PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8971833-B2
Application Number: US-89256210-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic device with dynamic drive strength adjustment to mitigate impact of system noise on wireless performance

Abstract:
Electronic devices such as portable computers may contain circuits that generate radio-frequency noise. The radio-frequency noise may interfere with the operation of sensitive circuitry such as wireless communications circuitry. The circuits that generate the radio-frequency noise may include differential signal drivers that drive signals onto communications lines such as lines in a bus or output interface. A control circuit may power the drivers at an adjustable driver voltage bias level. The amount of noise that is generated by the drivers may vary as a function of the voltage bias level and may produce different amounts of noise at different wireless frequencies. Computer lid position and other factors may also influence the amount of interference that is generated. The control circuit may determine the current operating state of the device and may make voltage bias level adjustments that minimize interference between the drivers and the wireless circuitry.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device that has a current operating state that comprises a relative position between housing structures in the electronic device, comprising:
 drivers that drive signals onto communications lines; 
 control circuitry that powers the drivers at a driver bias voltage level; 
 wireless circuitry that is subject to potential interference from radio-frequency noise produced by the drivers; and 
 control circuitry that adjusts the driver bias voltage level as a function of the current operating state to minimize interference at the wireless circuitry from the radio-frequency noise. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising storage that stores optimum settings for the drivers, wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the driver bias voltage level based on the optimum settings. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the device has a first housing structure and a second housing structure that are attached by hinge structures so that the first housing structure has a position that is adjustable relative to the second housing structure and wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the driver bias voltage level based at least partly on the position. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the wireless circuitry is operable in a plurality of wireless communications bands and wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the driver bias voltage level based at least partly on which of the plurality of wireless communications bands is currently being used by the wireless circuitry. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the wireless circuitry is operable in a plurality of wireless communications bands including 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless local area network bands and wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the driver bias voltage level based at least partly on which of the plurality of wireless communications bands is currently being used by the wireless circuitry. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the wireless circuitry is operable in a plurality of wireless communications channels and wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the driver bias voltage level based at least partly on which of the plurality of wireless communications channels is currently being used by the wireless circuitry. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the wireless circuitry is operable in a plurality of IEEE 802.11 wireless channels and wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the driver bias voltage level based at least partly on which of the plurality of wireless channels is currently being used by the wireless circuitry. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the electronic device has a first housing structure and a second housing structure that are attached by hinge structures so that the first housing structure has a position that is adjustable relative to the second housing structure, wherein the electronic device further comprises a position sensor that senses the position of the first housing structure relative to the second housing structure, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the driver bias voltage level based at least partly on the sensed position. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the wireless circuitry is operable in a plurality of wireless communications bands and wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the driver bias voltage level based at least partly on which of the plurality of wireless communications bands is currently being used by the wireless circuitry. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  wherein the communications lines form part of a digital communications bus and wherein the drivers comprise differential drivers. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 10  wherein the communications bus comprises a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express bus. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the wireless circuitry is operable in a plurality of wireless local area network communications channels and wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the driver bias voltage level based at least partly on which of the plurality of wireless local area network communications channels is currently being used by the wireless circuitry. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the communications lines form part of a digital communications bus and wherein the drivers comprise differential drivers. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 13  wherein the communications bus comprises a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express bus. 
     
     
       15. A method of operating an electronic device that has a current operating state and that comprises wireless communications circuitry, comprising:
 with control circuitry in the electronic device, obtaining information on the current operating state of the electronic device; and 
 based at least partly on the current operating state obtained by the control circuitry, adjusting driver bias voltages that power signal drivers within the electronic device to minimize interference from radio-frequency noise produced by the signal drivers in the electronic device; and 
 wherein the wireless communications circuitry is subject to the interference from the radio-frequency noise and is operable in a plurality of wireless communications bands, and adjusting the driver bias voltages comprises using information stored in the electronic device and information about which of the plurality of wireless communications bands is currently being used by the wireless circuitry to determine how to adjust the driver bias voltages. 
 
     
     
       16. The method defined in  claim 15  wherein the electronic device comprises a portable computer with a lid having an adjustable position, wherein obtaining the information on the current operating state of the electronic device comprises determining the position of the lid, and wherein adjusting the driver bias voltages comprises selecting a driver bias voltage level for the signal drivers based at least partly on the position of the lid. 
     
     
       17. A portable computer, comprising:
 control circuitry; wireless local area network circuitry operable in a plurality of wireless local area network bands; 
 a communications bus; 
 differential signal drivers that drive signals onto the communications bus and that are powered at a voltage bias level by the control circuitry, which is configured to adjust the voltage bias level in real time during operation of the portable computer to minimize interference with the wireless local area network circuitry due to radio-frequency noise produced by the differential signal drivers, and which is further configured to adjust the voltage bias levels based at least partly on which of the plurality of wireless local area network bands is in current use by the wireless local area network circuitry. 
