Electronic device controlling strength of wireless signal and operating method thereof

Abstract

The electronic device comprises at least one hardware element including a circuitry, a wireless communication circuit supporting time division duplexing (TDD) communication, a plurality of antennas, a processor, and a memory electrically connected to the at least one hardware element, the wireless communication circuit, the plurality of antennas, and the processor, and storing reference strength information and instructions. The instructions may be configured such that, when executed by the processor, the electronic device identifies a victim operating among the at least one hardware element, identifies at least one first antenna among the plurality of antennas acting as an aggressor against the victim, and when the at least one first antenna transmits a wireless signal, identifies a ratio of uplink symbols during a specified time period, identifies a first reference strength based on the ratio, identifies a second reference strength based on the reference strength information, and transmits a wireless signal based on the result of comparing the first reference strength and the second reference strength. In addition to this, various other embodiments identified through the specification are possible.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device for controlling the strength of a wireless signal and a method of operating the same. Background Technology

[0002] To communicate with external devices, electronic devices can radiate wireless signals in the form of electromagnetic waves using antennas. Electromagnetic waves radiated by electronic devices can be harmful to the human body. To address this, Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) can be utilized. SAR is the rate at which electromagnetic waves radiated by an electronic device are absorbed by biological tissues, and various accredited organizations use SAR as a standard to regulate the degree of harm to the human body. To satisfy SAR standards, manufacturers may reduce the intensity of electromagnetic waves radiated by electronic devices to a level that is harmless to the human body or modify the design structure of the radiator (antenna).

[0003] Time-averaged SAR (TAS) algorithms can be applied to electronic devices as a method to reduce the intensity of electromagnetic waves. A TAS algorithm refers to an algorithm that controls the output of an electronic device to satisfy SAR standards over a fixed time interval (e.g., 100 sec for the Americas, 360 sec for Canada). Since the TAS algorithm satisfies SAR standards by calculating the average intensity of electromagnetic waves radiated over a certain period, it can be useful for electronic devices with high levels of electromagnetic radiation. For example, a TAS algorithm can be useful for electronic devices equipped with multiple antennas. The problem to be solved

[0004] Radio signals radiated from the antenna of an electronic device may cause malfunctions in the hardware components included in the device. To prevent hardware malfunctions while satisfying SAR standards, a method for adaptively controlling the strength of radio signals can be discussed. means of solving the problem

[0005] An electronic device according to one embodiment disclosed in this document comprises at least one hardware element including a circuitry, a wireless communication circuit supporting time division duplexing (TDD) communication, a plurality of antennas, a processor, and a memory electrically connected to the at least one hardware element, the wireless communication circuit, the plurality of antennas, and the processor, and storing reference strength information and instructions. The instructions may be configured such that, when executed by the processor, the electronic device identifies a victim operating among the at least one hardware element, identifies at least one first antenna among the plurality of antennas that acts as an aggressor against the victim, identifies a ratio of uplink symbols during a specified time period when the at least one first antenna transmits a wireless signal, identifies a first reference strength based on the ratio, identifies a second reference strength based on the reference strength information, and transmits the wireless signal based on the result of comparing the first reference strength and the second reference strength.

[0006] A method of operation of an electronic device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document may include: identifying a victim that is operating among at least one hardware element; identifying at least one first antenna that operates as an aggressor against the victim among a plurality of antennas; identifying a ratio of uplink symbols during a specified time period when the at least one first antenna transmits a wireless signal; identifying a first reference strength based on the ratio; identifying a second reference strength based on reference strength information; and transmitting the wireless signal based on the result of comparing the first reference strength and the second reference strength. Effects of the invention

[0007] According to the embodiments disclosed in this document, the electronic device can achieve various performance capabilities by adaptively controlling the strength of the wireless signal.

[0008] In addition, various effects that can be identified directly or indirectly through this document may be provided.

[0009] The effects obtainable from the various embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains from the description below. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates a frame structure in the time domain in a TDD method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating a method for controlling the strength of a wireless signal according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of controlling the strength of a wireless signal of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the wireless signal transmission operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In relation to the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) in a network environment (100) according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1, in the network environment (100), the electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) through a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or with an electronic device (104) or a server (108) through a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) through a server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), memory (130), input module (150), sound output module (155), display module (160), audio module (170), sensor module (176), interface (177), connection terminal (178), haptic module (179), camera module (180), power management module (188), battery (189), communication module (190), subscriber identification module (196), or antenna module (197). In some embodiments, at least one of these components (e.g., connection terminal (178)) may be omitted from the electronic device (101), or one or more other components may be added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., sensor module (176), camera module (180), or antenna module (197)) may be integrated into a single component (e.g., display module (160)).

