Method and system for high-throughput and low-power communication links in a distributed transceiver network

• US 10,581,567 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2017
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peltbeam Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Golba LLC
• Inventors: Moshfeghi, Mehran
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perez, Angelica M
• Application Number:
  US15/616,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20170338921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 455 371, 455101, 370319-322, 370335, 370337, 370342, 370344, 370348, 370441, 370442, 375216, 375219, 375256, 375267, 375275, 375229, 375295, 375347
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• 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 7/0408 using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0413 MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/043 using best eigenmode, e.g. beam forming or beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0689 using different transmission schemes, at least one of them being a diversity transmission scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0897 using beamforming per multi-path, e.g. to cope with different directions of arrival [DOA] at different multi-paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/12 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0032 Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• 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 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• 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: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A device comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a plurality of distributed beamformers, a baseband processor, and a network management engine. The distributed transceivers perform beamforming in a radio frequency band. The distributed beamformers, however, performs beamforming in an intermediate frequency band. Each of the distributed transceivers is coupled to a corresponding one of the distributed beamformers. Each transceiver-beamformer pair is coupled to the baseband processor utilizing a same communication medium such as a cable. For transmission, a data stream generated at baseband is converted to intermediate frequencies. With a low-power transmission, the distributed beamformers transmit the data stream wirelessly in the intermediate frequencies to a receiving device. With a normal-power transmission, the distributed transceivers transmit the data stream to the receiving device in the radio frequency band. The transceivers and the beamformers are turned OFF whenever not being used. A high-throughput communication link may be established through resource sharing.

Claims

1. A method of processing signals, the method comprising:

in a first device comprising (i) a plurality of distributed beamformers, each distributed beamformer comprising an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas and (ii) a plurality of baseband processors, each baseband processor associated with a different set of distributed beamformers in the plurality of distributed beamformers;

generating, at baseband, a different data stream in a plurality of data streams by each of the plurality of baseband processors;

converting the plurality of data streams at baseband to a set of intermediate frequencies within an intermediate frequency band; and

transmitting the different data stream generated by each particular baseband processor wirelessly at said set of intermediate frequencies to a second device through the antenna arrays of the set of distributed beamformers corresponding to the particular baseband processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each beamformer performs beamforming in the intermediate frequency band without up-converting the signals to a radio frequency band.

3. The method of claim 2, the first device further comprising a plurality of distributed transceivers for performing beamforming in a radio frequency band, each of the plurality of distributed transceivers coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of distributed beamformers, each of the plurality of distributed transceivers and the corresponding coupled distributed beamformer connected to a same corresponding baseband processor from the plurality of baseband processors, the method further comprising:

identifying a set of capabilities of the first and second devices;

turning on a set of distributed transceivers in the plurality of distributed transceivers of the first device based on the identified capabilities; and

converting, by each distributed transceiver in the set of distributed transceivers, the data stream generated by the corresponding baseband processor to said radio frequency band.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the identified capabilities of each of the first and second devices comprise one or more of a battery life, a number of transceivers, a number of antennas per transceiver, a number of beamformers, a number of antennas per beamformer, device interface types, a maximum transmit power, processing protocols, service types, service classes, service requirements, storage capabilities, and a remaining power level.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising transmitting, by each distributed transceiver in the set of distributed transceivers, the corresponding converted data stream at said radio frequency band to the second device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising turning off a set of beamformers corresponding to the set of distributed transceivers during the transmitting of said data stream through the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising determining that a low-power communication link is not required between the first and second devices based on the identified set of capabilities, wherein turning on the set of distributed transceivers and turning off the set of distributed beamformers are based on the determination that a low-power link is not required between the first and second devices.

8. The method of claim 1, the first device further comprising a plurality of distributed transceivers for performing beamforming in a radio frequency band, each of the plurality of distributed transceivers coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of distributed beamformers, each of the plurality of distributed transceivers and the corresponding coupled distributed beamformer connected to a same corresponding baseband processor from the plurality of baseband processors, the method further comprising:

identifying a set of capabilities of the first and second devices; and

turning off the plurality of distributed transceivers of the first device based on the identified capabilities while transmitting the plurality of data streams using the plurality of distributed beamformers.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining that a low-power communication link is required between the first and second devices based on the identified set of capabilities, wherein turning off the set of distributed transceivers and transmitting the plurality of data streams using the plurality of distributed beamformers are based on the determination that a low-power link is required between the first and second devices.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising identifying a set of communication environment information, wherein turning off the plurality of distributed transceivers and transmitting the plurality of data streams using the plurality of distributed beamformers are further based on the identified set of communication environment information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the identified set of communication environment information comprises one or more of propagation environment conditions, a link quality, device capabilities, antennas polarization, radiation patterns, antennas spacing, antenna arrays geometry, device locations, target throughput, quality of service (QoS) requirements, and transmitter and receiver locations.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate frequency band comprises 60 GHz frequency range, the method further comprising transmitting the plurality of data streams in mmWave.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of distributed beamformers is a first plurality of distributed beamformers, wherein first device further comprises a processor and a second plurality of distributed beamformers, wherein each distributed beamformer in the second plurality of distributed beamformers comprises an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, the method further comprising:

sending, from the processor, a corresponding different data stream in the intermediate frequency band to each distributed beamformer in the second plurality of distributed beamformers; and

transmitting the corresponding different data stream at the intermediate frequency band from the antenna array of each beamformer in the second plurality of beamformers to the second device through the antenna arrays.

