WLAN Module Repurposing for Multi-SIM WWAN Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently supporting multiple subscriber identity modules (SIMs) without increasing the cost and complexity by adding additional antennas and modules, as each additional SIM requires separate receive and transmit chains, which is costly and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
The system repurposes components within the user equipment's (UE) wireless local area network (WLAN) module to support additional wide area network (WWAN) signals, allowing the UE to reuse existing antennas and modules by processing WWAN communications with a combination of WWAN and WLAN transceivers, including RF frontend components, low noise amplifiers, down-converters, filters, and digital converters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional SIMs are supported by adding separate receive and transmit chains, then the device can communicate with multiple networks simultaneously, but the cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling the WLAN module to process WWAN signals in addition to its traditional WLAN function. The WLAN module's receive and transmit chains are configured to handle both WLAN and WWAN communications, allowing a single device to support multiple SIMs without adding dedicated hardware chains for each SIM. This resolves the contradiction by making existing components universal rather than dedicated to single functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the WWAN processing function into the existing WLAN module. Instead of having separate dedicated chains for each SIM, the system combines WWAN signal processing with WLAN module resources. The WLAN module processes WWAN communications for at least one SIM while the WWAN module handles other communications, merging functions to reduce overall device complexity while maintaining multi-SIM capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional SIMs are supported by adding separate receive and transmit chains, then the device can communicate with multiple networks simultaneously, but the device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the WLAN module universal by configuring it to handle both WLAN and WWAN processing tasks. This multi-functionality eliminates the need to manufacture separate dedicated hardware chains for each SIM, thereby reducing component costs and manufacturing complexity while still enabling multi-SIM communication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The WLAN module serves dual purposes: its primary WLAN function and additional WWAN processing function. By having the WLAN module serve itself for WWAN tasks rather than requiring separate dedicated hardware, the system reduces overall device cost while maintaining the ability to support multiple SIMs simultaneously.
3Productivity
If WWAN communications are processed only by the WWAN module, then the processing is dedicated and efficient, but the availability of WWAN channels is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the WWAN processing workload by assigning different SIMs to different processing modules. The WWAN module handles WWAN communications for at least one SIM while the WLAN module handles WWAN communications for other SIMs. This segmentation allows both modules to contribute to WWAN channel availability, increasing overall productivity while distributing complexity across multiple components.
Data Source
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AI summary
A user equipment (UE) may communicate over a first wireless wide area network (WWAN). The first WWAN may be supported by a first subscriber identity module (SIM) of the UE. The UE may also communicate simultaneously over a second WWAN supported by a second SIM. The UE may process the second WWAN communication with a portion of a WWAN module and a portion of a wireless local area network (WLAN) module.