US 10,374,685 B2 · Dynamic Selection of a receive antenna pattern

Abstract

An access point that performs dynamic selection of an electronic-device-specific receive antenna pattern of an antenna for use when receiving a frame from an electronic device in a WLAN is described. In particular, during operation the access point may determine the receive antenna pattern of the antenna that is used when receiving the frame from the electronic device. Then, the access point may store, in memory, information that specifies the receive antenna pattern. Moreover, when the access point predicts that the electronic device will transmit a frame to the access point within a subsequent time interval, the access point may select the receive antenna pattern and may set an antenna pattern of the antenna to the receive antenna pattern. Next, the access point may receive the frame from the electronic device using the receive antenna pattern.

Claims23

Dependent claims

An access point, comprising:

an antenna node configured to couple to an antenna;
and
an interface circuit, coupled to the antenna node, configured to wirelessly communicate with at least an electronic device in a wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein the access point is configured to dynamically select a receive antenna pattern of the antenna by performing operations comprising:
determining the receive antenna pattern of the antenna that is used when receiving a first frame associated with the electronic device, wherein the receive antenna pattern is electronic-device specific and has increased directionality relative to an omnidirectional antenna pattern;
storing, in memory in the access point, information that specifies the receive antenna pattern;
and
when the access point predicts, based at least in part on a type of control frame, that the electronic device will transmit the first frame to the access point within a subsequent time interval:
selecting the receive antenna pattern and setting an antenna pattern of the antenna to the receive antenna pattern;
and
receiving the first frame associated with the electronic device using the receive antenna pattern.

7 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for use in conjunction with an access point, the computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that, when executed by the access point, causes the access point to dynamically select a receive antenna pattern of an antenna in the access point by performing operations comprising:

determining the receive antenna pattern of the antenna that is used when receiving a first frame associated with an electronic device in a wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein the receive antenna pattern is electronic-device specific and has increased directionality relative to an omnidirectional antenna pattern;
storing, in memory in the access point, information that specifies the receive antenna pattern;
and
when the access point predicts, based at least in part on a type of a control frame, that the electronic device will transmit the first frame to the access point within a subsequent time interval:
selecting the receive antenna pattern and setting an antenna pattern of the antenna to the receive antenna pattern;
and
receiving the first frame associated with the electronic device using the receive antenna pattern.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dynamic Selection of a receive antenna pattern

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Dynamic Selection of a receive antenna pattern

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23