PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10547290-B2
Application Number: US-201715703703-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Multi-radio front-end circuitry for radio frequency imbalanced antenna sharing system

Abstract:
Systems, methods, and devices are provided to efficiently share an antenna between multiple communication systems and allow for the communication systems to be simultaneously connected to the antenna with less attenuation and/or no fluctuation in signal strength. Communication circuitry may include an antenna that transmits and receives electromagnetic radiation. The communication circuitry may also include an antenna port that provides primary access to the antenna with a first attenuation via an antenna port input. Additionally, the communication circuitry may include a coupler attached to the antenna port. The coupler may provide secondary access to the antenna with a second attenuation.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising communication circuitry, wherein the communication circuitry comprises:
 an antenna configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation; 
 an antenna port configured to provide primary access to the antenna with a first attenuation via an antenna port input; 
 a coupler attached to the antenna port, wherein the coupler is configured to provide secondary access to the antenna with a second attenuation; 
 a first communication system and a second communication system, wherein the first and second communication systems are configured to transmit and receive signals; and 
 routing circuitry communicatively coupled to the antenna port, the coupler, and the first and second communication systems, wherein:
 the routing circuitry comprises:
 a double pole, double throw switch that is communicatively coupled to the first communication system and the coupler; and 
 a single pole, double throw switch that is communicatively coupled to the second communication system and the antenna port; 
 
 wherein 
 the routing circuitry is configured to:
 route communication through the antenna port when only one of the first and second communication systems is active; and 
 route communication by the first communication system through the coupler and communication by the second communication system through the antenna port when the first and second communication systems are both transmitting or both receiving signals. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 one of the first communication system and the second communication system comprises a unit comprising a first transmitter and first receiver; and 
 another of the first communication system and the second communication system comprises a second transmitter that is separate from a second receiver. 
 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first communication system is associated with a wireless local area network and comprises the second transmitter and second receiver; and 
 the second communication system is associated with a personal area network and comprises the first transmitter and first receiver. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the coupler comprises a coupling factor of −6 or −10 decibels. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the routing circuitry comprises an amplifier configured to amplify signals sent or received by the first communication system. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 5 , wherein the amplifier is a low noise amplifier. 
     
     
       7. An electronic device comprising communication circuitry, wherein the communication circuitry comprises:
 an antenna configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation; 
 an antenna port configured to provide primary access to the antenna with a first attenuation via an antenna port input; 
 a coupler attached to the antenna port, wherein the coupler is configured to provide secondary access to the antenna with a second attenuation; 
 a first communication system and a second communication system, wherein first and second communication systems are configured to transmit and receive signals; and 
 routing circuitry communicatively coupled to the antenna port, the coupler, and the first and second communication systems, wherein the routing circuitry comprises a first switch that is communicatively coupled to the first communication system and the coupler and a second switch that is communicatively coupled to the second communication system and the antenna port, wherein: 
 the first switch comprises a double pole, double throw switch; 
 the second switch comprises a single pole, double throw switch; wherein 
 the routing circuitry is configured to:
 route communication through the antenna port when only one of the first and second communication systems is active; and 
 route communication of the first communication system through the coupler and communication of the second communication system through the antenna port when the first and second communication systems are both transmitting signals or both receiving signals. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the first switch is communicatively coupled to the second switch. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first communication system is associated with a wireless local area network; and 
 the second communication system is associated with a personal area network. 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the coupler is communicatively coupled to the antenna via the antenna port. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the first switch is communicatively coupled to the antenna port and the coupler. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 11 , wherein the first switch is communicatively coupled to the antenna port via the second switch. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first communication system is associated with a wireless local area network; and 
 the second communication system is associated with a personal area network. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first communication system comprises a first transmitter and a first receiver, wherein the first transmitter is separate from the first receiver; and 
 the second communication system comprises a unit comprising a second transmitter and a second receiver. 
