Adaptive neutralization line to counter environmental effects for ultra-high isolation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9728848-B1
Application number	US-201514667211-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 24, 2015
Priority date	Mar 24, 2015
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

Devices or apparatuses for changing settings of a neutralization line are described. A radio device may include a neutralization line coupled between a first antenna and a second antenna. The neutralization line has a variable component and the first and the second antennas are electromagnetically coupled and have a first coupling value. The neutralization line is controlled by a controller. The controller is coupled to the first antenna port, the second antenna port and the neutralization line. The controller detects an environmental condition that causes the first coupling value increase to a second coupling value. The controller also adjusts a value of the variable component to change a resistance value or, a reactance value, or both of the adaptive neutralization line to achieve a third coupling value that is lower than the second coupling value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A radio device comprising:
a neutralization line coupled between a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the neutralization line comprises a variable component, the first and the second antennas being electromagnetically coupled and having a first isolation level;
a controller coupled to the first antenna, the second antenna, and the neutralization line;
a sensor coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a first signal strength of a first signal received at the second antenna using the sensor;
determine the first isolation level between the first antenna and the second antenna using the first signal strength, wherein the first isolation level is indicative of an environmental condition in which the radio device operates;
determine a second signal strength of a second signal received at the second antenna using the sensor;
determine a second isolation level between the first antenna and the second antenna using the second signal strength, wherein the second isolation level is indicative of a change in the environmental condition in which the radio device operates;
determine that the second isolation level falls below a threshold value;
identify an isolation parameter corresponding to the change in the environmental condition; and
adjust a value of the variable component in view of the isolation parameter to change a resistance value or a reactance value, or both of the neutralization line to increase the second isolation level to a third isolation level that is above the threshold value.

2. The radio device of claim 1 , further comprising a first variable component and a second variable component and wherein the neutralization line comprises:
a transmission line, and wherein to change the reactance value, the resistance value, or both the controller is further configured to:
selectively couple either the first variable component or the second variable component to the transmission line or both to the transmission line.

3. The radio device of claim 2 , wherein the first variable component comprises a variable inductor and the second variable component comprises a variable capacitor, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the resistance value and reactance value by altering a line length of the transmission line using the variable inductor and the variable capacitor.

4. The radio device of claim 1 , wherein the neutralization line comprises:
a transmission line; and
a first variable component and a second variable component coupled to the transmission line, wherein to change the reactance value, or the resistance value, or both, the controller is further configured to:
vary a first value of the first variable component and/or a second value of the second variable component.

5. The radio device of claim 4 , wherein the first variable component and the second variable component comprise one of a variable resistor, a variable inductor, or a variable capacitor.

6. The radio device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
periodically measure the second isolation level; and
adjust the at least one of the resistance or the reactance of the neutralization line or the variable component of the neutralization line when the second isolation level falls below the threshold value.

7. The radio device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
periodically determine a current state of the device, wherein a plurality of states represent different environmental conditions, and wherein a respective state of the plurality of states has an associated set of stored isolation parameters;
identify the respective set of stored isolation parameters for the current state; and
use the respective set of stored isolation parameters to adjust the reactance value, or the resistance value, or both of the neutralization line for the current state.

8. The radio device of claim 7 , wherein the sensor comprises: an optical sensor; an accelerometer; a clock; a timer; a temperature sensor; a pressure sensor; a touch sensor; a location sensor; a frequency sensor; a gyroscope; a grip sensor; or an audio sensor.

9. The radio device of claim 1 , wherein the environmental condition is at least one of: an environment that the radio device operates in; a condition in which the radio device operates adjacent to a metallic object; a condition where the radio device moves from a location; a condition in which the radio device operates in a vertically upright position; or a condition in which the radio device operates in proximity to a user.

10. An electronic device comprising:
a memory device;
a first antenna and a second antenna;
a neutralization line coupled between the first antenna and the second antenna; wherein the neutralization line comprises a variable component;
a controller coupled to the neutralization line and coupled to the memory device, a sensor coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a first signal strength of a signal received at the second antenna using the sensor;
determine an isolation level between the first antenna and the second antenna using the first signal strength, wherein the isolation level is indicative of a environmental state in which the electronic device operates;
monitor for a change from the first signal strength to a second signal strength for the signal, wherein the change in the first signal strength to the second signal strength is indicative of a change in the environmental state in which the electronic device operates;
determine that the isolation level falls below a threshold value;
identify a new setting corresponding to the change in the environmental state for the variable component; and
change a current setting of the variable component to the new setting to increase the isolation level between the first antenna and the second antenna above the threshold value.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising:
a transceiver configured to communicate data using at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna; and
the sensor configured to take a measurement of the electronic device, wherein the controller is configured to use the measurement to determine the environmental state of the electronic device.

12. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to change the current setting of the variable component to the new setting to maintain the isolation level between the first antenna and the second antenna at or above the threshold value.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the threshold value is:
a predetermined isolation level; or
an adjustable isolation level based on user defined parameters.

14. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to adjust at least one of a location of a null of the neutralization line or a depth of the null of the neutralization line.

15. The electronic device of claim 10 , detect a condition that causes the environmental state to change to a new state, wherein the condition is at least one of: an environment that the electronic device operates in; a condition in which the electronic device operates adjacent to a metallic object; a condition where the electronic device moves from a location; a condition in which the electronic device operates in a vertically upright position; or a condition in which the electronic device operates in proximity to a user.

16. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
periodically measure isolatio

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Sammeta Rohit
• Ananthanarayanan Peruvemba Ranganathan Sai
• Napoles Adrian
• Dron Anuj
• Balachandran Mercyma Deeba

Classifications

• H04B1/40

  Circuits · CPC title

• H01Q1/521 Primary

  reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas · CPC title

• H01Q1/1257

  using the received signal strength · CPC title

• H01Q21/30

  Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system · CPC title