 
     
     
       18. The portable computer defined in  claim 17  further comprising:
 at least one sensor, wherein the control circuitry is configured to gather sensor data from the sensor and is configured to adjust the voltage bias level based at least partly on the gathered sensor data. 
 
     
     
       19. The portable computer defined in  claim 18  further comprising a lid, wherein the sensor comprises a lid position sensor that gathers information on whether the lid is open or closed. 
     
     
       20. The portable computer defined in  claim 3  wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the driver bias voltage level based at least partly on the position of the first housing structure to minimize the interference at the wireless circuitry from the radio-frequency noise.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates to mitigating interference in electronic devices such as wireless electronic devices. 
     Electronic devices such as computers are subject to platform noise. Internal system circuitry, such as circuitry associated with memory systems, hard drive and optical drive systems, and graphics systems can produce signals with frequencies that interfere with the operation of other circuits. These interference signals may, for example, have radio-frequency (RF) components that fall within the bands associated with wireless transceiver circuitry such as Bluetooth® or wireless local area network (WLAN) circuitry in a wireless electronic device. 
     The presence of interference from RF noise detrimentally affects device performance. From a user perspective, interference can result in elevated packet error rates, decreased wireless range, and reduced data rates. 
     The severity of platform noise may vary based on a number of factors, such as operating band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz), antenna system type, and electronic device geometry. 
     Noise generated by traffic on a digital bus such as Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) traffic on a PCIe bus can be particularly problematic for wireless communications such as wireless local area network and Bluetooth® communications, because PCIe traffic can affect both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz communications bands. Interference can become more pronounced in devices such as portable computers when the lids of the portable computers are closed. This is because closing the lid of the portable computer can cause an antenna in the lid to move closer to PCIe noise sources. The increase in interference that results from closing the lid of a portable computer is particularly undesirable for users who want to operate their computers in a closed configuration while using an external display. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to mitigate the impact of radio-frequency interference in electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     Electronic devices such as portable computers may contain circuits that generate radio-frequency noise. The radio-frequency noise may interfere with the operation of sensitive circuitry such as wireless communications circuitry. 
     The circuits that generate the radio-frequency noise typically include circuits such as differential signal drivers that drive signals onto communications lines. The communications lines may be associated with a communications path in an output interface or lines in a bus. The bus may be, for example, a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express bus. 
     The noise that is generated when operating a differential signal driver has component at multiple frequencies each of which varies as a function of driver voltage bias level. In an electronic device such as a portable computer with a lid, the position of the lid may also affect how much radio-frequency noise couples into an antenna or other wireless circuitry. For example, more interference may be produced when the lid is closed than when the lid is open, particularly in computers in which the antenna is mounted in the lid and the interfering bus circuitry is mounted in a base unit to which the lid is connected. 
     During device characterization operations, interference effects may be monitored while varying the operating state of the device. Operating parameters that may be varied include driver bias voltage level, which components are active or inactive, which wireless band and channel is active, lid position, etc. Bit error rate measurements and other metrics may be used to determine how much each wireless channel is affected by the interference. Based on these characterizing measurements, optimum device settings may be identified. 
     During operation of the electronic device, control circuitry in the device may monitor the current operating state of the device. Sensor measurements and software-based measurements may be used to gather information on lid position, current wireless band, current wireless channel, which components are active and inactive, etc. Based on the current state of the device and based on preloaded optimum settings, the control circuitry may make real time adjustments to driver bias voltage levels and other operating parameters to ensure that interference with the current wireless channel is minimized. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of an electronic device of the type shown in  FIG. 1  in a closed-lid (clamshell) configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of an electronic device of the type shown in  FIG. 1  in an open-lid configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a circuit diagram of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a circuit diagram of an illustrative driver that may be used to drive data signals onto a differential communications path in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram showing how a driver circuit of the type shown in  FIG. 5  may produce common mode noise under certain voltage bias conditions that can lead to radio-frequency interference in an electronic device with wireless communications circuitry in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a graph showing the illustrative output of a driver when biased with a power supply voltage of 0.8 volts in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a graph showing the illustrative output of a driver when biased with a power supply voltage of 0.9 volts in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a graph showing the illustrative output of a driver when biased with a power supply voltage of 1.0 volts in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a table showing how the amount of radio-frequency noise that is produced by drivers such as drivers that are driving data signals onto a bus during operation of an electronic device may vary depending on the operating state of the electronic device so that driver-induced noise may be dynamically reduced by selection of optimum operating settings for the electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in determining optimum device operating settings to use to mitigate the impact of possible radio-frequency interference during device operation under various operating conditions in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in determining the operating state of an electronic device by monitoring operating parameters in real time and in adjusting device operation to mitigate the impact of possible radio-frequency interference in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An electronic device such as electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  may contain circuitry that is sensitive to interference. For example, electronic device  10  may contain wireless communications circuitry that is susceptible to radio-frequency interference. Device  10  may also contain circuits such as communications bus circuits, input-output interface circuits, and other device components that can potentially generate radio-frequency interference signals. To ensure satisfactory operation of device  10 , circuit adjustments may be made in real time to mitigate the impact of interference. In particular, drivers or other circuitry may be adjusted so as to minimize common-mode noise. These adjustments may be made based on the current operating state of electronic device  10 , so that optimum operating settings may be used under a variety of circumstances. 
