Mobile communication device and method for adaptive RF front-end tuning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9793983-B2
Application number	US-201615190747-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2016
Priority date	Dec 17, 2013
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

Examples of a system and method for adaptively tuning a radio frequency (RF) front-end are generally described herein. In some examples, the frequency of a transmit signal of RF front-end circuitry is swept in at least a part of the RF transmit band. RF power in a receiver is detected as a function of the RF frequency of the transmit signal to determine a location of at least one tunable notch or other band stop element in the frequency domain. Information from the detected RF power is determined as a function of the RF frequency of the transmit signal. The RF front-end circuitry is adjusted to a selected frequency response using the determined information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for adaptively tuning a radio frequency (RF) device comprising RF front-end circuitry, the method comprising:
sweeping an RF frequency of a transmit signal over multiple frequencies in at least a part of an RF transmit band and in at least a part of a receive band;
during the sweeping, detecting RF power in a receiver as a function of the multiple RF frequencies of the transmit signal;
determining information from the detected RF power as a function of the multiple RF frequencies of the transmit signal; and
adjusting the RF front-end circuitry to a selected frequency response using the information after the sweeping has been completed and the information has been determined,
wherein the adjusting the RF front-end circuit comprises tuning a frequency response of the RE front-end circuitry during vacant time slots when the RF front-end circuitry is operating in a time division duplex (TDD) or a time division multiple access (TDMA) mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sweeping the multiple RF frequencies of the transmit signal comprises:
sweeping the multiple RF frequencies of the transmit signal in a spectrum adjacent to the transmit band when the transmit signal is isolated at an input of a receive antenna; and
using information in the transmit signal of a transmitter of the RF front-end circuitry to identify that RF energy detected at a receiver of the RF front-end circuitry originates from the transmitter of the RF front-end circuitry.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
setting a default RF front-end tuning when no frequency characteristic change of the transmit signal is detected during the sweeping.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sweeping the multiple RF frequencies of a transmit signal comprises:
using power levels for the transmit signal below an upper threshold of interference and above a lower threshold to provide a dynamic range for measuring a frequency response of the RF front end circuitry.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmit signal is supplied by a transmit antenna and the RF power detected by a receive antenna isolated from the transmit antenna to determine a location of at least one tunable notch or other band stop element in a frequency domain.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the RF front-end circuitry further comprises:
adjusting inter-stage transmit and receive filters and filter and antenna combinations, and
tuning the RF front-end circuitry to a selected attenuation of transmit noise in a receive band to provide a selected sensitivity.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the RF front-end circuitry to a selected frequency response using the information further comprises:
monitoring the frequency response for a change;
tuning component settings based on the monitored change of the frequency response; and
repeating the monitoring the change of the frequency response and tuning the component settings when the frequency response changes or when a transmit channel changes.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the RF front-end circuitry to a selected frequency response using the information further comprises:
optimizing the RF front-end circuitry for a selected low insertion loss by moving a frequency domain of the RF front-end circuitry away from a pass band; and
adapting filters in the RF front-end circuitry to suppress detected and selected unwanted interference and to suppress de-sensitization caused by unwanted interference.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the RF front-end circuitry to a selected frequency response using the information further comprises:
bypassing a transmit inter-stage filter or tuning the inter-stage filter for a pass band in the receive band while measuring and tuning the transmit antenna in the receive band.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the RF front-end circuitry to a selected frequency response using the information further comprises:
locating a notch in a frequency domain and tuning a receive filter accordingly.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the RF front-end circuitry to a selected frequency response using the information further comprises:
tuning band stop receive filter responses in the frequency domain and tuning a receive filter accordingly.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
directly connecting a receive antenna and a transmit antenna together to increase dynamic range for a measurement, wherein the adjusting the RF front-end circuitry to a selected frequency response using the information comprises tuning transmit and receive inter-stage filters until a pass band of the transmit and receive inter-stage filters tracks the RF frequency of the transmit signal when determining a frequency response of a first receive filter, the receive antenna and the transmit antenna.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the information comprises at least one of modulation, encoded or encrypted information.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of a receive filter or an antenna element are tuned by sweeping transmit and receive part of the transmit band and the receive band as well as spectrum adjacent to the transmit band and receive band.

15. A method for adaptively tuning a radio frequency (RF) device comprising RF front-end circuitry, the method comprising:
sweeping an RF frequency of a transmit signal over multiple frequencies in at least a part of an RF transmit band and in at least a part of a receive band;
during the sweeping detecting RF power in a receiver as a function of the multiple RF frequencies of the transmit signal;
determining information from the detected RF power as a function of the multiple RF frequencies of the transmit signal;
adjusting the RF front-end circuitry to a selected frequency response using the information after the sweeping has been completed and the information has been determined;
applying production tuning processes to inter-stage filters in a receive and transmit chain, providing scalar RF network analyzer functionality into the RF front-end circuitry between a receive antenna and a transmit antenna;
reverting to appropriate settings for operation of the RF front-end circuitry by activating explicit coupling elements or de-activating shielding and filtering elements between the transmit antenna and the receive antenna; and
setting an update rate to a rate selected for coping with user intervention.

16. An apparatus of a mobile communications device, the apparatus comprising:
a processor to adaptively tune radio frequency (RF) front-end circuitry, configured to:
sweep a transmit signal over multiple RF frequencies in at least a part of an RF transmit band and in at least a part of a receive band;
during the sweep, detect RF power in a receiver as a function of the multiple RF frequencies of the transmit signal;
determine information from the detected RF power as a function of the multiple RF frequencies of the transmit signal;
adjust the RF front-end circuitry to a selected frequency response using the information after the sweeping has been completed and the information has been determined; and
sweep the multiple RF frequencies of the transmit signal in a spectrum adjacent to a transmit band when the transmit signal is isolated at an input of a receive antenna, and use information in the transmit signal of a transmitter of the RF front-end circuitry to identify that RF energy detected at a receiver of the RF front-end circuitry originates from the transmitter of the RF front-end circuitry.

Assignees

• Intel Ip Corp

Inventors

• Olesen Poul
• Bundgaard Peter
• Knudsen Mikael Bergholz

Classifications

• H04B17/22

  for calibration of the receiver components · CPC title

• H04B17/318

  Received signal strength · CPC title

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title

• H04B7/265 Primary

  for channel frequency control · CPC title

• H04B1/50

  using different frequencies for the two directions of communication · CPC title