 
     
     
       15. A method comprising:
 when only a first communication system of communication circuitry of an electronic device is active, routing communication by the first communication system through a first switch and an antenna port input of an antenna port of the electronic device to access an antenna of the electronic device, wherein the antenna is configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation, wherein the first switch comprises a single throw, double pole switch, and wherein the antenna port is configured to provide primary access to the antenna with a first attenuation via the antenna port input; 
 when only a second communication system of the communication circuitry of the electronic device is active, routing communication by the second communication system through the first switch and the antenna port input of the antenna port to access the antenna of the electronic device; and 
 when the first communication system and the second communication system are both transmitting signals or both receiving signals:
 routing communication by the first communication system through a second switch and a coupler of the electronic device, wherein the coupler is attached to the antenna port and configured to provide secondary access to the antenna of the electronic device with a second attenuation, and wherein the second switch comprises a double pole, double throw switch; and 
 routing communication by the second communication system through the first switch and the antenna port input of the antenna port to access the antenna of the electronic device. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the second attenuation differs from the first attenuation by ten decibels or less. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the electronic device comprises a computer, phone, or wearable electronic device. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first communication system is associated with a wireless local area network; and 
 the second communication system is associated with a personal area network. 
 
     
     
       19. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the routing circuitry comprises a double pole, single throw switch that is communicatively coupled to the second communication system. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 19 , wherein the double pole, single throw switch is communicatively coupled to the single throw, double pole switch and the double pole, double throw switch.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to efficiently sharing an antenna between multiple communication systems in an electronic device. 
     This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. 
     Many electronic devices, such as smartphones and computers, include antennas that are used to for various forms of wireless communication, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi communication. In many of these electronic devices, circuitry may share the antenna by toggling between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth circuitry. In cases in which a device has multiple wireless connections, the strength of the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth signal may decrease owing to the simultaneous use of the antenna by the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth circuitry. This decrease in signal strength could result in disconnection or dropping a packet of data from a Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth network. 
     SUMMARY 
     A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below. 
     Electronic devices may have an antenna that is shared by multiple communication systems, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth communication systems. To avoid excessive attenuation in signal strength when these communication systems are both in use, routing circuitry may route signals for a first communication system (e.g., Bluetooth) through an antenna port while routing signals for second communication system (e.g., Wi-Fi) through a coupler attached to the antenna port. Although the coupler may attenuate the signals for the second communication system, the coupler may allow for a simultaneous connection to the antenna by both communication systems with less attenuation than other types of components that could be used for accessing the antenna port. 
     For example, the routing circuitry may include a first switch that is coupled to the first communication system and the coupler. The routing circuitry may also include a second switch that is coupled to the second communication system and the antenna port. The routing circuitry may route communication through the antenna port by the first or the second communication systems unless both are active. In that case, the routing circuitry may route communication associated with the first communication system through the coupler and communication associated with the second communication system through the antenna port. 
     Various refinements of the features noted above may be made in relation to various aspects of the present disclosure. Further features may also be incorporated in these various aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may be made individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to one or more of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects of the present disclosure alone or in any combination. The brief summary presented above is intended to familiarize the reader with certain aspects and contexts of embodiments of the present disclosure without limitation to the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of an electronic device, in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a notebook computer representing an embodiment of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of a hand-held device representing another embodiment of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of another hand-held device representing another embodiment of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of a desktop computer representing another embodiment of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view and side view of a wearable electronic device representing another embodiment of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of a system that enables the electronic device of  FIG. 1  to communicate wirelessly, in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of the system of  FIG. 7 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of the system of  FIG. 7 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart of a method for routing communication, in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of the system of  FIG. 7 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram of the system of  FIG. 7 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram of the system of  FIG. 7 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram of the system of  FIG. 7 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 15  is a schematic diagram of the system of  FIG. 7 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 16  is a schematic diagram of the system of  FIG. 7 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 17  is a schematic diagram of the system of  FIG. 7 , in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 18  is a graph of wireless throughput over time, in accordance with an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 19  is a schematic diagram of a system that enables the electronic device of  FIG. 1  to communicate wirelessly, in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. These described embodiments are only examples of the presently disclosed techniques. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers&#39; specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but may nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure. 
     When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Furthermore, the phrase A “based on” B is intended to mean that A is at least partially based on B. Moreover, unless expressly stated otherwise, the term “or” is intended to be inclusive (e.g., logical OR) and not exclusive (e.g., logical XOR). In other words, the phrase A “or” B is intended to mean A, B, or both A and B. 
     Electronic devices may use an antenna for multiple communication systems, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth communication systems. These devices may experience attenuation in signal strength that may result in the disconnection of the device from a Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth network. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods that allow electronic devices to use a shared Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antenna to communicate via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth at the same time with less attenuation. 