     Device  10  may be a handheld electronic device such as a cellular telephone, media player, gaming device, or other device, may be a laptop computer, tablet computer, or other portable computer, may be a desktop computer, may be a television or set top box, or may be other electronic equipment. As shown in the example of  FIG. 1 , device  10  may have a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12  may be formed from plastic, metal, fiber composites such as carbon fiber, glass, ceramic, other materials, and combinations of these materials. Housing  12  may be formed using a unibody construction in which some or all of housing  12  is formed from an integrated piece of material or may be formed from frame structures, housing walls, and other components that are attached to each other using fasteners, adhesive, and other attachment mechanisms. 
     Device  10  may have input-output devices such as track pad  18  and keyboard  16 . Camera  26  may be used to gather image data. Device  10  may also have components such as microphones, speakers, buttons, removable storage drives, status indicator lights, sensors, and other input-output devices. These devices may be used to gather input for device  10  and may be used to supply a user of device  10  with output. Ports in device  10  such as ports  28  may receive mating connectors (e.g., an audio plug, a connector associated with a data cable such as a Universal Serial Bus cable, a data cable that handles video and audio data such as a cable that connects device  10  to a computer display, television, or other monitor, etc.). 
     Device  10  may include a display such a display  14 . Display  14  may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, an electronic ink display, or a display implemented using other display technologies. A touch sensor may be incorporated into display  14  (i.e., display  14  may be a touch screen display). Touch sensors for display  14  may be resistive touch sensors, capacitive touch sensors, acoustic touch sensors, light-based touch sensors, force sensors, or touch sensors implemented using other touch technologies. 
     Device  10  may have a one-piece housing or a multi-piece housing. As shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, electronic device  10  may be a device such as a portable computer or other device that has a two-part housing formed from upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B. Upper housing  12 A may include display  14  and may sometimes be referred to as a display housing or lid. Lower housing  12 B may sometimes be referred to as a base or main housing. Housings  12 A and  12 B may be connected to each other using a hinge (e.g., hinge structures located in region  20  along the upper edge of lower housing  12 B and the lower edge of upper housing  12 A). The hinge may allow upper housing  12 A to rotate about axis  22  in directions  24  relative to lower housing  12 B. The plane of upper housing  12 A and the plane of lower housing  12 B may be separated by an angle A, as shown in  FIG. 1 . When lid  12 A is closed (i.e., when lid  12 A is lowered so as to rest flat against lower housing  12 B), the value of A will be 0°. When lid  12 A is perpendicular to lower housing  12 B, the value of A will be 90°. The value of angle A may have other values in other configurations (i.e., values of 0-90° or values of more than 90°). 
     To support wireless communications, device  10  may have wireless circuitry including wireless transceiver circuitry and one or more antennas. The wireless communications circuitry may be used to support wireless communications in one or more wireless communications bands such as cellular telephone bands, satellite navigation bands, and local wireless area network bands (e.g., 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz to support IEEE 802.11 WLAN communications or 2.4 GHz to support Bluetooth® communications). Other wireless communications bands such as cellular telephone bands may also be supported. 
     The antennas that are associated with the wireless communications circuitry may be based on antenna structures such as patch antennas, monopole antenna structures, dipoles, loop antennas, closed slot antennas, open slot antennas, planar inverted-F antennas, inverted-F antennas, hybrid antennas that include more than one antennas of these types, and other antenna structures. 
     Antennas may be mounted in device  10  at locations such as in the hinge (“clutch barrel”) structures of housing  12 , along the upper edge of display  12  (e.g., under the upper bezel of housing  12 A), in lower housing  12 B, under dielectric window structures in housing  12 A or housing  12 B, behind layers of glass or other dielectrics, or elsewhere in housing  12 . An illustrative arrangement in which device  10  has two antennas is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , device  12  may have a first antenna such as antenna  30 A that is mounted within top edge T of upper housing  12 A and a second antenna such as antenna  30 B that is located within bottom edge B of lower housing  12 B. Additional antennas (or fewer antennas) may be included in device  10  if desired. The arrangement of  FIG. 2  is merely illustrative. 
