Combination of steering antennas, CPL antenna(s), and one or more receive logarithmic detector amplifiers for SISO and MIMO applications

• US 9,236,892 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DockOn AG
• Original Assignee: DockOn AG
• Inventors: Dupuy, Alexandre, Rada, Patrick, Brown, Forrest
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh
• Application Number:
  US14/214,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20140287704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 455/91, 455/114.1, 455/114.2, 455/115.1, 455/126, 455/127.1, 455/129, 455/219, 455/223, 455/226.1, 455/73, 455/78, 375/219, 375/295, 375/296
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• 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: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/525 with means for reducing leakage of transmitter signal into the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0408 with power amplifiers

Abstract

Logarithmic Detector Amplifiers (LDAs), multiple antennas, active antennas, and multiple active antennas and receivers are provided in a variety of configurations that are synchronized to reduce or eliminate interference so at to provide, a greater range and bandwidth between wireless routers and their clients in WLAN and WAN environments.

Claims

1. An antenna system for wireless transmission, comprising:

an antenna; and

a logarithmic detector amplifier (LDA) connected to the antenna configured to cancel radio interference in transmission data received or transmitted by the antenna, the LDA comprising;

an amplifying circuit having an input port, and configured to receive, at the input port, an input signal having a first frequency and to generate an oscillation based on the input signal;

one or more resonant circuits coupled to the amplifying circuit and configured to establish a frequency of operation of the system and to generate, at a first output port, a first output signal having a second frequency, the second frequency being substantially the same as the first frequency; and

a controller circuit connected to the amplifier input and configured to cyclically terminate oscillation of the input signal each time a pre-determined threshold of voltage is detected, the controller circuit including a low pass filter configured to generate, at a second output port, a second output signal having a repetition frequency at a third frequency,

wherein the antenna is coupled to the input port of the amplifying circuit and is configured to transmit a first transmit signal, and wherein the first transmit signal is amplified by the LDA operating in a reverse mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises at least one of an active, adjustable or steerable antenna.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a second LDA coupled to a second antenna, wherein the second antenna comprises at least one of an active, adjustable or steerable antenna, wherein the antenna system is configured to support MIMO communication, and wherein the antenna and the second antenna are configured to reduce or eliminate noise interference between received or transmitted data channels.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the LDA is located substantially at or proximate to a base of the antenna.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is a Compound Printed Loop (CPL) antenna.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the LDA functions as at least one of a transmit power amplifier or a receive low noise amplifier (LNA) when operating in the reverse mode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first output port of the LDA is configured to:

receive a second input signal having a fourth frequency; and

amplify the second input signal to output the first transmit signal having a fifth frequency, wherein the fifth frequency is substantially the same as the fourth frequency.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second input signal comprises one or more carriers and one or more modulations, and wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the second input signal to produce the first transmit signal comprising substantially the one or more carriers and the one or more modulations.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the second input signal to output the first transmit signal at the input port along a transmit path, wherein the antenna is configured to receive the input signal, and wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the input signal received at the input port to output a first received signal at the second output port along a receive path.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the LDA is configured to separate the transmit path and the receive path to isolate the second input signal from the input signal.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a splitter coupled to the first output port of the LDA, wherein the splitter is configured to separate the transmit path and the receive path to isolate the second input signal from the input signal.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the input signal comprises one or more carriers and one or more modulations, and wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the input signal to produce the first output signal comprising substantially the one or more carriers and the one or more modulations when operating in a forward mode.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a splitter coupled to the first output port of the LDA, wherein the LDA is configured to operate in the reverse mode and the forward mode concurrently.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a common port of the splitter is coupled to the first output port, a first splitter output port is coupled to a receive path, and a second splitter output port is coupled to a transmit path.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the LDA is configured to operate as a receive low noise amplifier LNA and a transmit power amplifier concurrently in at least one of the reverse or the forward mode.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the LDA is configured to operate as at least one of a bidirectional LDA, a full-duplex bidirectional amplifier, or a half-duplex bidirectional amplifier.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the second input signal comprises one or more first carriers and one or more first modulations;

