Method and system for antenna switching for 60 GHz distributed communication

• US 8,942,647 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:
  US12/895,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20120083306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 455/77
• US Class Current: 455/101
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0689 using different transmission schemes, at least one of them being a diversity transmission scheme

Abstract

Methods and systems for antenna switching for 60 GHz distributed communication are disclosed and may include enabling antenna configurations in a plurality of remote RF modules within a computing device to receive RF signals. A signal characteristic may be measured for the configurations receiving an RF signal from a remote device. IF signals may be generated from baseband signals and may be communicated to RF modules based on the signal characteristic via coaxial lines, and may be up-converted to output RF signals utilizing the RF modules. The output RF signals may be transmitted via antennas in the RF modules. The IF signals in the one or more coaxial lines may be tapped via taps coupled to the RF modules. The baseband signals may comprise video data, Internet streamed data, and/or data from a local data source. Control signals for the RF devices may be communicated utilizing the coaxial lines.

Claims

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

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

enabling a plurality of antenna configurations in said plurality of remote RF modules to receive RF signals;

measuring a signal characteristic for each of said plurality of antenna configurations receiving an RF signal from one or more devices external to said wireless communication device;

amplifying one or more IF signals with a power amplifier in a final amplification stage;

configuring one or more coaxial lines within said wireless communication device, utilizing said measurements, to communicate the one or more amplified IF signals that are generated within said wireless communication device to one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules, the one or more amplified IF signals being one or more analog signals;

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;

directly upconverting the one or more amplified IF signals to output RF signals utilizing said one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules; and

transmitting said output RF signals via one or more antennas in said one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules,

wherein said wireless communication device comprises a body and wherein said plurality of remote RF modules and said one or more coaxial lines are within said body of said wireless communication device.

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, wherein said one or more amplified IF signals comprise one or more of:

video data, streamed Internet data, and data from a local data source.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

generating said one or more amplified IF signals from one or more baseband signals; and

transmitting said output RF signals to a display device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the amplifying comprises amplifying said one or more IF signals in the power amplifier prior to said communication via said one or more coaxial lines.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said signal characteristic comprises a received signal strength indicator.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said signal characteristic comprises bit error rate.

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

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

one or more circuits and a plurality of remote RF modules in a computing device with wireless capability, said one or more circuits are operable to

enable a plurality of antenna configurations in said plurality of remote RF modules within said computing device to receive RF signals;

measure a signal characteristic for each of said plurality of antenna configurations receiving an RF signal from a remote device;

configuring one or more coaxial lines within said computing device, utilizing said measured signal characteristic, to communicate one or more amplified IF signals generated from baseband signals to one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules, said one or more amplified IF signals being one or more analog signals amplified by a power amplifier in a final amplification state;

directly up-convert said one or more amplified IF signals to output RF signals utilizing said one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules; and

transmit said output RF signals via one or more antennas in said one or more of said plurality of remote RF modules, wherein said one or more circuits are operable 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,

wherein said computing device comprises a body, and wherein said plurality of remote RF modules and said one or more coaxial lines are within said body of said computing device.

10. The system according to claim 9, 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.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said baseband signals comprise one or more of:

video data, streamed Internet data, and data from a local data source.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to:

generate said one or more amplified IF signals from one or more baseband signals; and

transmit said output RF signals to a display device.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to amplify said one or more amplified IF signals in the power amplifier prior to said communication via said one or more coaxial lines.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein said signal characteristic comprises a received signal strength indicator.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein said signal characteristic comprises bit error rate.

16. The system according to claim 9, wherein said output RF signals comprise 60 GHz signals.