Method and apparatus for antenna selection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016173172-A1
Application number	US-201414571928-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 16, 2014
Priority date	Dec 16, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, an antenna system coupled with the transceiver that includes a first antenna and a second antenna where one of the first or second antennas is operating as a primary antenna and the other of the first or second antennas is operating as a diversity antenna. The system can include an RF switch connected with the antenna system, where the RF switch has a first position in which the first antenna is the primary antenna and the second antenna is the diversity antenna, and wherein the RF switch has a second position in which the second antenna is the primary antenna and the first antenna is the diversity antenna. The system can include a controller coupled with the matching network and with the RF switch, where the controller receives first reflection measurements associated with the antenna system, and where the controller adjusts the RF switch to select between the first and second positions according to the first reflection measurements.

First claim

1 . A mobile communication device, comprising:
a transceiver; an antenna system coupled with the transceiver, wherein the antenna system includes a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein one of the first or second antennas is operating as a primary antenna and another of the first or second antennas is operating as a diversity antenna; an RF switch connected with the antenna system, wherein the RF switch has a first position in which the first antenna is the primary antenna and the second antenna is the diversity antenna, and wherein the RF switch has a second position in which the second antenna is the primary antenna and the first antenna is the diversity antenna; a matching network coupled with the transceiver and the antenna system, wherein the matching network comprises a tunable reactive element; and a controller coupled with the matching network and with the RF switch, wherein the controller receives first reflection measurements associated with the antenna system, wherein the controller adjusts the tunable reactive element according to the first reflection measurements to provide impedance tuning, wherein the controller adjusts the RF switch to select between the first and second positions according to the first reflection measurements, wherein the controller adjusts the RF switch to select between the first and second positions according to the first reflection measurements and a distance measured from free space designated on a stored tuning grid.

2 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 , further comprising a modem, wherein the controller adjusts the RF switch to select between the first and second positions during a time period in which the modem enables an antenna switch.

3 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first reflection measurements are limited to one of the first or second antennas.

4 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the RF switch is in the first position, wherein the first reflection measurements are limited to the first antenna, wherein the controller adjusts the RF switch to select the second position according to the first reflection measurements, wherein the controller receives second reflection measurements that are limited to the second antenna, wherein the controller adjusts the tunable reactive element according to the second reflection measurements to provide the impedance tuning.

5 . The mobile communication device of claim 4 , wherein the controller adjusts the RF switch to select the first position according to the second reflection measurements.

6 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the controller adjusts the RF switch to select between the first and second positions according to the first reflection measurements and a stored free space reference value.

7 . (canceled)

8 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting of the RF switch to select between the first and second positions is based on a stored efficiency value corresponding to a location on the tuning grid.

9 . The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the impedance tuning is for the first and second antennas, wherein the tunable reactive element comprises a first tunable reactive element and a second tunable reactive element, wherein the first tunable reactive element performs the impedance tuning for the first antenna, and wherein the second tunable reactive element performs the impedance tuning for the second antenna.

10 . A method comprising:
obtaining, by a controller of a communication device, first reflection measurements for a first antenna of the communication device operating as a primary antenna when an RF switch of the communication device is in a first position; adjusting, by the controller, a tunable reactive element of a matching network according to the first reflection measurements to perform impedance tuning; analyzing, by the controller, the first reflection measurements to determine a desired antenna for transmission; switching, by the controller, the RF switch to a second position responsive to a determination that a second antenna of the communication device is the desired antenna for transmission, wherein the switching to the second position causes the second antenna to operate as the primary antenna; obtaining, by the controller, second reflection measurements for the second antenna operating as the primary antenna when the RF switch is in the second position; adjusting, by the controller, the tunable reactive element according to the second reflection measurements to perform the impedance tuning; analyzing, by the controller, the second reflection measurements to determine the desired antenna for transmission; and switching, by the controller, the RF switch to the first position responsive to a determination that the first antenna is the desired antenna for transmission, wherein the controller adjusts the RF switch to select the second position according to the first reflection measurements and a stored efficiency value corresponding to a location on a two-dimensional tuning grid.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the controller adjusts the RF switch to select between the first and second positions during a time period in which a modem of the communication device enables an antenna switch.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the controller adjusts the RF switch to select the second position according to the first reflection measurements and a stored free space reference value.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the adjusting of the RF switch to select the second position is based on a distance measured from free space designated on the two-dimensional tuning grid.

14 . (canceled)

15 . A communication device, comprising:
a modem; a transceiver; an antenna system coupled with the transceiver, wherein the antenna system includes a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein one of the first or second antennas is operating as a primary antenna and another of the first or second antennas is operating as a diversity antenna; an RF switch connected with the antenna system, wherein the RF switch has a first position in which the first antenna is the primary antenna and the second antenna is the diversity antenna, and wherein the RF switch has a second position in which the second antenna is the primary antenna and the first antenna is the diversity antenna; and a controller coupled with the RF switch, wherein the controller receives first reflection measurements associated with the antenna system, wherein the controller adjusts the RF switch to select between the first and second positions according to the first reflection measurements and during a time period in which the modem enables an antenna switch, wherein the controller adjusts the RF switch to select between the first and second positions according to the first reflection measurements and a stored efficiency value corresponding to a location on a tuning grid.

16 . The communication device of claim 15 , further comprising a matching network coupled with the transceiver and the antenna system, wherein the matching network comprises a tunable reactive element, and wherein the controller adjusts the tunable reactive element according to the first reflection measurements to provide impedance tuning.

17 . The communication device of claim 16 , wherein the tunable reactive element comprises a first tunable reactive element coupled with the first antenna and a second tunable reactive element coupled with the second antenna, and wherein tuning values for the first and second

Assignees

• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Greene Matthew Russell

Classifications

• H03H7/40

  Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance · CPC title

• H04B7/0802 Primary

  using antenna selection (H04B7/0868 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24) · CPC title

• H04B1/401 Primary

  for selecting or indicating operating mode · CPC title

• H04B1/18

  Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line (coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H) · CPC title

• H04B7/0608

  Antenna selection according to transmission parameters · CPC title