[0012] The processor (120) can control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) by executing software (e.g., a program (140)), and can perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) can store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (176) or a communication module (190)) in volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) that can operate independently or together with it (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). For example, if the electronic device (101) includes a main processor (121) and an auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use lower power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a designated function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as part thereof.

[0013] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least some of the functions or states associated with at least one component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., display module (160), sensor module (176), or communication module (190)) on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., image signal processor or communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (e.g., camera module (180) or communication module (190)). According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing an artificial intelligence model. The artificial intelligence model may be generated through machine learning. Such learning may be performed, for example, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence is performed, or through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model may include a plurality of artificial neural network layers.An artificial neural network may be a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to the hardware structure, the artificial intelligence model may include a software structure, either additionally or substantially.

[0014] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)). The data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (e.g., program (140)) and related commands. The memory (130) may include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0015] The program (140) may be stored as software in memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0016] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used for a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., processor (120)) from outside the electronic device (101) (e.g., user). The input module (150) may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0017] The sound output module (155) can output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device (101). The sound output module (155) may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker may be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver may be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part thereof.

[0018] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external (e.g., user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling said device. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of the force generated by said touch.

[0019] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal or, conversely, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150) or output sound through the sound output module (155) or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphones) connected directly or wirelessly to the electronic device (101).

[0020] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., power or temperature) or the external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an accelerometer sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biosensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0021] The interface (177) may support one or more specified protocols that can be used for the electronic device (101) to be connected directly or wirelessly to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0022] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) can be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0023] The haptic module (179) can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., vibration or movement) or an electrical stimulus that the user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electric stimulation device.

[0024] The camera module (180) can capture still images and video. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0025] The power management module (188) can manage power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented, for example, as at least part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0026] The battery (189) can supply power to at least one component of the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0027] The communication module (190) can support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between an electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may include one or more communication processors that operate independently of the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., cellular communication module, short-range wireless communication module, or GNSS (global navigation satellite system) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., LAN (local area network) communication module, or power line communication module). The corresponding communication module among these communication modules can communicate with an external electronic device (104) through a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WiFi (wireless fidelity) direct, or IrDA (infrared data association)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can identify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) using subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0028] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following 4G networks, for example, new radio access technology. NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (massive machine type communications (mMTC)), or high reliability and low latency (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC)). The wireless communication module (192) can support a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate, for example. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in the high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output), full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large-scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (104)), or network system (e.g., second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) can support a Peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for realizing eMBB, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing mMTC, or U-plane latency (e.g., downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less) for realizing URLLC.

[0029] An antenna module (197) can transmit a signal or power to or from an external source (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna comprising a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as a first network (198) or a second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by a communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, other components (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module (197).

[0030] According to various embodiments, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first surface (e.g., bottom surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a specified high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to a second surface (e.g., top surface or side surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving a signal of the specified high frequency band.

[0031] At least some of the above components can be connected to each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)) and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other.

[0032] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) through a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102, or 104) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations performed on the electronic device (101) may be performed on one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, if the electronic device (101) needs to perform a function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may request one or more external electronic devices to perform at least part of the function or service instead of performing the function or service itself or additionally. One or more external electronic devices that receive the above request may execute at least part of the requested function or service, or additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may provide the result as is or additionally processed as at least part of the response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used. The electronic device (101) may provide ultra-low latency services using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In another embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server using machine learning and / or neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included within a second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0033] The electronic device according to the various embodiments disclosed in this document may be a device of various forms. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smartphone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a consumer electronics device. The electronic device according to the embodiments of this document is not limited to the devices described above.

