Improving reception by a wireless communication device

• US 9,226,174 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mucke, Christian W., Tabet, Tarik, Yang, Xiangying
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/899,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20130329586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/328
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1027 assessing signal quality or detecting noise/interference for the received signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/525 with means for reducing leakage of transmitter signal into the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0036 at the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A method for improving reception by a wireless communication device is provided. The method can include a wireless communication device using a first RF chain to support a connection to a network via a first frequency band. The method can further include the wireless communication device tuning a second RF chain, which is not being actively used for carrier aggregation, to a second frequency band. The method can additionally include the wireless communication device measuring, via the second RF chain, a signal characteristic of the second frequency band. The method can also include the wireless communication device adjusting a configuration of the first RF chain based at least in part on the measured signal characteristic.

Claims

1. A method for improving reception by a carrier aggregation capable wireless communication device comprising a first radio frequency (RF) chain and a second RF chain configurable to support aggregation of multiple component carriers on a carrier aggregation capable network, the method comprising the wireless communication device:

using the first RF chain to support a connection to the carrier aggregation capable network via a first frequency band;

determining that a signal quality of a signal received by the first RF chain has degraded below a threshold signal quality;

tuning the second RF chain to a second frequency band, the second RF chain not being actively used for carrier aggregation;

measuring, via the second RF chain, a signal characteristic of the second frequency band while the second RF chain is not being actively used for carrier aggregation in response to the signal quality of the signal received by the first RF chain degrading below the threshold signal quality; and

adjusting a configuration of the first RF chain based at least in part on the measured signal characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the configuration of the first RF chain comprises adjusting a setpoint of an automatic gain control (AGC) loop on the first RF chain based at least in part on the measured signal characteristic.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the configuration of the first RF chain comprises adjusting a configuration of a radio frequency filter used by the first RF chain based at least in part on the measured signal characteristic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second frequency band comprises a frequency band substantially adjacent to the first frequency band.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frequency band comprises a frequency band associated with a first cellular radio access technology, the first cellular radio access technology being used by the carrier aggregation capable network, and wherein the second frequency band comprises a frequency band associated with a second cellular radio access technology.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frequency band comprises a frequency band associated with a cellular radio access technology used by the carrier aggregation capable network, and wherein the second frequency band comprises at least a portion of an Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the signal characteristic of the second frequency band comprises measuring one or more of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), a reference signal received quality (RSRQ), a reference signal received power (RSRP), a received signal code power (RSCP), or a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the second frequency band.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the signal characteristic of the second frequency band comprises measuring the signal characteristic of the second frequency band periodically while the second RF chain is not being used for carrier aggregation.

9. A wireless communication device comprising:

a first radio frequency (RF) chain;

a second RF chain, the first RF chain and the second RF chain being configurable to support carrier aggregation; and

processing circuitry, the processing circuitry configured to control the wireless communication device to at least;

use the first radio frequency (RF) chain to support a connection to a network via a first frequency band;

determine that a signal quality of a signal received by the first RF chain has degraded below a threshold signal quality;

tune the second RF chain to a second frequency band in an instance in which the second RF chain is not being actively used for carrier aggregation;

measure, via the second RF chain, a signal characteristic of the second frequency band in response to the signal quality of the signal received by the first RF chain degrading below the threshold signal quality; and

adjust a configuration of the first RF chain based at least in part on the measured signal characteristic.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the wireless communication device to adjust the configuration of the first RF chain at least in part by adjusting a setpoint of an automatic gain control (AGC) loop on the first RF chain based at least in part on the measured signal characteristic.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the wireless communication device to adjust the configuration of the first RF chain at least in part by adjusting a configuration of a radio frequency filter used by the first RF chain based at least in part on the measured signal characteristic.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the second frequency band comprises a frequency band substantially adjacent to the first frequency band.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the first frequency band comprises a frequency band associated with a first cellular radio access technology, the first cellular radio access technology being used by the network, and wherein the second frequency band comprises a frequency band associated with a second cellular radio access technology.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the first frequency band comprises a frequency band associated with a cellular radio access technology used by the network, and wherein the second frequency band comprises at least a portion of an Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the wireless communication device to measure the signal characteristic of the second frequency band periodically while the second RF chain is not being used for carrier aggregation.

16. A computer program product for improving reception by a carrier aggregation capable wireless communication device, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer program code stored thereon, the computer program code comprising:

program code for using a first radio frequency (RF) chain to support a connection to a network via a first frequency band;

program code for determining that a signal quality of a signal received by the first RF chain has degraded below a threshold signal quality;

program code for tuning a second RF chain to a second frequency band, the second RF chain not being actively used for carrier aggregation;

program code for measuring, via the second RF chain, a signal characteristic of the second frequency band in response to the signal quality of the signal received by the first RF chain degrading below the threshold signal quality; and

program code for adjusting a configuration of the first RF chain based at least in part on the measured signal characteristic.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the program code for adjusting the configuration of the first RF chain comprises program code for adjusting a setpoint of an automatic gain control (AGC) loop on the first RF chain based at least in part on the measured signal characteristic.