Different sector rotation speeds for post-amble processing of a beam forming packet
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsKeangpo R. Ho, Ling Su
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Post-amble processing of a beam forming packet may utilize different sector rotation speeds at different wireless communication devices. Power measurements may be captured for individual sectors of an antenna array with respect to a complete rotation of antenna sectors at another wireless communication device. The power measurements may be evaluated to identify a sector for directing a millimeter wave beam between the different wireless communication devices. In some embodiments, a second packet may be transmitted back using the identified sector to determine another sector for directing the millimeter wave beam between the different wireless communication devices.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a first and second wireless communication device, respectively comprising a broadband processor and one or more antenna arrays;
- the first wireless communication device, configured to:
- transmit a packet to the second wireless communication device, wherein the transmission of a post-amble portion of the packet is performed according to first rotation speed and a rotation pattern between a plurality of transmission sectors of the one or more antenna arrays at the first wireless communication device;
- the second wireless communication device, configured to:
- rotate between reception sectors of the one or more antenna arrays at the second wireless communication device according to a second rotation speed that is different than the first rotation speed to capture power measurements between individual ones of the reception sectors and the transmission sectors based on the receipt of the post-amble portion of the packet from the first wireless communication device;
- compare the power measurements to identify one of the reception sectors at one of the one or more antenna arrays at the second wireless communication device with a greatest power measurement;
- and
- transmit a second packet to the first wireless communication device using a transmission sector at one of the one or more antenna arrays at the second antenna array selected according to the identified reception sector.
A method, comprising:
- performing, by one or more wireless communication devices:
- for individual ones of a plurality of sectors of a first antenna array rotating between the sectors at a first rotation speed to receive a packet:
- determining respective power measurements of millimeter wave beams for a plurality of sectors of a second antenna array rotating between the second sectors at a second rotation speed different than the first rotation speed;
- and
- evaluating the power measures to select one of the sectors at the first antenna array with a greatest power measurement of the respective power measurements;
- and
- directing transmission of a millimeter wave beam from the first antenna array or the second antenna array that uses the selected sector.
A wireless communication device, comprising a broadband processor and at least one antenna array, the wireless communication device configured to:
- perform a single complete rotation amongst reception sectors of an antenna array to receive a packet from another wireless communication device sent via another antenna array that includes a post-amble portion of multiple complete rotations of transmission sectors of the other antenna array;
- capture at least one power measurement of a millimeter wave beam between individual ones of the reception sectors and the transmission sectors for different ones of the complete rotations of the transmission sectors;
- evaluate the captured at least one power measurements for the individual reception sectors to select one of the reception sectors with a greatest power measurement;
- and
- send another packet to the other antenna array at the other wireless communication device using a transmission sector at the wireless communication device identified according to the selected reception sector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.