     Device  10  may contain internal components such as components  34 . Components  34  may include integrated circuits, discrete components (e.g., capacitors, resistors, and inductors), switches, connectors such as connectors for input-output ports and connectors for connecting internal device components, batteries, light-emitting diodes, sensors, etc. Components  34  may be interconnected using communications paths such as data buses. Data buses and other paths may be formed from conductive paths such as traces  36  on substrates such as substrate  32 . Substrates that may be used within housing  12  of device  10  include printed circuit board substrates, glass substrates, plastic substrates, etc. Printed circuit substrates may include rigid printed circuit board substrates such as fiberglass-filled epoxy substrates (e.g., FR4), flexible printed circuit boards (e.g., printed circuits formed form one or more flexible polymer sheets such as sheets of polyimide), rigid flex (e.g., a board with both rigid and flexible portions), etc. Substrates and components such as substrate  32  and components  34  may be mounted in housing  12 B, in housing  12 A, in both housing  12 A and  12 B, or in other types of housing structures. 
     Antennas such as antennas  30 A and  30 B and associated transceiver circuitry may be susceptible to radio-frequency interference. Integrated circuits and other components within components  34  may also be sensitive to interference. 
     Some sources of interference are external to device  10 . Other sources of potential interference are internal. For example, components  34  in device  10  may include circuits with drivers (sometimes referred to as output amplifiers or buffers) that have the potential to create radio-frequency interference. This radio-frequency interference may be carried through traces on substrate  32  or other current paths. Radio-frequency interference may also be conveyed wirelessly. 
     Components  34  may contain integrated circuits with drivers that drive signals onto digital buses, input-output ports, and other communications paths. In a typical computer environment, drivers may, for example, drive signals onto the conductive lines in a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) bus. 
     The drivers used in device  10  may include single-ended drivers (i.e., drivers in which signals are referenced to ground) and differential drivers (i.e., drivers in which a pair of signals are referenced to each other). Differential signal drivers may drive differential signals onto differential signal paths (e.g., a path such as a path formed from a pair of associated traces in a bus, a path formed from a pair of cable wires, etc.). Differential drivers such as the drivers that are used in driving signals onto a PCIe bus tend to be suitable for use with low-voltage circuits and may offer good immunity to electromagnetic interference. 
     Differential signaling schemes can, however, give rise to radio-frequency noise. A driver such as a differential driver for driving signals onto a PCIe bus or for driving signals in an output interface such as a display port may produce non-negligible amounts of common mode noise. When signals are driven onto a bus or other communications path at high speeds, the common mode noise may give rise to radio-frequency interference. The radio-frequency interference may spread across a fairly broad frequency range. 
     Wireless circuits and other internal components in device  10  may pick up the radio-frequency noise signals that are generated in this way. If care is not taken, device performance may be adversely affected. 
     The impact of radio-frequency interference on the operation of device  10  may depend on a number of factors related to the current state of device  10 . For example, the physical configuration of device  10  may affect the amount of coupling between a noise source and a sensitive circuit. An antenna such as antenna  30 A may be particularly susceptible to interference from one of components  34  when upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B rest adjacent to each other (i.e., when the lid of device  10  is closed), as shown in  FIG. 2 . When the lid of device  10  is opened, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the physical separation between antenna  30 A and components  34  may be increased and the potential for interference from one of components  34  adversely affecting antenna  30 A may be reduced. Different levels of interference may be exhibited for each angle A of lid  12 A with respect to base  12 B. The position of lid  12 A may also affect the amount of interference that is experienced between other components (i.e., between a circuit with interference-producing output drivers and a sensitive circuit on a printed circuit board). 
     Interference effects may have varying degrees of severity depending on the signal frequencies in question. At some frequencies (i.e., signal frequencies that are far away from the frequencies being used by a sensitive circuit), the impact of the interference may be weak or negligible. At other frequencies (i.e., signal frequencies that coincide with the signal frequencies normally used by a sensitive circuit), interference may be more pronounced. As an example, a wireless circuit may operate in one or more communications bands. Interference that falls within a first communications band such as a WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) band at 2.4 GHz, but not a second band such as a WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) band at 5 GHz will primarily be of significance when device  10  is operated in the first band. Frequency-dependent interference effects such as these may also manifest themselves at a more granular level. For example, a given interference source may affect one wireless channel such as WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) channel  11  more than another wireless channel such as WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) channel  12 . Effects such as these may arise in IEEE 802.11 (WiFi®) networks or other wireless local area networks. 
