Methods and apparatus for tuning circuit components of a communication device

• US 8,948,889 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Manssen, Keith, Hoirup, Carsten, Greene, Matthew, Hughes, Simon Andrew, Morelen, Steven Mark, Galperin, Victor, Spears, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US13/486,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20130325149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/37
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• 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

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for detecting a plurality of use cases of a communication device, determining an initial tuning state for each of a plurality of tuning algorithms according to the plurality of use cases, configuring each of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to their respective initial tuning state, executing a first tuning algorithm of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to an order of execution of the plurality of tuning algorithms, detecting a stability condition of the first tuning algorithm, and executing a second tuning algorithm of the plurality of tuning algorithms responsive to the detected stability condition of the first tuning algorithm. Each tuning algorithms can control one of a tunable reactive element, a control interface, or both of one of a plurality of circuit components of a radio frequency circuit. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions which, responsive to being executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

identifying an order of execution of a plurality of tuning algorithms, wherein each of the plurality of tuning algorithms controls one of a tunable reactive element, a control interface, or both of one of a plurality of circuit components of a radio frequency circuit of a communication device, wherein the plurality of tuning algorithms function as independently operating closed loop algorithms that perform a sample measurement and tune a corresponding one of the plurality of circuit components of the radio frequency circuit according to the sample measurement;

executing a first tuning algorithm of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to the order of execution;

detecting a stability condition of the first tuning algorithm;

executing a remainder of the plurality of tuning algorithms to determine whether the first tuning algorithm has affected a tuning state of each the remainder of the plurality of tuning algorithms; and

executing a second tuning algorithm of the plurality of tuning algorithms responsive to the detected stability condition of the first tuning algorithm.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein execution of the computer instructions further causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a plurality of use cases of the communication device;

determining an initial tuning state for each of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to the plurality of use cases; and

configuring each of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to their respective initial tuning state.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the plurality of use cases comprise one of a physical use case of the communication device, an operational use case of the communication device, or both.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein execution of the computer instructions further causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a plurality of use cases of the communication device;

determining an initial tuning state for each of the plurality of circuit components according to the plurality of use cases; and

configuring each of the plurality of circuit components according to their respective initial tuning state.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the stability condition comprises detecting that the first tuning algorithm has asserted a flag indicating that the first tuning algorithm has reached the stability condition.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the flag is a semaphore.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the stability condition comprises receiving a message from the first tuning algorithm indicating that the first tuning algorithm has satisfied a tuning threshold.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein execution of the computer instructions further causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

assigning a priority level to each of the plurality of tuning algorithms;

receiving from a third tuning algorithm of the plurality of tuning algorithms a request to initiate a tuning process;

determining the priority level of the third tuning algorithm; and

executing the third tuning algorithm according to the determined priority level.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein execution of the computer instructions further causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising ceasing operation of one of the first tuning algorithm, the second tuning algorithm or both responsive to executing the third tuning algorithm.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein execution of the computer instructions causes the controller to further perform operations comprising reassigning the priority level of each of the plurality of tuning algorithms.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the reassigning of the priority level of each of the plurality of tuning algorithms is responsive to one of a detected change in a use case of the communication device, a detected change in an operational state of at least one of the plurality of tuning algorithms, an aggregate error measured from tuning results provided by the plurality of tuning algorithms, or combinations thereof.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein execution of the computer instructions further causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising assigning an execution period to at least one of the plurality of tuning algorithms, wherein the at least one tuning algorithm ceases to execute responsive to an expiration of the execution period.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein execution of the computer instructions further causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising configuring one of the first tuning algorithm or the second tuning algorithm to limit a tuning rate of a corresponding circuit component of the plurality of circuit components, limit a magnitude of each tuning step applied to the corresponding circuit component, limit a number of tuning steps applied to the corresponding circuit component, limit tuning of the corresponding circuit component to a tuning range, or combinations thereof.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein execution of the computer instructions further causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a resulting tuning state from the first tuning algorithm; and

providing the second tuning algorithm access to the resulting tuning state, wherein the second tuning algorithm utilizes the resulting tuning state of the first tuning algorithm to achieve a desirable tuning state of the second tuning algorithm.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the control interface supplies to one of the circuit components of the plurality of circuit components at least one of a variable supply signal, a variable bias signal, one or more digital signals, one or more analog signals, or combinations thereof.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein execution of the computer instructions further causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising reinitiating at least one of the plurality of tuning algorithms responsive to receiving a fault notice from one or more of the plurality of tuning algorithms.

