System and Method for Radio Antenna Sharing in an Information Handling System

• US 20110014866A1
• Filed: 07/17/2009
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Finn, Larry William, Utz, James R., Sultenfuss, Andrew T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,369,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0814 based on current reception conditions, e.g. switching to different antenna when signal level is below threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/42 in systems with time, space, frequency or polarisation diversity

Abstract

An information handling system includes a processing system with a radio output, another processing system with a radio output, and a radio selector operable to couple an antenna to a selected one of the radios. A radio selector board includes a radio, a selector switch with an input terminal coupled to the radio, another input terminal coupleable to another radio, a control input coupleable to a control module, and an output coupleable to an antenna. In response to a control signal from the control module, the selector switch connects the first radio to the antenna, and in response to another control signal, the selector switch connects the other radio to the antenna.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a first processing system operatively coupled to a first radio, wherein the first radio includes a first output;

a second processing system operatively coupled to a second radio, wherein the second radio includes a second output; and

a radio selector coupled to;

the first output;

the second output; and

a first antenna; and

wherein the radio selector is operable to couple the first antenna to a selected one of the first radio or the second radio.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein:

the first output includes a first output terminal and a second output terminal;

the second output includes a first output terminal and a second output terminal;

the radio selector includes a first switch and a second switch; and

the first antenna includes a first element and a second element; and

wherein;

the first switch is coupled to the first output terminal of the first radio, the first output terminal of the second radio, and the first element; and

the second switch is coupled to the first output terminal of the first radio, the first output terminal of the second radio, and the second element; and

the radio selector is operable to couple the first element to a selected one of the first output terminal of the first radio or the first output terminal of the second radio, and to couple the second element to a selected one of the second output terminal of the first radio or the second output terminal of the second radio.

3. The information handling system of claim 2, wherein the first switch and the second switch comprise semiconductor devices.

4. The information handling system of claim 2, further comprising:

a second antenna; and

wherein the first output includes a third output terminal coupled to the second antenna.

5. The information handling system of claim 4, wherein the first radio operates as an 802.11n compliant radio, and the second radio operates as an 802.11g compliant radio.

6. The information handling system of claim 4, wherein the radio selector includes the second radio.

7. The information handling system of claim 1, further comprising an allocator operatively coupled to the first processing system, the second processing system, and the radio selector, wherein the allocator is operable to control the radio selector to couple the first antenna to the selected one of the first radio or the second radio.

8. The information handling system of claim 7, wherein the allocator is further operable to:

operate the second processing system in a low-power mode when the first antenna is coupled to the first radio; and

operate the first processing system in a low-power mode when the first antenna is coupled to the second radio.

9. The information handling system of claim 8, wherein the allocator operates to control the radio selector in response to an event at the information handling system.

10. The information handling system of claim 9, wherein the event includes an input from a user of the information handling system.

11. A radio selector board comprising:

a first radio including a first output; and

a first selector switch including a first radio input terminal coupled to the first output, a second radio input terminal operably coupleable to a second output, a first control input terminal operably coupleable to a control module, and a first output terminal operably coupleable to a first antenna; and

wherein;

in response to a first control signal from the control module, the first selector switch connects the first output to the first antenna; and

in response to a second control signal from the control module, the first selector switch connects the second output to the first antenna.

12. The radio selector board of claim 11, wherein:

the first radio includes a third output;

the radio selector board further comprises a second selector switch including a third radio input terminal coupled to the third output, a fourth radio input operably coupleable to a fourth output, a second control input terminal operably coupleable to the control module, and an output terminal operably coupleable to a second antenna; and

wherein;

in response to the first control signal, the second selector switch connects the third output to the second antenna; and

in response to the second control signal, the second selector switch connects the fourth output to the second antenna.

13. The radio selector board of claim 12, wherein the control module sends:

the first control signal in response to a first event; and

the second control signal in response to a second event.

14. The radio selector board of claim 13, wherein the first event and the second event comprise user inputs.

15. The radio selector board of claim 12, wherein the first selector switch and the second selector switch comprise semiconductor devices.

16. The radio selector board of claim 15, wherein further the first radio, the first selector switch, and the second selector switch are part of a single semiconductor device.

17. A method comprising:

coupling a first output of a first radio associated with a first processing system of an information handling system to a first terminal of a first switch;

coupling a first output of a second radio associated with a second processing system of the information handling system to a second terminal of the first switch;

coupling a first antenna to a third terminal of the first switch;

in response to operating the first processing system in a first low-power mode, connecting the second terminal of the first switch to the third terminal of the first switch; and

in response to operating the second processing system in a second low-power mode, connecting the first terminal of the first switch to the third terminal of the first switch.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

coupling a second output of the first radio to a first terminal of a second switch;

coupling a second output of the second radio to a second terminal of the second switch;

coupling a second antenna to a third terminal of the second switch;

in response to operating the first processing system in the first low-power mode, connecting the second terminal of the second switch to the third terminal of the second switch; and

in response to operating the second processing system in a second low-power mode, connecting the first terminal of the second switch to the third terminal of the second switch.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first radio operates as an 802.11n compliant radio, and the second radio operates as an 802.11g compliant radio.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first radio and the second radio operate as Bluetooth compliant radios.