Active isolation enhancement for multi-mode antenna system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12107329-B2
Application number	US-202218074267-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2022
Priority date	Sep 2, 2022
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

Examples are disclosed that relate to controlling an electronic device including a multi-mode antenna system. In a first operating mode, a radio signal is transmitted via a first antenna, a second antenna is actively de-tuned the while receiving a reflected radio signal thereby increasing isolation between the first and second antennas, an object is detected based at least on the reflected radio signal and the multi-mode antenna system is switched to operation in a second operating mode. In the second operating mode, a first remote radio signal transmitted by a remote antenna of a remote electronic device is received, via the first antenna, a second remote radio signal transmitted by the remote antenna is received via the second antenna, and a position of the remote electronic device is determined based at least on a phase difference between the first remote radio signal and the second remote radio signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling an electronic device including a multi-mode antenna system including a first antenna and a second antenna, the multi-mode antenna system switchable between a first operating mode and a second operating mode, the method comprising:
in the first operating mode,
transmitting a radio signal via the first antenna;
actively de-tuning the second antenna while receiving a reflected radio signal thereby increasing isolation between the first and second antennas;
detecting a presence of an object based at least on the reflected radio signal received by the second antenna;
based at least on detecting the presence of the object, switching the multi-mode antenna system to operation in the second operating mode;

in the second operating mode,
receiving, via the first antenna, a first remote radio signal transmitted by a remote antenna of a remote electronic device;
receiving, via the second antenna, a second remote radio signal transmitted by the remote antenna of the remote electronic device; and
determining a position of the remote electronic device based at least on a phase difference between the first remote radio signal received by the first antenna and the second remote radio signal received by the second antenna.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein actively de-tuning the second antenna includes changing an impedance of the second antenna.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein actively de-tuning the second antenna includes adding a resistance to the second antenna.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second antenna is actively de-tuned on a time switching basis during a transmission cycle in which the first antenna transmits the radio signal.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second antenna is actively de-tuned synchronously with a pulse frequency of the radio signal transmitted by the first antenna.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second antenna is actively de-tuned for an entire transmission cycle in which the first antenna transmits the radio signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operating mode is a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) mode of operation.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second operating mode is a phase difference on arrival (PDOA) mode of operation.

9. An electronic device comprising:
a multi-mode antenna system including a first antenna and a second antenna; and
a controller configured to:
in a first operating mode of the multi-mode antenna system,
transmit a radio signal via the first antenna,
actively de-tune the second antenna while receiving a reflected radio signal thereby increasing isolation between the first and second antennas,
detect a presence of an object based at least on the reflected radio signal received by the second antenna, and
based at least on detecting the presence of the object, switching the multi-mode antenna system to operation in a second operating mode, and

in the second operating mode of the multi-mode antenna system,
receive, via the first antenna, a first remote radio signal transmitted by a remote antenna of a remote electronic device,
receive, via the second antenna, a second remote radio signal transmitted by the remote antenna of the remote electronic device, and
determine a position of the remote electronic device based at least on a phase difference between the first remote radio signal received by the first antenna and the second remote radio signal received by the second antenna.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein actively de-tuning the second antenna includes changing an impedance of the second antenna.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein actively de-tuning the second antenna includes adding a resistance to the second antenna.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the second antenna is actively de-tuned on a time switching basis during a transmission cycle in which the first antenna transmits the radio signal.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the second antenna is actively de-tuned synchronously with a pulse frequency of the radio signal transmitted by the first antenna.

14. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the second antenna is actively de-tuned for an entire transmission cycle in which the first antenna transmits the radio signal.

15. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first operating mode is a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) mode of operation.

16. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the second operating mode is a phase difference on arrival (PDOA) mode of operation.

17. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the multi-mode antenna system comprises an integrated circuit (IC) module including a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the first and second antennas are ultra-wide band (UWB) antennas, and wherein the first and second UWB antennas are spaced apart on the PCB by a separation distance that is dependent on the wavelength of the radio signals transmitted by the first and second UWB antennas.

18. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the controller increases a transmission power at which the radio signal is transmitted via the first antenna relative to a corresponding antenna system that does not actively de-tune the second antenna.

19. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the controller increases a receiving gain at which the reflected radio signal is received via the second antenna relative to a corresponding antenna system that does not actively de-tune the second antenna.

20. An electronic device comprising:
a multi-mode antenna system including a first ultra-wide band (UWB) antenna and a second UWB antenna; and
a controller configured to:
in a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) operating mode of the multi-mode antenna system,
transmit a radio signal via the first UWB antenna,
actively de-tune the second UWB antenna while receiving a reflected radio signal thereby increasing isolation between the first and second UWB antennas,
detect a presence of an object based at least on the reflected radio signal received by the second UWB antenna, and
based at least on detecting the presence of the object, switching the multi-mode antenna system to operation in a phase difference on arrival (PDOA) operating mode, and

in the PDOA operating mode of the multi-mode antenna system,
receive, via the first UWB antenna, a first remote radio signal transmitted by a remote antenna of a remote electronic device,
receive, via the second UWB antenna, a second remote radio signal transmitted by the remote antenna of the remote electronic device, and
determine a position of the remote electronic device based at least on a phase difference between the first remote radio signal received by the first UWB antenna and the second remote radio signal received by the second UWB antenna.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Harper Marc

Classifications

• G01S2013/0272

  Multifunction radar · CPC title

• G01S2013/0236

  Special technical features · CPC title

• G01S13/878

  Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector (G01S13/874 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q5/335

  at the feed, e.g. for impedance matching · CPC title

• H01Q1/247

  with frequency mixer, e.g. for direct satellite reception or Doppler radar · CPC title