System and method for tuning an antenna in a wireless communication device

1. A wireless communication element, comprising:

a receive path configured to receive a first wireless communication signal and convert the first wireless communication signal into a first digital signal based at least on an oscillator signal;

a transmit path configured to convert a second digital signal into a second wireless communication signal based at least on the oscillator signal;

an antenna coupled to the receive path and the transmit path and configured to transmit the second wireless communication signal;

an antenna tuner coupled to the transmit path and the antenna;

one or more environment sensors; and

a control path coupled to the antenna and the antenna tuner, the control path configured to:

receive one or more environment parameter signals from the one or more environment sensors, the one or more environment parameter signals indicative of an environment of the wireless communication element;

determine if an entry exists in a memory of the wireless communication element associated with the one or more environment parameter signals;

upon a determination that the entry does not exist, the control path further configured to:

sense an incident power transmitted to the antenna, and a reflected power reflected from the antenna;

determine a complex reflection coefficient based on the incident power and the reflected power;

calibrate an antenna tuner setting such that a determined error value, indicative of an estimated return loss for an antenna load, is less than a threshold error value, the determined error value based on a directivity value and a square of the reflection coefficient; and

store the entry in the memory, the entry associating the one or more environment parameter settings with the antenna tuner setting; and

upon a determination that the entry does exist, the control path further configured to:

determine the antenna tuner setting associated with the one or more environment parameter signals based on the entry; and

based on the antenna tuner setting, communicate one or more control signals to the antenna tuner for controlling an impedance of the antenna tuner.

2. A wireless communication element according to claim 1 , the antenna tuner comprising one or more variable capacitors, the one or more control signals to the antenna tuner for controlling the capacitances of the one or more variable capacitors.

3. A wireless communication element according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more environment parameter signals comprises a signal indicative of an orientation of the wireless communication element relative to the center of the earth.

4. A wireless communication element according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more environment parameter signals comprises a signal indicative of a location of the wireless communication element.

5. A wireless communication element according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more environment parameter signals comprises a signal indicative of proximity of the wireless communication element to a user of the wireless communication element.

6. A control path for control of an antenna tuner, comprising:

a control module coupled to an antenna tuner, the control module configured to:

receive one or more environment parameter signals from one or more environment sensors, the one or more environment parameter signals indicative of an environment of a wireless communication element; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the control module, the memory configured to store one or more entries, each entry associating an antenna tuner setting for the antenna tuner to one or more environment parameter signals;

the control module is further configured to determine if an entry exists in the memory associated with the one or more environment parameter signals;

upon a determination that the entry does not exist, the control module further configured to:

sense an incident power transmitted to the antenna, and a reflected power reflected from the antenna;

determine a complex reflection coefficient based on the incident power and the reflected power;

calibrate an antenna tuner setting such that a determined error value, indicative of an estimated return loss for an antenna load, is less than a threshold error value, the determined error value based on a directivity value and a square of the reflection coefficient; and

store the entry in the memory, the entry associating the one or more environment parameter settings with the antenna tuner setting; and

upon a determination that the entry does exist, the control module further configured to:

determine the antenna tuner setting associated with the one or more environment parameter signals based on the entry; and

based on the antenna tuner setting, communicate one or more control signals to the antenna tuner for controlling an impedance of the antenna tuner.

7. A control path according to claim 6 , the antenna tuner comprising one or more variable capacitors, the one or more control signals to the antenna tuner for controlling the capacitances of the one or more variable capacitors.

8. A control path according to claim 6 , wherein the one or more environment parameter signals comprises a signal indicative of an orientation of the wireless communication element relative to the center of the earth.

9. A control path according to claim 6 , wherein the one or more environment parameter signals comprises a signal indicative of a location of the wireless communication element.

10. A control path according to claim 6 , wherein the one or more environment parameter signals comprises a signal indicative of proximity of the wireless communication element to a user of the wireless communication element.

11. A method performed by a wireless communication element, comprising:

receiving one or more environment parameter signals from one or more environment sensors, the one or more environment parameter signals indicative of an environment of a wireless communication element;

determining if an entry exists in a memory of the wireless communication element, the entry associated with the one or more environment parameter signals;

upon determining that the entry does not exist:

sensing an incident power transmitted to the antenna and a reflected power reflected from the antenna;

determining a complex reflection coefficient based on the incident power and the reflected power;

calibrating an antenna tuner setting such that a determined error value, indicative of an estimated return loss for an antenna load, is less than a threshold error value, the determined error value based on a directivity value and a square of the reflection coefficient; and

storing an entry in the memory, the entry associating the one or more environment parameter settings with an antenna tuner setting associated with the calibration of the antenna tuner;

upon determining that the entry does exist:

determining the antenna tuner setting associated with the one or more environment parameter signals based on the entry; and

based on the antenna tuner setting, communicating one or more control signals to an antenna tuner of the wireless communication element for controlling an impedance of the antenna tuner.

12. A method according to claim 1 , the antenna tuner comprising one or more variable capacitors, the one or more control signals to the antenna tuner for controlling the capacitances of the one or more variable capacitors.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more environment parameter signals comprises a signal indicative of an orientation of the wireless communication element relative to the center of the earth.

14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more environment parameter signals comprises a signal indicative of a location of the wireless communication element.

15. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more environment parameter signals comprises a signal indicative of proximity of the wireless communication element to a user of the wireless communication element.