Antenna selection method and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to an antenna selection method and electronic equipment. The method comprises: scanning a plurality of antennas, the scanning comprising: measuring a first plurality of received signal qualities of a first antenna of the plurality of antennas; switching to a second antenna in the plurality of antennas, and measuring a second plurality of received signal qualities of the second antenna; and selecting an antenna for communication from the plurality of antennas based at least in part on the first and second plurality of received signal qualities.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communications, and more specifically, to antenna selection methods and electronic devices. Background Technology

[0002] Existing access point equipment typically uses fixed antenna combinations, such as four directional antennas, four omnidirectional antennas, or two directional antennas plus two omnidirectional antennas. Fixed antenna combinations generally involve directly connecting the antenna interfaces of electronic devices (e.g., access point equipment) to directional or omnidirectional antennas, and then placing the connected antennas on different sides of the electronic devices to achieve a certain degree of signal field coverage.

[0003] However, the signal field coverage formed by this fixed antenna combination has poor coverage angles. When the poor coverage angle faces the base station, it will cause a significant increase in the bit error rate and a significant decrease in the data rate. Furthermore, if the electronic equipment is far away from the base station, it may cause frequent network outages. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on the above, this disclosure improves the antenna module of existing electronic devices and provides an antenna selection method suitable for the improved antenna module, an electronic device including the improved antenna module, a storage medium for the antenna selection method, and a computer program product.

[0005] In one aspect, this disclosure provides an antenna selection method comprising: scanning a plurality of antennas, the scanning comprising: measuring a first plurality of received signal qualities of a first antenna among the plurality of antennas; switching to a second antenna among the plurality of antennas and measuring a second plurality of received signal qualities of the second antenna; and selecting an antenna for communication from the plurality of antennas based at least in part on the first and second plurality of received signal qualities.

[0006] In one aspect, this disclosure provides an electronic device comprising: one or more transceivers, at least one of which is connectable to a plurality of antennas; a memory storing instructions; and a processor, which, when executed by the processor, performs an antenna selection method according to embodiments of this disclosure for the plurality of antennas connectable to a transceiver.

[0007] In one aspect, this disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform an antenna selection method according to embodiments of this disclosure.

[0008] In one aspect, this disclosure provides an electronic device including a plurality of antennas and components for implementing steps of an antenna selection method according to embodiments of this disclosure.

[0009] In one aspect, this disclosure provides a computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform an antenna selection method according to embodiments of this disclosure.

[0010] The antenna selection method according to the embodiments of this disclosure measures the received signal quality of one antenna multiple times before switching to another antenna, and then measures the received signal quality of the switched antenna multiple times until all antennas to be selected have been measured. This can reduce the number of antenna switching steps required to complete the measurement of all antennas. Attached Figure Description

[0011] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an existing antenna assembly for an electronic device;

[0013] Figure 2 It is used to show Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary transmitted signal field pattern coverage of an antenna assembly;

[0014] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an antenna assembly of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 4 This is an example flowchart of an antenna selection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an antenna structure used to illustrate an antenna selection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 6 It is to further demonstrate Figure 4 An example flowchart of the steps for selecting an antenna for communication from multiple antennas;

[0018] Figure 7 This is an exemplary overall block diagram illustrating an antenna selection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 8 It is to further demonstrate Figure 7 Example flowchart of the steps for scanning the antenna;

[0020] Figure 9A It is used to show Figure 3 The diagram shows an exemplary signal field pattern coverage of the antenna assembly when applying the antenna selection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 9B It is used to show Figure 3 The diagram illustrates an exemplary transmission rate of an electronic device when the antenna assembly is used in accordance with an antenna selection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of an antenna assembly of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram illustrating yet another example of an antenna assembly of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 12 An example configuration of an electronic device, such as an access point, according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of this disclosure will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of, but not all of, the embodiments of this disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this disclosure without any creative effort are within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0026] In the description of this disclosure, it should be noted that the directions or positional relationships indicated by terms such as “center,” “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “inner,” and “outer” are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the figures and are used only for convenience and simplification of the description of this disclosure, and do not indicate or imply that the indicated device or element must have a specific orientation. Furthermore, terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Similarly, words such as “a,” “an,” or “the” do not represent a limitation of quantity but rather indicate the presence of at least one. Words such as “comprising” or “including” mean that the element or object preceding the word includes those elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Words such as “connected” or “linked” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections but can include direct or indirect electrical connections.

[0027] In the description of this disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, terms such as “installation,” “link,” and “connection” should be interpreted broadly. For example, these terms may refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they may refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they may refer to a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, or a connection within two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0028] Furthermore, the technical features described in the different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined with each other, provided that they do not conflict with each other. Additionally, the accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are simplified for brevity, and therefore may not be exactly the same as actual implementations. For example, device processing delays may be omitted in the figures.

[0029] In this disclosure, an AP, interchangeably referred to as a Wireless Access Point (WAP), is a communication device that can communicate with non-APs (e.g., STAs) in a WLAN via one or more links, and allows non-APs to connect to a wired network. An AP is typically connected to a router as a standalone device (e.g., via a wired network), but can also be integrated into or used within a router. An AP can be a communication device that can communicate with a STA via a single link. An AP can also be a communication device that can communicate with a STA via multiple links. Such an AP can be referred to as an AP Multilink Device (MLD). An AP MLD may include multiple affiliated APs, and a non-AP MLD may include multiple affiliated non-APs. Multiple affiliated APs and multiple affiliated non-APs can operate in frequency bands such as 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz. Each affiliated AP of an AP MLD can simultaneously communicate with each affiliated non-AP of a non-AP MLD via its respective link.