wherein the splitter directs the second input signal to the first input port of the LDA; and

wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the second input signal to produce the first transmit signal comprising substantially the one or more first carriers and the one or more first modulations;

wherein the input signal comprises one or more second carriers and one or more second modulations;

wherein the splitter directs the input signal to the first output port of the LDA; and

wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the input signal to produce the first output signal comprising substantially the one or more second carriers and the one or more second modulations.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the LDA functions as at least one of a receive low noise amplifier (LNA) or a transmit power amplifier when operating in the forward mode.

19. The system of claim 7, wherein the repetition frequency of the second output signal comprises power information associated with the input signal or the second input signal.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the power information comprises a logarithmic scale conversion of power input in dB to a volts output.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the power information is extracted from the second output signal by at least one of:

measuring an instantaneous frequency output of the second output signal;

or

measuring an instantaneous period between pulses of the repetition frequency of the second output signal.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein input power information is extracted from the second output signal by applying a frequency to voltage conversion to the second output signal, filtering out at least one frequency component, and processing an analog output voltage.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the LDA is configured to down convert in frequency the input signal or the second input signal to produce the second output signal having the third frequency at the second output port.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the input signal or the second input signal comprises modulation information, and wherein the modulation information is extractable from the second output signal.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the modulation information is extractable from the second output signal by frequency to voltage conversion and frequency selection through filtering.

26. A radio frequency (RF) front end

comprising:

a logarithmic detector amplifier (LDA) comprising;

an amplifying circuit having an input port, and configured to receive, at the input port, an input signal having a first frequency and to generate an oscillation based on the input signal;

one or more resonant circuits coupled to the amplifying circuit and configured to establish a frequency of operation of the system and to generate, at a first output port, a first output signal having a second frequency, the second frequency being substantially the same as the first frequency; and

a controller circuit connected to the amplifier input and configured to cyclically terminate oscillation of the input signal each time a pre-determined threshold of voltage is detected, the controller circuit including a low pass filter configured to generate, at a second output port, a second output signal having a repetition frequency at a third frequency; and

an antenna coupled to the input port of the LDA, wherein the first output port of the LDA is configured to receive a second input signal having a fourth frequency, wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the second input signal to output a first transmit signal having a fifth frequency at the input port along a transmit path, wherein the fifth frequency is substantially the same as the fourth frequency; and

wherein the antenna is configured to receive the input signal, and the LDA is configured to amplify the input signal received at the input port to output a first received signal at the second output port along a receive path.

27. The RF front end of claim 26, wherein the LDA functions as at least one of a full-duplex bidirectional amplifier, a half-duplex bidirectional amplifier, a band pass filter, a transmit/receive switch, or a transmit power detector.

28. The RF front end of claim 26, wherein the LDA is configured to function as a bandpass filter.

29. The RF front end of claim 26, wherein the transmit path includes multiple transmit power amplifiers and the receive path comprises two or more LDAs connected in a half-duplex configuration.

30. The RF front end of claim 26 wherein the transmit path comprises a variable transmitter and the receive path comprises a variable receiver including an adjustable LDA to support frequency division duplex (FDD), frequency division multiplex, or full duplex or half-duplex time division multiplex.

31. The RF front end of claim 26, wherein the LDA functions as a receive low noise amplifier (LNA) along the receive path and as a transmit power amplifier along the transmit path.

32. The RF front end of claim 26, wherein the LDA FM modulates or demodulates at least one of the input signal or the second input signal.

33. The RF front end of claim 26, wherein the LDA AM or PM modulates or demodulates at least one of the input signal or the second input signal.

34. The RF front end of claim 26, wherein the LDA separates the transmit path and the receive path to isolate the second input signal from the input signal.

35. The RF front end of claim 26, further comprising a splitter coupled to the first output port of the LDA, wherein the splitter is configured to separate the transmit path and the receive path to isolate the second input signal from the input signal.