     With the foregoing in mind, a general description of suitable electronic devices that may employ an overdrive to provide an improved response to changed display settings is discussed herein. Turning first to  FIG. 1 , an electronic device  10  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include, among other things, one or more processor(s)  12 , memory  14 , nonvolatile storage  16 , a display  18 , input structures  22 , an input/output (I/O) interface  24 , a network interface  26 , a transceiver  28 , and a power source  29 . The various functional blocks shown in  FIG. 1  may include hardware elements (including circuitry), software elements (including computer code stored on a computer-readable medium) or a combination of both hardware and software elements. For example, as discussed in greater detail below, the memory  14  may include software instructions associated with an overdrive  30  that when executed by the one or more processors  12  causes a portion of the display  18  to be commanded to have certain characteristics that differ from an intended set of characteristics. It should be noted that  FIG. 1  is merely one example of a particular implementation and is intended to illustrate the types of components that may be present in electronic device  10 . 
     By way of example, the electronic device  10  may represent a block diagram of the notebook computer depicted in  FIG. 2 , the handheld device depicted in  FIG. 3 , the handheld device depicted in  FIG. 4 , the desktop computer depicted in  FIG. 5 , the wearable electronic device depicted in  FIG. 6 , or similar devices. It should be noted that the processor(s)  12  and other related items in  FIG. 1  may be generally referred to herein as “data processing circuitry”. Such data processing circuitry may be embodied wholly or in part as software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, the data processing circuitry may be a single contained processing module or may be incorporated wholly or partially within any of the other elements within the electronic device  10 . 
     In the electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1 , the processor(s)  12  may be operably coupled with the memory  14  and the nonvolatile storage  16  to perform various algorithms. Such programs or instructions executed by the processor(s)  12  may be stored in any suitable article of manufacture that includes one or more tangible, computer-readable media at least collectively storing the instructions or routines, such as the memory  14  and the nonvolatile storage  16 . The memory  14  and the nonvolatile storage  16  may include any suitable articles of manufacture for storing data and executable instructions, such as random-access memory, read-only memory, rewritable flash memory, hard drives, and optical discs. In addition, programs (e.g., an operating system) encoded on such a computer program product may also include instructions that may be executed by the processor(s)  12  to enable the electronic device  10  to provide various functionalities. 
     In certain embodiments, the display  18  may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), which may allow users to view images generated on the electronic device  10 . In some embodiments, the display  18  may include a touch screen, which may allow users to interact with a user interface of the electronic device  10 . Furthermore, it should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the display  18  may include one or more organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, or some combination of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels and OLED panels. The display  18  may receive images, data, or instructions from processor  12  or memory  14 , and provide an image in display  18  for interaction. More specifically, the display  18  includes pixels, and each of the pixels may be set to display a color at a brightness based on the images, data, or instructions from processor  12  or memory  14 . 
     The input structures  22  of the electronic device  10  may enable a user to interact with the electronic device  10  (e.g., pressing a button to increase or decrease a volume level). The I/O interface  24  may enable electronic device  10  to interface with various other electronic devices, as may the network interface  26 . The network interface  26  may include, for example, one or more interfaces for a personal area network (PAN), such as a Bluetooth network, for a local area network (LAN) or wireless local area network (WLAN), such as an 802.11x Wi-Fi network, and/or for a wide area network (WAN), such as a 3rd generation (3G) cellular network, 4th generation (4G) cellular network, long term evolution (LTE) cellular network, or long term evolution license assisted access (LTE-LAA) cellular network. The network interface  26  may also include one or more interfaces for, for example, broadband fixed wireless access networks (WiMAX), mobile broadband Wireless networks (mobile WiMAX), asynchronous digital subscriber lines (e.g., ADSL, VDSL), digital video broadcasting-terrestrial (DVB-T) and its extension DVB Handheld (DVB-H), ultra-Wideband (UWB), alternating current (AC) power lines, and so forth. 
     In certain embodiments, to allow the electronic device  10  to communicate over the aforementioned wireless networks (e.g., Wi-Fi, WiMAX, mobile WiMAX, 4G, LTE, and so forth), the electronic device  10  may include a transceiver  28 . The transceiver  28  may include any circuitry that may be useful in both wirelessly receiving and wirelessly transmitting signals (e.g., data signals). Indeed, in some embodiments, as will be further appreciated, the transceiver  28  may include a transmitter and a receiver combined into a single unit, or, in other embodiments, the transceiver  28  may include a transmitter separate from the receiver. Indeed, in some embodiments, the transceiver  28  may include several transmitters and receivers, some or none of which are combined into single units. The transceiver  28  may transmit and receive OFDM signals (e.g., OFDM data symbols) to support data communication in wireless applications such as, for example, PAN networks (e.g., Bluetooth), WLAN networks (e.g., 802.11x Wi-Fi), WAN networks (e.g., 3G, 4G, and LTE cellular networks), WiMAX networks, mobile WiMAX networks, ADSL and VDSL networks, DVB-T and DVB-H networks, UWB networks, and so forth. Further, in some embodiments, the transceiver  28  may be integrated as part of the network interfaces  26 . As described below, the transceiver  28  may also be used in conjunction with routing circuitry, an antenna, and a coupler (e.g., a directional coupler). As further illustrated, the electronic device  10  may include a power source  29 . The power source  29  may include any suitable source of power, such as a rechargeable lithium polymer (Li-poly) battery and/or an alternating current (AC) power converter. 