     Yet another aspect of the state of device  10  that affects the impact of interference is whether or not a particular sensitive component is in use (i.e., whether or not wireless circuitry in device  10  is enabled) and whether or not a particular interference-generating circuit is in use (i.e., whether drivers are being used to drive signals onto a PCIe bus or through an output interface). When a sensitive circuit is not being used or when an interference circuit is temporarily disabled, interference may be of little or no concern. 
     There may also be other factors that affect the impact of interference on device performance and there may be an interplay between these factors (e.g., interference may be greatest for one wireless band when lid  12 A is closed and may be greatest for another wireless band when lid  12 A is open, etc.). To optimize performance of device  10 , the state of device  10  may be monitored in real time and appropriate actions taken based on predetermined optimized operating settings. 
     Examples of information that may be gathered on the state of device  10  includes the status of lid  12 A such as angle A, the status of the wireless circuitry in device  10  such as the active/inactive status of various wireless bands and/or channels, information on the type of software being run by device  10 , the identity of the active and inactive output interfaces (e.g., input-output ports for displays and other peripherals) in device  10 , the status of components such as graphics cards, storage subsystems, power management features, processors and other device components, and other information on the physical and electrical operating characteristics of device  10 . In general, any operating characteristic of device  10  that may affect interference may be monitored. 
     Information on the state of device  10  may be gathered by sensors, processors, and other components and circuitry in device  10 .  FIG. 4  is a circuit diagram showing an illustrative configuration that may be used for device  10 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , device  10  may include communications paths. Examples of communications paths that may be present in device  10  include bus  38  and its associated conductive lines  40  and the communications paths between output interfaces  54  and associated connectors  56 . Bus  38  may be a PCIe bus or other bus. Components such as communications circuitry  46 , graphics unit  50 , storage  52 , and input-output interfaces  54  may be coupled to bus  38  and other such buses in device  10 . Interfaces  54  may include circuitry for transmitting and receiving signals for computer monitors, televisions, and other displays and other external components. As shown in  FIG. 5 , interfaces  54  may be coupled to connectors  56 . Each connector  56  may receive a mating connector  58  such as a plug associated with an external cable. Connectors  56  and  58  may be associated with input-output ports such as ports for external displays and other peripherals. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , device  10  may include control circuitry  44 . Control circuitry  44  may include storage such as flash memory, hard disk drive memory, solid state storage devices, other nonvolatile memory, random-access memory and other volatile memory, etc. Control circuitry  44  may also include processing circuitry. The processing circuitry of control circuitry  44  may include digital signal processors, microcontrollers, application specific integrated circuits, microprocessors, power management unit (PMU) circuits, and processing circuitry that is part of other types of integrated circuits. The components of device  10  in  FIG. 4  need not be mutually exclusive. For example, storage  52  may include memory circuits that are part of control circuitry  44  and control circuitry  44  may contain processing circuits that are part of other components. 
     Sensors such as sensors  42  may be used to gather input on the state of device  10 . Sensors  42  may include cameras such as camera  26  of  FIG. 1  (e.g., to detect the position of lid  12 A relative to base  12 B or other information on the operating state of device  10 ), switches (e.g., switches that are used to implement a position sensor that detects when lid  12 A is open or closed, switches that implement a position sensor that measures angle A, etc.), other sensors that can measure the position of lid  12 A (e.g., motion sensors, accelerometers, touch sensors, proximity sensors, electromagnetic sensors, etc.), and other sensing electronics. 
     Communications circuitry  46  may include circuitry for interfacing with control unit  44 . Communications circuitry  46  may also include wireless communications circuitry such as wireless radio-frequency transceiver  48  and antenna structures  30 . Wireless transceiver  48  may transmit and receive radio-frequency signals from device  10  using antenna structures  30 . Circuitry  48  may be used to handle one or more communications bands. Examples of communications bands that may be handled by circuitry  48  include cellular telephone bands, satellite navigation bands (e.g., the Global Positioning System band at 1575 MHz), bands for short range links such as the Bluetooth® band at 2.4 GHz and wireless local area network (WLAN) bands such as the IEEE 802.11 band at 2.4 GHz and the IEEE 802.11 band at 5 GHz, etc. 
     Paths such as path  66  may include one or more radio-frequency transmission lines. Transmission lines in path  66  may include coaxial cable paths, microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, transmission lines formed from combinations of transmission lines of these types, etc. 
     Transmission line path  66  may be used to couple radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  48  to one or more antennas  30 . Antenna structures in antennas  30  may receive incoming radio-frequency signals (including potential interference) that are routed to radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  48  by path  66 . During signal transmission operations, radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  48  may transmit radio-frequency signals that are conveyed by path  66  to antenna structures  30  and transmitted to remote receivers. 
     Communications circuitry  46  may also contain non-wireless communications circuitry such as circuits that form an interface with buses such as bus  38 . 
