Methods, devices and systems for increasing wireless communication range

• US 9,960,834 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cassia Networks Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cassia Networks Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Kunpeng, Zhao, Fuyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Justus, Ralph H
• Application Number:
  US15/450,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20170180034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 455 16, 455 131, 455 111, 4555521-5531, 370252, 343861
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• 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 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/383 power control in peer-to-peer links
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A device for supporting wireless communication is provided. The device includes a transceiver, an antenna, and a radio frequency (RF) front end system communicatively coupled to the transceiver and the antenna. The RF front end system may include: a RF sampling block coupled to the transceiver and configured to sample signals received from the transceiver and output voltage signals; a RF switching logic coupled to the RF sampling block to receive the voltage signals and configured to switch the front end RF system between a transmitting mode and a receiving mode; a RF transmission gain block coupled to the RF switching logic and configured to increase a transmission power of the signals received from the transceiver; and a RF receiving gain block coupled to the RF switching logic and configured to remove noise signals contained in radio frequency signals received from the antenna.

Claims

1. A device for supporting wireless communication, comprising:

a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the first antenna uses a first polarization, and the second antenna uses a second polarization, wherein the first and second polarizations are different;

a first communication module configured to transmit radio frequency (RF) energy to the first antenna via a first RF energy path and transmit a first radio frequency signal at a first radio frequency via the first antenna, wherein the first radio frequency signal is generated complying with a first communication protocol; and

a second communication module configured to transmit RF energy to the second antenna via a second RF energy path and transmit a second radio frequency signal at a second radio frequency via the second antenna, wherein;

the second radio frequency signal is generated complying with a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol;

the first communication module and the second communication module are located at an opposite side of a circuit board; and

the first RF energy path is substantially orthogonal to the second RF energy path.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are located outside the circuit board.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first communication module transmits the first radio frequency signal at a first time, and the second communication module transmits the second radio frequency signal at a second time different from the first time.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first communication module is a Bluetooth module and the second communication module is a WIFI module.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency change after a predetermined time period.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the first communication module is physically separated from the second communication module by a predetermined minimum distance.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the first antenna and the second antenna use substantially orthogonal polarizations.

8. A device for supporting wireless communication, comprising:

a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the first antenna uses a first polarization, and the second antenna uses a second polarization, wherein the first and second polarizations are different;

a first communication module configured to transmit radio frequency (RF) energy to the first antenna via a first RF energy path and transmit a first radio frequency signal at a first radio frequency via the first antenna, wherein the first radio frequency signal is generated complying with a first communication protocol; and

a second communication module configured to transmit RF energy to the second antenna via a second RF energy path and transmit a second radio frequency signal via the second antenna wherein the second antenna is configured to transmit at a second radio frequency, wherein;

the second radio frequency signal is generated complying with a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol; and

the first RF energy path is substantially orthogonal to the second RF energy path.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are located outside the circuit board.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the first communication module transmits the first radio frequency signal at a first time, and the second communication module transmits the second radio frequency signal at a second time different from the first time.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the first communication module is a Bluetooth module and the second communication module is a WIFI module.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency change after a predetermined time period.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein:

the first communication module is physically separated from the second communication module by a predetermined minimum distance.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein:

the first antenna and the second antenna use substantially orthogonal polarizations.

15. A method for supporting wireless communication, comprising:

transmitting radio frequency (RF) energy to a first antenna via a first RF energy path and RF energy to a second antenna via a second RF energy path, wherein the first antenna is configured to transmit at a first radio frequency and the second antenna is configured to transmit at a second radio frequency;

generating a first RF signal in compliance with a first communication protocol and a second RF signal in compliance with a second communication protocol; and

transmitting the first RF signal via the first antenna and the second RF signal via the second antenna, wherein

the first RF energy path is substantially orthogonal to the second RF energy path; and

the first antenna uses a first polarization and the second antenna uses a second polarization, wherein the first and second polarizations are different.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are located outside the circuit board.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the first communication module transmits the first radio frequency signal at a first time, and the second communication module transmits the second radio frequency signal at a second time different from the first time.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the first communication module is a Bluetooth module and the second communication module is a WIFI module.