WIRELESS DOCKING LINK EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20140242911A1
• Filed: 10/03/2012
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Holtman, Koen Johanna Guillaume, Draaijer, Maurice Herman Johan
• Granted Patent: US 9,559,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication

Abstract

A wireless docking system in a shared radio spectrum environment including: a docking station (320) configured with a radio (322) connected to an antenna (324); a dockee (310) configured with a radio (312) connected to an antenna (314) and using a radio standard with a carrier sensing mechanism for communication with the docking station; and an antenna efficiency reduction device (328) that reduces the sensitivity of the carrier sense mechanism in the dockee when the dockee is physically docked with the docking station.

Claims

1. A docking station for wireless docking with a dockee in a shared radio spectrum environment, wherein the dockee is configured with a radio connected to a first antenna and using a radio standard with a carrier sensing mechanism for communication with the docking station,

the docking station comprising:

a radio connected to a second antenna; and

an antenna efficiency reduction device that reduces the sensitivity of the carrier sense mechanism in the dockee to signals transmitted by other devices in the shared radio spectrum environment when the dockee is physically docked with the docking station.

2. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the antenna efficiency reduction device is a detuning device that shifts the natural resonant frequency of the first antenna.

3. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the antenna efficiency reduction device is a radio absorber, reflector or shield that attenuates radio signals received by the dockee from transmissions by the other devices.

4. The docking station according to claim 2, wherein the detuning device comprises a conducting metal that couples with the first antenna.

5. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the antenna efficiency reduction device is a detuning device that makes the first antenna less efficient by creating an electromagnetic coupling between different elements of the first antenna that are designed to be electrically isolated from each other

6. The docking station according to claim 2, wherein the detuning device comprises a plurality of conducting metal strips that couple with the antenna in the dockee.

7. The docking station according to claim 2, wherein the detuning device comprises a plurality of conducting metal elements that are connected to each other via at least one resistor, and wherein the at least one resistor dissipates the electromagnetic field power flowing through the plurality of conducting metal elements.

8. The docking station according to claim 7, wherein a connection to the at least one resistor is made via a switch.

9. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the antenna efficiency reduction device can be switched on or off.

10. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the radio in the docking station is connected to a plurality of antennas, wherein each of the plurality of antennas is positioned such that the link budget is optimized for a particular type of dockee.

11. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the docking station further comprises an alignment structure for aligning a docked dockee, such that the first antenna is aligned in a predefined configuration with the antenna efficiency reduction device in the docking station.

12. The docking station according to claim 11, wherein the alignment structure comprises a particular shape for the docking station to allow the dockee be placed into or onto the docking station only in a specific position.

13. The docking station according to claim 11, wherein the alignment structure comprises a moving part on which the second antenna is mounted, such that the moving part can be moved to a location where the second antenna is aligned with the first antenna.

14. A docking station for wireless docking with a dockee, in a shared radio spectrum environment, wherein the dockee is configured with a radio connected to an antenna and using a radio standard with a carrier sensing mechanism for communication with the docking station, the docking station comprising:

a central unit, having a radio;

an antenna module; and

an antenna efficiency reduction module for reducing efficiency of the first antenna in the dockee by reducing sensitivity of the carrier sense mechanism;

wherein the central unit has an interface for plugging into the antenna module and the antenna efficiency reduction module.

15. A method of providing a docking station for wireless docking with a dockee in a shared radio spectrum environment, wherein the dockee is configured with a radio connected to a first antenna and using a radio standard with a carrier sensing mechanism for communication with the docking station, the method comprising:

providing a radio connected to a second antenna; and

providing an antenna efficiency reduction device that reduces the sensitivity of the carrier sense mechanism in the dockee to signals transmitted by other devices in the shared radio spectrum environment when the dockee is physically docked with the docking station, the antenna efficiency reduction device being connected or connectable to the radio.