[0030] Similarly, in this disclosure, a non-AP (e.g., a station or terminal, interchangeably referred to as a STA) is a communication device that communicates with an AP via one or more links. An STA can be any device that includes a Media Access Control (MAC) compliant with IEEE 802.11 and a Physical Layer (PHY) interface to the Wireless Media (WM). For example, an STA can be a laptop, desktop personal computer (PC), personal digital assistant (PDA), access point, or Wi-Fi phone in a WLAN environment. STAs can be fixed or mobile. In a WLAN environment, the terms “STA,” “terminal,” “wireless terminal,” “user,” “user equipment” (UE), and “node” are often used interchangeably.

[0031] In this disclosure, a STA in a WLAN can function as an AP in different scenarios, and vice versa. This is because communication devices in an IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) technology environment can include both STA and AP hardware components. In this way, based on the actual WLAN conditions and / or requirements, the communication device can switch between STA mode and AP mode or operate simultaneously in both STA and AP modes.

[0032] In this disclosure, a base station (BS) is an entity that communicates with a UE and / or an access point, and may also be referred to as a node B, gNB, 5G node B (NB), etc. Each BS can provide communication coverage for a specific geographic area. The term "cell" can refer to the coverage area of ​​a BS, a BS subsystem serving that coverage area, or a combination thereof, depending on the context in which the term is used. The terms "eNB," "base station," "NR BS," "gNB," "TRP," "AP," "node B," "5G NB," and "cell" are used interchangeably in this disclosure.

[0033] A Base Station (BS) can provide communication coverage for macrocells, picocells, femtocells, another type of cell, or a combination thereof. A macrocell can cover a relatively large geographic area (e.g., a radius of several kilometers) and can allow unrestricted access for UEs with service subscriptions. A picocell can cover a relatively small geographic area and can allow unrestricted access for UEs with service subscriptions. A femtocell can cover a relatively small geographic area (e.g., a home) and can allow restricted access for UEs associated with that femtocell (e.g., UEs in a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG)). A BS used for a macrocell can be called a macro BS. A BS used for a picocell can be called a pico BS. Cells are not necessarily stationary, and the geographic area of ​​a cell can move depending on the location of the mobile BS. In some examples, BSs can interconnect with each other through various types of backhaul interfaces, such as direct physical connections, virtual networks, or combinations thereof using any suitable transport network.

[0034] As described in the background section, existing electronic devices, such as access point devices, typically use fixed antenna assemblies. Fixed antenna assemblies generally involve directly connecting directional or omnidirectional antennas to the antenna interfaces of the access point device, and then placing the connected antennas on different sides of the access point device to achieve a certain degree of signal field coverage. Figure 1 An example of this is shown. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the existing antenna assembly of the electronic device may include four antenna interfaces (not shown). Each antenna interface can connect to a directional antenna or an omnidirectional antenna, and each antenna, namely antennas 110-140, can be placed on different sides of the electronic device. Antennas 110 and 130 can only be used as receiving antennas, while antennas 120 and 140 can be used as transmitting and receiving antennas.

[0035] Figure 2 It is used to show Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating the exemplary transmitted signal field pattern coverage of an antenna assembly. Figure 2 In the diagram, the curve for directional combination 1 shows... Figure 1Antennas 120 and 140 are directional antennas, and both directional antennas point in a 90° direction to cover the transmitted signal field. The curve of directional combination 2 shows... Figure 1 Antennas 120 and 140 are two directional antennas, both pointing in a 270° direction to cover the transmitted signal field. The curve of directional combination 3 shows... Figure 1 Antenna 120 is a directional antenna pointing in a 90° direction, while antenna 140 is a directional antenna pointing in a 270° direction. The omnidirectional combination of these antennas creates a specific signal field coverage pattern. The curve for this omnidirectional combination is... Figure 1 Antennas 120 and 140 are omnidirectional antennas that transmit signal field coverage.

[0036] from Figure 2 It can be seen that each fixed antenna combination has an angle with poor coverage. For example, directional combination 1 has good coverage in the 90° direction, but poor coverage in the 270° direction; while the coverage range of directional combination 2 is basically the opposite of that of directional combination 1. With fixed antenna combinations, when the signal strength is weak at an angle facing the base station, it will cause a significant increase in the bit error rate and a significant decrease in the data rate. Furthermore, if the electronic equipment equipped with this antenna component is far from the base station, it may cause frequent network outages.

[0037] Based on the above, this disclosure improves the antenna module of existing electronic devices and provides an antenna selection method suitable for the improved antenna module, an electronic device including the improved antenna module, a storage medium for the antenna selection method, and a computer program product. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the antenna module outputs multiple antennas from one antenna interface and selects the antenna with the best signal quality from among the multiple antennas based on scanning, enabling better coverage of the transmitted signal field shape of the antenna assembly at all angles and a more uniform overall field shape coverage. This makes the electronic device network more stable and the speed more consistent.

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an antenna assembly of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 As shown, the antenna assembly of the electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be... Figure 1The antenna interfaces connected to antennas 120 and 140 shown respectively output two directional antennas (which may also be referred to as sub-antennas in this disclosure). The two sub-antennas can be located on different sides of the electronic device and point in different directions. For example, sub-antenna 120-1 can be located on the left side of the electronic device and point at 90°, while sub-antenna 120-2 can be located on the right side of the electronic device and point at 270°; similarly, sub-antenna 140-1 can be located on the left side of the electronic device and point at 90°, while sub-antenna 140-2 can be located on the right side of the electronic device and point at 270°. For two directional antennas output from one antenna interface, an antenna selection module can be used to select one directional antenna for communication according to the antenna selection method of the embodiments of this disclosure, thereby achieving better signal coverage.

