Method and apparatus for an adaptive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communications systems

• US 7,620,424 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2008
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Cetiner, Bedri A., Jafarkhani, Hamid
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Application Number:
  US12/330,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20090209212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 455/562.1, 455/63.4, 455/550.1, 455/575.7, 455/277.1, 455/101, 370/330, 370/314, 370/323, 370/345, 375/304, 375/315, 343/700.MS, 343/771, 343/777, 343/874
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0689 using different transmission schemes, at least one of them being a diversity transmission scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0871 using different reception schemes, at least one of them being a diversity reception scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0001 Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff adaptive data allocation for multicarrier modulation H04L5/0044; controlling transmission power for radio systems H04W52/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0009 by adapting the channel coding H04L1/1812 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0625 Transmitter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0693 Partial feedback, e.g. partial channel state information [CSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

An adaptive MIMO communications system includes a multifunctional reconfigurable antenna with a selectively alterable effective physical antenna array configuration and radiation/polarization properties, which configuration and properties is a component in the optimization of the adaptive system parameters. The multifunctional reconfigurable antenna comprises a plurality of antenna components and a plurality of selectively controllable switches coupling selected ones of the plurality of antenna components together into a multifunctional reconfigurable subarray of antenna components. A processing unit coupled to the multifunctional reconfigurable antenna determines communication channel conditions for generating adaptive control signals to the plurality of selectively controllable switches to selectively apply a selected space-time coding protocol or a selected beam forming protocol together on the plurality of antenna components depending on channel conditions.

Claims

1. A multifunctional reconfigurable antenna array, comprising:

a selectively alterable effective physical antenna array configuration having radiation/polarization properties, the multifunctional reconfigurable antenna array including a plurality of antenna components and a plurality of selectively controllable switches coupling selected ones of the plurality of antenna components together into a multifunctional reconfigurable subarray of antenna components, wherein said antenna components are physically alterable based on an input signal and comprise pixel-patches of any geometric shape arranged in a pixel-patch antenna array in which two adjacent pixel patches are interconnected by an RF-MEM actuator; and

an input configured to receive adaptive control signals for transmission to the plurality of selectively controllable switches in order to dynamically reconfigure the radiation/polarization properties of the antenna array by altering the physical structure of the antenna components.

2. The multifunctional reconfigurable antenna array of claim 1 where adaptive control signals applied to the plurality of selectively controllable switches apply a selected transmission signaling scheme on the plurality of antenna components.

3. The multifunctional reconfigurable antenna array of claim 1 where control signals applied to the plurality of selectively controllable switches selectively applies a spatial multiplexing, selected space-time coding protocol or a selected beam forming protocol on the plurality of antenna components depending on channel conditions.

4. The multifunctional reconfigurable antenna array of claim 1 where the antenna array is characterized by frequency characteristics and where adaptive control signals applied to the plurality of selectively controllable switches alters the frequency characteristics of the antenna array.

5. The multifunctional reconfigurable antenna array of claim 1 where the RF-MEM actuator comprises a conductive movable membrane suspended over opposing and unconnected conductive stubs extending from adjacent pixel-patches in the array, so that when a voltage to applied between the membrane and the stub an electromagnetic force moves the suspended membrane into one of two electrical conduction states with the stub to selectively connect or disconnect the pixel-patches.