the second frequency to the user equipment.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a radio frequency assistant activated to transform and repeat a radio frequency signal responsive to commands received wirelessly by said radio frequency assistant;

a user equipment that configures and controls said radio frequency assistant through said wireless commands, wherein said radio frequency assistant and said user equipment are configured to operate together as a single system; and

a wireless link between said user equipment and said radio frequency assistant, wherein said user equipment configures and controls said radio frequency assistant by sending a number of commands over said wireless link;

wherein an operating frequency of the radio frequency assistant is set based on a command received over said wireless link; and

wherein

the user equipment receives signals from the radio frequency assistant and another radio frequency signal.

2. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said single system is a user equipment assistant system.

3. The wireless communication system of claim 2, further comprising:

a number of base stations comprising a number of antennas configured to transmit data at a first frequency to said user equipment assistant system over a plurality of paths, wherein said user equipment controls said radio frequency assistant of said user equipment assistant system to transform said first frequency to a second frequency.

4. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said user equipment comprises:

a first transceiver that receives a first radio frequency signal at a first frequency a second transceiver that receives a second radio frequency signal from said radio frequency assistant at a second frequency; and

a baseband and control processor that processes said first radio frequency signal and said second radio frequency signal;

wherein said radio frequency assistant transforms a radio frequency signal at said first frequency to said second radio frequency signal.

5. The wireless communication system of claim 4, further comprising:

a first control channel modem in said user equipment that transmits said commands from said baseband and control processor to said radio frequency assistant.

6. The wireless communication system of claim 5, wherein said radio frequency assistant comprises:

a frequency transformer that transforms said first radio frequency signal received in a first radio frequency band to said second radio frequency signal in a second radio frequency band and transmitting said second radio frequency signal to said user equipment.

7. The wireless communication system of claim 6, wherein said radio frequency assistant further comprises:

a second control channel modem configured to communicate over a wireless link to said first control channel modem and receive said commands transmitted wirelessly from said first control channel modem of said baseband and control processor; and

a microprocessor that processes said commands transmitted to said second control channel modem.

8. The wireless communication system of claim 7, wherein said microprocessor is communicatively coupled to said frequency transformer to process commands that control the frequency transformer.

9. The wireless communication system of claim 7, wherein said number of commands comprises a plurality of computer executable instructions that are executed by a microprocessor in said radio frequency assistant.

10. The wireless communication system of claim 9, wherein said computer-executable instructions comprise:

computer executable program code that enables a frequency change in said frequency transformer of said radio frequency assistant; and

computer executable program code that enables a gain change.

11. The wireless communication system of claim 4, further comprising:

a first antenna communicatively coupled to said first transceiver;

wherein said first antenna receives said first radio frequency signal and also transmits said second radio frequency signal.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 11, further comprising a second antenna communicatively coupled to said second transceiver;

wherein said first antenna receives said first radio frequency signal and said second antenna transmits said second radio frequency signal.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said user equipment is a mobile cellular device.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said single system is a multiple input multiple output wireless system.

15. A wireless apparatus that processes radio frequency signals, comprising:

a frequency transformer configured to transform, responsive to a control signal, a first radio frequency signal received in a first radio frequency band to a second radio frequency signal in a second radio frequency band wherein said wireless apparatus transmits said second radio frequency signal to a user equipment, responsive to commands received wirelessly from said user equipment;

wherein said user equipment enables said control signal to control a configuration of said frequency transformer; and

wherein an operating frequency of the frequency transformer is set based on a command wirelessly received from the user equipment; and

wherein

the user equipment receives said second radio frequency signals from the wireless apparatus and another radio frequency signal.

16. The wireless apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a first antenna communicatively coupled to said frequency transformer;

wherein said first antenna receives said first radio frequency signal and also transmits said second radio frequency signal.

17. The wireless apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a microprocessor that enables said frequency transformer to transform said first radio frequency signal to said second radio frequency signal.

18. The wireless apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a control channel modem communicatively coupled to said microprocessor and said user equipment, said control channel modem enabling a transfer of commands from said user equipment that controls said frequency transformer.

19. The wireless apparatus of claim 16, wherein said microprocessor adjusts a reference frequency of said frequency transformer based on a command received over said control channel modem.

20. The wireless apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a second antenna communicatively coupled to said frequency transformer;

wherein said first antenna receives said first radio frequency signal and said second antenna transmits said second radio frequency signal.

21. In a wireless communication system, a method of assisting radio frequency reception, said method comprising:

wirelessly activating a radio frequency assistant with a user equipment;

configuring said radio frequency assistant by said user equipment to receive a first radio frequency signal transmitted to said user equipment;

transforming said first radio frequency signal to a second radio frequency signal by said radio frequency assistant, responsive to commands being received from said user equipment;

transmitting said second radio frequency signal to said user equipment over a wireless link between said radio frequency assistant and said user equipment;

wherein the user equipment receives said second radio frequency signals from the radio frequency assistant and another signal; and

wherein

an operating frequency of the radio frequency assistant is set based on a command received wirelessly from the user equipment.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

assigning a unique identification to said radio frequency assistant that pairs said radio frequency assistant to operate with said user equipment.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said radio frequency assistant is activated by said user equipment responsive to a quality of said first radio frequency signal being below a predefined threshold.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

controlling a gain and frequency of said second radio frequency signal transformed by said radio frequency assistant through commands sent by said user equipment.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said configuring comprises:

sending a number of said commands from said user equipment that control operations of said radio frequency assistant.