[0034] The various embodiments of this document and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of said embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of said items unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, each of phrases such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B or C," "at least one of A, B and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as “first,” “second,” or “first” or “second” may be used simply to distinguish a component from another component and do not limit the components in any other aspect (e.g., importance or order). Where any (e.g., first) component is referred to as “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., second) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicationally,” it means that said component may be connected to said other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0035] The term “module” as used in the various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. A module may be a component formed integrally, or a minimum unit of said component or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0036] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., program (140)) comprising one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory (136) or external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., electronic device (101)) may call at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one called instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. The storage medium readable by the machine may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-temporary' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided by being included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or distributed online (e.g., download or upload) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily created on a device-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0038] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., module or program) of the components described above may include a singular or multiple entities, and some of the multiple entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more of the components or operations among the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Generally or additionally, multiple components (e.g., module or program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding component among the multiple components prior to integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by the module, program, or other components may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates a frame structure in the time domain in a TDD method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a graph for explaining a method for controlling the strength of a wireless signal according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 2, the electronic device (200) may include a processor (210), at least one hardware element (220), memory (230), a wireless communication circuit (240), and / or a plurality of antennas (250).

[0041] In one embodiment, at least one hardware element (220) may correspond to the hardware configurations of FIG. 1. In one embodiment, at least one hardware element (220) may include a circuit element. For example, at least one hardware element (220) may correspond to a display module (160), a sensor module (176), an interface (177), or a combination thereof.

[0042] In one embodiment, the processor (210) can generate a wireless signal through a wireless communication circuit (240). In one embodiment, the wireless signal generated by the wireless communication circuit (240) may be based on a time domain duplex (TDD) method.

[0043] In one embodiment, the TDD method may be a communication method that uses a common frequency for the downlink and uplink. For example, the frequency band supporting the TDD method may be approximately 2.6 GHz. In another example, the frequency band supporting the TDD method may be 3.5 GHz or higher.

[0044] In one embodiment, the processor (210) can radiate the generated wireless signal to the outside through a plurality of antennas (250).

[0045] In one embodiment, if the strength of a wireless signal radiated from at least one of the plurality of antennas (250) is above a certain level, some of the at least one hardware element (220) may malfunction. For example, a signal acquired from at least one sensor (e.g., sensor module (176)) may be distorted by a wireless signal radiated from at least one of the plurality of antennas (250). For example, a high-speed interface connected to a camera module (180) or a display module (160) may be interfered with by a wireless signal radiated from at least one of the plurality of antennas (250). In this case, an overflow or underflow may occur in a data packet transmitted through the high-speed interface. As a result, distortion or freezing of the screen displayed through the display of the electronic device (200) may occur.

[0046] In the following, when at least one of the plurality of antennas (250) radiates a wireless signal, some of the at least one hardware element (220) that may malfunction due to this may be referred to as the victim, and at least one of the plurality of antennas (250) radiating the wireless signal may be referred to as the aggressor.

[0047] In one embodiment, an antenna acting as an aggressor against a victim may be specified in advance. For example, whether a specific antenna acts as an aggressor against a victim may be determined experimentally. As another example, whether a specific antenna acts as an aggressor against a victim may be determined based on the distance between the victim and the specific antenna.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 3, the first antenna (252), the second antenna (254), the third antenna (256), and / or the fourth antenna (258) may be disposed in a portion of the housing of the electronic device (200). The first antenna (252), the second antenna (254), the third antenna (256), and the fourth antenna (258) may constitute a plurality of antennas (250). In one embodiment, the camera module (225) may be an example of at least one hardware element (220).

[0049] In one embodiment, if the strength of the wireless signal radiated from at least one of the plurality of antennas (250) (e.g., the first antenna (252)) is above a certain level, a malfunction of the camera module (225) may occur. In this case, the camera module (225) may be the victim and the first antenna (252) may be the aggressor.

[0050] Referring again to FIG. 2, the memory (230) can store mapping information between a victim and an aggressor. The mapping information may include antenna information that can act as an aggressor for a victim (e.g., at least one hardware element (220)). In one embodiment, the processor (210) can identify an antenna that can act as an aggressor for a victim in operation based on the mapping information.

[0051] In one embodiment, the memory (230) may store reference intensity information and time-average reference intensity information. For example, the reference intensity information may be a predetermined intensity to prevent malfunction of the victim in operation. For example, the time-average reference intensity information may be a predetermined intensity to ensure that the wireless signal radiated from the electronic device (200) satisfies the specific absorption rate (SAR) specification for a certain period of time.

