Wireless communication device using time-variant antenna module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9705538-B2
Application number	US-201615150104-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2016
Priority date	Dec 16, 2011
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods, apparatuses, and systems related to a wireless communication device using time-variant antenna. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a sensor to sense an electrical characteristic associated with radio circuitry or time-variant antenna circuitry; and
control circuitry, coupled with the sensor, to compare the sensed electrical characteristic to a predetermined electrical characteristic and adjust, based on said comparison, a control waveform to vary characteristic resonant frequencies of an antenna of the time-variant antenna circuitry,
wherein the sensed electrical characteristic is an output impedance of the radio circuitry or an input impedance of the time-variant antenna circuitry.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further to:
determine that an absolute value of a difference between the sensed electrical characteristic and the predetermined electrical characteristic is greater than a predetermined value; and
adjust the control waveform based on said determination.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising the radio circuitry that includes the sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a coaxial cable to couple the radio circuitry with the time-variant antenna circuitry.

5. An apparatus comprising:
a sensor to sense an electrical characteristic associated with radio circuitry or time-variant antenna circuitry;
control circuitry, coupled with the sensor, to compare the sensed electrical characteristic to a predetermined electrical characteristic and adjust, based on said comparison, a control waveform to vary characteristic resonant frequencies of an antenna of the time-variant antenna circuitry; and
the time-variant antenna circuitry, the time-variant antenna circuitry to include:
a waveform generator to generate the control waveform;
an impedance varying component; and
a filter to pass the control waveform to the impedance varying component and block radio-frequency signals from the waveform generator.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the control waveform is in a gigahertz frequency range.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the control circuitry is to provide digital control signals to the waveform generator to adjust the control waveform.

8. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause a transceiver to:
sense an electrical characteristic associated with radio circuitry or time-variant antenna circuitry, wherein the sensed electrical characteristic is an output impedance of the radio circuitry or an input impedance of the time-variant antenna circuitry;
compare the sensed electrical characteristic to a predetermined electrical characteristic; and
adjust, based on said comparison, a control waveform to vary characteristic resonant frequencies of an antenna of the time-variant antenna circuitry.

9. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the transceiver to:
determine that an absolute value of a difference between the sensed electrical characteristic and the predetermined electrical characteristic is greater than a predetermined value; and
adjust the control waveform based on said determination.

10. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 8 , wherein the control waveform is to be generated by a waveform generator.

11. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the control waveform is in a gigahertz frequency range.

12. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause control circuitry of the transceiver to provide digital control signals to the waveform generator to adjust the control waveform.

13. An apparatus comprising:
means for sensing an electrical characteristic associated with radio circuitry or time-variant antenna circuitry of a transceiver, wherein the sensed electrical characteristic is an output impedance of the radio circuitry or an input impedance of the time-variant antenna circuitry;
means for comparing the sensed electrical characteristic to a predetermined electrical characteristic; and
means for adjusting, based on said comparison, a control waveform to vary characteristic resonant frequencies of an antenna of the time-variant antenna circuitry.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
means for determining that an absolute value of a difference between the sensed electrical characteristic and the predetermined electrical characteristic is greater than a predetermined value; and
said means for adjusting the control waveform is to adjust the control waveform based on said determination.

15. An apparatus comprising:
means for sensing an electrical characteristic associated with radio circuitry or time-variant antenna circuitry of a transceiver;
means for comparing the sensed electrical characteristic to a predetermined electrical characteristic;
means for adjusting, based on said comparison, a control waveform to vary characteristic resonant frequencies of an antenna of the time-variant antenna circuitry;
means for generating the control waveform; and
means for passing the control waveform to an impedance varying component and blocking radio-frequency signals from the means for generating the control waveform.

16. A system comprising:
a circuit board;
radio circuitry disposed on the circuit board, the radio circuitry to include a sensor;
antenna circuitry disposed separately from the circuit board, the antenna circuitry including an antenna and an impedance varying component, the antenna circuitry to communicate a radio-frequency (RF) signal with the radio circuitry via a signaling interface;
a waveform generator disposed on the circuit board and coupled with the signaling interface; and
a control circuitry coupled with the radio circuitry and the waveform generator,
wherein the sensor is to sense an electrical characteristic associated with an output impedance of the radio circuitry or an input impedance of the antenna circuitry, and the control circuitry is to compare the sensed electrical characteristic to a predetermined electrical characteristic and adjust, based on said comparison, a control waveform, that is to be provided to the waveform generator, to vary characteristic resonant frequencies of an antenna of the antenna circuitry.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the radio circuitry and the waveform generator are monolithically integrated in a common die.

18. A system comprising:
a circuit board;
radio circuitry disposed on the circuit board, the radio circuitry to include a sensor;
antenna circuitry disposed separately from the circuit board, the antenna circuitry including an antenna and an impedance varying component, the antenna circuitry to communicate a radio-frequency (RF) signal with the radio circuitry via a signaling interface;
a waveform generator disposed on the circuit board and coupled with the signaling interface;
a control circuitry coupled with the radio circuitry and the waveform generator,
wherein the sensor is to sense an electrical characteristic associated with the radio circuitry or the antenna circuitry, and the control circuitry is to compare the sensed electrical characteristic to a predetermined electrical characteristic and adjust, based on said comparison, a control waveform, that is to be provided to the waveform generator, to vary characteristic resonant frequencies of an antenna of the antenna circuitry; and
a filter coupled with the waveform generator, the filter to provide the control waveform to

Assignees

• Intel Corp
• Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties Inc

Inventors

• Suh Seong-Youp
• Kesling W Dawson
• Manteghi Majid
• Salehi Mohsen
• Skinner Harry

Classifications

• H04B1/0458 Primary

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

• H01Q9/145

  by varying the electrical length · CPC title

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q1/38

  formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support {(patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface  H01Q15/142)} · 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