System and method for antenna-receiver communication

• US 9,332,501 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hemisphere GNSS(USA) Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hemisphere GNSS(USA) Incorporated
• Inventors: Jakab, Andy, Feller, Walter J., Xiaoping, Ryan Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US14/517,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20150201380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 455/522, 455/69, 455/562.1, 455/67.11, 455/66.1, 455/67.16, 455/276.1, 370/354
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range

Abstract

An antenna-receiver communication system comprises an antenna conductor, antenna, and intelligent antenna controller. The intelligent antenna controller and antenna are connected via a conductor for providing power to the antenna from the intelligent antenna controller, and a received signal from the antenna to the intelligent antenna controller. The intelligent antenna controller is configured to provide voltage to the antenna for its operation, and to systematically alter the provided voltage level to communicate information to the antenna. The antenna is configured to communicate messages to the intelligent antenna controller by systematically altering the current consumed by the antenna. Both the intelligent antenna controller and antenna are configured to decode received messages and act on them. A method for communication between an intelligent antenna controller and antenna utilizing patterns of voltage and current fluctuation over the conductor providing power from the intelligent antenna controller to the antenna is also provided.

Claims

1. An Intelligent Antenna System comprising:

a first antenna conductor configured to intercept a transmitted signal and conduct at least a portion of the transmitted signal into the first antenna conductor;

a conductor comprising the conductor electrically coupled to the first antenna conductor and configured to communicate the transmitted signal along the conductor to other devices electrically coupled to the conductor;

a first intelligent antenna electrically coupled to the conductor and configured to receive the transmitted signal via the conductor, process the transmitted signal to alter at least one characteristic of the signal, and provide processed;

transmitted signal external to the first intelligent antenna;

a conductor comprising a conductor electrically coupled to the first intelligent antenna and configured to communicate the processed;

transmitted signal along the conductor to other devices electrically coupled to the conductor; and

,

an intelligent antenna controller electrically coupled to the conductor and configured to receive the processed, transmitted signal and further process the processed, transmitted signal, wherein the intelligent antenna controller is further configured to provide power for operation of the first intelligent antenna to the first intelligent antenna via the conductor of conductor over which the processed;

transmitted signal is communicated, and wherein the intelligent antenna controller is further configured to communicate data to the first intelligent antenna via the conductor of conductor over which the processed transmitted signal and power are communicated.

2. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first intelligent antenna is further configured to interpret data communicated to the first intelligent antenna by the intelligent antenna controller via the conductor of conductor over which the data is communicated.

3. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first intelligent antenna is further configured to alter its operation responsive to the interpreted data communicated by the intelligent antenna controller.

4. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a second antenna conductor configured to intercept a transmitted signal and conduct at least a portion of the transmitted signal into the antenna conductor;

a conductor comprising a conductor electrically coupled to the second antenna conductor and configured to communicate the transmitted signal along the conductor to other devices electrically coupled to the conductor;

a second intelligent antenna electrically coupled to the conductor and configured to receive the transmitted signal via conductor, process the transmitted signal to alter at least one characteristic of the signal, and provide the processed, transmitted signal external to the second intelligent antenna; and

,

a conductor comprising a conductor electrically coupled to the second intelligent antenna and configured to communicate the processed, transmitted signal along the conductor to other devices electrically coupled to the conductor, wherein the conductor is electrically coupled to intelligent antenna controller, and wherein intelligent antenna controller is further configured to receive the processed, transmitted signal from the second intelligent antenna and further process the processed, transmitted signal, wherein the intelligent antenna controller is further configured to provide power for the operation of the second intelligent antenna to the second intelligent antenna via the conductor of conductor over which the processed, transmitted signal from the second intelligent antenna is communicated, and wherein the intelligent antenna controller is further configured to communicate data to the second intelligent antenna via the conductor of conductor over which the processed, transmitted signal and power are communicated to the second intelligent antenna.

5. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first intelligent antenna is further configured to communicate data to the intelligent antenna controller via the conductor of conductor over which the processed, transmitted signal and power are communicated.

6. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 5 wherein the intelligent antenna controller is further configured to interpret data communicated to the intelligent antenna controller by first intelligent antenna via the conductor of conductor over which the data is communicated.

7. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 6 wherein the intelligent antenna controller is further configured to alter its operation responsive to the interpreted data communicated by the first intelligent antenna.

8. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 1 wherein the intelligent antenna controller further comprises circuitry configured to alter a voltage component of the power provided by intelligent antenna controller to the first intelligent antenna between multiple discrete voltage levels between a maximum allowable operating voltage level of the first intelligent antenna and a minimum required operating voltage level of the first intelligent antenna, and wherein the data communicated to the first intelligent antenna by the intelligent antenna controller is created by altering the voltage provided to the first intelligent antenna by the intelligent antenna controller among the multiple voltage levels in a systematic pattern.

9. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 8 wherein the first intelligent antenna further comprises circuitry configured to monitor a voltage component of the power provided by intelligent antenna controller to the first intelligent antenna to detect multiple discrete voltage levels, and to interpret the pattern of changes among multiple discrete voltage levels to extract data communicated to the first intelligent antenna by intelligent antenna controller.

10. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first intelligent antenna is further configured to alter its operation responsive to the interpreted data communicated by the intelligent antenna controller.

11. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 8 wherein the first intelligent antenna further comprises circuitry configured to alter the current consumed by the first intelligent antenna over conductor between multiple discrete current consumption levels between a maximum current consumption level and a minimum current consumption level of the first intelligent antenna, and wherein the first intelligent antenna is further configured to communicate data to the intelligent antenna controller via the conductor of conductor over which the processed, transmitted signal and power are communicated, wherein the data communicated to the intelligent antenna controller by the first intelligent antenna is created by altering the current consumed via conductor by the first intelligent antenna between the multiple current consumption levels in a systematic pattern.

12. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 11 wherein the intelligent antenna controller further comprises circuitry configured to monitor the current consumption of the first intelligent antenna via conductor to detect multiple discrete current consumption levels, and to interpret the pattern of changes among multiple discrete current consumption levels to extract data communicated to intelligent antenna controller by the first intelligent antenna.

13. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 12 wherein the intelligent antenna controller is further configured to alter its operation responsive to the interpreted data communicated by the first intelligent antenna.

14. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 13, wherein conductor is an RF coaxial cable having a single central electrically-conducting wire surrounded by an insulator that is surrounded by shielding and a sheath, wherein the processed, transmitted signal, power, and communicated data are simultaneously provided between intelligent antenna controller and intelligent antenna via the single central electrically-conducting wire of the RF coaxial cable.

15. An Intelligent Antenna System comprising:

a first antenna conductor configured to intercept a transmitted signal and conduct at least a portion of the transmitted signal into the first antenna conductor;

a conductor comprising the conductor electrically coupled to the first antenna conductor and configured to communicate the transmitted signal along the conductor to other devices electrically coupled to the conductor;

a first intelligent antenna electrically coupled to the conductor and configured to receive the transmitted signal via the conductor, process the transmitted signal to alter at least one characteristic of the signal, and provide the processed;

transmitted signal external to the first intelligent antenna;

a conductor comprising a conductor electrically coupled to the first intelligent antenna and configured to communicate the processed;

transmitted signal along the conductor to other devices electrically coupled to the conductor; and

,

an intelligent antenna controller electrically coupled to the conductor and comprising a voltage regulator having an output electrically coupled to the conductor and an input electrically coupled to a processor via a switch, wherein the intelligent antenna controller is configured to receive the processed transmitted signal via conductor and further process the processed, transmitted signal, and wherein the intelligent antenna controller is further configured to provide voltage for operation of the first intelligent antenna to the first intelligent antenna from an output of the voltage regulator via the conductor of conductor over which the processed transmitted signal is communicated, and wherein the intelligent antenna controller is still further configured to communicate data to the first intelligent antenna via the conductor of conductor over which the processed;

transmitted signal and power are communicated by systematically altering the voltage provided from the output of the voltage regulator among multiple discrete voltage levels by means of the switch, wherein the switch state changes responsive to the processor.

16. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first intelligent antenna comprises:

voltage detect circuitry electrically coupled to the conductor; and

a processor electrically coupled to the voltage detect circuitry, wherein the voltage detect circuitry is configured to detect the voltage provided by intelligent antenna controller, scale the voltage to levels compatible with the processor, and provide the scaled voltage to the processor, and wherein the processor is configured to detect multiple discrete voltage levels, and to interpret the pattern of changes among multiple discrete voltage levels to extract data communicated to the first intelligent antenna by intelligent antenna controller.

17. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first intelligent antenna further comprises:

a switch electrically coupled to the processor; and

,

filters electrically coupled to the switch and configured to filter the processed, transmitted signal, wherein the processor of the first intelligent antenna is configured to alter the state of the switch to select among the multiple filters responsive to the extracted data communicated by intelligent antenna controller.

18. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first intelligent antenna further comprises:

a current sink electrically coupled to the processor and conductor, wherein the current sink is configured, responsive to the processor, to communicate data to intelligent antenna controller via conductor by systematically altering the current consumed by first intelligent antenna via conductor among multiple discrete current consumption levels.

19. An Intelligent Antenna System as claimed in claim 18, wherein the intelligent antenna controller further comprises:

a current sense amplifier electrically coupled to the processor and conductor, wherein the current sense amplifier is configured to detect the current consumed by intelligent antenna, convert the detected consumed current to a voltage value corresponding to the magnitude of current consumed, and provide the voltage value corresponding to the magnitude of current consumed to the processor, and wherein the process is configured to evaluate the voltage value corresponding to the magnitude of current consumed by intelligent antenna, and extract data communicated by intelligent antenna to intelligent antenna controller based on the pattern of systematic alteration among multiple discrete current consumption levels of intelligent antenna.

20. A method of communicating data between an intelligent antenna controller and antenna electrically coupled thereto, the antenna being electrically coupled to an antenna conductor, comprising:

generating a regulated voltage in a voltage regulator of an intelligent antenna controller;

providing the regulated voltage, via a single conductor cable, to the antenna having electronic circuitry therein to power the electronic circuitry;

generating control signals corresponding to a message to be sent containing data to be provided to the antenna in processing circuitry of the intelligent antenna controller;

providing the control signals corresponding to the message to the voltage regulator of the intelligent antenna controller;

altering a provided regulated voltage among multiple levels in a systematic pattern responsive to the control signals to transmit the message to the antenna;

monitoring a voltage provided by the intelligent antenna controller via the single conductor cable in the electronic circuitry of the antenna to interpret the transmitted message; and

,

performing a step in the electronic circuitry of the antenna responsive to the interpreted message, wherein a signal received by an antenna conductor of the antenna is simultaneously provided during the provision of power and transmission of the message by the intelligent antenna controller to the antenna, to the antenna power supply by the via the single conductor cable.