36. The RF front end of claim 26, wherein the LDA is configured to demodulate the input signal.

37. The RF front end of claim 26, wherein the antenna is at least one of steerable or adjustable.

38. The RF front end of claim 26, wherein the antenna is configured for beam forming and comprises:

M sub-antennas, the M sub-antennas connected by a decoupling line;

an adjustable phase shifter coupled to each M sub-antenna, each phase shifter configured to output a M phase-shifted output;

one or more controllers configured to control each phase shifter; and

a combiner coupled to each phase shifter and the LDA, wherein the combiner is configured to combine the M phase-shifted outputs.

39. The RF front end of claim 38, wherein each adjustable phase shifter comprises at least one of one or more lumped LC components with adjustable Li or Ci components;

one or more microstrip lines and lumped adjustable capacitors;

or a shunt single-pole-R-throw switch with R lines of different electrical phase Pi on each R switch position.

40. The RF front end of claim 26, further comprising a 1-to-N splitter or 1-to-N transmit/receive switch coupled to the RF front end and coupled to N adjustable antennas, wherein each of the N adjustable antennas is independently adjustable or steerable to select one or more frequency bands for transmission or reception.

41. The RF front end of claim 40, wherein at least one of the N adjustable antennas is steerable and operable to null out a portion of a radiation pattern of the at least one N adjustable antenna.

42. The RF front end of claim 40, wherein the N adjustable antennas are coupled to at least one adjustment circuit, wherein the adjustment circuit controls a radiation pattern of each of the N adjustable antennas.

43. The RF front end of claim 26, further comprising at least one matching circuit coupled to at least one of the input port, the first output port, or the second output port of the LDA.

44. The RF front end of claim 26, further comprising at least one of:

a logarithmic power detector configured to measure a transmit power or a receive power in dB and convert the transmit power or the receive power to a voltage output;

or

a digital controller or an analog configured to control one or more parameters of the RF front end.

45. The system of claim 26, further comprising a second antenna coupled to the first output port of the LDA, the second antenna configured to transmit the first output signal amplified by the LDA operating in a forward mode.

46. The system of claim 45, further comprising a splitter coupled to the first output port of the LDA, wherein the LDA is configured to operate in a reverse mode and the forward mode concurrently.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the second input signal comprises one or more first carriers and one or more first modulations;

wherein the splitter directs the second input signal to the first input port of the LDA;

wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the second input signal to produce the first transmit signal comprising substantially the one or more first carriers and the one or more first modulations;

wherein the input signal comprises one or more second carriers and one or more second modulations;

wherein the splitter directs the input signal to the first output port of the LDA; and

wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the input signal to produce the first output signal comprising substantially the one or more second carriers and the one or more second modulations.

48. A radio frequency (RF) front end comprising:

a logarithmic detector amplifier (LDA) comprising;

an amplifying circuit having an input port, and configured to receive, at the input port, an input signal having a first frequency and to generate an oscillation based on the input signal;

one or more resonant circuits coupled to the amplifying circuit and configured to establish a frequency of operation of the system and to generate, at a first output port, a first output signal having a second frequency, the second frequency being substantially the same as the first frequency; and

a controller circuit connected to the amplifier input and configured to cyclically terminate oscillation of the input signal each time a pre-determined threshold of voltage is detected, the controller circuit including a low pass filter configured to generate, at a second output port, a second output signal having a repetition frequency at a third frequency;

a first antenna coupled to the first output port of the LDA, wherein the first output port of the LDA is configured to receive a second input signal, wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the second input signal to output a first receive signal at the input port along a first receive path, and wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the input signal to output and transmit the first output signal using the first antenna along a first transmit path; and

a second antenna coupled to the second output port of the LDA, wherein the second output port of the LDA is configured to receive a third input signal, wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the third input signal to output a second receive signal at the input port along a second receive path, and wherein the LDA is configured to amplify the input signal to output and transmit the first output signal using the second antenna along a second transmit path.