[0039] Figure 4 This is an example flowchart of an antenna selection method 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The antenna selection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure selects an antenna for communication from a plurality of antennas by scanning the plurality of antennas (e.g., a full scan, i.e., measuring the received signal quality of each of the plurality of antennas). Exemplarily, the plurality of antennas may be directional antennas, and each antenna may point in a different direction. For example, as... Figure 5 As shown, the antenna selection method according to embodiments of this disclosure can be achieved by... Figure 5 The antennas 510-1 to 510-N shown are scanned, and then the antenna selection module 520 selects an antenna for communication from antennas 510-1 to 510-N based on the scan results. Figure 5 In the example, antenna 510-2 is selected as the antenna for communication and is connected to transceiver 530 of electronic device, thereby enabling communication between electronic device including antennas 510-1 to 510-N and another electronic device (e.g., base station).

[0040] like Figure 4As shown, method 400 can begin at step S410. At step S410, the quality of a first plurality of received signals from a first antenna among a plurality of antennas is measured. Each measurement of the received signal quality may include receiving a signal such as a synchronization signal block (SSB) or tracking reference information (TRS) transmitted by another electronic device, such as a base station, and measuring the quality of the received signal. The received signal quality can be indicated by various metrics, such as one or more of the following: Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), and Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR). The number of measurements can be arbitrary (i.e., the first plurality of received signal qualities can be any number of received signal qualities), and the measurement interval can be several seconds. Through numerous simulations and tests, it has been found that for some electronic devices, such as access point devices like routers, measuring 2 to 5 times (e.g., 3 times) with a measurement interval of 2-4 seconds (e.g., 2 seconds) can obtain relatively accurate measurement data at a faster speed.

[0041] The first antenna can be any one of multiple antennas. In one embodiment, the measurement order of the multiple antennas can be fixed. For example, in Figure 5 In the example, measurements can always be taken in the order of antennas 510-1 to 510-N, regardless of which antenna is currently used for communication. Therefore, in Figure 5 In the example, the first antenna can be antenna 510-1. In another embodiment, the measurement order of multiple antennas can depend on the antenna currently used for communication. Exemplarily, measurements can begin with the antenna currently used for communication. For example, in Figure 5 In the example, the first antenna is the antenna 510-2 currently used for communication.

[0042] Compared to a fixed measurement sequence for antennas, starting measurements from the antenna currently used for communication yields accurate data with fewer switching operations and less latency. This is because, for N antennas, for example... Figure 5 In the diagram, antennas 510-1 to 510-N have different characteristics. If measurements are started from antenna 510-1, and the current communication antenna is 510-2, it's necessary to switch to antenna 510-1 before starting the measurement, requiring N switches to complete the measurements of all antennas. However, if measurements are started directly from antenna 510-2, only N-1 switches are needed to complete the measurements. Furthermore, the link of the current communication antenna is usually in a stable signal state. Therefore, starting measurements from the current communication antenna maximizes the utilization of its stability, increases the accuracy of the data measurements, and improves the confidence level of the first set of measurement data.

[0043] After each measurement by the first antenna, the measured received signal quality can be stored in a structured data queue corresponding to the first antenna, such as a ring buffer of length L. This ring buffer of length L can record a total of L measurement data; measurement data exceeding L will overwrite the oldest data. In addition to the received signal quality, other signal information, such as the signal's frequency band, Physical Cell Identifier (PCI), and signal type, can also be stored together. For example, in an embodiment where the received signal quality is indicated by the RSRP, the measured RSRP of the signal, along with the signal's frequency band, PCI, and signal type, can be stored together in the structured data queue corresponding to the first antenna.

[0044] In step S420, the system switches to the second antenna among the multiple antennas and measures the second plurality of received signal quality of the second antenna. In one embodiment, the measurement of the received signal quality of the second antenna can begin immediately after switching to the second antenna. In another embodiment, the measurement of the received signal quality of the second antenna can begin after waiting for a period of time after switching to the second antenna. This period of time can be the time it takes for the signal of the switched antenna to stabilize after the antenna switch. That is, the waiting period can be the same or different for different antennas. After multiple simulations and tests, it has been found that for some electronic devices, such as access point devices like routers, the signal of the switched antenna stabilizes after waiting for 8-12 seconds (e.g., 10 seconds) after the antenna switch. Similar to the first antenna, after each measurement of the second antenna, the measured received signal quality can be stored in the structured data queue corresponding to the second antenna. When the number of multiple antennas is greater than 2, step S420 can be repeated until the measurement of all antennas is completed. Compared to measuring the received signal quality of an antenna immediately after switching, measuring the received signal quality of an antenna after a certain period of time after switching can filter out transient fluctuations in the RF path, matching network, or receive gain adjustment during antenna switching. This ensures that sampling is based on a completely stable signal state and that signal quality comparisons between antennas are based on the same stable standard, thereby enhancing the reliability of antenna selection results. This is particularly evident in access point devices such as routers.

[0045] At step S430, an antenna for communication is selected from the plurality of antennas, at least in part based on the first and second plurality of received signal qualities. Exemplarily, this can be achieved through... Figure 6 The method shown is used to select an antenna for communication from the plurality of antennas.

[0046] like Figure 6 As shown, selecting an antenna for communication from the plurality of antennas may include Figure 6Steps S432, S434, and S436 are shown. In step S432, for each of the plurality of antennas, a predetermined number of received signal qualities are selected. Each of these predetermined number of received signal qualities corresponds to a signal with the same frequency band, PCI, and signal type. For example, the frequency band, PCI, and signal type may be the frequency band, PCI, and signal type of the last measured signal. That is, the frequency band, PCI, and signal type of each of the predetermined number of received signal qualities are consistent with the frequency band, PCI, and signal type of the last measured signal. The predetermined number may be the same as or less than the number of measurements of the received signal quality of each antenna during the scan.

