IP Library Granted Patent US 11,606,121
Granted Patent B1
US 11,606,121 · App. 17/461,227 · Granted Mar 14, 2023

Systems and methods of multi-antenna radio for wireless communication

Inventors: Dong Zheng (Saratoga, CA); Qi Qu (Redmond, WA); Abhishek Kumar Agrawal (Bellevue, WA)
Assignee: Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC
H04B7/043H01Q1/273H04B1/44H04B7/024H04L1/06H04L5/0023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,606,121
App. No.
17/461,227
Granted
Mar 14, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

Described embodiments provide devices and methods for directing portions of signals to reduce power consumption. A wearable device may comprise N antennas configured to wirelessly receive and/or transmit incoming and/or outgoing signals. The N antennas may be spatially disposed on the device to enable at least one of the N antennas to be clear from blockage by a body part of a user when the device is maintained or worn against the body part, wherein N is an integer value greater than or equal to 2. The wearable device may comprise N receive chains coupled to the N antennas via transmit-receive couplers, the N receive chains configured to process the incoming signals. The wearable device may comprise a transmit chain configured to generate the outgoing signals. The wearable device may comprise a RF controller circuitry configured to direct portions of the generated outgoing signals via the transmit-receive couplers to the N antennas.

Claims (34)

1. A wearable device, comprising:

N antennas configured to wirelessly receive incoming signals and wirelessly transmit outgoing signals, the N antennas spatially disposed on the wearable device to enable at least one of the N antennas to be clear from blockage by a body part of a user when the wearable device is maintained or worn against the body part, wherein N is an integer value that is greater than or equal to 2;

N receive chains coupled to the N antennas via transmit-receive couplers, the N receive chains configured to process the received incoming signals;

a transmit chain configured to generate the outgoing signals; and

a radio-frequency (RF) controller circuitry configured to split each outgoing signal of the outgoing signals to direct portions of the generated outgoing signals via the transmit-receive couplers to the N antennas for wireless transmission.

2. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of number of the transmit chain to number of the receive chains for the N antennas is 1:N.

3. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein:

a single power amplifier of the transmit chain is configured to output the outgoing signals; and

the RF controller circuitry is configured to receive the outgoing signals from the single power amplifier.

4. The wearable device of claim 3 , wherein the RF controller circuitry is configured to split the outgoing signals from the single power amplifier of the transmit chain into N portions to direct to the N antennas respectively for wireless transmission.

5. The wearable device of claim 3 , wherein the RF controller circuitry is configured to apportion the outgoing signals from the single power amplifier of the transmit chain into: a first portion to direct to a first of the N antennas for wireless transmission, and a second portion different from the first portion, to direct to a second of the N antennas for wireless transmission.

6. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the N antennas are located on opposite sides of at least one of: the wearable device or the body part.

7. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the N antennas are spaced apart from each other around at least a portion of the body part.

8. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the N antennas are spaced apart from each other along at least a curved portion of the body part.

9. The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising:

M antennas different from the N antennas, configured to wirelessly receive other incoming signals and wirelessly transmit other outgoing signals, the M antennas spatially disposed on the wearable device, wherein M is an integer value that is greater than or equal to 2;

M receive chains coupled to the M antennas via other transmit-receive couplers, the M receive chains configured to process the received other incoming signals;

another transmit chain configured to generate the other outgoing signals; and

another RF controller circuitry configured to direct portions of the generated other outgoing signals via the other transmit-receive couplers to the M antennas for wireless transmission.

10. The wearable device of claim 9 , wherein the outgoing signals are different from the other outgoing signals.

11. The wearable device of claim 10 , wherein transmission of the outgoing signals can overlap in time with transmission of the other outgoing signals.

12. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the wearable device further comprises at least one of: a pair of glasses, goggles, a phone, a tablet, a smartwatch, headphones, or a microphone.

13. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the body part comprises an arm, palm, wrist, finger, ankle, knee, hip, limb, waist, torso, chest, shoulder, neck, head or ear.

14. A method comprising:

incorporating N antennas into a wearable device to enable at least one of the N antennas to be clear from blockage by a body part of a user when the wearable device is maintained or worn against the body part, to wirelessly receive incoming signals and wirelessly transmit outgoing signals, wherein N is an integer value that is greater than or equal to 2;

coupling N receive chains to the N antennas via transmit-receive couplers, the N receive chains configured to process the received incoming signals; and

coupling a transmit chain, via a radio-frequency (RF) controller circuitry and the transmit-receive couplers, to the N antennas, the RF controller circuitry configured to split each outgoing signal of the outgoing signals to direct portions of outgoing signals generated by the transmit chain, to the N antennas for wireless transmission.

15. The method of claim 14 , comprising:

incorporating a single power amplifier in the transmit chain to output the outgoing signals to the RF controller circuitry.

16. The method of claim 14 , comprising:

configuring the RF controller circuitry to apportion the outgoing signals from the transmit chain into: a first portion to direct to a first of the N antennas for wireless transmission, and a second portion different from the first portion, to direct to a second of the N antennas for wireless transmission.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least two of the N antennas are located on opposite sides of at least one of: the wearable device or the body part.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least two of the N antennas are spaced apart from each other around at least a portion of the body part.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least two of the N antennas are spaced apart from each other along at least a curved portion of the body part.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 22, 2022
From: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 060816/0634 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2021
From: ZHENG, DONG; QU, QI; AGRAWAL, ABHISHEK KUMAR
To: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 057344/0137 →