     In certain embodiments, the electronic device  10  may take the form of a computer, a portable electronic device, a wearable electronic device, or other type of electronic device. Such computers may include computers that are generally portable (such as laptop, notebook, and tablet computers) as well as computers that are generally used in one place (such as conventional desktop computers, workstations, and/or servers). In certain embodiments, the electronic device  10  in the form of a computer may be a model of a MacBook®, MacBook® Pro, MacBook Air®, iMac®, Mac® mini, or Mac Pro® available from Apple Inc. By way of example, the electronic device  10 , taking the form of a notebook computer  10 A, is illustrated in  FIG. 2  in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. The depicted computer  10 A may include a housing or enclosure  36 , a display  18 , input structures  22 , and ports of an I/O interface  24 . In one embodiment, the input structures  22  (such as a keyboard and/or touchpad) may be used to interact with the computer  10 A, such as to start, control, or operate a GUI or applications running on computer  10 A. For example, a keyboard and/or touchpad may allow a user to navigate a user interface or application interface displayed on display  18 . 
       FIG. 3  depicts a front view of a handheld device  10 B, which represents one embodiment of the electronic device  10 . The handheld device  10 B may represent, for example, a portable phone, a media player, a personal data organizer, a handheld game platform, or any combination of such devices. By way of example, the handheld device  10 B may be a model of an iPod® or iPhone® available from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. The handheld device  10 B may include an enclosure  36  to protect interior components from physical damage and to shield them from electromagnetic interference. The enclosure  36  may surround the display  18 . Enclosure  36  may also include sensing and processing circuitry that may be used to provide correction schemes described herein to provide smooth images in display  18 . The I/O interfaces  24  may open through the enclosure  36  and may include, for example, an I/O port for a hard wired connection for charging and/or content manipulation using a standard connector and protocol, such as the Lightning connector provided by Apple Inc., a universal service bus (USB), or other similar connector and protocol. 
     User input structures  22 , in combination with the display  18 , may allow a user to control the handheld device  10 B. For example, the input structures  22  may activate or deactivate the handheld device  10 B, navigate user interface to a home screen, a user-configurable application screen, and/or activate a voice-recognition feature of the handheld device  10 B. Other input structures  22  may provide volume control, or may toggle between vibrate and ring modes. The input structures  22  may also include a microphone may obtain a user&#39;s voice for various voice-related features, and a speaker may enable audio playback and/or certain phone capabilities. The input structures  22  may also include a headphone input may provide a connection to external speakers and/or headphones. 
       FIG. 4  depicts a front view of another handheld device  10 C, which represents another embodiment of the electronic device  10 . The handheld device  10 C may represent, for example, a tablet computer, or one of various portable computing devices. By way of example, the handheld device  10 C may be a tablet-sized embodiment of the electronic device  10 , which may be, for example, a model of an iPad® available from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. 
     Turning to  FIG. 5 , a computer  10 D may represent another embodiment of the electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1 . The computer  10 D may be any computer, such as a desktop computer, a server, or a notebook computer, but may also be a standalone media player or video gaming machine. By way of example, the computer  10 D may be an iMac®, a MacBook®, or other similar device by Apple Inc. It should be noted that the computer  10 D may also represent a personal computer (PC) by another manufacturer. A similar enclosure  36  may be provided to protect and enclose internal components of the computer  10 D such as the display  18 . In certain embodiments, a user of the computer  10 D may interact with the computer  10 D using various peripheral input devices, such as the keyboard  22 A or mouse  22 B (e.g., input structures  22 ), which may connect to the computer  10 D. 