[0047] Regarding the selection of a predetermined number of received signal qualities, in one embodiment, a predetermined number of received signal qualities can be selected from multiple received signal qualities for each antenna. In another embodiment, when a predetermined number of signal qualities with the same frequency band, PCI, and signal type cannot be selected from the multiple received signal qualities for each antenna, selection can also be made from previously measured received signal qualities stored in memory. That is, a predetermined number of recently stored received signal qualities with the same frequency band, PCI, and signal type can be selected from the structured data queue corresponding to each antenna.

[0048] Then, the antenna with the best signal quality can be selected from the plurality of antennas based on the predetermined number of received signal qualities and used as the antenna for communication. This may include, at step S434, determining whether there are candidate antennas among the plurality of antennas that satisfy at least one of the following conditions: each of the predetermined number of received signal qualities of the antennas is greater than the corresponding received signal quality of the antenna currently used for communication among the plurality of antennas (hereinafter referred to as "candidate antenna condition 1"); and the weighted average of the predetermined number of received signal qualities of the antennas is greater than the weighted average of the predetermined number of received signal qualities of the antenna currently used for communication by a predetermined value (hereinafter referred to as "candidate antenna condition 2").

[0049] In other words, in one embodiment, a candidate antenna only needs to satisfy candidate antenna condition 1. The corresponding received signal quality involved in candidate antenna condition 1 refers to the received signal quality at the same position when a predetermined number of received signal qualities of each antenna are ordered chronologically by measurement time. For example, suppose the received signal quality of each antenna in N antennas, ordered chronologically by measurement time, for a predetermined number P, is: Q np n=1, 2 … N, p=1, 2 … P, and the larger p is, the better Q is. np The earlier the measurement time; the antenna currently used for communication is antenna C; then the received signal quality Q of antenna i is... ipLet i = 1, 2, ..., C-1, C+1, ..., N, and the received signal quality of the antenna currently used for communication be Q. Ci In other words, in the embodiment where an antenna satisfying candidate antenna condition 1 is used as a candidate antenna, the candidate antenna x satisfies the following equation (1):

[0050] (R x1 >R C1 ) && (R x2 >R C2 ) && (R x3 >R C3 … && (R) xP >R CP (Equation 1)

[0051] Here, && represents logical AND.

[0052] In another embodiment, the candidate antenna only needs to satisfy candidate antenna condition 2. Regarding the weighting operation involved in candidate antenna condition 2, in one embodiment, the weights of each received signal quality can be the same. In another embodiment, the weights of each received signal quality can be different, for example, they can be negatively correlated with the measurement time of the received signal quality. That is, the most recently measured received signal quality corresponds to the largest weight, and the first measured received signal quality corresponds to the smallest weight. In this way, the weighted average of the received signal quality can better reflect the current communication environment of the network. In the embodiment where the antenna satisfying candidate antenna condition 2 is used as the candidate antenna and under the above assumptions related to candidate antenna condition 1, the candidate antenna y satisfies the following equation (2):

[0053] (a1*R y1 +a2*R y2 +… +aP*R yP ) - (a1*R C1 +a2*R C2 +… +aP*R CP ) > th (Equation 2)

[0054] Where a1, a2 … aP are non-negative numbers, and a1 + a2 + … + aP equals 1, and th is a non-negative number.

[0055] In another embodiment, the candidate antenna needs to satisfy both candidate antenna conditions 1 and 2. That is, in this embodiment, only antennas that satisfy both of the above equations (1) and (2) can be used as candidate antennas.

[0056] Regarding the predetermined value in candidate antenna condition 2, i.e., th in Equation 2, in one embodiment, it can be a fixed value. For example, in an embodiment where the received signal quality is indicated by RSRP, the predetermined value can be any value selected from 3dBm to 6dBm. In another embodiment, it can be a variable value. For example, the predetermined value can be determined based on the measured received signal quality (e.g., the maximum weighted average of the weighted averages of the received signal quality of multiple antennas). For example, the predetermined value can be negatively correlated with the measured received signal quality. More specifically, the predetermined value can be a first predetermined value when the maximum weighted average is less than a first value, a second predetermined value when the maximum weighted average is greater than a second value, and a negatively correlated (e.g., linearly negatively correlated) relationship with the maximum weighted average when the maximum weighted average is within the range of the second and first values. For example, in an embodiment where the received signal quality is indicated by RSRP, the predetermined value is determined according to the following formula:

[0057] (Equation 3)

[0058] in, Let r represent the predetermined value, where r represents the maximum weighted average of the weighted averages of the received signal quality from a predetermined number of antennas. , , and It is an integer. , Furthermore, the unit of each parameter in the above formula is dBm.

[0059] , , and It can be determined through simulation or testing based on the type and performance of the electronic equipment and / or antenna, etc. For example, in one embodiment, It is 3. It is 6. -60, The value is -140. This should be understood. , , and The specific value is merely an example and not a limitation of this disclosure.

[0060] In this disclosure, candidate antenna conditions 1 and 2 do not simply require that the received signal quality of the candidate antenna be higher than that of the antenna currently used for communication, but rather require that the received signal quality of the candidate antenna be higher than that of the antenna currently used for communication by a certain degree. For example, candidate antenna condition 1 requires that the received signal quality of the candidate antenna be continuously higher than that of the antenna currently used for communication for a period of time, and candidate antenna condition 2 requires that the weighted average of the received signal quality of the candidate antenna be higher than a predetermined value of the weighted average of the received signal quality of the antenna currently used for communication. This allows the selected candidate antenna to substantially improve the communication quality of the electronic device while avoiding frequent handovers due to signal fluctuations.

[0061] return Figure 6 In step S436, in response to the presence of the candidate antennas, an antenna for communication is selected from the candidate antennas. In one embodiment, the antenna for communication can be randomly selected from the candidate antennas. In another embodiment, the antenna with the best weighted signal quality among the candidate antennas can be selected. If no candidate antennas exist, it can be determined that the antenna currently used for communication will continue to be used for communication. That is, the antenna currently used for communication among multiple antennas is selected as the antenna for communication in this scan.

