Antenna structures and methods thereof that have disparate operating frequency ranges

• US 9,692,124 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SkyCross Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Achilles Technology Management Co Ii, Inc.
• Inventors: Caimi, Frank M., Montgomery, Mark T., Giometti, Robert, Marshall, John, Kishler, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Addy, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): GENACK, MATTHEW W
• Application Number:
  US14/338,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20150119052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 455450-451, 4554521-4522, 455453, 4555501, 4555531
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 23/02 Arrangements for measuring frequency, e.g. pulse repetition rate; Arrangements for measuring period of current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 25/00 Arrangements for measuring phase angle between a voltage and a current or between voltages or currents
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/0807 characterised by the application
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/10 Radiation diagrams of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/521 reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/103 with variable reactance for tuning the antenna tuning resonant circuits H03J
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0006 Particular feeding systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/12 Parallel arrangements of substantially straight elongated conductive units travelling-wave antennas comprising transmission line loaded with transverse elements H01Q11/02; Yagi antennas H01Q19/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• 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 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/00 : Arrangements for simultaneous operation of antennas on two or more different wavebands, e.g. dual-band or multi-band arrangements combinations of separate active antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system H01Q21/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/22 : RF wavebands combined with non-RF wavebands, e.g. infrared or optical
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 : Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 : Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/48 : Combinations of two or more dipole type antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/04 : Resonant antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 : with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/145 : by varying the electrical length
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 : with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 : Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 : with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 : Element having extended radiating surface
• 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: H03J 2200/15 : Tuning of resonator by means of digitally controlled inductor bank
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/0245 : Discontinuous tuning using an electrical variable impedance element, e.g. a voltage variable reactive diode, in which no corresponding analogue value either exists or is preset, i.e. the tuning information is only available in a digital form microprocessor tuning H03J1/0008
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/242 : used exclusively for band selection
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 5/244 : using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0053 : with common antenna for more than one band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 : Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 : for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 : Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0404 : the mobile station comprising multiple antennas, e.g. to provide uplink diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 : MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0417 : Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0608 : Antenna selection according to transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0628 : Diversity capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0632 : Channel quality parameters, e.g. channel quality indicator [CQI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 : using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 : using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 : Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 : for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 : by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 : using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/12 : based on transmission quality or channel quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 : based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• 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 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a circuit for receiving a request to initiate a first multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) communication session and a second MIMO communication session, and configuring a first antenna configuration and a second antenna configuration to enable the first MIMO communication session and the second MIMO communication session. The first MIMO communication session shares spectrum from the first antenna configuration and the second antenna configuration, and the second MIMO communication session utilizes spectrum from the second antenna configuration that differs from the shared spectrum. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. An antenna structure, comprising:

a first antenna configuration comprising;

a first plurality of antenna ports;

a first plurality of antenna elements, wherein each of the first plurality of antenna elements is coupled to a different one of the first plurality of antenna ports;

a second antenna configuration comprising;

a second plurality of antenna ports;

a second plurality of antenna elements, wherein each of the second plurality of antenna elements is coupled to a different one of the second plurality of antenna ports;

wherein the first antenna configuration operates in a first one or more frequency bands;

wherein the second antenna configuration operates in a second one or more frequency bands;

wherein the first antenna configuration and the second antenna configuration are utilized in a first multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) communication session and a second MIMO communication session;

wherein the first MIMO communication session utilizes a combination of a first portion of spectrum of the first one or more frequency bands and a second portion of spectrum of the second one or more frequency bands; and

wherein the second MIMO communication session utilizes spectrum from a remainder of spectrum of one of the first one or more frequency bands or the second one or more frequency bands without combining the remainder of spectrum of both the first one or more frequency bands and the second one or more frequency bands.

2. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the first one or more frequency bands comprises a first frequency band and a second frequency band, wherein the second one or more frequency bands comprises the first frequency band.

3. The antenna structure of claim 2, wherein the first portion of spectrum utilized in the first MIMO communication session comprises the first frequency band of the first one or more frequency bands, wherein the second portion of spectrum utilized in the first MIMO communication session comprises the first frequency band of the second one or more frequency bands.

4. The antenna structure of claim 2, wherein the remainder of spectrum utilized in the second MIMO communication session comprises the second frequency band of the first one or more frequency bands.

5. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the antenna structure is utilized by a portable device, wherein the portable device engages in the first MIMO communication session with a first base station, wherein the portable device engages in the second MIMO communication session with a second base station.

6. The antenna structure of claim 5, wherein each of the first base station and the second base station comprise one of a macro cellular base station, a small cellular base station, a micro cellular base station, a pico base station, a femto base station, or a wireless access network, and wherein the portable device comprises a portable computer, a tablet, or a mobile phone.

7. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the first MIMO communication session and the second MIMO communication session take place simultaneously.

8. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of antenna elements are configured to have a first reduced radio frequency (RF) signal correlation between the first plurality of antenna ports, and wherein the second plurality of antenna elements are configured to have a second reduced RF signal correlation between the first plurality of antenna ports.

9. The antenna structure of claim 8, wherein the first plurality of antenna elements are configured to combine common mode currents and differential mode currents of the first plurality of antenna elements resulting in the first reduced RF signal correlation between the first plurality of antenna ports, and wherein the second plurality of antenna elements are configured to combine common mode currents and differential mode currents of the second plurality of antenna elements resulting in the second reduced RF signal correlation between the second plurality of antenna ports.

10. A communication device, comprising:

a first antenna configuration comprising;

a first plurality of antenna ports;

a first plurality of antenna elements, wherein each of the first plurality of antenna elements is coupled to a different one of the first plurality of antenna ports;

a second antenna configuration comprising;

a second plurality of antenna ports;

a second plurality of antenna elements, wherein each of the second plurality of antenna elements is coupled to a different one of the second plurality of antenna ports;

wherein the first antenna configuration operates in a first one or more frequency bands;

wherein the second antenna configuration operates in a second one or more frequency bands;

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the first antenna configuration and the second antenna configuration, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the processer performs operations comprising configuring the first antenna configuration and the second antenna configuration to enable a first multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) communication session and a second MIMO communication session,

wherein the first MIMO communication session utilizes a combination of a first portion of spectrum of the first one or more frequency bands and a second portion of spectrum of the second one or more frequency bands; and

wherein the second MIMO communication session utilizes spectrum from a remainder of spectrum of one of the first one or more frequency bands or the second one or more frequency bands without combining the remainder of spectrum of both the first one or more frequency bands and the second one or more frequency bands.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the first one or more frequency bands comprises a first frequency band and a second frequency band, wherein the second one or more frequency bands comprises the first frequency band.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the first portion of spectrum utilized in the first MIMO communication session comprises the first frequency band of the first one or more frequency bands, wherein the second portion of spectrum utilized in the first MIMO communication session comprises the first frequency band of the second one or more frequency bands.

13. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the remainder of spectrum utilized in the second MIMO communication session comprises the second frequency band of the first one or more frequency bands.

14. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the communication device engages in the first MIMO communication session with a first base station, wherein the communication device engages in the second MIMO communication session with a second base station.

15. The communication device of claim 14, wherein each of the first base station and the second base station comprise one of a macro cellular base station, a small cellular base station, a micro cellular base station, a pico base station, a femto base station, or a wireless access network, and wherein the communication device comprises a portable computer, a tablet, or a mobile phone.

16. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the first MIMO communication session and the second MIMO communication session take place simultaneously.