Method and system for communicating information in a multi-antenna system

• US 8,660,104 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza
• Primary Examiner(s): SAMS, MATTHEW C
• Application Number:
  US11/536,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20080080454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,706 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/328, 370/329, 370/330, 370/339, 370342-350, 455/132, 455/141, 4555521-5531, 4555561-5562
• US Class Current: 370/339
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0802 using antenna selection H04B7/0868 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/086 using weights depending on external parameters, e.g. direction of arrival [DOA], predetermined weights or beamforming

Abstract

Certain aspects of a method and system for communicating information in a multi-antenna system are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include receiving at least one narrowband RF signal via at least one of a plurality of receiving antennas that is unused within a wideband diversity radio frequency (RF) receiver comprising a plurality of receiving antennas, when the wideband diversity RF receiver is operating in a narrowband receiving mode.

Claims

1. A method for use by a device including a wideband diversity radio frequency (RF) receiver comprising a plurality of antennas having a first antenna and a second antenna, the method comprising:

configuring said device to operate in a wideband mode;

receiving, when said device is operating in said wideband mode, a wideband RF signal using said plurality of antennas, including said first antenna and said second antenna;

configuring said device to operate in a narrowband mode after said receiving, of said wideband RF signal using said first antenna and said second antenna;

receiving, when said device is operating in said narrowband mode, at least one narrowband RF signal using said first antenna, which was used for said receiving of said wideband RF signal; and

receiving, when said device is operating in said narrowband mode, at least one data signal using said second antenna, which was used for said receiving of said wideband RF signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising amplifying said received at least one narrowband RF signal.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said received at least one data signal is one or more of:

a global systems for mobile communications (GSM) signal, digital video broadcasting handheld (DVB-H) signal, global positioning system (GPS) signal, frequency modulation (FM) signal, and/or an enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) signal.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising filtering said received at least one narrowband RF signal.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising converting said received at least one narrowband RF signal to a digital signal.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising sampling said received at least one narrowband RF signal.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising down-converting said received at least one narrowband RF signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for use by a device including a wideband diversity radio frequency (RF) receiver comprising a plurality of antennas having a first antenna and a second antenna, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform:

configuring said device to operate in a wideband mode;

receiving, when said device is operating in said wideband mode, a wideband RF signal using said plurality of antennas, including said first antenna and said second antenna;

configuring said device to operate in a narrowband mode after said receiving of said wideband RF signal using said first antenna and said second antenna;

receiving, when said device is operating in said narrowband mode, at least one narrowband RF signal using said first antenna, which was used for said receiving of said wideband RF signal; and

receiving, when said device is operating in said narrowband mode, at least one data signal using said second antenna, which was used for said receiving of said wideband RF signal.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 8, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for amplifying said received at least one narrowband RF signal.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 8, wherein said received at least one data signal is one or more of a global systems for mobile communications (GSM) signal, digital video broadcasting handheld (DVB-H) signal, global positioning system (GPS) signal, frequency modulation (FM) signal, and/or an enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) signal.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 8, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for filtering said received at least one narrowband RF signal.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 8, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for converting said received at least one narrowband RF signal to a digital signal.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 8, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for sampling said received at least one narrowband RF signal.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 8, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for downconverting said received at least one narrowband RF signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal.

15. A device comprising:

one or more circuits within a wideband diversity radio frequency (RF) receiver comprising a plurality of antennas having a first antenna and a second antenna, said one or more circuits being operable to;

configure said device to operate in a wideband mode;

receive, when said device is operating in said wideband mode, a wideband RF signal using said plurality of antennas, including said first antenna and said second antenna;

configure said device to operate in a narrowband mode after receiving said wideband RF signal using said first antenna and said second antenna;

receive, when said device is operating in said narrowband mode, at least one narrowband RF signal using said first antenna, which was used for said receiving of said wideband RF signal; and

receive, when said device is operating in said narrowband mode, at least one data signal using said second antenna, which was used for said receiving of said wideband RF signal.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits is operable to amplify said received at least one narrowband RF signal.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein said received at least one data signal is one or more of:

a global systems for mobile communications (GSM) signal, digital video broadcasting handheld (DVB-H) signal, global positioning system (GPS) signal, frequency modulation (FM) signal, and/or an enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) signal.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits is operable to filter said received at least one narrowband RF signal.

19. The device according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits is operable to convert said received at least one narrowband RF signal to a digital signal.

20. The device according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits is operable to sample said received at least one narrowband RF signal.

21. The device according to claim 15, wherein said one or more circuits is operable to down-convert said received at least one narrowband RF signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal.