System and methods for adaptive antenna optimization

• US 8,929,838 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Klomsdorf, Armin W., Alberth, William P., Black, Gregory R., Mach, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALES, APRIL GUZMAN
• Application Number:
  US13/172,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20130005277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 455/77, 455/552.1, 455/575.7
• US Class Current: 455/77
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/145 by varying the electrical length

Abstract

A method (600) and devices for enhancing the performance of one or more antennas (440) is provided. A control circuit (104) assesses performance of an antenna (101) in a plurality of bands, such as a receive band and a transmit band. The control circuit (104) then selects one of the bands, e.g., a lesser performing band, as a “selected band” for which the antenna (101) will be optimized. The control circuit (104) can then adjust an adjustable impedance matching circuit (103) coupled to the antenna (101) to improve the efficiency of the antenna (101) in the selected band and can adjust a resonance of the antenna (101) to further improve an efficiency of the antenna (101) in the selected band.

Claims

1. A method of optimizing performance of an antenna system in a wireless communication device operating in multiple bands, the antenna system comprising at least one radiating element, the method comprising:

assessing performance of the antenna system in one or more of a receive band and a transmit band;

selecting one of the receive band or the transmit band as a selected band for which the antenna system will be optimized based upon assessed performance;

altering a resonance of the at least one radiating element to improve an efficiency of the antenna system in the selected band; and

adjusting an impedance matching circuit coupled to the at least one radiating element to further improve the efficiency of the antenna system in the selected band;

wherein the selectin depends upon at least one of the following;

which of the receive band or the transmit band has a lesser link margin;

an antenna bandwidth margin, a data throughput margin, power indicia received from a remote base station, or a data latency margin;

or

a form factor configuration of the wireless communication device, an orientation of a user'"'"'s hands on the wireless communication device, a physical orientation of the wireless communication device, or combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the following comprises the which of the receive band or the transmit band has the lesser link margin.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the following comprises the at least one of the antenna bandwidth margin, the data throughput margin, the power indicia received from the remote base station, or the data latency margin.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the following comprises the one of the form factor configuration of the wireless communication device, the orientation of the user'"'"'s hands on the wireless communication device, the physical orientation of the wireless communication device, or the combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring an unselected band during the adjusting the impedance matching circuit and the altering the resonance of the at least one radiating element to ensure a signal characteristic in the unselected band meets a predetermined criterion.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined criterion is at least one of a minimum link margin, a minimum antenna bandwidth margin, a minimum data throughput margin, or a minimum data latency margin.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising prohibiting the adjusting the impedance matching circuit or the altering the resonance until a pilot strength of an unselected band exceeds a predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the antenna system comprises a plurality of antennas;

the adjusting the impedance matching circuit coupled to the at least one radiating element to improve the efficiency of the antenna system in the selected band comprises adjusting a plurality of matching circuits, each one of the plurality of matchings circuit being coupled to one of the plurality of antennas; and

the altering the resonance of the at least one radiating element to further improve the efficiency of the antenna system in the selected band comprises altering a plurality of resonances, each one of the plurality of resonances being associated with the one of the plurality of antennas.

9. A method of optimizing performance of one or more antenna systems in multicarrier operation in a wireless communication device, comprising:

assessing performance of the one or more antenna systems in a first band having a first channel frequency;

assessing performance of the one or more antenna systems in a second band having a second channel frequency, wherein the first channel frequency and the second channel frequency are different;

selecting one of the first band or the second band as a selected band for which the one or more antenna systems will be optimized; and

one or more of;

adjusting an impedance matching circuit coupled to the one or more antenna systems to improve efficiency of the one or more antenna systems;

or

altering a resonance of the one or more antenna systems to improve the efficiency of the one or more antenna systems;

wherein the selecting is based upon a weighted average of a plurality of factors comprising three or more of;

which of the first band or the second band has a higher data throughput;

which of the first band or the second band is more link margin limited;

which of the first band or the second band has a higher mismatch loss;

which of the first band or the second band has mapped thereto data exchange from an application operable in the wireless communication device;

which of the first band or the second band has a lower latency tolerance associated with the application; and

which of the first band or the second band offers a greater opportunity for power reduction if the one or more antenna systems are optimized.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected band is a transmit band or a receive band.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the selecting depends upon the which of the first band and the second band has allocated thereto the higher data throughput.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the selecting depends upon an application being operable in the wireless communication device, wherein the application is configured to exchange data in the selected band.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selecting is based upon a latency threshold associated with the application.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising selecting one of a transmit band or a receive band associated with the second channel frequency as a second selected band;

and

adjusting the impedance matching circuit coupled to the one or more antenna systems to improve the efficiency of another of the one or more antenna systems in the second selected band;

altering the resonance of the another of the one or more antenna systems to further improve the efficiency of the one or more antenna systems in the second selected band;

or

combinations thereof.