[0052] In one embodiment, the processor (210) can control the strength of the wireless signal being generated. For example, the processor (210) can control the wireless communication circuit (240) so that the strength of the wireless signal radiated from the electronic device (200) satisfies the SAR standard. For example, the processor (210) can control the wireless communication circuit (240) so that the victim does not malfunction due to the wireless signal radiated from the aggressor. A method for controlling the strength of the wireless signal is described below.

[0053] In one embodiment, the processor (210) can identify some of at least one hardware element (220) in operation (hereinafter, victim). Based on mapping information, the processor (210) can identify at least one of a plurality of antennas (250) capable of acting as an aggressor against the identified victim (hereinafter, aggressor).

[0054] In one embodiment, the processor (210) can control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on a first reference strength, a second reference strength, or a combination thereof.

[0055] In one embodiment, the processor (210) can identify a first reference intensity based on a duty cycle. For example, the first reference intensity can be calculated based on Equation 1.

[0056]

[0057] In Equation 1, Savg can be the time-averaged reference intensity. In Equation 1, Sd can be the duty cycle.

[0058] In one embodiment, the duty cycle may be determined based on the length of the transmission interval of the wireless communication performed by the wireless communication circuit (240). For example, the duty cycle may be the ratio of the number of uplink symbols among at least one symbol in the frame structure of the TDD method. Below, the duty cycle will be explained through the description of FIG. 4.

[0059] Referring to Fig. 4, the time domain in the TDD method can have a frame structure. The frame structure of Fig. 4 can be based on the NR (new radio) standard. Unlike what is shown in Fig. 4, the frame structure in the LTE (long term evolution) standard can be defined differently.

[0060] In one embodiment, the frame structure may consist of a frame (410), a subframe (420), a slot (430), and an OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) symbol (hereinafter symbol) (e.g., 440). In one embodiment, the length of one frame (410) may be 10ms, and the length of one subframe (420) may be 1ms. In one embodiment, the time corresponding to each of the slot (430) and the symbol (440) may be determined based on subcarrier spacing.

[0061] In one embodiment, the settings related to the frame structure may be based on a control signal (e.g., radio resource control (RRC)) received from a base station. In one embodiment, the wireless communication circuit (240) may receive a control signal (e.g., RRC) from a base station for network connection with the base station. For example, the RRC signal may include information related to the establishment or release of a connection between the electronic device (200) and the base station. For example, the RRC signal may include setting information for the transmission interval and the reception interval. FIG. 4 may show a frame structure configured based on a control signal such as that in Table 1.

[0062] tdd-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon { referenceSubcarrierSpacing kHz120, pattern1 { dl-UL-TransmissionPeriodicity ms0p625, nrofDownlinkSlots 3, nrofDownlinkSymbols 10, nrofUplinkSlots 1, nrofUplinkSymbols 2}}

[0063] Referring to Table 1, subcarrier spacing can be set to 120 kHz. When subcarrier spacing is 120 kHz according to a predefined standard (e.g., 3GPP), the length of one slot (430) can be set to correspond to 0.125 ms. In one embodiment, one frame (410) can be composed of 10 subframes (420). In one embodiment, one subframe (420) can be composed of 8 slots (430). In one embodiment, one slot (430) can be composed of 14 symbols (e.g., 440).

[0064] In one embodiment, a symbol may be the smallest unit constituting the time domain in the TDD scheme. An OFDM symbol may be any one of U, D, or F. For example, U may be understood as an uplink symbol. For example, D may be understood as a downlink symbol. For example, F may be understood as a flexible symbol. A flexible symbol may be an uplink symbol or a downlink symbol depending on the base station's allocation.

[0065] Based on a control signal, the transmission period of wireless communication performed by the wireless communication circuit (240) (e.g., a specified time period) can be set to 0.625ms. For example, one period can be composed of 5 slots. For example, one period can be composed of 70 symbols.

[0066] Based on control signals, three of the five slots included in a cycle may be downlink slots and one may be uplink slot. Downlink slots (e.g., slots 0, 1, and 2) can be understood as slots where all symbols constituting the slot are downlink symbols. Uplink slots (e.g., slot 4) can be understood as slots where all symbols constituting the slot are uplink symbols.

