Wireless Device Transmit Antenna Gain Determination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless devices face challenges in accurately determining transmit antenna gain and spatial mode, especially when the receive antenna is not physically located near the transmit antenna, leading to inaccurate power adjustments due to path loss and shadowing effects.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a method using a main receive antenna, a diversity receive antenna, and sensors like proximity, orientation, and accelerometer data to calculate the difference in receive signal strengths, determine a correction factor, and estimate the spatial mode, thereby accurately determining the transmit antenna gain and adjusting power levels accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the receive antenna is physically located near the transmit antenna, then the estimation technique works well, but the device complexity increases and space is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmit path loss estimation accuracyVSAvoidantenna configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a diversity receive antenna as an intermediary element positioned between the main receive antenna and the transmit antenna. This diversity antenna receives signals that are less affected by shadowing from the user's hand, acting as a mediator to provide more accurate path loss estimation without requiring the main receive antenna to be physically near the transmit antenna.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the spatial parameter (physical location) of the receive antenna from being near the transmit antenna to being positioned elsewhere in the device, compensated by introducing a correction factor based on diversity antenna measurements to maintain estimation accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If the receive antenna is not physically located near the transmit antenna, then the device complexity is reduced, but the transmit path loss estimation becomes inaccurate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantenna configuration complexityVSAvoidtransmit path loss estimation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors signal strength measurements from both the main receive antenna and the diversity receive antenna, using this feedback to calculate correction factors that compensate for the increased device complexity and maintain accurate path loss estimation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The diversity receive antenna serves as an intermediary measurement point that provides alternative signal path information, enabling accurate path loss estimation even when the main receive antenna is not optimally positioned near the transmit antenna.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the user changes grip on the cellular phone, then the spatial mode changes affecting signal strength, but the transmit power adjustment becomes inaccurate without correction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespatial mode adaptabilityVSAvoidtransmit power adjustment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic correction factor that adapts to changing spatial modes (user grip positions). The system continuously adjusts the correction factor based on real-time measurements from the diversity antenna, allowing the transmit power adjustment to remain accurate even as the user changes their grip on the device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Use of energy by moving object

If transmit power is adjusted without accurate path loss measurement, then the power delivery is inefficient, but implementing accurate measurement increases device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmit power efficiencyVSAvoidmeasurement system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The diversity receive antenna serves the dual purpose of enabling accurate path loss measurement while also being part of the normal receive diversity function. This self-service approach allows the system to achieve accurate power adjustment without adding separate dedicated measurement hardware, thereby reducing the net increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10028234B2Methods and apparatus for determining a transmit antenna gain and a spatial mode of a device

Publication Date: 2018.07.17 GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

Methods and apparatus for determining a transmit antenna gain and a spatial mode of a wireless device (100) are disclosed. The apparatus (100) includes a main receive antenna (112) associated with a first receive signal strength, a diversity receive antenna (114) associated with a second receive signal strength, and a transmit antenna (116). Each of the antennas (112, 114, and 116) is operatively coupled to a controller (102). The controller (102) determines (i) a difference between the first receive signal strength and the second receive signal strength, (ii) a correction factor based on the difference, and (iii) the transmit antenna gain based on the correction factor. In addition, the difference between the first receive signal strength and the second receive signal strength may be used, along with other sensor data (e.g., accelerometer), to estimate the spatial mode (e.g., orientation and hand grip) of the device (100). This spatial mode estimation may be then be used, among other things, to more accurately determine transmit antenna gain.