17. A communication device, comprising:

a plurality of circuit components of a radio frequency circuit, wherein each circuit component of the plurality of circuit components comprises one of a tunable reactive element, a control interface, or both for enabling at least one of a plurality of tuning algorithms to control an operation of the circuit component;

a memory storing computer instructions; and

a controller coupled to the memory and the tunable reactive element of each of the plurality of circuit components, wherein responsive to executing the computer instructions the controller performs operations comprising;

executing a first tuning algorithm of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to an order of execution of a plurality of tuning algorithms, wherein the plurality of tuning algorithms function as independently operating closed loop algorithms that perform a sample measurement and tune a corresponding one of the plurality of circuit components of the radio frequency circuit according to the sample measurement;

detecting a stability condition of the first tuning algorithm;

executing a remainder of the plurality of tuning algorithms to determine whether the first tuning algorithm has affected a tuning state of each the remainder of the plurality of tuning algorithms; and

executing a second tuning algorithm of the plurality of tuning algorithms responsive to the detected stability condition of the first tuning algorithm.

18. The communication device of claim 17, wherein the tunable reactive element comprises at least one fixed reactive element controlled by at least one semiconductor device to produce a variable reactance.

19. The communication device of claim 17, wherein the tunable reactive element comprises at least one fixed reactive element controlled by at least one micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) device to produce a variable reactance.

20. The communication device of claim 17, wherein the tunable reactive element comprises at least one variable reactive element controlled by at least one MEMS device to produce a variable reactance.

21. The communication device of claim 17, wherein the tunable reactive element comprises at least one variable reactive element controlled by a signal that varies a dielectric constant of the variable reactive element to produce a variable reactance.

22. The communication device of claim 17, wherein the communication device is a portable communication device, and wherein the tunable reactive element comprises at least one of one or more variable capacitors, one or more variable inductors, or combinations thereof.

23. The communication device of claim 17, wherein execution of the computer instructions causes the controller to further perform operations comprising configuring portions of at least one of the plurality circuit components according to the order of execution of the plurality of tuning algorithms.

24. The communication device of claim 17, wherein execution of the computer instructions causes the controller to further perform operations comprising identifying the order of execution of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to a priority level assigned to each of the plurality of tuning algorithms.

25. The communication device of claim 24, wherein execution of the computer instructions causes the controller to further perform operations comprising reassigning the priority level of each of the plurality of tuning algorithms.

26. The communication device of claim 17, wherein the detecting of the stability condition comprises one of detecting that the first tuning algorithm has asserted a flag indicating that the first tuning algorithm has reached the stability condition, or receiving a message from the first tuning algorithm indicating that the first tuning algorithm has satisfied a tuning threshold.

27. The communication device of claim 17, wherein execution of the computer instructions causes the controller to further perform operations comprising preventing an overlap in execution of two or more of the plurality of tuning algorithms.

28. A method, comprising:

detecting, by a processor, a plurality of use cases of a communication device;

determining, by the processor, an initial tuning state for each of a plurality of tuning algorithms according to the plurality of use cases, wherein each of the plurality of tuning algorithms controls one of a tunable reactive element, a control interface, or both of one of a plurality of circuit components of a radio frequency circuit, and wherein the plurality of tuning algorithms function as independently operating closed loop algorithms that perform a sample measurement and tune a corresponding one of the plurality of circuit components of the radio frequency circuit according to the sample measurement;

configuring, by the processor, each of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to their respective initial tuning state;

executing, by the processor, a first tuning algorithm of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to an order of execution of the plurality of tuning algorithms;

detecting, by the processor, a stability condition of the first tuning algorithm;

executing, by the processor, a remainder of the plurality of tuning algorithms to determine whether the first tuning algorithm has affected a tuning state of each the remainder of the plurality of tuning algorithms; and

executing, by the processor, a second tuning algorithm of the plurality of tuning algorithms responsive to the detected stability condition of the first tuning algorithm.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the plurality of use cases comprise one of a physical use case of the communication device, an operational use case of the communication device, or both.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the detecting, by the processor, of the stability condition comprises one of detecting that the first tuning algorithm has asserted a flag indicating that the first tuning algorithm has reached the stability condition, or receiving a message from the first tuning algorithm indicating that the first tuning algorithm has satisfied a tuning threshold.

31. The method of claim 28, comprising identifying, by the processor, the order of execution of the plurality of tuning algorithms according to a priority level assigned to each of the plurality of tuning algorithms.

32. The method of claim 28, comprising executing, by the processor, at least one of the plurality of tuning algorithms to achieve a desired tuning performance of one of a transmitter portion of the radio frequency circuit, a receiver portion of the radio frequency circuit, or both.