LTE/1x dual-standby with single-chip radio

• US 9,497,652 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2015
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mujtaba, Syed Aon, Zhao, Wen, Wang, Xiaowen, Majjigi, Vinay, Mahe, Isabel G.
• Primary Examiner(s): REGO, DOMINIC E
• Application Number:
  US14/750,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20150296396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/26 for superheterodyne receivers multiple frequency-changing H03D7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0602 using antenna switching H04B7/0686 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0802 using antenna selection H04B7/0868 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Electronic devices may be provided that contain wireless communication circuitry. The wireless communication circuitry may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry coupled to antennas by switching circuitry. Multiple radio access technologies may be supported. A device may include first and second antennas. Control circuitry can configure the transceiver circuitry and switching circuitry to support operation of the device in active and idle modes for each radio access technology. In some configurations, both antennas may be used to support operations associated with one of the radio access technologies. In other configurations, the first antenna may be used to support operations with a first of the radio access technologies while the second antenna is used to support operations with a second of the radio access technologies.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring, by a mobile device that supports communications using a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT, wireless signal quality for at least the first RAT, wherein the mobile device includes a first antenna and a second antenna;

using, during a first at least one page monitoring period, by the mobile device based on the monitored wireless signal quality, the first antenna to monitor a paging channel associated with the first RAT while simultaneously using the second antenna to convey wireless data traffic associated with the second RAT; and

using, by the mobile device subsequent to the first at least one page monitoring period, both the first antenna and the second antenna to monitor the paging channel associated with the first RAT.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using, by the mobile device subsequent to the first at least one page monitoring period, both the first antenna and the second antenna to convey wireless data traffic associated with the second RAT.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein using both the first antenna and the second antenna to convey wireless data traffic associated with the second RAT includes using both the first antenna and the second antenna to receive Long Term Evolution (LTE) data traffic.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein using both the first and second antennas to monitor the paging channel includes temporarily interrupting reception of LTE data with the first and second antennas and, while reception of the LTE data with the first and second antennas is temporarily interrupted, using both the first and second antennas to monitor the paging channel for Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) paging signals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RAT is a CDMA RAT and wherein the second RAT is a LTE RAT.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring includes obtaining received signal strength indicator (RSSI) information that is indicative of channel quality for the paging channel associated with the first RAT.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

comparing the received RSSI information to a predetermined threshold;

wherein said using the first antenna and not the second antenna to monitor the paging channel is performed in response to determining that the received signal strength indicator exceeds the predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

comparing the received RSSI information to a predetermined threshold;

wherein said using both the first antenna and the second antenna to monitor the paging channel is performed in response to determining that the received signal strength indicator does not exceed the predetermined threshold.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver configured to support communications using a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT;

a first antenna and a second antenna; and

one or more processing elements coupled to the wireless transceiver;

wherein the electronic device is configured to;

use, during a first at least one page monitoring period, based on the monitored wireless signal quality, the first antenna to monitor a paging channel associated with the first RAT while simultaneously using the second antenna to convey wireless data traffic associated with the second RAT;

use, subsequent to the first at least one page monitoring period, both the first antenna and the second antenna to convey wireless data traffic associated with the second RAT; and

use, during a second at least one page monitoring period, based on the monitored wireless signal quality, both the first antenna and the second antenna to monitor the paging channel associated with the first RAT.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first and second antennas are located at opposite ends of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the electronic device is configured to use both the first antenna and the second antenna to receive Long Term Evolution (LTE) data traffic during the second at least one page monitoring period.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the electronic device is configured to, during the first at least one page monitoring period, interrupt reception of LTE data with the first and second antennas and, while reception of the LTE data with the first and second antennas is temporarily interrupted, use both the first and second antennas to monitor the paging channel for Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) paging signals.

13. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first RAT is a CDMA RAT and wherein the second RAT is a LTE RAT.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first RAT is a LTE RAT and wherein the second RAT is a CDMA RAT.

15. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the electronic device is configured to determine or receive received signal strength indicator (RSSI) information that indicates channel quality for the paging channel associated with the first RAT.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the electronic device is configured to use both the first antenna and the second antenna or use the first antenna and not the second antenna to monitor paging for the paging channel associated with the first RAT based on whether the RSSI information is above a predetermined threshold.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by a computing device to perform operations comprising:

monitoring, wireless signal quality for a first radio access technology (RAT), wherein the computing device supports at least the first RAT and a second RAT and wherein the computing device includes a first antenna and a second antenna;

using, during a first at least one page monitoring period, based on the monitored wireless signal quality, the first antenna to monitor a paging channel associated with the first RAT while simultaneously using the second antenna to convey wireless data traffic associated with the second RAT; and

using, subsequent to the first at least one page monitoring period, both the first antenna and the second antenna to monitor the paging channel associated with the first RAT.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first RAT is a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) RAT and wherein the second RAT is a Long Term Evolution (LTE) RAT.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein monitoring the wireless signal quality for the first RAT includes determining or receiving signal strength information.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein using the first antenna or both the first antenna and the second antenna to monitor the paging channel is based on a predetermined threshold wireless signal quality level.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processing elements; and

one or more memories having program instructions stored thereon that are executable by the one or more processing elements to;

use, during a first at least one page monitoring period, based on monitored wireless signal quality, a first antenna to monitor a paging channel associated with a first radio access technology (RAT) while simultaneously using a second antenna to convey wireless data traffic associated with a second RAT;

use, subsequent to the first at least one page monitoring period, both the first antenna and the second antenna to convey wireless data traffic associated with the second RAT; and

use, during a second at least one page monitoring period, based on the monitored wireless signal quality, both the first antenna and the second antenna to monitor the paging channel associated with the first RAT.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus is configured to use both the first antenna and the second antenna to receive Long Term Evolution (LTE) data traffic during the second at least one page monitoring period;

and

wherein the instructions are further executable to, during the first at least one page monitoring period, interrupt reception of LTE data with the first and second antennas and, while reception of the LTE data with the first and second antennas is temporarily interrupted, use both the first and second antennas to monitor the paging channel for Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) paging signals.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine or receive received signal strength indicator (RSSI) information that indicates channel quality for the paging channel associated with the first RAT.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the apparatus is configured to use both the first antenna and the second antenna or use the first antenna and not the second antenna to monitor paging for the paging channel associated with the first RAT based on whether the RSSI information is above a predetermined threshold.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein using the first antenna or both the first antenna and the second antenna to monitor the paging channel is based on a predetermined threshold wireless signal quality level.