Method and apparatus for tuning antennas in a communication device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016277129-A1
Application number	US-201615167202-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	Nov 8, 2010
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a process for obtaining a first operational metric for a transmitter of a communication device, determining a range of impedances based on the first operational metric where the range of impedances is associated with an acceptable level of performance for the communication device, obtaining a second operational metric for the transmitter, determining a target impedance within the range of impedances based on the second operational metric, and tuning a first impedance matching network based on the target impedance, where the first impedance matching network is coupled with a first antenna of the communication device, and where the tuning is based on adjusting a first variable component of the first impedance matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
obtaining, by a system including a processor, an operational parameter associated with communications of a communication device, wherein the operational parameter is obtained during a transmit mode at a transmit frequency of the communication device; determining, by the system, a tuning state according to the operational parameter for a tunable matching network coupled to an antenna of the communication device, wherein the tunable matching network has one or more variable reactance elements; performing, by the system, first tuning of the tunable matching network by adjusting the one or more variable reactance elements according to the tuning state; determining, by the system, a receive offset based on a weighting factor, the transmit frequency and a receive frequency; and performing, by the system, second tuning of the tunable matching network during a receive mode at the receive frequency of the communication device based on the receive offset.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the antenna includes a main antenna and a diversity antenna.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the operational parameter is obtained using a detector.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the detector is connected in proximity to the antenna of the communication device without using another detector connected to an input of a second antenna of the communication device.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the detector connected in proximity to the antenna comprises a directional coupler.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is a diversity reception antenna.

7 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processor of a communication device, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
obtaining an operational parameter associated with communications of the communication device, wherein the operational parameter is obtained during a transmit mode at a transmit frequency of the communication device; determining a tuning state according to the operational parameter for a tunable network coupled to an antenna of the communication device, wherein the tunable network has one or more variable reactance elements; performing first tuning of the tunable network by adjusting the one or more variable reactance elements according to the tuning state; determining a receive offset based on a weighting factor, the transmit frequency and a receive frequency; and performing second tuning of the tunable network during a receive mode at the receive frequency of the communication device based on the receive offset.

8 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the antenna is a diversity reception antenna, and wherein the communication device comprises a second antenna that is a transmit and receive antenna.

9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the second tuning is performed without measuring any parameters at an antenna input.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the tuning state for the first tuning is determined based on a return loss.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the antenna is a diversity reception antenna, wherein the communication device comprises a second antenna that is a transmit and receive antenna, and wherein the operational parameter is obtained using a detector that comprises a directional coupler.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , comprising computer instructions to switch a transceiver between the antenna and the second antenna based on measurements taken during the receive mode of the communication device.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the first tuning of the tunable network is based in part on at least one of output power of a transceiver, return loss, received power, current drain or transmitter linearity.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the first tuning of the tunable network is based in part on one or more operational metrics that are obtained using first and second directional couplers, wherein the first directional coupler is connected between a transceiver and the antenna, and wherein the second directional coupler is connected at a second antenna.

15 . A communication device comprising:
an impedance matching network having one or more variable reactance elements; a controller coupled with the impedance matching network; and a memory comprising executable instructions, which, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to perform operations comprising:
obtaining an operational parameter associated with communications of the communication device, wherein the operational parameter is obtained during a transmit mode at a transmit frequency of the communication device;
determining a tuning state according to the operational parameter for the impedance matching network;
performing first tuning of the impedance matching network by adjusting the one or more variable reactance elements according to the tuning state;
determining a receive offset based on a weighting factor, the transmit frequency and a receive frequency; and
performing second tuning of the impedance matching network during a receive mode at the receive frequency of the communication device based on the receive offset.

16 . The communication device of claim 15 , wherein the obtaining of the operational parameter is performed using a directional coupler.

17 . The communication device of claim 15 , wherein a detector is connected in proximity to a first antenna of the communication device without using another detector connected to an input of a second antenna.

18 . The communication device of claim 15 , wherein a detector is connected in proximity to a first antenna and comprises a directional coupler.

19 . The communication device of claim 15 , wherein the impedance matching network is coupled with a first antenna that is a diversity reception antenna, wherein the communication device comprises a second antenna that is a transmit and receive antenna.

20 . The communication device of claim 15 , wherein the second tuning is performed without measuring any parameters at an antenna input.

Assignees

• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Manssen Keith R
• Greene Matthew Russell
• Rabe Duane

Classifications

• H04B1/0458

  Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages (matching circuits in general H03H) · 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

• H01Q21/06

  Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart · CPC title

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q5/50

  Feeding or matching arrangements for broad-band or multi-band operation · CPC title