Method and system for a 60 GHz communication device comprising multi-location antennas for pseudo-beamforming

• US 8,942,646 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• 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): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US12/895,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20120083225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 455/77, 455/101
• US Class Current: 455/101
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems

Abstract

Methods and systems for a 60 GHz communication device comprising multi-location antennas for pseudo-beamforming are disclosed and may include configuring antennas in RF modules for beamforming transmitted signals. Each of the RF modules may receive IF signals via coaxial lines. The beamformed RF signals may be transmitted via the antennas to external devices. The RF signals may be generated from IF signals from baseband signals. The RF modules may be configured utilizing a processor in the wireless communication device. The RF signals may be transmitted to a display device. Control signals for the RF devices may be communicated utilizing the coaxial lines. The RF devices may be selected for the beamforming based on a direction to a receiving device. The beamforming may include adding a phase shift in upconverting the IF signals to the RF signals, which may include 60 GHz signals.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, the method comprising:

in a wireless communication device comprising a body and a plurality of remote RF modules within said body of said wireless communication device,

selecting one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules based on a physical orientation of a respective antenna in each of said one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules;

configuring said respective antenna in each of said one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules for beamforming transmitted signals, wherein each of said plurality of remote RF modules receive one or more amplified IF signals that have been amplified in a final stage power amplifier and conveyed as one or more analog signals via one or more coaxial lines within said body of said wireless communication device;

directly upconverting the one or more amplified IF signals to RF signals;

beamforming the RF signals and transmitting the beamformed RF signals, via said plurality of antennas, to one or more devices that are external to said wireless communication device; and

communicating control signals for said plurality of remote RF modules utilizing said one or more coaxial lines on a frequency different than the one or more amplified IF signals.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising tapping said one or more amplified IF signals in said one or more coaxial lines at taps coupled to said plurality of remote RF modules.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating said RF signals from the one or more amplified IF signals from one or more baseband signals.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring said plurality of remote RF modules utilizing a processor in said wireless communication device.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said One or more baseband signals comprise one or more of video data, streamed Internet data, or data from a local data source.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising transmitting said beamformed RF signals to a display device.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising selecting one or more said plurality of remote RF modules for said beamforming based on a direction to a receiving device for the transmitted beamformed RF signals.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said directly upconverting comprises adding a phase shift to said one or more amplified IF signals.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said RF signals comprise 60 GHz signals.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said beamforming is configured in baseband before said each of said plurality of remote RF modules receive said one or more amplified IF signals.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said final stage power amplifier is a single power amplifier.

12. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits in a body of a wireless communication device, said one or more circuits are configured to

amplify one or more IF signals with a final stage power amplifier;

enable one or more antenna configurations in one or more of a plurality of remote RF modules within said body of said wireless communication device to beamform transmitted signals based on a physical orientation of a respective antenna in each of said one or more of said remote RF modules, wherein said remote RF modules directly upconvert the one or more amplified IF signals to RF signals, the one or more amplified IF signal being generated from baseband signals and conveyed as one or more analog signals via one or more coaxial lines within said body of said wireless communication device;

beamform the RF signals, and

transmit the RF signals as beamformed time division duplexed RF signals via said one or more antenna configurations to one or more devices external to said wireless communication device,

wherein said one or more circuits are configured to communicate control signals for said plurality of remote RF modules utilizing said one or more coaxial lines on a frequency different than the one or more amplified IF signals.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to tap said one or more amplified IF signals in said one or more coaxial lines at taps coupled to said plurality of remote RF modules.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to generate said RF signals from the one or more amplified IF signals from one or more baseband signals.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure said plurality of remote RF modules utilizing a processor in said wireless communication device.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said baseband signals comprise one or more of video data, streamed Internet data, or data from a local data source.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to transmit the beamformed time division duplexed RF signals to a display device.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to select said one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules based on a direction to a receiving device for the transmitted beamformed time division duplexed RF signals.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are configured to add a phase shift when the one or more amplified IF signals are directly upconverted to said RF signals.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein said RF signals comprise 60 GHz signals.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein said beamforming is configured in said baseband signals before said remote RF modules receive said IF signals.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein said final stage power amplifier is a single power amplifier.