[0067] In one embodiment, one of the five slots included in a cycle (e.g., slot 3) may be composed of 10 downlink symbols and 2 uplink symbols. For example, 10 downlink symbols may be assigned from left to right and 2 uplink symbols from right to left in slot (430). Flexible symbols may be assigned to areas in the slot where downlink symbols and uplink symbols are not assigned.

[0068] In one embodiment, the duty cycle may be defined as the ratio of the total number of symbols to the number of uplink symbols during a specified time period (e.g., 0.625 ms). In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, since the total number of slots is 70 and the number of uplink symbols is 14, the duty cycle may be 14 / 70*100(%), i.e., 23%.

[0069] Referring again to FIG. 2, the processor (210) can identify a first reference intensity using the duty cycle identified based on the control signal and the time-averaged reference intensity obtained from the memory (330).

[0070] In one embodiment, the processor (210) can identify a second reference intensity based on reference intensity information obtained from memory (330). For example, the processor (210) can identify a pre-specified reference intensity as the second reference intensity based on the usage environment of the electronic device (200).

[0071] In one embodiment, the processor (310) can compare the identified first reference strength and the second reference strength. Based on the comparison result, the processor (310) can identify the strength of the wireless signal radiated from the electronic device (200).

[0072] In one embodiment, the processor (210) may control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on the second reference strength when the first reference strength is higher than the second reference strength. In one embodiment, the processor (210) may control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on the first reference strength when the first reference strength is not higher than the second reference strength. Below, a method for identifying the strength of a wireless signal according to the duty cycle is explained through the description of FIG. 5.

[0073] Referring to FIG. 5, the horizontal axis of the graph (500) may represent the duty cycle (%), and the vertical axis may represent the wireless signal strength (dBm). Reference number (510) may represent a first reference strength. Reference number (520) may represent a second reference strength. Reference number (530) represents the wireless signal strength identified based on the comparison result between the first reference strength and the second reference strength.

[0074] Referring to the intervals where the duty cycle is 6.25%, 12.5%, and 25%, the first reference strength (510) may be higher than the second reference strength (520). If the wireless communication circuit (240) generates a wireless signal based on the first reference strength (510), a malfunction of the victim may occur. Therefore, the processor (310) can control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on the second reference strength (520).

[0075] Referring to the intervals where the duty cycle is 50% and 100%, the second reference strength (520) may be higher than the first reference strength (510). The processor (310) can control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on the first reference strength (510) to satisfy SAR specifications in the time domain. Although the graph (500) shows a difference between the strength (530) of the identified wireless signal and the second reference strength (520), it can be understood that the two strengths are substantially the same.

[0076] Referring again to FIG. 2, the processor (210) can control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on a third reference strength identified based on a time-averaged SAR (TAS) algorithm. In one embodiment, the TAS algorithm may be an algorithm that uniformly back-offs a specified strength (e.g., 2 dBm) from the time-averaged reference strength. In the TAS algorithm, the length of the transmission interval during which the electronic device (200) transmits the wireless signal may not be taken into account.

[0077] In one embodiment, the processor (210) can control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on a third reference strength, based on the fact that the wireless signal to be generated is a wireless signal of the frequency division duplexing (FDD) method.

[0078] In one embodiment, the processor (210) may control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on a third reference strength in the following cases, based on the fact that the wireless signal to be generated is a TDD-type wireless signal. For example, the processor (210) may control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on a third reference strength when at least one hardware element (220) in operation is not identified. In another example, the processor (210) may control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on a third reference strength when an antenna acting as an aggressor against at least some (e.g., victim) of at least one hardware element (220) in operation does not radiate a wireless signal. In yet another example, the processor (210) may control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on a third reference strength when the wireless signal to be generated is a designated wireless signal (e.g., SRS (sound reference signal)).

[0079] Below, an antenna control method is described when the signal generated by the wireless communication circuit (240) is an SRS.

[0080] Referring again to FIG. 3, an electronic device (200) comprising a plurality of antennas (e.g., 252, 254, 256, 258) may utilize multi-input multi-output (MIMO) technology to increase communication capacity. In one embodiment, to enhance MIMO gain, the electronic device (200) may transmit an SRS to a base station using the plurality of antennas (252, 254, 256, 258). The base station may estimate a downlink channel for transmitting data to the electronic device (200) based on the SRS received from each antenna of the electronic device (200) (e.g., the plurality of antennas (252, 254, 256, 258)). For example, the base station may estimate the environment of at least one downlink channel based on the signal strength of the received SRS.