[0062] After selecting an antenna for communication, if the selected antenna differs from the currently used antenna, communication is switched to the selected antenna. Additionally, antenna switching can be prohibited for a predetermined period after the switch. For example, antenna scanning can be prohibited for the predetermined period, or antenna scanning can be allowed to reselect the antenna for communication, but switching is prohibited if the selected antenna differs from the currently used antenna. This predetermined period can be any time period, such as 10 seconds.

[0063] Furthermore, the predetermined time period can be extended with the number of consecutive switches. For example, the extended predetermined time period can be determined by the following formula:

[0064] (Equation 4)

[0065] in, The term represents the extended predetermined time period, where t represents the predetermined time period (e.g., 10 seconds as exemplified above), and n represents the number of consecutive switches.

[0066] To better understand this, a specific example of the extension of a predetermined time period will be given below. In this example, suppose an antenna for communication is selected from two antennas: antenna 1 and antenna 2. The first scan selects antenna 1 for communication, and the second scan selects antenna 2 for communication. Then, the antenna for communication will be switched from antenna 1 to antenna 2, and antenna switching will be prohibited for a predetermined time period t after this switch. Subsequently, if the first scan after the predetermined time period t (i.e., the third scan) selects antenna 1 for communication, meaning the antenna selection sequence that could cause an antenna switch is: antenna 1-antenna 2-antenna 1, then this antenna selection sequence causes two consecutive switches. Therefore, the predetermined time period for prohibiting antenna switching will be extended to 2t. That is, antenna switching is prohibited for the time period 2t after the antenna for communication is switched from antenna 2 to antenna 1. Similarly, if the first scan after a predetermined time period of 2t (i.e., the 4th scan) selects antenna 2 as the antenna for communication, meaning the antenna selection sequence that could cause antenna switching is: antenna 1-antenna 2-antenna 1-antenna 2, then this antenna selection sequence causes 3 consecutive switchings. Therefore, the predetermined time period during which antenna switching is prohibited will be extended to 3t. However, if the 4th scan selects antenna 1 as the antenna for communication, meaning the antenna selection sequence that could cause antenna switching is: antenna 1-antenna 2-antenna 1-antenna 1, then since the selected antenna is the same as the current antenna used for communication, no antenna switching is required. Furthermore, since the two scans that could cause antenna switching selected the same antenna, the extended predetermined time period can be reset to t. That is, subsequently, if the 5th scan selects antenna 2 as the antenna for communication, meaning the antenna selection sequence that could cause antenna switching is: antenna 1-antenna 2-antenna 1-antenna 1-antenna 2, then antenna switching is prohibited for the predetermined time period t after the antenna used for communication is switched from antenna 1 to antenna 2.

[0067] Compared to a fixed predetermined time period during which antenna switching is prohibited, a predetermined time period that extends with the number of consecutive switching events can dynamically suppress high-frequency switching behavior, thereby balancing the stability and response speed of antenna switching.

[0068] The scanning described above can be periodically triggered or conditionally triggered. The triggering condition can be a change in the communication environment. In a conditionally triggered embodiment, the antenna selection method of the fundamentally disclosed embodiment may further include: periodically measuring the received signal quality of the antenna used for communication; and triggering a scan to reselect the antenna used for communication in response to at least one of the following: a change in at least one of the frequency band, PCI, and type of the received signal, and a change in the measured received signal quality relative to a reference received signal quality greater than a first received signal quality threshold multiple times consecutively. The measurement period can be arbitrary, for example, measuring with a period of 10 seconds. Multiple times consecutively can be any number of times consecutively, for example, three times consecutively. In one embodiment, the reference received signal quality can be determined based on multiple measurements of the received signal quality when the antenna is used for communication. For example, in Figure 5 In the example, if antenna 510-2 is selected as the antenna for communication in a single scan, then multiple received signal quality measurements taken for antenna 510-2 during that scan can be used to determine a reference received signal quality for antenna 510-2. For example, the last received signal quality measured for antenna 510-2 in this scan can be used as the reference received signal quality. As another example, the weighted average of the received signal qualities of antenna 510-2 described above can be used as the reference received signal quality.

[0069] In the above-described condition-triggered scanning embodiments, network fluctuations that may affect the entire system's antennas can be determined by monitoring only the received signals of the antennas used for communication. This can reduce unnecessary handovers and avoid disturbances to the communication link. Furthermore, by considering the multidimensional characteristics of the signal (i.e., signal bandwidth, PCI, type, and received signal quality, etc.) in the scanning trigger conditions, the stability of the currently camped cell can be locked through multidimensional characteristics, and local signal disturbances (e.g., changes in the received signal quality of a single antenna can indicate local signal disturbances) can be distinguished from global channel changes (e.g., changes in signal bandwidth, PCI, and type can indicate global channel changes). This provides objective and quantifiable indicators for triggering the scan.

[0070] Furthermore, the method according to embodiments of this disclosure can also determine whether an antenna used for communication is faulty. For example, a faulty antenna can be determined in response to the following condition: the received signal quality of the antenna used for communication changes more than a second received signal quality threshold consecutively multiple times, while the received signal quality changes of other antennas used for communication do not exceed the second received signal quality threshold consecutively multiple times. The second received signal quality threshold is greater than the first received signal quality threshold. Antenna faults may include: changes in the physical characteristics of the antenna body, such as: loose solder joints, changes in feeder loss, poor tuning, antenna damage, poor contact of sub-antennas, open / short circuit of the antenna, etc.; or abnormalities in the antenna path or switching devices. After determining that an antenna is faulty, an alarm can be issued so that the faulty antenna can be replaced in a timely manner. In addition, the faulty antenna may not be scanned in subsequent scans.