     Similarly,  FIG. 6  depicts a wearable electronic device  10 E representing another embodiment of the electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  that may be configured to operate using the techniques described herein. By way of example, the wearable electronic device  10 E, which may include a wristband  43 , may be an Apple Watch® by Apple, Inc. However, in other embodiments, the wearable electronic device  10 E may include any wearable electronic device such as, for example, a wearable exercise monitoring device (e.g., pedometer, accelerometer, heart rate monitor), or other device by another manufacturer. The display  18  of the wearable electronic device  10 E may include a touch screen display  18  (e.g., LCD, OLED display, active-matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display, and so forth), as well as input structures  22 , which may allow users to interact with a user interface of the wearable electronic device  10 E. 
     With the foregoing in mind,  FIGS. 7-9  illustrate several embodiments of a system  50  that may include an antenna  52 , antenna port  54 , coupler  56 , routing circuitry  58 , and wireless transmitter and receiver interface circuitry  60 . The system  50  may allow the electronic device  10  to wirelessly communicate via multiple networks (e.g., WLAN, PAN, and/or LTE). More specifically,  FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of an example of the system  50  in which the wireless transmitter and receiver interface circuitry  60  includes a first communication system  62  that includes a transmitter  64  and a receiver  66  that are separate from one another. In the same example, the wireless transmitter and receiver interface circuitry  60  also includes a second communication system  68  that includes a transmitter  70  and a receiver  72  that are combined into a single unit.  FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of the system  50  that differs from the example illustrated in  FIG. 7  in that the transmitter  70  and receiver  72  of the second communication system  68  are separate from one another.  FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of an example of the system  50  in which the transmitter  64  and receiver  66  are combined, and the transmitter  70  and receiver  72  are also combined. 
     Referring collectively to the examples illustrated in  FIGS. 7-9 , the antenna  52  may transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation  74  such as radio waves. More specifically, the antenna  52  may receive radio waves and convert the radio waves into electrical signals that may be conveyed to the receivers  66 ,  72 . Additionally, the antenna  52  may receive electrical signals from the transmitters  64 ,  70 , convert the electrical signals into radio waves, and transmit the radio waves. 
     As illustrated, the antenna  52  is coupled to the antenna port  54 . The antenna port  54  may include inputs and outputs. The inputs may receive signals from the first and second communication systems  62 ,  68 , and the outputs may transmit signals to the first and second communication system  62 ,  68 . For example, electromagnetic radiation  74  received by the antenna  52  may be converted to electrical signals, and one or more outputs of the antenna port  54  may transmit the signals to the receivers  66 ,  72 . 
     Moreover, the coupler  56  may be coupled to the antenna port  54  and the routing circuitry  58 . The coupler  56  may route electrical signals received by antenna port  54  to a destination that differs from a destination of the antenna port  54 . For instance, the coupler  56  may be used to transmit and receive signals to and from the first communication system  62 , while the antenna port  54  may be used to transmit and receive signals from the second communication system  68 . More specifically, the coupler  56  may couple a defined amount of electrical power. The amount of power may be defined by a coupling factor, which is representative of a ratio of power output from the coupler  56  to power received via the coupler  56 . The coupler  56  may have a coupling factor such as −6 decibels or −10 decibels. 
     The routing circuitry  58  includes circuitry that allows the wireless transmitter and receiver interface circuitry  60  to communicate with the antenna port  54  and coupler  56 . As discussed in greater detail below with regard to  FIG. 11-17 , the routing circuitry  58  may include switches and/or amplifiers. 
     As mentioned above, the wireless transmitter and receiver interface circuitry  60  includes the first communication system  62  and the second communication system  68 . The first communication system  62  includes the transmitter  64  and the receiver  66 , and the second communication system  68  includes the transmitter  70  and the receiver  72 . The transmitters  64 ,  70  may transmit electrical signals to antenna  52 , while the receivers  66 ,  72  may receive signals that are initially received via the antenna  52 . 
     The embodiments of  FIGS. 7-9  may be employed to enable simultaneous Wi-Fi communication and Bluetooth communication. For example, the first communication system  62  may enable Wi-Fi communication, and the second communication system  68  may enable Bluetooth communication, and both the first and second communication systems  62  and  68  may be active (e.g., sending or receiving signals) at the same time. In one example, when communication systems  62  and  68  are both active, communication associated with the second communication system  68  may be provided primary access to the antenna  52  by routing the communication through the antenna port  54 , while communication associated with the first communication system  62  may receive secondary access to the antenna  52  by routing the communication through the coupler  56 . In such a case, the antenna port  54  and coupler  56  may respectively provide primary and secondary access to the antenna  52  at two different attenuations. That is, the change in power of the signals associated with passing directly through the antenna port  54  or through the coupler  56  may differ. 