[0081] In one embodiment, a plurality of antennas (252, 254, 256, 258) can sequentially transmit SRS to a base station. For example, a processor (210) can sequentially transmit SRS through a plurality of antennas (252, 254, 256, 258) based on an antenna switching sequence. The antenna switching sequence may include the order of the plurality of antennas (252, 254, 256, 258) to transmit SRS.

[0082] In one embodiment, some of the plurality of antennas (252, 254, 256, 258) transmitting SRS (e.g., the first antenna (252)) may act as an aggressor against a victim (e.g., a camera module (225)). In this case, the processor (210) may select an antenna among the plurality of antennas (252, 254, 256, 258) to radiate SRS in order to minimize the occurrence of a victim.

[0083] In one embodiment, the processor (210) may exclude an aggressor (e.g., first antenna (252)) from the antenna switching sequence. For example, the processor (310) may configure the antenna switching sequence with the remaining antennas (e.g., second antenna (254), third antenna (256), fourth antenna (258)) excluding the aggressor. For example, in the antenna switching sequence, the aggressor (e.g., first antenna (252)) may be replaced by the antenna following the aggressor (e.g., second antenna (254)).

[0084] In one embodiment, the electronic device may include at least one hardware element comprising a circuitry, a wireless communication circuit supporting time division duplexing (TDD) communication, a plurality of antennas, a processor, and a memory electrically connected to the at least one hardware element, the wireless communication circuit, the plurality of antennas, and the processor, and storing reference strength information and instructions. The instructions may be configured such that, when executed by the processor, the electronic device identifies a victim operating among the at least one hardware element, identifies at least one first antenna among the plurality of antennas acting as an aggressor against the victim, identifies the ratio of uplink symbols during a specified time period when the at least one first antenna transmits a wireless signal, identifies a first reference strength based on the ratio, identifies a second reference strength based on the reference strength information, and transmits the wireless signal based on the result of comparing the first reference strength and the second reference strength.

[0085] In one embodiment, the instructions may be configured such that, when executed by the processor, the electronic device identifies the second reference strength as the strength of the wireless signal when the first reference strength is higher than the second reference strength, and identifies the first reference strength as the strength of the wireless signal when the first reference strength is not higher than the second reference strength.

[0086] In one embodiment, the memory further stores mapping information between the victim and the aggressor, and the instructions may be configured such that, when executed by the processor, the electronic device identifies the at least one first antenna based on the mapping information.

[0087] In one embodiment, the at least one hardware element may include at least one of a camera interface or a display interface.

[0088] In one embodiment, the instructions may be configured such that, when executed by the processor, the electronic device transmits the specified wireless signal using the second antennas excluding the at least one first antenna among the plurality of antennas when the wireless signal is the specified wireless signal.

[0089] In one embodiment, the specified wireless signal may be a sounding reference signal (SRS).

[0090] In one embodiment, the instructions may be configured such that, when executed by the processor, the electronic device identifies a third reference strength based on a time-averaging SAR (TAS) algorithm and identifies the third reference strength as the strength of the designated wireless signal.

[0091] In one embodiment, the control signal may include a radio resource control (RRC) signal.

[0092] In one embodiment, the instructions may be configured such that, when executed by the processor, the electronic device identifies a third reference strength based on the TAS algorithm based on the fact that the victim is not identified, and transmits a wireless signal based on the third reference strength.

[0093] In one embodiment, the instructions may be configured such that, when executed by the processor, the electronic device identifies a third reference strength based on a TAS algorithm based on the fact that the at least one first antenna is not identified, and transmits a wireless signal based on the third reference strength.

[0094] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of controlling the strength of a wireless signal of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0095] For the explanation of FIG. 6, the configurations of FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 may be referenced.

[0096] In operation 600, the processor (210) can identify the victim among at least one hardware element (220). For example, the victim may be a hardware element in operation among at least one hardware element (220).

[0097] In operation 602, the processor (210) can identify at least one first antenna among a plurality of antennas (250) that acts as an aggressor. For example, at least one first antenna can act as an aggressor against the victim identified in operation 600. In one embodiment, the processor (210) can identify at least one first antenna based on mapping information stored in memory (330).

