Method and apparatus for managing interference in a communication device

• US 9,564,944 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2014
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Manssen, Keith, Greene, Matthew, Smith, Wayne, Schlueter, David, Spears, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Stephen E
• Application Number:
  US14/483,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20140378076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 333/17.3, 333/32
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/188 the guides being dielectric waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/30 Automatic matching of source impedance to load impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/1027 assessing signal quality or detecting noise/interference for the received signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/109 by improving strong signal performance of the receiver when strong unwanted signals are present at the receiver input
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/12 Neutralising, balancing, or compensation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/401 for selecting or indicating operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/00 Suppression or limitation of noise or interference by means associated with receiver H04B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a matching network including a tunable reactance circuit configured to be coupled to at least one of a transmitter portion and a receiver portion of a communication device, where the tunable reactance circuit is adjustable to a plurality of tuning states, and where the determination of a tuning state is based on whether detected signal measurements are determined to be invalid and is based on information from at least one of an open-loop or closed-loop feedback configuration of the tunable reactance circuit. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a transceiver;

a tunable reactance circuit coupled to the transceiver; and

a controller coupled with the tunable reactance circuit, wherein the controller, responsive to executing instructions, performs operations comprising;

determining a tuning state for the tunable reactance circuit based on detected signal measurements;

determining whether the detected signal measurements are valid or invalid;

applying the tuning state to the tunable reactance circuit responsive to a determination that the detected signal measurements are valid; and

applying one of a last known valid tuning state or a default tuning state to the tunable reactance circuit responsive to a determination that the detected signal measurements are invalid.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the determining of the tuning state is based in part on a mechanical use case of the communication device.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the tunable reactance circuit comprises one or more semiconductor varactors, one or more micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) varactors, one or more semiconductor switched capacitors, one or more MEMS switched capacitors, or combinations thereof.

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the tunable reactance circuit comprises one or more ferroelectric capacitors.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the determining of whether the detected signal measurements are valid or invalid is based on at least one of Voltage Standing Wave Ratio data measured over a period of time, amplitude modulation, a reflected input measured during transmission and non-transmission, phase measurements outside of a standard deviation, a comparison of measured and predicted transmission power level changes, or a comparison of measured and predicted improvement in reflected loss between tuning states.

6. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the invalidity of the detected measurements is caused by another communication device generating a signal that interferes with the communication device.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the invalidity of the detected measurements is caused by internal interference generated by the communication device.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the tunable reactance circuit comprises a signal sampling network, and wherein a signal output of the signal sampling network has a filter coupled thereto.

9. The communication device of claim 8, wherein the signal sampling network comprises a directional coupler.

10. A communication device, comprising:

a transceiver;

a tunable reactance circuit coupled to the transceiver; and

a controller coupled with the tunable reactance circuit, wherein the controller, responsive to executing instructions, performs operations comprising;

determining a tuning state for the tunable reactance circuit based on detected signal measurements and based on a use case for the communication device;

determining whether the detected signal measurements are valid or invalid;

applying the tuning state to the tunable reactance circuit responsive to a determination that the detected signal measurements are valid; and

applying a last known valid tuning state to the tunable reactance circuit responsive to a determination that the detected signal measurements are invalid.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the determining of whether the detected signal measurements are valid or invalid is based on at least one of Voltage Standing Wave Ratio data measured over a period of time, amplitude modulation, a reflected input measured during transmission and non-transmission, phase measurements outside of a standard deviation, a comparison of measured and predicted transmission power level changes, or a comparison of measured and predicted improvement in reflected loss between tuning states.

12. A method comprising:

determining, by a processor of a communication device, a tuning state for a tunable reactance circuit from among a plurality of tuning states based on whether detected signal measurements are determined to be invalid and based on information from at least one of an open-loop or closed-loop feedback configuration of the tunable reactance circuit, wherein the processor is coupled with the tunable reactance circuit, wherein the tunable reactance circuit is coupled to at least one of a transmitter portion or a receiver portion of the communication device;

adjusting the tunable reactance circuit utilizing the tuning state responsive to a determination that the detected signal measurements are valid; and

adjusting the tunable reactance circuit utilizing a previously determined tuning state or a default tuning state responsive to a determination that the detected signal measurements are invalid.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the open-loop feedback configuration is based on a mechanical use case of the communication device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a validity of the detected signal measurements based on a comparison of measured and predicted improvement in reflected loss.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a validity of the detected signal measurements based on Voltage Standing Wave Ratio data measured over a period of time.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a validity of the detected signal measurements based on amplitude modulation.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a validity of the detected signal measurements based on a reflected input level measured during transmission and non-transmission.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a validity of the detected signal measurements based on phase measurements outside of a predetermined deviation.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a validity of the detected signal measurements based on a comparison of measured and predicted transmission power level changes.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the tunable reactance circuit comprises at least one of one or more voltage tunable capacitors, one or more semiconductor varactors, one or more micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) varactors, one or more semiconductor switched capacitors, one or more MEMS switched capacitors, and one or more ferroelectric capacitors.