Antenna switching devices, methods, and systems

• US 9,118,108 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: He, Ning, Yan, Hongbo, Filipovic, Daniel Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Charles C
• Assistant Examiner(s): ATKINS JR., GEORGE CALVIN
• Application Number:
  US13/839,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20130308477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0404 the mobile station comprising multiple antennas, e.g. to provide uplink diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0602 using antenna switching H04B7/0686 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0608 Antenna selection according to transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0802 using antenna selection H04B7/0868 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0814 based on current reception conditions, e.g. switching to different antenna when signal level is below threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for antenna switching for simultaneous communication. In one embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus is provided. The wireless communication apparatus includes a plurality of antennas including a first antenna and a second antenna. The wireless communication apparatus further includes a plurality of receive circuits including a first receive circuit. The wireless communication apparatus further includes a controller configured to determine one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over a plurality of sources. The controller is further configured to selectively switch the first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the first antenna to receive wireless communications via the second antenna if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources fall simultaneously. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.

Claims

1. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of antennas comprising at least a first antenna and a second antenna;

a plurality of receive circuits comprising at least a first receive circuit; and

a controller configured to;

determine one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over a plurality of sources, wherein the one or more performance characteristics include an automatic gain control measurement, wherein the one or more performance characteristics are combined into a weighted average for each of the plurality of sources, and wherein the plurality of sources include sources that have at least partially independent fading statistics including at least one of a cell, a finger, and a frequency; and

selectively switch the first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the first antenna to receive wireless communications via the second antenna if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources fall simultaneously.

2. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to selectively switch if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources simultaneously fall below one or more thresholds.

3. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to selectively switch if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources simultaneously fall by more than one or more thresholds.

4. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources include one or more downlink performance metrics.

5. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of transmit circuits including a first transmit circuit, and wherein the controller is further configured to:

selectively switch the first transmit circuit from transmitting wireless communications via the first antenna to transmit wireless communications via the second antenna if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources fall simultaneously.

6. The wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, the controller further configured to:

determine one or more performance characteristics of the second antenna over a plurality of sources;

selectively switch the first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the second antenna to receive wireless communications via the first antenna if the one or more performance characteristics of the second antenna are lower than the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna.

7. A method implemented in a wireless communication apparatus, the method comprising:

determining one or more performance characteristics of a first antenna over a plurality of sources, wherein the one or more performance characteristics include an automatic gain control measurement, wherein the one or more performance characteristics are combined into a weighted average for each of the plurality of sources, and wherein the plurality of sources include sources that have at least partially independent fading statistics including at least one of a cell, a finger, and a frequency; and

if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources fall simultaneously, switching a first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the first antenna to receive wireless communications via a second antenna.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first receive circuit is switched if each of the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources simultaneously fall below one or more thresholds.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first receive circuit is switched if each of the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources simultaneously fall by more than one or more thresholds.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources include one or more downlink performance metrics.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources fall simultaneously, switching a first transmit circuit from transmitting wireless communications via the first antenna to transmit wireless communications via the second antenna.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining one or more performance characteristics of the second antenna over a plurality of sources;

if the one or more performance characteristics of the second antenna are lower than the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna, switching the first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the second antenna to receive wireless communications via the first antenna.

13. A wireless communication apparatus, comprising:

means for determining one or more performance characteristics of a first antenna over a plurality of sources, wherein the one or more performance characteristics include an automatic gain control measurement, and wherein the plurality of sources include sources that have at least partially independent fading statistics including at least one of a cell, a finger, and a frequency;

means for combining the one or more performance characteristics into a weighted average for each of the plurality of sources; and

means for selectively switching a first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the first antenna to receive wireless communications via a second antenna if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources fall simultaneously.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for selectively switching comprise:

means for selectively switching a first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the first antenna to receive wireless communications via a second antenna if each of the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources simultaneously fall below one or more thresholds.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for selectively switching comprise:

means for selectively switching a first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the first antenna to receive wireless communications via a second antenna if each of the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources simultaneously fall by more than one or more thresholds.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources include one or more downlink performance metrics.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for switching a first transmit circuit from transmitting wireless communications via the first antenna to transmit wireless communications via the second antenna if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources fall simultaneously.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for determining one or more performance characteristics of the second antenna over a plurality of sources;

means for switching the first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the second antenna to receive wireless communications via the first antenna if the one or more performance characteristics of the second antenna are lower than the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna.

19. A non-transitory, computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor in a device to perform a method for reducing collisions in a wireless network, the method comprising:

determining one or more performance characteristics of a first antenna over a plurality of sources, wherein the one or more performance characteristics include an automatic gain control measurement, wherein the one or more performance characteristics are combined into a weighted average for each of the plurality of sources, and wherein the plurality of sources include sources that have at least partially independent fading statistics including at least one of a cell, a finger, and a frequency; and

if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources fall simultaneously, switching a first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the first antenna to receive wireless communications via a second antenna.

20. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first receive circuit is switched if each of the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources simultaneously fall below one or more thresholds.

21. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first receive circuit is switched if each of the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources simultaneously fall by more than one or more thresholds.

22. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources include one or more downlink performance metrics.

23. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising:

if the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna over the plurality of sources fall simultaneously, switching a first transmit circuit from transmitting wireless communications via the first antenna to transmit wireless communications via the second antenna.

24. The non-transitory, computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising:

determining one or more performance characteristics of the second antenna over a plurality of sources;

if the one or more performance characteristics of the second antenna are lower than the one or more performance characteristics of the first antenna, switching the first receive circuit from receiving wireless communications via the second antenna to receive wireless communications via the first antenna.