[0071] Figure 7 This is an exemplary overall block diagram illustrating an antenna selection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7 As shown, the antenna selection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can begin at step S710. At step S710, the antenna is scanned. Figure 8 The specific steps of the scan are shown. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the scan can begin at step S710-1. At step S710-1, the received signal quality of the antenna currently used for communication is measured. At step S710-2, it is determined whether the number of measurements of the received signal quality of the antenna currently used for communication has reached a predetermined number. If the number of measurements has not reached the predetermined number, a first time period (e.g., 3 seconds) is waited for (S710-3). Afterwards, the method returns to step S710-1. If the number of measurements has reached the predetermined number, the method switches to another antenna (S710-4), and after waiting for a second time period (e.g., 10 seconds) (S710-5), the received signal quality of the other antenna is measured (S710-6). Afterwards, the method proceeds to step S710-7. At step S710-7, it is determined whether the number of measurements of the received signal quality of the other antenna has reached the predetermined number. If the number of measurements has not reached the predetermined number, after waiting for a first time period (S710-8), the method returns to step S710-6. If the number of measurements has reached the predetermined number, the method proceeds to step S710-9. At step S710-9, is it determined whether the measurements of all antennas have been completed? If the measurements of all antennas have not been completed, the method returns to step S710-4. If the measurements of all antennas have been completed, the method proceeds to... Figure 7 Step S720.

[0072] return Figure 7In step S720, an antenna for communication is selected based on the scan results. Communication is then performed using the antenna selected in step S720. During communication, the antenna used for communication is monitored (S730), and it is determined whether at least one of the frequency band, PCI, and signal type of the signal received by the antenna has changed (S740). If a change is determined, the method returns to step S710, triggering a scan. If no change is determined, it is determined whether the change in the received signal quality of the antenna relative to the reference received signal quality is greater than a first received signal quality threshold (S750). If it is determined that it is not greater than the first received signal quality threshold, the method returns to step S730. If it is determined that it is greater than the first received signal quality threshold, it is determined whether the change in the received signal quality relative to the reference received signal quality is greater than the first received signal quality threshold multiple times consecutively (e.g., 3 times consecutively) (S760). If it is determined that the change is not greater than the first received signal quality threshold multiple times consecutively, the method returns to step S730. If it is determined that the change is greater than the first received signal quality threshold multiple times consecutively, the method returns to step S710.

[0073] In the above text, this disclosure combines Figures 4-8An antenna selection method according to embodiments of the present disclosure is described. According to the antenna selection method of embodiments of the present disclosure, the received signal quality of one antenna is measured multiple times before switching to another antenna. The received signal quality of the switched antenna is then measured multiple times until all antennas to be selected have been measured. This reduces the number of antenna switches required to complete the measurements of all antennas. Furthermore, after antenna switching, the received signal quality is not measured immediately, but rather after a certain period of time. This filters out transient fluctuations in the RF path, matching network, or receive gain adjustment during antenna switching, ensuring that sampling is based on a completely stable signal state and that signal quality comparisons between antennas are based on the same stable standard, thereby enhancing the reliability of the antenna selection results. After determining the antenna for communication, the method enters a monitoring mode, i.e., by monitoring the signal of the antenna used for communication, it determines whether an antenna scan needs to be triggered to reselect the antenna for communication. Using the monitoring mode, network fluctuations that may affect all antennas in the system can be judged by monitoring only the received signal of the antenna used for communication, reducing unnecessary switching and avoiding disturbances to the communication link. Furthermore, by considering the multidimensional characteristics of the signal (i.e., signal bandwidth, PCI, type, and received signal quality, etc.) in the scanning trigger conditions, the stability of the currently camped cell can be locked through multidimensional characteristics, and local signal disturbances can be distinguished from global channel changes, thus providing objective and quantifiable indicators for triggering scanning. After antenna switching, a predetermined time period is set to prohibit further antenna switching, and this predetermined time period can be extended with the number of consecutive switchings. This can achieve dynamic suppression of high-frequency switching behavior, thereby balancing the stability and response speed of antenna switching. Tests show that the antenna selection method according to the embodiments of this disclosure can effectively reduce the false handover rate, reduce system resource consumption, and significantly improve link stability and performance in complex wireless environments.

[0074] Figure 9A It is used to show Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the signal field coverage of the antenna assembly when an antenna selection method according to an embodiment of this disclosure is applied. From... Figure 9A It can be seen that all fixed antenna combinations have relatively weak coverage at certain angles, such as directional combination 1 (i.e., Figure 1 Antennas 120 and 140 both point in a 90° direction), with good coverage in the 90° area and significantly weaker coverage in the 270° area; directional combination 2 (i.e., Figure 1 If antennas 120 and 140 both point in the 270° direction, then the opposite is true. The variable combination of antenna selection methods according to embodiments of the present disclosure can achieve better coverage at all angles and more uniform overall field coverage, which makes electronic devices more stable in networking and the speed more stable.

[0075] Figure 9BIt is used to show Figure 3 The diagram illustrates an exemplary transmission rate of an electronic device when the antenna assembly is used with an antenna selection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 9B In the middle, two transmitting antenna pairs represent Figure 3 In the antenna assembly shown, antenna pairs (120-1, 120-2) and (140-1, 140-2) are both used as transmitting antennas, and according to the antenna selection method of this disclosure, one antenna is selected from each of antenna pairs (120-1, 120-2) and (140-1, 140-2) for communication. A transmitting antenna pair represents... Figure 3 In the antenna assembly shown, only one pair of antennas in the antenna pairs (120-1, 120-2) and (140-1, 140-2) is used, for example, antenna pair (120-1, 120-2) is used as the transmitting antenna, and according to the antenna selection method of this disclosure, one antenna is selected from antenna pair (120-1, 120-2) for communication. Figure 9B It can be seen that, regardless of whether there are two transmitting antenna pairs or one transmitting antenna pair, the transmission rate of the electronic device does not show a significant dip, indicating that the antenna switching involved in the antenna selection method disclosed herein has no significant impact on the transmission rate of the electronic device.

