US 10,567,134 B1 · WiFi antenna selection with beamforming

Abstract

A wireless transceiver for wireless communications on a selected orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) communication channel of a wireless local area network (WLAN). The transceiver includes: a number of antennas, a plurality of components, and a beamform antenna selection circuit. The plurality of components are coupled to one another to form receive chains and transmit chains lesser in number than the number of antennas, and switchably coupled to the antennas for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communications on the OFDM tones of the selected communication channel. The beamform antenna selection circuit couples to the plurality of components and to the antennas to select a highest ranked subset of the antennas to couple to the transmit chains by sounding a targeted transceiver on the WLAN with the number of antennas and by switchably coupling the transmit chains to the highest ranked subset of the antennas for beamformed transmission of subsequent data communication packets to the targeted transceiver.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A wireless transceiver for wireless communication on a selected orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) communication channel of a wireless local area network (WLAN);

and the wireless transceiver comprising:
a number of antennas;
a plurality of components coupled to one another to form receive chains and transmit chains lesser in number than the number of antennas, and switchably coupled to the antennas for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communications on OFDM tones of the selected communication channel;
a beamform antenna selection circuit coupled to the antennas and the plurality of components:
to generate a multi-tone sounding signal on a targeted transceiver wherein the multi-tone sounding signal comprises a multi-tone OFDM signal with separate tones applicable to a plurality of distinct subsets of the antennas;
to determine performance of the plurality of distinct subsets based on sounding feedback of the multi-tone sounding signal from the targeted transceiver,
to select a highest ranked subset of the antennas to couple to the transmit chains with the number of antenna and receiving sounding feedback from the targeted transceiver, and
to switchably couple the transmit chains to the highest ranked subset of the antennas for beamformed transmission of subsequent data communication packets to the targeted transceiver;
and
a center frequency shifter circuit coupled to the antennas:
to vary a center frequency of each of the antenna relative to the others for the sounding, and
to set a same frequency for the highest ranked subset of the antennas for beamformed transmission of subsequent data communication packets to the targeted transceiver.

9 more elements

A method for operating wireless transceiver on an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) communication channel of a wireless local area network (WLAN);

and the method comprising:
providing a number of antennas;
providing a plurality of components coupled to one another to form receive chains and transmit chains lesser in number than the number of provided antennas;
sounding a targeted transceiver on the WLAN via a multi-tone sounding signal on a targeted transceiver wherein the multi-tone sounding signal comprises a multi-tone OFDM signal with separate tones applicable to a plurality of distinct subsets of the antennas;
varying a center frequency of each of the provided antenna relative to one another for the sounding;
determining performance of the plurality of distinct subsets based on sounding feedback of the multi-tone sounding signal from the targeted transceiver;
selecting a highest ranked subset of the provided antennas to couple to the transmit chains based on the sounding act;
switchably coupling the transmit chains to the highest ranked subset of the antennas selected in the selecting act;
setting a same frequency for the highest ranked subset of the antennas for beamformed transmission of subsequent data communication packets to the targeted transceiver;
and
transmitting beamformed subsequent data communication packets to the targeted transceiver via the subset of the antennas coupled to the transmit chains in the switchable coupling act.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

WiFi antenna selection with beamforming

Life of this patent

WiFi antenna selection with beamforming

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20