Method and system for broadband near-field communication (BNC) utilizing full spectrum capture (FSC) supporting bridging across wall

• US 9,414,184 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2012
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entropic Communications, LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Inventors: Ling, Curtis, Gallagher, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Junpeng
• Application Number:
  US13/726,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20130210346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 375/300, 320/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18517 Transmission equipment in earth stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A communication system may include a first broadband wireless device and a second broadband wireless device. Signals may be wirelessly communicated from the first broadband wireless device to the second broadband wireless device at a power level that is below a spurious emissions mask. The communicated signals may be transmitted over a designated frequency band. A barrier separates the first broadband wireless device from the second broadband wireless device. The first broadband wireless device may be paired with the second broadband wireless device. Usable channels may be detected within a frequency spectrum band designated for use by the first and the second broadband wireless device. The signals may be wirelessly communicated from the first to the second broadband wireless device via one or more of the detected usable channels. Two or more of the plurality of the detected usable channels may be aggregated and utilized for the communication.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a first broadband wireless device comprising a full spectrum capture receiver;

concurrently capturing and digitizing a plurality of channels spanning a first frequency band and a second frequency band, wherein said first frequency band is allocated, by a regulatory body, for signals of a first type and said second frequency band is allocated, by said regulatory body, for signals of a second type, wherein said signals of said first type adhere to a first one or more standards for far-field communications and said signals of said second type adhere to a second one or more standards for far-field communications;

selecting a subset of said plurality of channels which have electromagnetic energy below a determined threshold, wherein at least one of the subset of channels is in each of said first frequency band and said second frequency band; and

transmitting a near-field communication signal on said selected subset of said plurality of channels, wherein, on each one of said channels in said selected subset, a transmit power level at which said near-field communication signal is transmitted is below a spurious emissions mask set for said one of said channels by said regulatory body.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising transmitting said near-field communication signal during pairing said first broadband wireless device with a second broadband wireless device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said second broadband wireless device is powered by an auxiliary power source when said first broadband wireless device is fully powered up and said second broadband wireless device is operating in a low power mode.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising wirelessly transmitting said near-field communication signal via one or more antennas utilized by said first broadband wireless device for wireless power transfer.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising transmitting said near-field communication signal for aligning said first broadband wireless device with a second broadband wireless device, wherein said first broadband wireless device and said second broadband wireless device are on opposite sides of a barrier.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising utilizing, by said first broadband wireless device, one or more signal quality indicators for said near-field communication signal to enable said aligning of said first broadband wireless device with said second broadband wireless device.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein:

said near-field communication signal comprises a preambles and pilot tones; and

said one or more signal quality indicators comprises error rates, signal to noise ratio, signal to interference plus noise ratio, carrier to noise ratio, carrier to interference noise ratio, error vector magnitude, and/or signal strength indicator.

8. The method according to claim 5, comprising generating, by said first broadband wireless device, visual and/or audio cues to aid with said aligning.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising entering a low power state during a period of poor device alignment and entering a full power state when device alignment reaches an improved level.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising utilizing an auxiliary power source for the low power state.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first one or more standards for far-field communications is different than said second one or more standards for far-field communications; and

each of first one or more standards for far-field communications and said second one or more standards for far-field communications comprises one of;

IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, Zigbee, WiMax, and broadcast television.

12. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a first broadband wireless device, said one or more circuits comprising a full spectrum receiver and being operable to;

concurrently capture and digitize a plurality of channels spanning a first frequency band and a second frequency band, wherein said first frequency band is allocated, by a regulatory body, for signals of a first type and said second frequency band is allocated, by said regulatory body, for signals of a second type, wherein said signals of said first type adhere to a first one or more standards for far-field communications and said signals of said second type adhere to a second one or more standards for far-field communications;

select a subset of said plurality of channels which have electromagnetic energy below a determined threshold, wherein at least one of the subset of channels is in each of said first frequency band and said second frequency band; and

transmit a near-field communication signal on said selected subset of said plurality of channels, wherein, on each one of said channels in said selected subset, a transmit power level at which said near-field communication signal is transmitted is below a spurious emissions mask set for said one of said channels by said regulatory body.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to transmit said near-field communication signal during pairing of said first broadband wireless device with a second broadband wireless device.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said second broadband wireless device is powered by an auxiliary power source when said first broadband wireless device is fully powered up and said second broadband wireless device is operating in a low power mode.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to wirelessly transmit said near-field communication signal via one or more antennas utilized by said first broadband wireless device for wireless power transfer.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

said one or more circuits are operable to transmit said near-field communication signal for aligning of said first broadband wireless device with a second broadband wireless device; and

said first broadband wireless device and said second broadband wireless device are on opposite sides of a barrier.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to utilize one or more signals and/or one or more signal quality indicators to enable said alignment of said first broadband wireless device with said second broadband wireless device.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein:

said near-field communication signal comprises a preambles and pilot tones; and

said one or more signal quality indicators comprises error rates, signal to noise ratio, signal to interference plus noise ratio, carrier to noise ratio, carrier to interference noise ratio, error vector magnitude, and/or signal strength indicator.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to generate visual and/or audio cues to aid with said alignment.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits comprises a first wireless power module integrated with said first broadband wireless device are operable to wirelessly communicate power signals from said first broadband wireless device to a second broadband wireless device.

21. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to enter a low power state during a period of poor device alignment and enter a full power state when device alignment reaches an improved level.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more circuits utilize an auxiliary power source for the low power state.

23. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

said first one or more standards for far-field communications is different than said second one or more standards for far-field communications; and

each of first one or more standards for far-field communications and said second one or more standards for far-field communications comprises one of;

IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, Zigbee, WiMax, and broadcast television.