[0098] In operation 604, the processor (210) can identify the ratio of uplink symbols among at least one set of symbols based on a control signal (e.g., RRC) received from a base station. A description of the method for identifying the ratio of uplink symbols may be referenced by the description of FIG. 4.

[0099] In operation 606, the processor (210) can identify a first reference strength based on the ratio of uplink symbols among at least one symbol. In one embodiment, the processor (210) can calculate (or identify) the first reference strength based on Equation 1.

[0100] In operation 608, the processor (210) can identify a second reference intensity based on reference intensity information. In one embodiment, the reference intensity information may include pre-specified intensity information to prevent the victim from malfunctioning. In one embodiment, the reference intensity information may be stored in memory (330).

[0101] In one embodiment, operation 606 and operation 608 may be performed simultaneously or sequentially.

[0102] In operation 610, the processor (210) can transmit a wireless signal based on the result of comparing a first reference strength and a second reference strength.

[0103] In one embodiment, when the first reference strength is higher than the second reference strength, the processor (210) can control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on the second reference strength. In this case, the strength of the wireless signal transmitted by the electronic device (200) may be the second reference strength.

[0104] In one embodiment, if the first reference strength is not higher than the second reference strength, the processor (210) may control the wireless communication circuit (240) to generate a wireless signal based on the first reference strength. In this case, the strength of the wireless signal transmitted by the electronic device (200) may be the first reference strength.

[0105] In one embodiment, the processor (210) may transmit a wireless signal using a second antenna, excluding at least one first antenna (e.g., an aggressor) among a plurality of antennas (250). In this case, the processor (210) may control the wireless communication circuit (240) such that the strength of the wireless signal transmitted by the second antenna is based on a third reference strength (e.g., a TAS algorithm). For example, the processor (210) may radiate a wireless signal through at least one first antenna based on a first reference strength or a second reference strength, and radiate a wireless signal through the second antenna based on a third reference strength. At this time, the wireless signal radiated through at least one first antenna may be the same signal or a different signal as the wireless signal radiated through the second antenna.

[0106] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the wireless signal transmission operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0107] For the explanation of FIG. 7, the configurations of FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 may be referenced.

[0108] In operation 700, the wireless communication circuit (240) can perform wireless communication based on the TDD method. The wireless communication of operation 700 may be communication based on the NR standard or the LTE standard.

[0109] In operation 702, the processor (210) can identify the victim among at least one hardware element (220). In one embodiment, the victim may be a hardware element in operation among at least one hardware element (220).

[0110] If no victim is identified (702-NO), the processor (210) can proceed to operation 724.

[0111] In operation 724, the processor (210) may transmit a wireless signal based on a third reference strength. The third reference strength may be based on a TAS algorithm. The TAS algorithm may be an algorithm that uniformly back-offs a specified strength (e.g., 2 dBm) from the time-averaged reference strength.

[0112] If a victim is identified (702-YES), the processor (210) may proceed to operation 704. In operation 704, the processor (210) may identify at least one first antenna acting as an aggressor. In one embodiment, at least one first antenna may act as an aggressor against the victim identified in operation 702.

[0113] If at least one first antenna is not identified (704-NO), the processor (210) can proceed to operation 724.

[0114] If at least one first antenna is identified (704-YES), the processor (210) may proceed to operation 706. In operation 706, the processor (210) may determine whether the radio signal to be transmitted by the electronic device (200) is a designated radio signal. For example, the designated radio signal may be an SRS.

[0115] If the wireless signal to be transmitted is a designated wireless signal (706-YES), the processor (210) may proceed to operation 710. In operation 710, the processor (210) may exclude at least one first antenna from the antenna switching sequence. In one embodiment, the processor (210) may transmit an SRS using a second antenna excluding at least one first antenna among a plurality of antennas (250).

[0116] In one embodiment, after excluding at least one first antenna in the antenna switching sequence, the processor (210) may proceed to operation 724. In operation 724, the processor (210) may transmit a radio signal (e.g., SRS) based on a third reference strength through the second antenna.

[0117] If the wireless signal to be transmitted is not a designated wireless signal (706-NO), the processor (210) may proceed to operation 708. In operation 708, the processor (210) may identify whether the first reference strength is higher than the second reference strength. The description of the first reference strength and the second reference strength may be referenced by the description of FIG. 6.

[0118] If the first reference strength is higher than the second reference strength (708-YES), the processor (210) can proceed to operation 720. In operation 720, the processor (210) can transmit a wireless signal based on the second reference strength.