     Graphics unit  50  may be implemented using a discrete graphics component (e.g., an add-on graphics card), an integrated graphics adapter (e.g., a graphics circuit that is part of a microprocessor or microprocessor chipset), or other graphics circuitry. 
     Storage  52  may include hard drives, solid state drives, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, drives for handling optical disks and other removable storage media, etc. 
     Interfaces  54  may be used to convey data from device  10  to computer monitors and other peripherals and may be used to receive data from external components. 
     Components such as communications circuitry  46 , graphics unit  50 , storage  52 , and interfaces  54  may be coupled to communications paths such as bus  38 . Interfaces  54  may also be coupled to communications paths between interfaces  54  and ports  56 . Output drivers may be used to drive signals onto communications paths and input drivers may be used to receive signals from communications paths. As an example, communications circuitry  46  may have input drivers such as input drivers  68  that receive signals from bus  38 . Interfaces  54  may also have input drivers  68 . Output drivers  62  in components such as communications circuitry  46 , interfaces  54 , and other components in device (e.g., graphics unit  50 , storage  52 , etc.) may be used to drive signals onto communications paths. For example, output drivers  62  in circuitry  46  may drive differential output signals onto lines  40  in bus  38  via lines  64  and output drivers  62  in interfaces  54  may drive differential output signals onto the output paths associated with ports  56  and connectors  58  and onto bus  38 . 
     Internal signals such as the signals at the outputs of integrated circuit input drivers tend not to radiate radio-frequency signals. Radio-frequency interference is generally more likely to be generated during the process of driving signals onto a more exposed communications path such as bus  38  or the paths associated with output ports  56 . To minimize the impact of this type of radio-frequency interference, the behavior of output drivers  62  and wireless circuits or other sensitive circuits that are subject to potential interference can be characterized over a range of potential operating conditions. Optimum device settings may then be computed and used during operation of device  10  to ensure that radio-frequency interference is minimized in various device states. 
     In general, any suitable device setting that affects the amount of interference that is conveyed between an interference source in device  10  and a sensitive device component may be characterized. For example, the impact of various drive strength settings may be characterized under various different lid configurations and wireless operating frequencies. During device manufacturing or at other suitable times, the optimum operating settings for device  10  may be loaded into device  10  (e.g., into storage  52  of  FIG. 4 ). When operating device  10 , control unit  44  can gather information on the current state of device  10  (e.g., information on which wireless frequencies are in use from wireless communications circuitry in circuitry  46 , information on the status of lid  12 A from sensors  42 , etc.). Based on the known operating state of device  10  and the predetermined optimum operating settings stored in storage  52 , control circuitry  44  can determine how to adjust the operation of device  10  to minimize interference. For example, the strength of various output drivers  62  may be adjusted appropriately. 
     The strength of drivers  62  may be controlled by using control unit  44  to adjust the bias voltages that are applied to the drivers.  FIG. 5  is a circuit diagram showing how a typical output driver is biased. As shown in  FIG. 5 , driver  62  may have an input  60  and an output  64 . Input  60  may be, for example, a single-ended input that receives digital data from circuitry in communications circuitry  46 , output interfaces  54 , or other components in device  10 . Output  64  may have a pair of terminals that are coupled to a pair of associated conductive lines. These lines may form a differential pair that conveys signals to bus  38 , an output path associated with ports  56 , etc. A first of the lines coupled to the differential output of driver  62  may carry a signal p and a second of the lines coupled to the differential output of driver  62  may carry a complementary signal n. 
     Each driver  62  may be powered by power supply terminals such as positive power supply terminal  70  and ground power supply terminal  72 . Positive power supply terminal  70  may receive a positive power supply voltage such as Vcc (e.g., 0.7 volts to 1.1 volts or other suitable voltage levels). Ground terminal  72  may receive a ground power supply voltage GND such as 0 volts. Configurations with other types of voltage biasing may be used if desired (e.g., negative or positive grounds, negative supplies, etc.). The biasing configuration of  FIG. 5  is merely illustrative. 
       FIG. 6  is a graph showing illustrative differential output signals that may be produced on output  64  of output driver  62  of  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the positive signal p may be characterized by a curve such as line  74  and the negative signal n may be characterized by a curve such as curve  78 . During data transmission operations, these curves nominally will cross at an intermediate voltage level VM (i.e., a voltage that lies midway between upper voltage VH and lower voltage VL and is equal to VH/2 when VL is equal to a ground voltage GND of 0 volts). The value of intermediate voltage VM relative to curves  74  and  78  at the time at which curves  74  and  78  cross each other is illustrated by dashed line  80  and voltage difference ΔV. 
