Receiver with antenna switching capability

• US 9,203,453 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2011
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Farrell, Brian, Deniau, Jean-Christophe, Costello, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): HU, RUI MENG
• Application Number:
  US13/114,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20120302191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 455132-141, 455269-294, 4553431-3436, 455/574, 455/345
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0454 Means for changing operation mode, e.g. sleep mode, factory mode or energy save mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1607 Supply circuits converters H02M; filters therefor H02M1/14; voltage stabilisers G05F1/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0808 comparing all antennas before reception
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40039 Details regarding the setting of the power status of a node according to activity on the bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle

Abstract

A system and method for receiving signals using a receiver with antenna switching capability is provided. The receiver is configured to poll each antenna of the plurality of antennas and process the signals from each antenna. In addition, the receiver coordinates providing power to each antenna with the polling.

Claims

1. A system for receiving signals with antenna switching capability, the system comprising:

a plurality of antennas configured to receive the signals;

a receiver in communication with each antenna of the plurality of antennas, the receiver comprising;

a processing circuit configured to receive configuration information and generate control signals based on the configuration information,

a receiver circuit configured to process the signals, the receiver circuit in communication with the plurality of antennas, and

a power switching circuit configured to power each antenna of the plurality of antennas, the power switching circuit comprising a plurality of switches configured to provide power from a power supply to each antenna of a set of the plurality of antennas based on the control signals from the processing circuit; and

a micro-processor, not comprised in the receiver, in communication with the receiver, the micro-processor configured to provide the configuration information indicating the set of the plurality of antennas to sequentially power and poll to receive and process the signals therefrom, wherein the configuration information is based on a duration of non-use of a vehicle comprising the system and not derived from signals received by at least one of the plurality of antennas.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is in communication with the receiver circuit for coordinating polling of the receiver with powering of each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver circuit is configured to sequentially poll each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas during a period of activity.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the power switching circuit is configured to power each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas while being polled by the receiver and remove power from the set of the plurality of antennas when not being polled by the receiver.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to store configuration information indicating the set of the plurality of antennas to power and poll based on a vehicle status.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive configuration information over a serial input indicating the set of the plurality of antennas to power and poll based on a vehicle status.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the signals comprise at least one of a remote keyless entry, a tire pressure monitor, and a remote start signals.

8. A receiver for processing signals from a plurality of antennas configured to receive the signals, the receiver having antenna switching capability, the receiver comprising:

a processing circuit configured to receive configuration information from a micro-processor and to generate control signals based on the configuration information, the micro-processor not comprised in the receiver, the processing circuit further configured to coordinate via communication a sequential polling of a set of the plurality of antennas with powering of each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas to receive and process the signals therefrom, wherein the configuration information is based on a duration of non-use of a vehicle comprising the receiver and not derived from signals received by at least one of the plurality of antennas;

a receiver circuit configured to communicate with the plurality of antennas and to process the signals; and

a power switching circuit configured to power each antenna of the plurality of antennas, the power switching circuit comprising a plurality of switches configured to provide power from a power supply to each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas based on the control signals from the processing circuit.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is in communication with the receiver circuit for coordinating polling of each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas by the receiver with powering of each antenna of the plurality of antennas.

10. The receiver according to claim 8, wherein the processing circuit, the receiver circuit, and the power switching circuit are formed on a chip and housed within an integrated circuit housing.

11. The receiver according to claim 8, wherein processing circuit is configured to provide alternating periods of activity where the receiver is in a run mode and inactivity where the receiver is in a sleep mode, and wherein time between the start of one activity period and start of another activity period is configured to vary about a predetermined amount of time.

12. The receiver according to claim 8, wherein the receiver circuit is configured to sequentially poll each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas during the period of activity.

13. The receiver according to claim 8, wherein the power switching circuit is configured to power each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas while being polled by the receiver and remove power from the set of the plurality of antennas when not being polled by the receiver.

14. The receiver according to claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is configured to store configuration information indicating the set of the plurality of antennas to power and poll based on a vehicle status.

15. The receiver according to claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive configuration information over a serial input indicating the set of the plurality of antennas to power and poll based on a vehicle status.

16. A method for receiving signals using a receiver with antenna switching capability, the method comprising:

receiving from a micro-processor configuration data at the receiver, the micro-processor not comprised in the receiver, the configuration data indicating a set of a plurality of antennas to power and poll to receive and process the signals therefrom, the plurality of antennas configured to receive the signals, wherein the configuration data is based on a duration of non-use of a vehicle comprising the receiver and not derived from signals received by at least one of the plurality of antennas;

generating control signals based on the configuration data;

powering, by a power supply, each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas based on the control signals;

polling each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas; and

receiving and processing the signals from each polled antenna.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising alternating periods of activity where the receiver is in a run mode and inactivity where the receiver is in a sleep mode, and wherein time between the start of one activity period and start of another activity period is configured to vary about a predetermined amount of time.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising sequentially polling each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas during the period of activity.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising powering each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas while being polled by the receiver and removing power from each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas when not being polled by the receiver.

20. In a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions executable by a programmed processor for receiving signals using a receiver with antenna switching capability, the non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions for:

receiving from a micro-processor configuration data at the receiver, the micro-processor not comprised in the receiver, the configuration data indicating a set of a plurality of antennas to power and poll to receive and process the signals therefrom, the plurality of antennas configured to receive the signals, wherein the configuration data is based on a duration of non-use of a vehicle comprising the receiver and not derived from signals received by at least one of the plurality of antennas;

generating control signals based on the configuration data;

sequentially powering, by a power supply, each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas based on the control signals;

polling each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas; and

receiving and processing the signals from each polled antenna.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 20, further comprising instructions for alternating periods of activity where the receiver is in a run mode and inactivity where the receiver is in a sleep mode, and wherein time between the start of one activity period and start of another activity period is configured to vary about a predetermined amount of time.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 20, further comprising instructions for sequentially polling each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas during the period of activity.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 20, further comprising instructions for powering each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas while being polled by the receiver and removing power from each antenna of the set of the plurality of antennas when not being polled by the receiver.