Method and apparatus for managing interference in a communication device

• US 8,860,526 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Manssen, Keith, Greene, Matthew, Smith, Wayne, Schlueter, David, Spears, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benny
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, RAKESH BHASKARBHAI
• Application Number:
  US13/090,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20110254637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 333/17.3, 333/173, 333/124, 333/32, 343/745, 343/860, 343/861, 455/125
• US Class Current: 333/17.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/188 the guides being dielectric waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/30 Automatic matching of source impedance to load impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1027 assessing signal quality or detecting noise/interference for the received signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/109 by improving strong signal performance of the receiver when strong unwanted signals are present at the receiver input
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/12 Neutralising, balancing, or compensation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/00 Suppression or limitation of noise or interference by means associated with receiver H04B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a matching network including a tunable reactance circuit configured to be coupled to at least one of a transmitter portion and a receiver portion of a communication device, wherein the tunable reactance circuit is adjustable to a plurality of tuning states, and wherein the determination of a tuning state is based on parameters associated with a detected interference. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A matching network, comprising:

a tunable reactance circuit configured to be coupled to at least one of a transmitter portion and a receiver portion of a communication device, wherein the tunable reactance circuit is adjustable to a plurality of tuning states, wherein the determination of one of the plurality of tuning states is based on parameters associated with a detected interference, and wherein the tunable reactance circuit is adjusted based on a last known tuning state of the plurality of tuning states when the interference is determined to be not present.

2. The matching network of claim 1, wherein the tunable reactance circuit comprises at least one of one or more voltage tunable capacitors, one or more semiconductor varactors, one or more micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) varactors, one or more semiconductor switched capacitors, one or more MEMS switched capacitors, and one or more ferroelectric capacitors.

3. The matching network of claim 1, further comprising a signal sampling network, wherein a signal output of the signal sampling network has a filter coupled thereto.

4. The matching network of claim 3, wherein the signal sampling network comprises a directional coupler.

5. The matching network of claim 1, wherein the determination of the one tuning state is based on information from at least one of an open-loop or closed-loop feedback configuration of the tunable reactance circuit.

6. The matching network of claim 5, wherein the tunable reactance circuit is operable to:

change the one tuning state to a different one of the plurality of tuning states based on the information from the at least one of the open-loop or closed-loop feedback configuration when detected signal measurements are determined to be valid; and

utilize one of a last known valid tuning state or a default tuning state when the detected signal measurements are invalid.

7. The matching network of claim 5, wherein the parameters associated with the detected interference are determined utilizing at least one of Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) data measured over a period of time, amplitude modulation, a reflected input measured during transmission and non-transmission, phase measurements outside of a standard deviation, a comparison of measured and predicted transmission power level changes, and a comparison of measured and predicted improvement in reflected loss between the plurality of tuning states.

8. The matching network of claim 5, wherein the tunable reactance circuit comprises at least one of one or more capacitors with a tunable dielectric constant, and one or more capacitors of a fixed capacitance controlled by one of one or more micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) switches and one or more semiconductor switches.

9. The matching network of claim 5, wherein a determination of invalidity of detected measurements is caused by a mobile device generating a signal that interferes with the communication device.

10. The matching network of claim 5, wherein a determination of invalidity of detected measurements is caused by internal interference generated by the communication device.

11. A matching network, comprising:

a tunable reactance circuit configured to be coupled to at least one of a transmitter portion and a receiver portion of a communication device, wherein the tunable reactance circuit is adjustable to a plurality of tuning states, wherein the determination of one of the plurality of tuning states is based on detecting interference with the communication device, and wherein the tunable reactance circuit is adjusted based on a last known tuning state of the plurality of tuning states when the interference is determined to be not present.

12. The matching network of claim 11, wherein the detecting of the interference is based on at least one of Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) data measured over a period of time, amplitude modulation, a reflected input measured during transmission and non-transmission, phase measurements outside of a predetermined deviation, a comparison of measured and predicted transmission power level changes, and a comparison of measured and predicted improvement in reflected loss.

13. An apparatus for a communication device, the apparatus comprising a controller to determine a tuning state of a variable matching network that controls one or more operational characteristics of one of a receiver portion and a transmitter portion of the communication device, wherein the controller performs operations comprising:

detecting an existence of an interferer;

determining the tuning state based on whether the interferer exists and based on information from at least one of an open-loop or closed-loop feedback configuration;

changing the tuning state to a different tuning state based on the information from the closed-loop feedback configuration when the interferer does not exist; and

utilizing a previously determined tuning state when the interferer does exist.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the detecting of the existence of an interferer is based on at least one of Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) data measured over a period of time, amplitude modulation, a reflected input measured during transmission and non-transmission, phase measurements outside of a predetermined deviation, a comparison of measured and predicted transmission power level changes, or a comparison of measured and predicted improvement in reflected loss.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the variable matching network comprises a voltage tunable dielectric and a directional coupler, wherein the directional coupler is operably connected with a filter.

16. A method comprising:

detecting interference with a communication device;

determining a tuning state of a variable matching network of the communication device based on parameters associated with the interference;

adjusting the variable matching network based on the determined tuning state; and

adjusting the variable matching network based on a last known tuning state when the interference is determined to be not present.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the detecting of the interference is based on at least one of Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) data measured over a period of time, amplitude modulation, a reflected input measured during transmission and non-transmission, phase measurements outside of a predetermined deviation, a comparison of measured and predicted transmission power level changes, or a comparison of measured and predicted improvement in reflected loss.

18. A method comprising:

detecting interference with a communication device, wherein the interference is sourced by another communication device; and

determining a tuning state of a variable matching network of the communication device based on the detected interference; and

adjusting the variable matching network based on a last known tuning state when the interference is determined to be not present.