[0076] Furthermore, both laboratory tests and real-world road tests demonstrate that electronic devices can significantly improve transmission rates when using the antenna selection method according to this disclosure. Table 1 shows the laboratory test results, and Table 2 shows the real-world road test results.

[0077]

[0078] Table 1

[0079] *The attenuation of the base station signal is used to simulate the distance of the electronic device relative to the base station. A 20dB attenuation simulates a distance of 300 meters between the electronic device and the base station, a 30dB attenuation simulates a distance of 500 meters between the electronic device and the base station, and a 40dB attenuation simulates a distance of 1300 meters between the electronic device and the base station.

[0080]

[0081] Table 2

[0082] *The midpoint indicates that the electronic device is 500 meters away from the base station, and the far point indicates that the electronic device is 1300 meters away from the base station.

[0083] In addition, and Figure 3 Compared to the example antenna assembly shown, better field coverage at finer angles or at specific angles can be achieved by changing the layout of the antennas connected to the antenna interface, increasing the number of antenna interfaces that can connect multiple antennas, or increasing the number of antennas connected to each antenna interface. Figure 10 and Figure 11 Two examples are shown. Figure 3 same, Figure 10 and Figure 11 The two examples shown are based on Figure 1 Antenna components.

[0084] like Figure 10 As shown, it can be seen from Figure 1 Two antennas, antennas 120-1 and 120-2, are connected from the antenna interface of antenna 120. Figure 1 Two antennas, antenna 140-1 and 140-2, are connected from the antenna interface of antenna 140. Antennas 110, 120-1, 120-2, 130, 140-1, and 140-2 can be arranged as follows: Figure 10 As shown. Antennas 110 and 130 are omnidirectional antennas, while antennas 120-1, 120-2, 140-1, and 140-2 are directional antennas, pointing towards 0°. Figure 10 When antennas 120-1 and 120-2 and antennas 140-1 and 140-2 in the antenna assembly shown are selected for communication using the antenna selection method according to embodiments of the present disclosure, relatively stable coverage at 90° and 270° can be achieved, and... Figure 9A Compared to the field coverage diagram shown by the variable combination, a better field coverage can be achieved at angles such as 315°, 0°, and 45°.

[0085] like Figure 11 As shown, it can be seen from Figure 1 Each antenna connector of antennas 110, 120, 130, and 140 leads to two antennas. The connected antennas 110-1, 110-2, 120-1, 120-2, 130-1, 130-2, 140-1, and 140-2 can be arranged as follows: Figure 11 As shown. Antennas 110-1 and 130-1 are directional antennas, pointing towards 0°; antennas 120-1 and 140-1 are directional antennas, pointing towards 90°; antennas 110-2 and 130-2 are directional antennas, pointing towards 180°; antennas 120-2 and 140-2 are directional antennas, pointing towards 270°. Figure 11When antennas 110-1 and 110-2, 120-1 and 120-2, 130-1 and 130-2, and 140-1 and 140-2 in the antenna assembly shown are selected for communication using the antenna selection method according to embodiments of the present disclosure, excellent 360° overall field shape coverage can be achieved.

[0086] In the foregoing, this disclosure combines Figures 4-8 An antenna selection method according to embodiments of the present disclosure is described, and in conjunction with Figure 3 , Figure 10 and 11 Specific examples of antenna assemblies according to embodiments of this disclosure are described. It should be understood that, in conjunction with... Figure 3 , Figure 10 and 11 The antenna components described are merely examples and not intended to limit this disclosure. For example, although in Figure 3 , Figure 10 and 11 In the present disclosure, two antennas are connected from each antenna interface; however, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, more than two antennas can be connected from each antenna interface. In the following, the present disclosure will be combined with… Figure 12 This disclosure describes electronic devices (e.g., communication devices), computer-readable storage media, and computer program products according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0087] Figure 12 An example configuration of an electronic device 1200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The electronic device 1200 may include a processor, i.e., a central processing unit (CPU) 1230, and at least one memory 1240. Additionally, the electronic device 1200 may also include a transceiver 1210 and at least two antennas 1220-1 and 1220-2 (for simplicity, in...). Figure 12(Only one transceiver and two antennas are shown in the diagram). Memory 1240 can store instructions. Transceiver 1210 can transmit / receive signals on a channel via antennas 1220-1 or 1220-2. Processor 1230 can be configured to execute the instructions stored in memory 1240 to perform the antenna selection method described in this disclosure (e.g., method 400). For example, processor 1230 can be configured to: scan a plurality of antennas, the scan including: measuring a first plurality of received signal qualities of a first antenna among the plurality of antennas; switching to a second antenna among the plurality of antennas and measuring a second plurality of received signal qualities of the second antenna; and selecting an antenna for communication from the plurality of antennas based at least in part on the first and second plurality of received signal qualities. Furthermore, processor 1230 can also be configured to execute the above-referenced instructions. Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 Other operations described are acceptable as long as there are no contradictions between them.

[0088] It should be understood that Figure 12 The configuration of the electronic device described herein is merely an example and not a limitation. The configuration of the electronic device in this disclosure may include more than Figure 12 The components may have more or fewer components. That is, this disclosure provides an electronic device comprising: one or more transceivers, at least one of which is connectable to multiple antennas; a memory storing instructions; and a processor, which, when executed by the processor, performs an antenna selection method according to embodiments of this disclosure for multiple antennas connectable to a transceiver.

