Apparatus and method for antenna alignment
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a first antenna configured to receive alignment signalling from a first transmitter over a first communication channel, the first communication channel having a first set of characteristics;
a second antenna configured to exchange data with a second transmitter over a second communication channel, the second communication channel having a second different set of characteristics, wherein the first antenna comprises multiple antennas, the multiple antennas configured to measure the phase of the alignment signaling;
a processor configured to;
process the alignment signalling received from the first antenna and determine the location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus by calculating an angle of incidence of the alignment signaling using one or more phase measurement differences between the alignment signaling received at the multiple antennas of the first antenna; and
generate control signalling representative of the determined location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus; and
a user interface configured to provide a user with an indication of the relative location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus in accordance with the control signalling to allow for the second antenna to be aligned for data exchange with the second transmitter; and
wherein the processor is configured to process signaling received from the second transmitter over the second communication channel to enable a more accurate determination of the location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus; and
the first antenna is configured to exchange data with the first transmitter over the first communication channel as a fall-back in the event that data exchange between the second antenna and second transmitter over the second communication channel is inhibited.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus comprising a first antenna configured to receive alignment signalling from a first transmitter over a first communication channel, the first communication channel having a first set of characteristics, and a second antenna configured to exchange data w.th a second transmitter over a second communication channel, the second communication channel having a second different set of characteristics. The apparatus also comprising a processor configured to process the alignment signalling received from the first antenna and determine the location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus; and generate control signalling representative of the determined location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus. The apparatus further comprising a user interface configured to provide a user with an indication of the relative location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus in accordance with the control signalling to allow for the second antenna to be aligned for data exchange with the second transmitter.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. An apparatus comprising:
-
a first antenna configured to receive alignment signalling from a first transmitter over a first communication channel, the first communication channel having a first set of characteristics; a second antenna configured to exchange data with a second transmitter over a second communication channel, the second communication channel having a second different set of characteristics, wherein the first antenna comprises multiple antennas, the multiple antennas configured to measure the phase of the alignment signaling; a processor configured to; process the alignment signalling received from the first antenna and determine the location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus by calculating an angle of incidence of the alignment signaling using one or more phase measurement differences between the alignment signaling received at the multiple antennas of the first antenna; and generate control signalling representative of the determined location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus; and a user interface configured to provide a user with an indication of the relative location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus in accordance with the control signalling to allow for the second antenna to be aligned for data exchange with the second transmitter; and wherein the processor is configured to process signaling received from the second transmitter over the second communication channel to enable a more accurate determination of the location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus; and the first antenna is configured to exchange data with the first transmitter over the first communication channel as a fall-back in the event that data exchange between the second antenna and second transmitter over the second communication channel is inhibited. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
10. A method of allowing for exchanging of data between an apparatus and one or more of a first transmitter and a second transmitter, the method comprising:
-
receiving alignment signalling at the apparatus via a first antenna of the apparatus from the first transmitter over a first communication channel, the first communication channel having a first set of characteristics, wherein the first antenna comprises multiple antennas, the multiple antennas configured to measure the phase of the alignment signaling; processing the alignment signalling and calculating the location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus by calculating an angle of incidence of the alignment signaling using one or more phase measurement differences between the alignment signaling received at the multiple antennas of the first antenna; generating control signalling representative of the determined location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus; and providing a user with an indication of the location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus in accordance with the control signalling to allow for the second antenna of the apparatus to be aligned for data exchange with the second transmitter over a second communication channel, the second communication channel having a second different set of characteristics to the first communication channel; and wherein the method further comprises processing signaling received from the second transmitter over the second communication channel to enable a more accurate determination of the location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus; and exchanging data between the first antenna and the first transmitter over the first communication channel as a fall-back in the event that data exchange between the second antenna and second transmitter over the second communication channel is inhibited. - View Dependent Claims (11)
-
-
15. A system comprising:
-
a first apparatus, the first apparatus comprising; a first antenna configured to receive alignment signalling from a first transmitter over a first communication channel, the first communication channel having a first set of characteristics, wherein the first antenna comprises multiple antennas, the multiple antennas configured to measure the phase of the alignment signaling; a second antenna configured to exchange data with a second transmitter over a second communication channel, the second communication channel having a second different set of characteristics; a processor configured to; process the alignment signalling received from the first antenna and determine the location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus by calculating an angle of incidence of the alignment signaling using one or more phase measurement differences between the alignment signaling received at the multiple antennas of the first antenna; and generate control signalling representative of the determined location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus; and a user interface configured to provide a user with an indication of the relative location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus in accordance with the control signalling to allow for the second antenna to be aligned for data exchange with the second transmitter; and a second apparatus, the second apparatus comprising the first and second transmitters;
wherein;the first apparatus is one or more of an electronic device, a portable electronic device, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, and a module for one or more of the same, and the second apparatus is one or more of a beacon, a base station, a portable electronic device, and a module for one or more of the same.
-
-
16. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:
-
process alignment signaling received from a first antenna, wherein the first antenna is configured to receive the alignment signaling from a first transmitter over a first communication channel having a first set of characteristics, the first antenna comprising multiple antennas configured to measure a phase of the alignment signaling; determine a location of a second transmitter, associated with the first transmitter, by calculating an angle of incidence of the alignment signaling using one or more phase measurement differences between the alignment signaling received at the multiple antennas of the first antenna, wherein the second transmitter is configured to exchange data with a second antenna over a second communication channel, the second communication channel having a second different set of characteristics; generate control signaling representative of the determined location of the second transmitter; and provide a user with an indication, using a user interface, of the relative location of the second transmitter relative to an apparatus comprising the user interface in accordance with the control signaling to allow for the second antenna to be aligned for data exchange with the second transmitter; and wherein the apparatus is further caused to process signaling received from the second transmitter over the second communication channel to enable a more accurate determination of the location of the second transmitter relative to the apparatus; and the first antenna is configured to exchange data with the first transmitter over the first communication channel as a fall-back in the event that data exchange between the second antenna and second transmitter over the second communication channel is inhibited.
-
Specification