     The circuit components such as the metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors or other transistors that make up drivers  62  exhibit non-ideal behavior. This can lead to signal crossings between lines  74  and  78  that are not perfectly aligned with intermediate voltage VM (i.e., non-zero values of ΔV). As a result, the common mode signal (line  76 ) associated with the output of driver  62  may exhibit pulses such as pulse  82  (i.e., common mode noise that serves as a source of interference). When the data rate of the output signals from driver  62  is sufficiently high (e.g., 10s or 100s of MHz or more), the fundamental and signal harmonics associated with the common mode noise can give rise to radio-frequency interference. 
     The non-ideal behavior of drivers  62  is generally not constant as a function of biasing conditions. Drivers  62  may, for example, exhibit more noise when powered at a first value of Vcc, while exhibiting less noise when powered at a second value of Vcc. At other biasing levels (i.e., when using different magnitudes of Vcc and/or GND in  FIG. 5 ), yet other amounts of noise may be produced. The noise that is produce may have frequency components that vary as a function of bias level. Noise characteristics may also vary depending on driver location and driver type. 
     An example is shown in  FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  9 . In the configuration of  FIG. 7 , driver  62  is being powered at a positive power supply value Vcc of 0.8 volts, so the peak-to-peak voltage at the output of driver  62  is 0.8 volts. Under these biasing conditions, there may be voltage offsets of ΔVA that give rise to noise pulses  82  of a first magnitude. 
     In the configuration of  FIG. 8 , drive strength has been increased relative to the configuration of  FIG. 7 . Driver  62  is being powered at a positive power supply voltage Vcc of 0.9 volts, so the peak-to-peak voltage at the output of driver  62  is about 0.9 volts. When biased in this way, noise pulses  82  may have a second magnitude. In particular, there may be minimal voltage offsets where signal curves  74  and  78  cross, leading to negligible common mode noise (i.e., no significant pulses  82 ). 
     In the configuration of  FIG. 9 , drive strength has been increased relative to the configuration of  FIG. 8 . In particular, driver  62  is being biased at a Vcc level of 1.0 volts and a ground value GND of 0 volts. The peak-to-peak voltage associated with differential signal curves  74  and  78  is therefore 1.0 volts. In the  FIG. 9  example, this leads to voltage offsets of ΔVB where curves  74  and  78  cross and produces common mode noise pulses  82  of a third magnitude (e.g., a magnitude that is potentially different than the first and second magnitudes). 
     In the example of  FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  9 , illustrative Vcc levels of 0.8, 0.9, and 1.0 were used as examples. A typical driver can be biased at other levels (e.g., any level within a voltage range of 0.7 to 1.1 volts, any level within other suitable voltage ranges, etc.). Moreover, the relationship between drive strength (bias voltage) and noise that is illustrated in  FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  9  is merely illustrative. For example, noise may monotonically increase with increasing bias voltage, noise may monotonically decrease with increasing bias voltage, noise may increase and then decrease as a function of increasing bias voltage (e.g., exhibiting a local noise maximum), noise may decrease and then increase as a function of increasing bias voltage (e.g., exhibiting a local noise minimum), noise may increase and decrease multiple times (e.g., exhibiting multiple minima and/or maxima), etc. 
     Noise characteristics are also generally dependent on other factors involved in the operation of device  10 . For example, the way in which noise increases and/or decreases as a function of increasing bias voltage may, in general, be different for different signal frequencies. The dependence of noise on bias voltage may be different in different communications bands (e.g., in bands such as the WiFi® bands at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, the Bluetooth® band at 2.4 GHz, etc.) and/or in different communications channels within each communications band that is being used. Other factors that may influence the impact of noise in device  10  include the location of the drivers that are producing the noise, the location of the antenna or other system that is being affected by the noise, the settings of the wireless circuitry that is being affected (e.g., which communications protocol or which communications protocol settings are in use, gain settings, the number of antennas in use, data rate settings, etc.), the state of the lid of device  10 , etc. 
     Some or all of these factors can be taken into consideration during device characterization operations. After the impact of noise has been characterized under a variety of conditions, optimum device settings can be determined and stored in device  10 . Device  10  can then use these optimum settings to ensure that the impact of driver noise is minimized during device operation. 
     A table showing how noise may vary as a function of factors such as drive strength, lid position, and wireless frequency (e.g., WiFi® band and/or channel). Data of the type shown in the table of  FIG. 10  and other suitable information on the way in which noise varies within device  10  as a function of drive strength may be stored in tables or other suitable data structures (e.g., in a database). This data may be analyzed to determine optimum device settings to minimize noise during normal device operation. 
