Antenna Tuner Control Using Guard Intervals for Stable Throughput

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing antenna tuner control methods fail to determine the optimal timing for adjusting the matching state, leading to potential decreases in communication throughput and interruptions during adjustments.

Innovation Solution

An antenna tuner control circuit that adjusts frequency characteristics during a designated boundary time in communication symbols, utilizing power control information from a base station, and includes a directional coupler and signal strength indicators to prevent communication disruptions by selecting the best matching state.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the antenna tuner adjusts frequency characteristics continuously, then the antenna matching state is optimized, but communication throughput decreases and communication may be interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantenna matching stateVSAvoidcommunication throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by adjusting the antenna tuner's frequency characteristics only during predetermined boundary times (guard intervals) before actual communication begins. The control circuit predicts optimal frequency characteristics in advance and prepares the antenna tuner during the guard interval, so that when communication starts, the antenna is already optimally matched without interrupting the communication flow. This resolves the contradiction by optimizing matching beforehand rather than during active communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the antenna tuner adjusts frequency characteristics during communication, then the antenna matching state is optimized, but communication is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantenna matching stateVSAvoidcommunication stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The control circuit performs frequency characteristic adjustments during guard intervals before communication symbols begin. By predicting and preparing the optimal frequency characteristics in advance during the guard interval, the antenna tuner is ready for immediate communication without mid-communication disruptions, thus maintaining communication stability while achieving optimal matching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent ensures continuous communication by performing all antenna tuner adjustments during guard intervals and eliminating the need for adjustments during active communication symbols. The antenna tuner operates continuously at its predicted optimal frequency characteristics throughout the communication symbol duration, ensuring uninterrupted and stable communication while maintaining optimal matching state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS10333572B2Antenna tuner control circuit, front-end circuit and communication device

Publication Date: 2019.06.25 MURATA MFG CO LTD

AI summary

There are provided an antenna, an antenna tuner configured to adjust frequency characteristics of the antenna, and a control circuit configured to change frequency characteristics of the antenna tuner in a boundary time set for a unit of time of communication. For example, after matching indicators based on VSWRs and received signal strength indicators based on RSSIs have been acquired in a plurality of times of communication space time, the antenna tuner is put into an optimum mode. This suppresses the decrease in communication throughput caused by the adjustment of the antenna tuner and suppresses the interruption of communication at the time of adjustment of the antenna tuner.