Methods of antenna system control in massive MIMO systems
AssigneeAvago Technologies International Sales Pte. Limited
InventorsAmin Mobasher, Sam Alex, Louay Jalloul
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antenna system is implemented for communications in a wireless device. Information regarding the environment surrounding the wireless device may be used to determine which of the MIMO antennas are selected such that communications performance is improved. Metrics related to signal transmission and reception by the wireless device may be monitored and used to determine which MIMO antennas are selected. The metrics may be measured by any of the MIMO antennas at any time, including antennas currently engaged or not engaged in active communications. The metrics may be used in lieu of sensors to supplement or replace wireless device functionality otherwise provided by the sensors.
Claims20
A communication device, comprising:
- a radio frequency (RF) chain configured to be selectively coupled to a first antenna of a plurality of antennas to enable communications between the communication device and another communication device;
- a measurement module configured to measure a communication performance metric utilizing a second antenna from among the plurality of antennas that is not used for communicating with the other communication device, the communication performance metric corresponding to communications between the communication device and the other communication device via the first antenna;
- and
- a decision module configured to selectively control switching the coupling of the RF chain from the first antenna to another antenna of the plurality of antennas based on the communication performance metric.
A communication device, comprising:
- a plurality of RF chains configured to be selectively coupled to a first subset of antennas from among a plurality of antennas to enable signal transmissions via the first subset of antennas;
- a plurality of measurement modules, at least one measurement module from among the plurality of measurement modules configured to measure a transmission signal metric of one or more antennas of the first subset of antennas utilizing a respective antenna within a second subset of antennas from among the plurality of antennas, the second subset of antennas not being used for signal transmission;
- and
- a decision module configured to control switching the coupling of at least one of the plurality of RF chains from the first subset of antennas to another subset of antennas from among the plurality of antennas based on the transmission signal metric.
In a communication device, a method of selecting antennas within a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system for communications with another communication device, comprising:
- coupling a radio frequency (RF) chain to a first antenna of a plurality of antennas;
- measuring a communication performance metric of the first antenna utilizing a second antenna that is not being utilized for the communications between the communication device and the other communication device;
- and
- determining if switching the coupling of the RF chain from the first antenna to another antenna within the plurality of antennas would result in improved communications performance based on the communication performance metric.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.