Portable computing device with high-speed data communication
View Patent ↗A portable computing device includes a radio frequency (RF) wired link, a core module, and a plurality of multi-mode RF units. When one or more of the multi-mode RF units are supporting a high-speed data communication, the core module is operable to detect a blocker that is adversely affecting the high-speed data communication. The core module is further operable to determine whether a radiation pattern alternative for the high-speed data communication will reduce the adverse affects on the high-speed data communication. When the radiation pattern alternative for the high-speed data communication will reduce the adverse affects on the high-speed data communication, the core module is further operable to enable the radiation pattern alternative. The one or more multi-mode RF units are operable to adjust at least one of transmission and reception of the high-speed data communication in accordance with the radiation pattern alternative.
1. A portable computing structure comprising:
a Radio Frequency (RF) link;
a core module communicatively coupled to the RF link;
a plurality of multi-mode RF units communicatively coupled to the RF link, the core module configured to:
detect a blocker that adversely affects high-speed data communication between two multi-mode RF units;
determine a radiation pattern alternative for the high-speed data communication to reduce the adverse effects caused by the blocker;
communicate control information with the two multi-mode RF units band via the RF link, wherein the control information includes an instruction to enable the radiation pattern alternative; and
enact the radiation pattern alternative for the two multi-mode RF units.
2. The portable computing structure of claim 1 , wherein the core module is further configured to:
identify a plurality of radiation pattern alternatives for the high-speed data communication; and
select one of the plurality of radiation pattern alternatives as the radiation pattern alternative based on a desired level of communication.
3. The portable computing structure of claim 1 , the two multi-mode RF units configured to:
adjust a transmission radiation pattern in accordance with the radiation pattern alternative to reflect an outbound transmission of the high-speed data communication off of a reflective surface; and
adjust a receiving radiation pattern in accordance with the radiation pattern alternative to receive a reflection of an inbound transmission of the high-speed data communication off of the reflective surface.
4. The portable computing structure of claim 1 , the two multi-mode RF units configured to:
adjust a transmission radiation pattern in accordance with the radiation pattern alternative to transmit an outbound transmission of the high-speed data communication to a repeater; and
adjust a receiving radiation pattern in accordance with the radiation pattern alternative to receive an inbound transmission of the high-speed data communication from the repeater.
5. The portable computing structure of claim 1 , wherein the core module is further configured to:
establish a plurality of sets of coordinates of phase array antennas for various combinations of the plurality of multi-mode RF units for a plurality of radiation pattern alternatives;
determine radiation pattern properties for each of the plurality of radiation pattern alternatives for a given communication environment; and
rank the radiation properties for each of the plurality of radiation pattern alternatives for the given communication environment to produce a prioritized list of radiation pattern alternatives.
6. The portable computing structure of claim 1 , the core module further configured to communicate the control information with the two multi-mode RF units in a first frequency band via the RF link.
7. The portable computing structure of claim 6 , the core module further configured to communicate:
data of the high-speed data communication with the two multi-mode RF units in a second frequency band via the RF link; and
clock information to the two multi-mode RF units in a third frequency band via the RF link.
8. The portable computing structure of claim 1 , wherein the high-speed data communication between two multi-mode RF units are millimeter wave communication.
9. A core module of a portable computing structure that supports a plurality of multi-mode Radio Frequency (RF) units, the core module comprising:
a processing module; and
a Radio Frequency (RF) link interface communicatively coupled to the processing module, wherein the processing module configured to:
detect a blocker that adversely affects high-speed data communication between two communicatively coupled multi-mode RF units;
determine a radiation pattern alternative for the high-speed data communication to reduce the adverse effects caused by the blocker;
communicate control information with the two multi-mode RF units, wherein the control information includes an instruction to enable the radiation pattern alternative; and
enact the radiation pattern alternative for the two multi-mode RF units.
10. The core module of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further configured to:
identify a plurality of radiation pattern alternatives for the high-speed data communication; and
select one of the plurality of radiation pattern alternatives as the radiation pattern alternative based on a desired level of communication.
11. The core module of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further configured to:
establish a plurality of sets of coordinates of phase array antennas for various combinations of the two communicatively coupled multi-mode RF units for a plurality of radiation pattern alternatives;
determine radiation pattern properties for each of the plurality of radiation pattern alternatives for a given communication environment; and
rank the radiation properties for each of the plurality of radiation pattern alternatives for the given communication environment to produce a prioritized list of radiation pattern alternatives.
12. The core module of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further configured to communicate the control information with the two communicatively coupled multi-mode RF units in a first frequency band via the RF link interface.
13. The core module of claim 12 , wherein the processing module is further configured to:
communicate data of the high-speed data communication with the two communicatively coupled multi-mode RF units in a second frequency band via the RF link interface; and
communicate clock information to the two communicatively coupled multi-mode RF units in a third frequency band via the RF link interface.
14. A multi-mode (MM) radio frequency (RF) unit comprising:
an RF link interface; and
a plurality of RF specific protocol modules, one of the RF specific protocol modules is configured to:
convert an inbound high-speed data signal into an inbound RF link signal in accordance with an inbound RF link resource allocation;
convert an outbound RF link signal into an outbound high-speed data signal in accordance with an outbound RF link resource allocation;
adjust at least one of transmission of the outbound high-speed data signal and reception of the inbound high-speed data signal in accordance with a radiation pattern alternative, wherein the radiation pattern alternative is based upon a blocker's adverse effects on at least one of the inbound and outbound high-speed data signals.
15. The MM RF unit of claim 14 , wherein the RF link interface is configured to:
output the inbound RF link signal to an RF link of a portable computing structure for conveyance to a core module of the portable computing structure; and
receive the outbound RF link signal from the RF link.
16. The MM RF unit of claim 14 , wherein the one of the RF specific protocol modules is configured to at least one of:
adjust a transmission radiation pattern in accordance with the radiation pattern alternative to reflect the outbound high-speed data signal off of a reflective surface; and
adjust a receiving radiation pattern in accordance with the radiation pattern alternative to receive a reflection of the inbound high-speed data signal off of the reflective surface.
17. The MM RF unit of claim 14 , wherein the one of the RF specific protocol modules is configured to at least one of:
adjust a transmission radiation pattern in accordance with the radiation pattern alternative to transmit the outbound high-speed data signal to a repeater; and
adjust a receiving radiation pattern in accordance with the radiation pattern alternative to receive the inbound high-speed data signal from the repeater.
18. The MM RF unit of claim 14 , wherein the one of the RF specific protocol modules is configured to communicate control information with the core module via the RF link in a first frequency band, wherein the control information includes an instruction to enable the radiation pattern alternative.
19. The MM RF unit of claim 14 , wherein the one of the RF specific protocol modules is configured to:
communicate the inbound RF link signal and the outbound RF link signal with the core module via the RF link in a second frequency band; and
receive clock information from the core module via the RF link in a third frequency band.
20. The MM RF unit of claim 14 , wherein the one of the RF link signal is a millimeter wave communication.