     Each of the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 7-9  provides less of a decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio associated with Wi-Fi communication than might otherwise occur if the coupler  56  were absent. For example, when Wi-Fi communication is active and a Bluetooth receiver (e.g., receiver  72 ) is active, there may be a change in the signal-to-noise ratio associated with the Wi-Fi communication of −6 decibels when the coupler  56  has a coupling factor of −6 decibels and −10 decibels when the coupler  56  has a coupling factor of −10 decibels. However, without the inclusion of the coupler  56 , the change in signal-to-noise ratio might otherwise be −25 decibels. Additionally, when Wi-Fi communication is active and a Bluetooth transmitter (e.g., transmitter  70 ) is active, the signal-to-noise ratio may decrease by 31 decibels and 35 decibels for couplers  56  with coupling factors of −6 decibels and −10 decibels, respectively. Without a coupler  56 , the change in signal-to-noise ratio could be on the order of around −50 decibels. 
     As another example, if a coupler  56  were not present, there could be a −25 decibel fluctuation in Wi-Fi received signal strength indication (RSSI) when the communication system (e.g., second communication system  68 ) that enables Bluetooth communication is idle. However, when the coupler  56  is utilized, such as in embodiments of the system  50  in which Wi-Fi communication associated with the first communication system  62  is routed through the antenna port  54  when the second communication system  68  is idle (e.g., not active), the fluctuation in Wi-Fi RSSI may be equal to the coupling factor of the coupler  56 . For instance, if the coupler  56  has a coupling factor of −10 decibels, the fluctuation in Wi-Fi RSSI may be −10 decibels. However, in other embodiments, the system  50  may not cause fluctuations in Wi-Fi RSSI. For example, in embodiments in which Wi-Fi communication associated with the first communication system  62  is routed through the coupler  56  when the second communication system  68  is idle, a constant Wi-Fi signal strength may be obtained. 
     Moreover, the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 7-9  allow for a constant Wi-Fi signal strength to be maintained when the communication system (e.g., first communication system  62 ) that enables Wi-Fi communication is active and the communication system (e.g., second communication system  68 ) that enables Bluetooth communication transitions between being idle, receiving data, and transmitting data. In other words, when the second communication system  68  switches between being idle, receiving data, and transmitting data, fluctuations in Wi-Fi RSSI will not occur. Additionally, because Wi-Fi RSSI is constant, variation in signal-to-noise ratio associated with Wi-Fi communication can be solely attributed to fluctuation in noise (e.g., noise produced by Bluetooth communication). Furthermore, by providing a constant Wi-Fi signal (i.e., no variation in Wi-Fi RSSI), the system  50  may better stay connected to and/or avoid dropping a packet of data from a Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth network. 
     With the discussion of  FIGS. 7-9  in mind,  FIG. 10  is a flowchart of a method  100  for routing communication through the system  50 . More specifically, the method  100  may be particular to the routing circuitry  58 . That is, the method may be performed in whole or in part by the routing circuitry  58 . 
     At block  102 , whether the first communication system  62  is active may be determined. For example, the first communication system  62  is active when transmitting or receiving electrical signals. The first communication system  62  may also be inactive (e.g., not transmitting or receiving signals) or off. 
     If the first communication system is not active, at block  104 , whether the second communication system  68  is active may be determined. For instance, when the second communication system  68  is transmitting or receiving signals, the second communication system  68  is considered active. If the second communication system  68  is also considered to not be active, at block  106 , the method  100  ends. In other embodiments, instead of the method  100  ending, the method may return to block  102  (e.g., determine whether the first communication system  62  is active). 
     However, if at block  106  the second communication system  68  is found to be active, at block  108 , communication of the second communication system  68  is routed through the antenna port  54 . In other words, when the second communication system  68  is active and the first communication system  62  is not active, communication of the second communication system  68  is routed through the antenna port  54 . The communication may be routed via the routing circuitry  58 . 
     If at block  102 , the first communication system  62  is active, at block  110 , whether the second communication system  68  is active may be determined. This is similar to block  104 . However, block  110  differs from block  104  in that that one is performed when the first communication system  62  is active, while the other is performed when the first communication system  62  is not active. If the second communication system is not active, communication of the first communication system  62  is routed through the antenna port  54 . That is, when the first communication system  62  is active and the second communication system  68  is not active, communication of the first communication system  62  is routed through the antenna port  54 . 