[0089] Furthermore, this disclosure also provides a communication apparatus comprising a plurality of antennas and components for implementing an antenna selection method (e.g., method 400) according to any embodiment of this disclosure. Exemplarily, the communication apparatus may include: components (also referred to as a scanning module) for scanning the plurality of antennas, the scanning including: measuring a first plurality of received signal qualities of a first antenna among the plurality of antennas; switching to a second antenna among the plurality of antennas and measuring a second plurality of received signal qualities of the second antenna; and components (also referred to as an antenna selection module) for selecting an antenna for communication from the plurality of antennas based at least in part on the first and second plurality of received signal qualities.

[0090] Furthermore, this disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform an antenna selection method (e.g., method 400) according to embodiments of this disclosure.

[0091] Furthermore, this disclosure also provides a computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform an antenna selection method (e.g., method 400) according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0092] This disclosure has now been combined with Figures 3-12 Antenna selection methods, electronic devices, machine-readable storage media, and computer program products according to embodiments of the present disclosure are described. The antenna selection method according to embodiments of the present disclosure performs multiple measurements of the received signal quality of one antenna before switching to another antenna, and then performs multiple measurements of the received signal quality of the switched antenna until all antennas to be selected have been measured. This reduces the number of antenna switching operations required to complete the measurements of all antennas. Furthermore, instead of immediately measuring the received signal quality of the antenna after switching, a period of time is waited before measuring the received signal quality. This filters out transient fluctuations in the RF path, matching network, or receive gain adjustment during antenna switching, ensuring that sampling is based on a completely stable signal state and that signal quality comparisons between antennas are based on the same stable standard, thereby enhancing the reliability of the antenna selection results.

[0093] It should be noted that the above description is merely some embodiments of this disclosure and an explanation of the technical principles used. For example, the formulas involved in this disclosure are merely examples and not limitations. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of disclosure involved in this disclosure is not limited to technical solutions formed by specific combinations of the above-described technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by arbitrary combinations of the above-described technical features or their equivalent features without departing from the above-described disclosure concept. For example, technical solutions formed by substituting the above features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in this disclosure.

[0094] Furthermore, while the operations are described in a specific order, this should not be construed as requiring these operations to be performed in the specific order shown or in a sequential order. In certain environments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Similarly, while several specific implementation details are included in the above discussion, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure. Certain features described in the context of individual embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple embodiments.

[0095] Although the subject matter has been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological logic, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are merely illustrative examples of implementing the claims.

Claims

1. An antenna selection method, comprising: Scanning multiple antennas, the scanning includes: Measure the quality of the first plurality of received signals from the first antenna in a plurality of antennas; Switching to the second antenna among the plurality of antennas, measuring the second plurality of received signal quality of the second antenna; and The antenna for communication is selected from the plurality of antennas based at least in part on the quality of the first and second plurality of received signals.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Selecting the antenna for communication from the plurality of antennas includes: For each of the multiple antennas, a predetermined number of received signal qualities are selected, wherein the frequency band, physical cell identifier (PCI), and signal type of each of the predetermined number of received signal qualities are consistent. Determine whether there exists a candidate antenna among the plurality of antennas that satisfies at least one of the following conditions: Each of the predetermined number of received signal qualities of the antennas is greater than the corresponding received signal quality of the antenna currently used for communication among the plurality of antennas; The weighted average of the received signal quality of a predetermined number of antennas is greater than the weighted average of the received signal quality of the predetermined number of antennas currently used for communication by a predetermined value; and In response to the presence of the candidate antennas, an antenna for communication is selected from the candidate antennas.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting a predetermined number of received signal qualities for each antenna includes: Choose from its multiple received signal qualities and stored previously measured received signal qualities.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The predetermined value is determined based on the maximum weighted average of the weighted averages of the received signal quality of the multiple antennas.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein: When the maximum weighted average is less than a first value, the predetermined value is the first predetermined value. When the maximum weighted average is greater than the second value, the predetermined value is the second predetermined value, and When the maximum weighted mean is within the range of the second value and the first value, the predetermined value is negatively correlated with the maximum weighted mean.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The quality of the received signal of the antenna used for communication is measured periodically; as well as The scan is triggered to reselect the antenna for communication in response to at least one of the following: The frequency band, physical cell identifier (PCI), and type of the received signal change, and The measured change in received signal quality relative to the reference received signal quality exceeded the first received signal quality threshold multiple times consecutively. The reference received signal quality is determined based on multiple received signal qualities of the antenna used for communication.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: The communication antenna is determined to have malfunctioned in response to the following condition being met. The received signal quality of the antenna used for communication changes more than a second received signal quality threshold multiple times consecutively, relative to the reference received signal quality. The changes in the received signal quality of other antennas used for communication relative to their respective reference received signal quality did not exceed the second received signal quality threshold multiple times consecutively. Wherein, the second received signal quality threshold is greater than the first received signal quality threshold.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: In response to the fact that the selected antenna for communication is different from the currently used antenna for communication, the system switches to the selected antenna for communication. as well as Antenna switching is prohibited during the predetermined time period following the switch.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The predetermined time period extends with the number of consecutive switching cycles.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first antenna is the one currently used for communication.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the second plurality of received signal qualities of the second antenna comprises: After switching to the second antenna and waiting for a period of time, the quality of the second plurality of received signals from the second antenna is measured.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The second plurality of received signal qualities are P received signal qualities, the time period is Q seconds, where P is an integer selected from 2 to 5, and Q is an integer selected from 8 to 12.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The multiple antennas are directional antennas, and each antenna points in a different direction.

14. An electronic device comprising: One or more transceivers, at least one of which may be connected to multiple antennas; Memory for storing instructions, and processor, When executed by the processor, the instructions perform the method according to any one of claims 1-13 for multiple antennas that can be connected to a transceiver.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the method according to any one of claims 1-13.

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