IP Library Granted Patent US 9,154,196
Granted Patent B2
US 9,154,196 · App. 14/041,695 · Granted Oct 6, 2015

Wireless communication device front end and distributed antenna system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,154,196
App. No.
14/041,695
Granted
Oct 6, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wireless communication device front end includes power amplifiers, low noise amplifiers, and a distributed antenna system. The distributed antenna system includes antennas and an antenna coupling circuit. The antenna coupling circuit receives an outbound signal of a first wireless communication from a power amplifier and sends first and second components of the outbound signal to first and second antennas. The antenna coupling circuit also receives an inbound signal of a second wireless communication from a third antenna and sends the inbound signal to a low noise amplifier. The third antenna is a distance from the first antenna and from the second antenna such that, in air, the outbound signal is attenuated at the third antenna.

Claims (97)

1. A distributed antenna system comprising:

a plurality of antennas that are physically distributed in a pattern and having a distance between each of at least some of the plurality of antennas; and

an antenna coupling circuit configured to:

send a first component of an outbound signal of a first wireless communication to a first antenna of the plurality of antennas;

send a second component of the outbound signal of the first wireless communication to a second antenna of the plurality of antennas; and

receive an inbound signal of a second wireless communication from a third antenna of the plurality of antennas, wherein the third antenna is the distance from the first antenna and from the second antenna such that, in air, the outbound signal is attenuated at the third antenna.

2. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna coupling circuit is further configured to:

receive a second inbound signal of a third wireless communication from a fourth antenna of the plurality of antennas, wherein the fourth antenna is the distance from the first antenna and from the second antenna such that, in air, the outbound signal is attenuated at the fourth antenna.

3. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 further comprising:

the first wireless communication is in accordance with a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol; and

the second wireless communication is in accordance with a wireless personal area network protocol.

4. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 further comprising:

the first wireless communication is a transmit portion of a protocol specific communication on a first channel of a plurality of channels within a frequency band; and

the second wireless communication is a receive portion of the protocol specific communication on a second channel of the plurality of channels.

5. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna coupling circuit is further configured to:

send a first component of a second outbound signal of a third wireless communication to a fourth antenna of the plurality of antennas;

send a second component of the second outbound signal of the third wireless communication to a fifth antenna of the plurality of antennas; and

receive a second inbound signal of a fourth wireless communication from a sixth antenna of the plurality of antennas, wherein the sixth antenna is the distance or a second distance from the fourth antenna and from the fifth antenna such that, in air, the second outbound signal is attenuated at the sixth antenna.

6. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third antennas comprising one of:

a dipole antenna;

a monopole antenna;

a helical antenna; and

a planar antenna.

7. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna coupling circuit is further configured to:

during a first time slot of a plurality of time slots:

send the first component of the outbound signal to the first antenna;

send the second component of the outbound signal to the second antenna; and

receive the inbound signal from the third antenna; and

during a second time slot of the plurality of time slots:

send a first component of a second outbound signal of a third wireless communication to the first antenna;

send a second component of the second outbound signal of the third wireless communication to the second antenna; and

receive a second inbound signal of a fourth wireless communication from the third antenna.

8. The distributed antenna system of claim 1 further comprising:

a transmit/receive isolation circuit configured, in response to a control signal, to isolate the outbound signal from the inbound signal.

9. A method for utilizing a distributed antenna system within a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

determining, by one or more processing devices of the wireless communication device, that the wireless communication device is to concurrently support a first wireless communication and a second wireless communication;

when the wireless communication device is to concurrently support a first wireless communication and a second wireless communication, selecting from a plurality of antennas:

a first antenna to transmit a first component of an outbound signal of the first wireless communication;

a second antenna to transmit a second component of the outbound signal of the first wireless communication; and

a third antenna to receive an inbound signal of a second wireless communication, wherein the third antenna is a distance from the first antenna and from the second antenna such that, in air, the outbound signal is attenuated at the third antenna.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

the first wireless communication is in accordance with a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol; and

the second wireless communication is in accordance with a wireless personal area network protocol.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

the first wireless communication is a transmit portion of a protocol specific communication on a first channel of a plurality of channels within a frequency band; and

the second wireless communication is a receive portion of the protocol specific communication on a second channel of the plurality of channels.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

selecting from the plurality of antennas:

a fourth antenna to transmit a first component of a second outbound signal of a third wireless communication;

a fifth antenna to transmit a second component of the second outbound signal of the third wireless communication; and

a sixth antenna to receive a second inbound signal of a fourth wireless communication, wherein the sixth antenna is the distance or a second distance from the fourth antenna and from the fifth antenna such that, in air, the second outbound signal is attenuated at the sixth antenna.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

during a first time slot of a plurality of time slots, selecting:

the first antenna to transmit the first component of the outbound signal;

the second antenna to transmit the second component of the outbound signal; and

the third antenna to receive the inbound signal; and

during a second time slot of the plurality of time slots, selecting:

the first antenna to transmit a first component of a second outbound signal of a third wireless communication;

the second antenna to transmit a second component of the second outbound signal of the third wireless communication; and

the third antenna to receive a second inbound signal of a fourth wireless communication.