     However, if at block  110 , the second communication system  68  is also active, communication associated with the first communication system  62  is routed through the coupler  56 , and communication associated with the second communication system  68  is routed through the antenna port  54 . In other words, when both the first communication system  62  and second communication system  68  are active, communication of the first communication system  62  may be routed through the coupler  56 , while communication of the second communication system  68  may be routed through the antenna port  54 . 
       FIGS. 11-17  illustrate more embodiments of the system  50 . In each of the illustrated embodiments, the first communication system  62  enables communication via WLAN networks (e.g., via an 802.11x Wi-Fi network), while the second communication system  68  enables communication via a PAN, such as a Bluetooth network. Additionally, the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 11-17  are provided to show various configurations of the routing circuitry  58 . Furthermore, each embodiment of the system  50  illustrated in  FIGS. 11-17  may perform the method  100 . 
     With this in mind,  FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of the system in which the routing circuitry includes two switches. More specifically, a first switch  120  is a double pole, double throw (DPDT) switch. As illustrated, the first switch  120  is communicatively coupled to the coupler  56  and a second switch  122 . The first switch  120  is also communicatively coupled to the transmitter  64  and receiver  66  of the first communication system  62 . In the illustrated embodiment, the second switch  122  is a single pole, double throw (SPDT) switch. The second switch  122  is coupled to the antenna port  54 , the first switch  120 , and the second communication system  68 . 
     The first switch  120  and second switch  122  may toggle to enable communication as described above with regard to the method  100 . For example, when the first communication system  62  or second communication system  68  is active, and the other is not active, communication may be routed through the antenna port  54 . Moreover, when both the first communication system  62  and the second communication system  68  are active, communication associated with the first communication system  62  may be routed through the coupler (e.g., via the first switch  120 ), and communication associated with the second communication system  68  may be routed through the antenna port  54  (e.g., via the second switch  122 ). 
     Continuing with the drawings,  FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the system  50  that includes three switches and two amplifiers. As illustrated, the first switch  120  is a double pole, single throw (DPST) switch that is communicatively coupled to the coupler  56  and the second switch  122 . The first switch  120  is also communicatively coupled to an amplifier  124 , the receiver  66  of the first communication system  62 , a third switch  126 , and the second communication system  68 . In the illustrated embodiment, the second switch  122  is a single pole, triple throw (SP3T) switch that is communicatively coupled to the antenna port  54 , the transmitter  64 , and an amplifier  128 . Moreover, the second switch is communicatively coupled to the receiver  66  and the second communication system  68 . Furthermore, the third switch  126  is a DPST switch. 
     The amplifiers  124 ,  128  increase the power of the electrical signals of the system  50 . For example, the amplifier  128  may increase the power of electrical signals transmitted by the transmitter  64 . In some embodiments, the amplifiers  124  may be a low noise amplifier. Low noise amplifiers amplify low power signals without degrading the signal-to-noise ratio of the power signals. For example, some low noise amplifiers may have a noise figure of three decibels or lower and provide a power gain that boosts the signal (e.g., ten decibels). In some embodiments, low noise amplifiers may have a noise figure lower than three decibels and a gain that is less than or greater than ten decibels. Electromagnetic radiation  74  may be received by the antenna  52 , converted into electrical signals via the antenna  52 , and may be amplified via the amplifier  124  before reaching the receiver  66  and receiver  72 . 
       FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the system  50  that also includes three switches and two amplifiers. In the illustrated embodiment, the first switch  120  is a DPDT switch, the second switch  122  is a SPDT switch, and the third switch  126  is a DPST switch. Similar to the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 12 , electrical signals that pass through the routing circuitry  58  may be amplified via the amplifiers  124  and  128 . 
       FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the system  50 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first switch  120  is a DPDT switch, and the second switch  122  is a SP3T switch. This particular embodiment also includes three amplifiers: amplifier  124 , amplifier  128  and an amplifier  130 . The amplifier  130  may be a low noise amplifier, and the amplifier  130  may amplify electrical signals that are sent to the receiver  72 . 
       FIG. 15  is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the system  50 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first switch  120  is a DPDT switch, the second switch  122  is a SP3T switch, and the third switch  126  is a DPST switch. The system  50  also includes the amplifiers  124 ,  128 . The system  50  also includes a divider  132  (e.g., a power splitter). The divider  132  may split signals that are amplified by the amplifier  124  before the signals are ultimately received by the receiver  66  of the first communication system  62  and the receiver  72  of the second communication system  68 . 