14. A communication device comprising:

a plurality of distributed beamformers, each distributed beamformer comprising an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas; and

a plurality of baseband processors, each baseband processor associated with a different set of distributed beamformers in the plurality of distributed beamformers;

each baseband processor configured to;

generate, at baseband, a different data stream in a plurality of data streams; and

convert the plurality of data streams at baseband to a set of intermediate frequencies within an intermediate frequency band; and

the antenna arrays of the set of distributed beamformers corresponding to each particular baseband processor configured to transmit the different data stream generated by the particular baseband processor wirelessly at said set of intermediate frequencies to a destination device.

15. The communication device of claim 14, wherein each beamformer is configured to perform beamforming in the intermediate frequency band without up-converting the signals to a radio frequency band.

21. The communication device of claim 15 further comprising:

a network management engine; and

a plurality of distributed transceivers for performing beamforming in a radio frequency band, each of the plurality of distributed transceivers coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of distributed beamformers, each of the plurality of distributed transceivers and the corresponding coupled distributed beamformer connected to a same corresponding baseband processor from the plurality of baseband processors;

the network management engine configured to;

identify a set of capabilities of the communication device and the destination device; and

turn off the plurality of distributed transceivers of the communication device based on the identified capabilities while transmitting the plurality of data streams using the plurality of distributed beamformers.

22. The communication device of claim 21, the network management engine configured to determine that a low-power communication link is required between the communication device and the destination device based on the identified set of capabilities,

wherein turning off the set of distributed transceivers and transmitting the plurality of data streams using the plurality of distributed beamformers are based on the determination that a low-power link is required between the communication device and the destination device.

23. The communication device of claim 21, the network management engine configured to identify a set of communication environment information, wherein turning off the plurality of distributed transceivers and transmitting the plurality of data streams using the plurality of distributed beamformers are further based on the identified set of communication environment information.

24. The communication device of claim 23, wherein the identified set of communication environment information comprises one or more of propagation environment conditions, a link quality, device capabilities, antennas polarization, radiation patterns, antennas spacing, antenna arrays geometry, device locations, target throughput, quality of service (QoS) requirements, and transmitter and receiver locations.

25. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the intermediate frequency band comprises 60 GHz frequency range, wherein the antenna arrays of the set of distributed beamformers transmit the plurality of data streams in mmWave.

26. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of distributed beamformers is a first plurality of distributed beamformers, the communication device further comprising:

a second plurality of distributed beamformers, each distributed beamformer in the second plurality of distributed beamformers comprising an antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas; and

a processor configured to send a different data stream in the intermediate frequency band to each distributed beamformer in the second plurality of distributed beamformers;

wherein the antenna arrays of each distributed beamformer in the second plurality of distributed beamformers is configured to;

receive the corresponding different data stream from the processor; and

transmit the corresponding different data stream wirelessly in the intermediate frequency band to the destination device.

16. The communication device of 14 further comprising:

a network management engine; and

a plurality of distributed transceivers for performing beamforming in a radio frequency band, each of the plurality of distributed transceivers coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of distributed beamformers, each of the plurality of distributed transceivers and the corresponding coupled distributed beamformer connected to a same corresponding baseband processor from the plurality of baseband processors;

the network management engine configured to;

identify a set of capabilities of the communication device and the destination device; and

turn on a set of distributed transceivers in the plurality of distributed transceivers of the communication device based on the identified capabilities; and

each distributed transceiver in the set of distributed transceivers configured to convert the data stream generated by the corresponding baseband processor to said radio frequency band.

17. The communication device of claim 16, wherein the identified capabilities of each of the communication device and the destination device comprise one or more of a battery life, a number of transceivers, a number of antennas per transceiver, a number of beamformers, a number of antennas per beamformer, device interface types, a maximum transmit power, processing protocols, service types, service classes, service requirements, storage capabilities, and a remaining power level.

18. The communication device of claim 16, each distributed transceiver in the set of distributed transceivers configured to transmit the corresponding converted data stream at said radio frequency band to the destination device.

19. The communication device of claim 18, the network management engine configured to turn off a set of beamformers corresponding to the set of distributed transceivers during the transmitting of said data stream through the antenna arrays of the set of distributed transceivers.

20. The communication device of claim 19, the network management engine configured to determine that a low-power communication link is not required between the communication device and the destination device based on the identified set of capabilities, wherein turning on the set of distributed transceivers and turning off the set of distributed beamformers are based on the determination that a low-power link is not required between the communication device and the destination device.