15. An antenna tuning circuit in a wireless communication device operating simultaneously in at least a first channel in a first band and a second channel in a second band, comprising:

an antenna;

an adjustable impedance matching circuit coupled to the antenna;

a tuning circuit operable to alter a resonance of the antenna; and

a control circuit that;

selects one of the first band or the second band of the wireless communication device as a selected band; and

one or more of;

causes the adjustable impedance matching circuit to change an impedance state to improve efficiency of the antenna in the selected band;

or

causes the tuning circuit to alter the resonance of the antenna to further improve the efficiency of the antenna in the selected band;

wherein the control circuit selects the selected band based upon two or more inputs selected from;

a bandwidth margin input that indicates which of the first band or the second band has a lesser link margin;

a form factor input that detects a form factor configuration of the wireless communication device;

an impedance input that detects an orientation of a user'"'"'s hands on the wireless communication device;

a positional input that detects a physical orientation of the wireless communication device;

a receiver input that receives power indicia received from a remote base station;

a data throughput indicator that detects which of the first band or the second band has a higher data throughput;

a margin limit input that detects which of the first band or the second band is more link margin limited;

a mismatch input that detects which of the first band or the second band has a higher mismatch loss;

a data throughput input that detects which of the first band or the second band has mapped thereto data exchange from an application operable in the wireless communication device;

an application latency input that detects which of the first band or the second band has a lower latency tolerance associated with the application; and

a power reduction input that detects which of the first band or the second band offers a greater opportunity for power reduction without interrupting data transmission through the antenna;

or

combinations thereof.

16. The antenna tuning circuit of claim 15, wherein the selected band is associated with a first channel frequency, the antenna tuning circuit further comprising:

a second antenna;

a second adjustable impedance matching circuit coupled to the second antenna;

a second tuning circuit operable to alter a resonance of the second antenna; and

a second control circuit that;

selects one of a receive band or a transmit band as a second selected band, wherein the second selected band is associated with a second channel frequency that is different from the first channel frequency;

causes the second adjustable impedance matching circuit to change a second impedance state to improve the efficiency of the second antenna in the second selected band; and

causes the second tuning circuit to alter a resonance of the second antenna to further improve the efficiency of the second antenna in the second selected band.

17. The antenna tuning circuit of claim 15, wherein the control circuit selects the selected band based upon a combination of:

which of the first band or the second band has a lesser signal strength; and

at least one secondary input.

18. A method of optimizing performance of an antenna system in a wireless communication device operating in multiple bands, the antenna system comprising at least one radiating element, the method comprising:

assessing performance of the antenna system in one or more of a receive band and a transmit band;

selecting one of the receive band or the transmit band as a selected band for which the antenna system will be optimized based upon assessed performance;

altering a resonance of the at least one radiating element to improve an efficiency of the antenna system in the selected band; and

monitoring an unselected band during the adjusting the impedance matching circuit and the altering the resonance of the at least one radiating element to ensure a signal characteristic in the unselected band meets a predetermined criterion.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the predetermined criterion is at least one of a minimum link margin, a minimum antenna bandwidth margin, a minimum data throughput margin, or a minimum data latency margin.

20. A method of optimizing performance of one or more antenna systems in multicarrier operation in a wireless communication device, comprising:

assessing performance of the one or more antenna systems in a first band having a first channel frequency;

assessing performance of the one or more antenna systems in a second band having a second channel frequency, wherein the first channel frequency and the second channel frequency are different;

selecting one of the first band or the second band as a selected band for which the one or more antenna systems will be optimized; and

one or more of;

adjusting an impedance matching circuit coupled to the one or more antenna systems to improve efficiency of the one or more antenna systems;

or

altering a resonance of the one or more antenna systems to improve the efficiency of the one or more antenna systems;

selecting one of a transmit band or a receive band associated with the second channel frequency as a second selected band; and

adjusting the impedance matching circuit coupled to the one or more antenna systems to improve the efficiency of another of the one or more antenna systems in the second selected band;

altering the resonance of the another of the one or more antenna systems to further improve the efficiency of the one or more antenna systems in the second selected band;

or

combinations thereof.