       FIG. 16  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the system  50  that includes two switches and three amplifiers. As illustrated, the first switch  120  is a DPST switch, and the second switch  122  is a single pole, quadruple throw (SP4T) switch. The system  50  also includes the amplifiers  124 ,  128 ,  130 . As described above, the amplifiers  124 ,  130  may be low noise amplifiers that amplify the signals received by the receivers  66 ,  72 , respectively. Moreover, the amplifier  128  may amplify signals sent by the transmitter  64 . 
     A similar configuration that uses one less amplifier and one more switch may also be used. For instance,  FIG. 17  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the system  50  that includes three switches and two amplifiers. As illustrated, the first switch  120  is a DPST switch, the second switch  122  is a SP4T switch, and the third switch  126  is a DPST switch. Additionally, the amplifiers  124 ,  128  are included. Signals to be received by the receivers  66 ,  72  may be amplified by the amplifier  124 , and signals sent by the transmitter  64  may be amplified by the amplifier  128 . 
       FIG. 18  is a graph  140  showing wireless throughput versus time. A first line  142  and second line  144  illustrate the throughput achieved by an electronic device that does not include the coupler  56 . More specifically, first line  142  is illustrative of the device being affected by variation in RSSI and noise (e.g., produced by a Bluetooth transmitter), and the second line  144  shows a device that is only impacted by RSSI variation. The graph also includes a third line  146  and a fourth line  148 , both of which are associated with devices that include the coupler  56  discussed above. More specifically, the third line  146  shows a device that is only impacted by noise variation, and the fourth line  148  shows a device that is not impacted by RSSI variation or noise variation. As shown in the graph  140 , each of the lines  144 ,  146 ,  148  has a higher throughput than the line  142 . That is, inclusion of the coupler  156  allows for a higher throughput in comparison to devices that do not include the coupler  156 . 
     While the embodiments discussed above include the antenna port  54  and coupler  56 , it should be noted that a divider may also be used instead. For example,  FIG. 19  is a schematic diagram of the system  50  that includes a divider  160 . The electromagnetic radiation  74  received by the antenna  52  may be converted electrical signals, which may pass through a first switch  162  before being split by the divider  160 . The split signals may then be received by the receivers  66 ,  72  after passing through a second switch  164  and a third switch  166 , respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the first switch  162  is a SP3T switch, the second switch  164  is a DPDT switch, and the third switch  166  is a DPST switch. Additionally, one or more amplifiers may be included. For example, an amplifier could be placed between the divider  160  and the first switch  162  to amplify received signals. 
     Implementation of the embodiment of the system  50  illustrated in  FIG. 19  results in less of a decrease in Wi-Fi signal-to-noise ratio when Bluetooth and Wi-Fi communication occur simultaneously. For instance, compared to the −25 decibel change in signal-to-noise ratio that could occur in other systems when Wi-Fi communication and a Bluetooth receiver (e.g., receiver  72 ) are simultaneously active, the system  50  of  FIG. 19  has a change in signal-to-noise ratio of −3 decibels when the divider  160  has a coupling factor of −3 decibels. Additionally, when Wi-Fi communication is active and a Bluetooth transmitter (e.g., transmitter  70 ) is active, the signal-to-noise ratio may decrease by 28 decibels when the divider  160  has a coupling factor of −3 decibels. Without the divider  160 , the change in signal-to-noise ratio could otherwise be −50 decibels. 
     As another example, when a divider  160  is not included, there could be a −25 fluctuation in Wi-Fi RSSI when the communication system (e.g., second communication system  68 ) that enables Bluetooth communication is idle. However, when the coupler  56  is utilized, such as in the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , the fluctuation in Wi-Fi RSSI may be equal to the coupling factor of the divider  160 . For instance, if the divider  160  has a coupling factor of −3 decibels, the fluctuation in Wi-Fi RSSI may be −3 decibels. 
     The specific embodiments described above have been shown by way of example, and it should be understood that these embodiments may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. It should be further understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20170913
Publication Date: 20200128
Grant Date: 20200128
Priority Date: 20170913
Inventors: CHONG, CHIA YIAW
NARANG, MOHIT
AGBOH, PETER M.
LIU, HSIN-YUO
HELMI, SULTAN R.
YASIN, TURSUNJAN
CHEN, YE
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04M2250/02", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/525", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03H11/245", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/50", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/006", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/525", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H03H11/245", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/006", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2250/02", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/50", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/0053", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/0053", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 63047457