Method and system for point-to-point wireless communications utilizing leaky wave antennas

• US 8,849,214 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2010
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza, Rofougaran, Maryam
• Primary Examiner(s): Wendell, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/796,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20100311333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 455/39, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/501, 455/63.1, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/69, 455/71
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73204 the bump connector being embedded into the layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/20 Non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/22 Longitudinal slot in boundary wall of waveguide or transmission line H01Q13/203 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/006 Selective devices having photonic band gap materials or materials of which the material properties are frequency dependent, e.g. perforated substrates, high-impedance surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0066 said selective devices being reconfigurable, tunable or controllable, e.g. using switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/23 Combinations of reflecting surfaces with refracting or diffracting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/06 using refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens radome H01Q1/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

A method and system for point-to-point wireless communications utilizing leaky wave antennas is provided. In this regard, a first device may transmit a RF signal via a leaky wave antenna, and may determine an angle between the leaky wave antenna of the first device and a leaky wave antenna of a second device by adjusting a frequency of the RF signal until a response is received from the second device. The first device may be configured based on the determined angle. A wireless connection may be established between the leaky wave antenna of the first device and the leaky wave antenna of the second device based on the configuration. The first device may generate a notification when the angle is beyond a threshold. The wireless connection may adhere to wireless USB protocols and/or Bluetooth protocols, for example. The second device may generate the response after receiving sufficient energy from the RF signal.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a first device comprising a first leaky wave antenna;

transmitting a discovery signal at a frequency that corresponds to a transmission angle;

adjusting said frequency of said discovery signal to change said transmission angle;

receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal via said first leaky wave antenna, wherein said RF signal is received from a second leaky wave antenna of a second device;

determining an angle between said first leaky wave antenna and said second leaky wave antenna based on a received signal strength of said RF signal;

pairing with said second device to establish a communication protocol connection between said first device and said second device when said determined angle is approximately equal to a particular angle; and

preventing pairing with said second device to prevent establishment of a communication protocol connection between said first device and said second device when said determined angle is not approximately equal to said particular angle,

wherein said second device powers up in response to receiving energy exceeding a threshold from said discovery signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said leaky wave antenna of said first device is integrated within and/or on an integrated circuit.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said leaky wave antenna of said first device is integrated within and/or on an integrated circuit package.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising generating a notification when said particular angle is beyond a threshold.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more filters of said first device are configured based on said particular angle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second device configures one or more filters based on said received signal strength of said RF signal.

7. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits in a first device, said one or more circuits comprising a first leaky wave antenna, and said one or more circuits configured to;

transmit a discovery signal at a frequency that corresponds to a transmission angle;

adjust said frequency of said discovery signal to change said transmission angle;

receive a radio frequency (RF) signal via said first leaky wave antenna, wherein said RF signal is received from a second leaky wave antenna of a second device;

determine an angle between said first leaky wave antenna and said second leaky wave antenna based on a received signal strength of said RF signal;

pair with said second device to establish a communication protocol connection between said first device and said second device when said determined angle is approximately equal to a particular angle; and

prevent pairing with said second device to prevent establishment of a communication protocol connection between said first device and said second device when said determined angle is not approximately equal to said particular angle;

one or more additional circuits in said second device and configured to power up said second device in response to receiving energy exceeding a threshold from said discovery signal.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said leaky wave antenna of said first device is integrated within and/or on an integrated circuit.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein said leaky wave antenna of said first device is integrated within and/or on an integrated circuit package.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to generate a notification when said particular angle is beyond a threshold.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein one or more filters of said first device are configured based on said particular angle.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein said second device configures one or more filters based on said received signal strength of said RF signal.

13. A communication device, the communication device comprising:

a processor configured to;

transmit a discovery signal at a frequency that corresponds to a transmission angle;

adjust said frequency of said discovery signal to change said transmission angle;

receive a response signal from a second device;

determine an angle between the communication device and a communication partner based on a received signal strength of the response signal;

establish a communication protocol connection between the communication device and the communication partner if the determined angle is less than a threshold; and

prevent a communication protocol connection between the communication device and the communication partner if the determined angle is greater than a threshold,

wherein said discovery signal causes second device to power up in response to energy from said discovery signal exceeding a threshold.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to stop changing the frequency of the transmitted discovery signal when a maximum transmission angle is reached prior to receiving the response signal from the communication partner.