Dual antenna topology for Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network devices

• US 8,615,270 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2007
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ibrahim, Brima, Desai, Prasanna, Gonikberg, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US11/880,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20080238807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,349 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/41.2, 455/550.1, 455/101, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method includes determining that an antenna shared between a Bluetooth transceiver and a WLAN transceiver is available to the WLAN transceiver based on an activity signal associated with the Bluetooth transceiver. Access to the shared antenna is provided to the WLAN transceiver based on the determination, and the WLAN transceiver is configured to use diversity in transacting WLAN signals via a plurality of antennas, including the shared antenna. Access to the shared antenna is transferred from the WLAN transceiver to the Bluetooth transceiver based on the activity signal.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a dedicated antenna;

a shared antenna;

a Bluetooth transceiver configured to transmit Bluetooth signals and to receive Bluetooth signals via only the shared antenna;

a WLAN transceiver configured to transmit and receive WLAN signals via both the dedicated antenna and the shared antenna; and

an antenna control processor configured to;

operatively couple the shared antenna to the Bluetooth transceiver to transmit Bluetooth signals; and

operatively couple the shared antenna to the WLAN transceiver when Bluetooth signals are not transmitted,

wherein the Bluetooth transceiver is configured to transmit packets via the shared antenna during a same time that the WLAN transceiver is transmitting packets via the dedicated antenna.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the antenna control processor is configured to operatively couple the shared antenna to the WLAN transceiver based on a determination that the Bluetooth transceiver is idle.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the antenna control processor is configured to toggle a switch, operatively coupled to the shared antenna, configured to arbitrate access to the shared antenna between the Bluetooth transceiver and the WLAN transceiver.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the antenna control processor is configured to interrupt, upon detection of the activity signal, a WLAN signal transaction being performed by the WLAN transceiver via the shared antenna.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the WLAN transceiver is configured to terminate a WLAN signal transaction being performed by the WLAN transceiver via the shared antenna within a guard time associated with the activity signal.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the Bluetooth transceiver is configured to perform adaptive frequency hopping (AFH).

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a coexistence interface configured to arbitrate signal transmission and receipt activity between the Bluetooth transceiver and the WLAN transceiver.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the coexistence interface is configured to arbitrate based on priorities associated with the Bluetooth transceiver and WLAN transceiver.

9. The system of claim 7 comprising a monitor circuit configured to determine whether to arbitrate the signal transmission and receipt activity.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is configured to enable and disable an arbitration of packet transmissions and receipt between the WLAN transceiver transacting one or more packets via the dedicated antenna and the Bluetooth transceiver transacting one or more packets via the shared antenna based on isolation between the WLAN transceiver and Bluetooth transceiver.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the shared antenna is located at a distance from the dedicated antenna that is greater than about half a wavelength of signal radiation that the antennas are tuned to receive.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth transceiver is configured to transmit packets via the shared antenna during a same block of time that the WLAN transceiver is transmitting packets via the dedicated antenna.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth transceiver is configured to transmit packets via the shared antenna during a same period of time that the WLAN transceiver is transmitting packets via the dedicated antenna.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth transceiver is configured to transmit packets via the shared antenna during a same duration of time that the WLAN transceiver is transmitting packets via the dedicated antenna.

15. A method comprising:

determining that an antenna shared between a Bluetooth transceiver and a WLAN transceiver is available to the WLAN transceiver based on an activity signal associated with the Bluetooth transceiver;

providing access to the shared antenna to the WLAN transceiver based on the determination, wherein the WLAN transceiver is configured to use diversity in transacting WLAN signals via the shared antenna and a dedicated antenna;

transferring access to the shared antenna from the WLAN transceiver to the Bluetooth transceiver based on the activity signal; and

transmitting packets from the Bluetooth transceiver via the shared antenna and transmitting packets from the WLAN transceiver via the dedicated antenna during a same time,

wherein the dedicated antenna is configured to provide access to only the WLAN transceiver.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining comprises determining that the activity signal is not being asserted by the Bluetooth transceiver.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the providing access comprises providing the WLAN transceiver access to the shared antenna wherein the WLAN transceiver is configured to perform diversity associated with transmitting and/or receiving the WLAN signals via the shared antenna and the dedicated antenna.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the transferring comprises transferring access to the shared antenna to the Bluetooth transceiver based on a determination that a priority associated with the Bluetooth transceiver is greater than a priority associated with the WLAN transceiver.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the transferring comprises:

terminating a signal transaction by WLAN transceiver via the shared antenna within a guard time associated with the activity signal; and

transferring access to the shared antenna from the WLAN transceiver to the Bluetooth transceiver.

20. A system comprising:

a dedicated antenna;

a shared antenna;

a Bluetooth transceiver configured to transmit Bluetooth signals and to receive Bluetooth signals via only the shared antenna;

a WLAN transceiver configured to transmit and receive WLAN signals via both the dedicated antenna and the shared antenna; and

an antenna control processor configured to;

operatively couple the shared antenna to the Bluetooth transceiver to transmit Bluetooth signals; and

operatively couple the shared antenna to the WLAN transceiver when Bluetooth signals are not transmitted,

wherein the Bluetooth transceiver is configured to transmit packets via the shared antenna simultaneously with the WLAN transceiver transmitting packets via the dedicated antenna.