[0119] If the first reference strength is not higher than the second reference strength (708-NO), the processor (210) may proceed to operation 722. In operation 722, the processor (210) may transmit a wireless signal based on the first reference strength.

Claims

Claim 1 An electronic device comprises at least one hardware element including a circuitry, a wireless communication circuit supporting time division duplexing (TDD) communication, a plurality of antennas, a processor, and a memory electrically connected to the at least one hardware element, the wireless communication circuit, the plurality of antennas, and the processor, and storing reference strength information and instructions associated with the at least one hardware element, wherein when the instructions are executed by the processor, the electronic device determines whether there is a first antenna among the plurality of antennas for transmitting a wireless signal associated with the TDD communication and whether there is a victim associated with the first antenna among the at least one hardware element and currently operating, and if the victim is not present, controls the transmission power of the wireless signal based on a third reference strength based on a Time Averaging Specific Absorption Rate (TAS) algorithm, and if the victim is present, a first reference strength that changes based on the ratio of uplink symbols during a specified time period and a second reference strength associated with the victim identified from the reference strength information. An electronic device for identifying strength and controlling the transmission power of the wireless signal based on the lower value between the first reference strength and the second reference strength. Claim 2 An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, when the instructions are executed by the processor, the electronic device is configured to identify the second reference strength as the strength of the wireless signal when the first reference strength is higher than the second reference strength, and to identify the first reference strength as the strength of the wireless signal when the first reference strength is not higher than the second reference strength. Claim 3 An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the memory further stores mapping information between a victim and an aggressor, and the instructions are configured such that, when executed by the processor, the electronic device identifies a victim associated with the first antenna based on the mapping information. Claim 4 An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one hardware element comprises at least one of a camera interface or a display interface. Claim 5 An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, when the instructions are executed by the processor, the electronic device is configured to transmit the specified wireless signal using a second antenna excluding the first antenna among the plurality of antennas, when the wireless signal is the specified wireless signal and the victim is present. Claim 6 In claim 5, the electronic device wherein the specified wireless signal is an SRS (sounding reference signal). Claim 7 In claim 6, the electronic device wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to control the transmission strength of the SRS based on the time averaging SAR (TAS) algorithm. Claim 8 An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the uplink symbols is obtained from a radio resource control (RRC) signal. Claim 9 delete Claim 10 delete Claim 11 A method of operating an electronic device comprising: determining whether there is a victim associated with and operating among a plurality of antennas, a first antenna for transmitting a wireless signal associated with time division duplexing (TDD) communication, and at least one hardware element; if the victim is not present, controlling the transmission power of the wireless signal based on a third reference strength based on a Time Averaging Specific Absorption Rate (TAS) algorithm; and if the victim is present, identifying a second reference strength associated with the victim identified from reference strength information associated with the at least one hardware element and a first reference strength that changes based on the ratio of uplink symbols during a specified time period, and controlling the transmission power of the wireless signal based on the lower value between the first reference strength and the second reference strength. Claim 12 A method according to claim 11, wherein the operation of controlling the transmission power of the wireless signal based on the lower value between the first reference strength and the second reference strength comprises: an operation of identifying the second reference strength as the strength of the wireless signal when the first reference strength is higher than the second reference strength, and an operation of identifying the first reference strength as the strength of the wireless signal when the first reference strength is not higher than the second reference strength. Claim 13 In claim 11, the operation of determining the existence of the victim includes the operation of identifying the victim based on mapping information between the victim and the aggressor stored in the electronic device. Claim 14 In claim 11, the method wherein at least one hardware element comprises at least one of a camera interface or a display interface. Claim 15 A method according to claim 11, further comprising the operation of transmitting the designated wireless signal using a second antenna excluding the first antenna among the plurality of antennas when the wireless signal is a designated wireless signal and the victim exists. Claim 16 In claim 15, the method wherein the specified wireless signal is a sounding reference signal (SRS). Claim 17 In claim 16, the operation of transmitting the specified wireless signal using the second antenna comprises: controlling the transmission strength of the SRS based on the time averaging SAR (TAS) algorithm. Claim 18 In claim 15, the ratio of the uplink symbols is obtained from a radio resource control (RRC) signal. Claim 19 delete Claim 20 delete

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