14. A wireless communication device front end comprising:

one or more power amplifiers;

one or more low noise amplifiers; and

a distributed antenna system including:

a plurality of antennas that are physically distributed in a pattern and having a distance between each of at least some of the plurality of antennas; and

an antenna coupling circuit configured to:

receive an outbound signal of a first wireless communication from a power amplifier of the one or more power amplifiers;

send a first component of the outbound signal to a first antenna of the plurality of antennas;

send a second component of the outbound signal to a second antenna of the plurality of antennas;

receive an inbound signal of a second wireless communication from a third antenna of the plurality of antennas, wherein the third antenna is the distance from the first antenna and from the second antenna such that, in air, the outbound signal is attenuated at the third antenna; and

send the inbound signal to a low noise amplifier of the one or more low noise amplifiers.

15. The wireless communication device front end of claim 14 , wherein the antenna coupling circuit is further configured to:

receive a second inbound signal of a third wireless communication from a fourth antenna of the plurality of antennas, wherein the fourth antenna is the distance from the first antenna and from the second antenna such that, in air, the outbound signal is attenuated at the fourth antenna; and

send the second inbound signal to a second low noise amplifier of the one or more low noise amplifiers.

16. The wireless communication device front end of claim 14 further comprising:

the first wireless communication is in accordance with a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol; and

the second wireless communication is in accordance with a wireless personal area network protocol.

17. The wireless communication device front end of claim 14 further comprising:

the first wireless communication is a transmit portion of a protocol specific communication on a first channel of a plurality of channels within a frequency band; and

the second wireless communication is a receive portion of the protocol specific communication on a second channel of the plurality of channels.

18. The wireless communication device front end of claim 14 , wherein the antenna coupling circuit is further configured to:

receive a second outbound signal of a third wireless communication from a second power amplifier of the one or more power amplifiers;

send a first component of the second outbound signal to a fourth antenna of the plurality of antennas;

send a second component of the second outbound signal to a fifth antenna of the plurality of antennas;

receive a second inbound signal of a fourth wireless communication from a sixth antenna of the plurality of antennas, wherein the sixth antenna is the distance or a second distance from the fourth antenna and from the fifth antenna such that, in air, the second outbound signal is attenuated at the sixth antenna; and

send the second inbound signal to a second low noise amplifier of the one or more low noise amplifiers.

19. The wireless communication device front end of claim 14 , wherein the antenna coupling circuit is further configured to:

during a first time slot of a plurality of time slots:

send the first component of the outbound signal to the first antenna;

send the second component of the outbound signal to the second antenna; and

receive the inbound signal from the third antenna; and

during a second time slot of the plurality of time slots:

send a first component of a second outbound signal of a third wireless communication to the first antenna;

send a second component of the second outbound signal of the third wireless communication to the second antenna; and

receive a second inbound signal of a fourth wireless communication from the third antenna.

20. The wireless communication device front end of claim 14 further comprising:

a transmit/receive isolation circuit configured, in response to a control signal, to isolate the outbound signal from the inbound signal.

Assignments (7)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NUMBER 9,385,856 TO 9,385,756 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 47349 FRAME: 001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER. Recorded Mar 22, 2019
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 051144/0648 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EFFECTIVE DATE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 047229 FRAME 0408. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE THE EFFECTIVE DATE IS 09/05/2018. Recorded Oct 29, 2018
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 047349/0001 →
MERGER Recorded Oct 4, 2018
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 047229/0408 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Feb 3, 2017
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: BROADCOM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 041712/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 1, 2017
From: BROADCOM CORPORATION
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 041706/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 11, 2016
From: BROADCOM CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037806/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2013
From: ROFOUGARAN, AHMADREZA; TARIGHAT MEHRABANI, ALIREZA; ROFOUGARAN, MARYAM
To: BROADCOM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031310/0525 →