     Illustrative steps involved in characterizing radio-frequency noise in device  10  to determine optimum settings for mitigating the impact of radio-frequency noise on the operation of wireless circuitry or other sensitive circuitry in device  10  are shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     At step  84 , a test version of device  10  may be characterized. The test version of device  10 , which may sometimes be referred to as a device under test (DUT), may be used to run a test program that gathers information internally. External test equipment may also be used to measure performance of the DUT. The DUT may be operated under a range of different operating conditions to characterize the amount of noise that is produced and the susceptibility of the sensitive components in the DUT to the noise that is produced. During device characterization operations, the internal test software and the external test equipment may direct the DUT to change settings (e.g., to systematically step through various ranges of driver bias levels such as voltages from 0.7 volts to 1.1 volts in suitable voltage increments) while systematically varying other parameters such as which wireless channel is active, the position of lid  12 A, the identity of the transmitting driver, the state of output interfaces  54  and other components, etc. While these operating parameters are systematically changed, the resulting impact of radio-frequency noise that the drivers (or other noise sources) in device  10  generate may be monitored. For example, the test software running in the DUT and/or the external test equipment may be used to gather information on performance metrics such a wireless channel bit error rate, or other performance information that is representative of the impact of interference from the radio-frequency noise. 
     After sufficient characterizing data has been gathered, the data may be analyzed. For example, computing equipment associated with the external test equipment, computing equipment associated with the DUT, and/or other computing equipment may be used to perform curve-fitting operations and other data analysis operations that identify data trends, minima and maxima, etc. The results of the data analysis may be used to identify optimum drive strength settings (i.e., driver voltage power supply levels) to use to minimize the impact of radio-frequency interference produced by the drivers in device  10  under a variety of operating conditions. 
     At step  86 , the optimum settings to be used (e.g., the driver bias levels to be used) for each anticipated pattern of operating parameters may be loaded into devices  10 . Optimum settings may be loaded into devices  10  during manufacturing, during a firmware update process, etc. The optimum settings may be stored in storage in device  10  (e.g., in storage  52  of  FIG. 4 ). 
     The flow chart of  FIG. 12  shows illustrative steps involved in operating a device that has been loaded with the optimum settings of step  86 . 
     At step  88 , device  10  may be operated by a user. During device operation, control unit  44  may obtain information on the current operating state of device  10 . For example, control unit  44  may obtain information on the position of lid  12 A from sensors  42 . Sensors  42  may include a switch that indicates whether lid  12 A is open or closed, may include a position sensor that provides information on angle A, may include a camera that captures images that can be processed to determine the status of lid  12 A, may include ambient light sensors, proximity sensors, or other sensors to determine information on the status of lid  12 A and/or other device status information. Control unit  44  can also obtain information about the status of wireless circuitry such as which WiFi® band and channel is being used, which antenna  30  is are being used, etc. Information on whether graphics unit  50 , storage  52 , and output interfaces  54  are being used or have been turned off or otherwise deactivated may also be gathered by control unit  44 . Control unit  44  may obtain information on which circuits are being used and how each circuit is being used in device  10  by interacting with applications running on device  10 , by interacting with operating system functions that are operating on device  10 , by interacting with device drivers, by polling hardware in device  10  for status information, etc. 
     At step  90 , after device  10  has used control unit  44  to gather information on the operating state of device  10 , device  10  may use control unit  44  to make adjustments to the circuitry of device  10  that minimize the impact of radio-frequency interference in that operating state. The adjustments that are made may include, for example, adjustments to the power supply voltages for drivers  62 . The changes that are made may depend on device state information such as whether lid  12 A is open or closed (because wireless circuitry may be more sensitive to interference when lid  12 A is closed and antennas such as antenna  30 A in lid  12 A have been placed in a location that is near to PCIe bus  38  or other location that contains noise), which drivers  62  are being used (e.g., whether the drivers in output interface  54  are active, whether the drivers in circuitry  46  that drive signals onto PCIe bus  38  are active, etc., which wireless frequency is currently being used by wireless transceiver  48 , whether graphics unit  50 , storage  52 , and other circuits are being used, etc. 
     Control unit  44  preferably makes changes to the drive strengths of drivers  62  that are based on the optimum settings produced during the operations of step  86 . For example, if the optimum settings stored in device  10  indicate that interference with wireless communications in channel  11  can be minimized by setting the driver bias level (strength) to 0.9 volts when operating device  10  with lid  12 A open, control circuitry  44  may apply this driver bias level during the operations of step  90 . In response to detecting a change in the status of an operating parameter, control circuitry  44  may make real time adjustments to the operation of device  10 . For example, if a user closes lid  12 A and/or changes to a different wireless channel, control circuitry  44  can consult the optimum settings stored in storage  52  to determine whether the driver bias level should be maintained at its current setting or should be updated. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20100928
Publication Date: 20150303
Grant Date: 20150303
Priority Date: 20100928
Inventors: LASHKARI HASSAN
THOMASON GARY
TOLENTINO JAIME
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04L25/0264", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04L25/0264", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 45870020