WO2021028730A1 - Procédé de réglage automatique d'antennes passives accordables et unité d'accord, et appareil de communication radio utilisant ce procédé - Google Patents

Procédé de réglage automatique d'antennes passives accordables et unité d'accord, et appareil de communication radio utilisant ce procédé Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2021028730A1
WO2021028730A1 PCT/IB2020/054953 IB2020054953W WO2021028730A1 WO 2021028730 A1 WO2021028730 A1 WO 2021028730A1 IB 2020054953 W IB2020054953 W IB 2020054953W WO 2021028730 A1 WO2021028730 A1 WO 2021028730A1
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Prior art keywords
tuning
port
unit
output
input ports
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PCT/IB2020/054953
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English (en)
Inventor
Frederic Broyde
Evelyne Clavelier
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Tekcem
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Publication of WO2021028730A1 publication Critical patent/WO2021028730A1/fr

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B1/00—Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
    • H04B1/02—Transmitters
    • H04B1/04—Circuits
    • H04B1/0458—Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit, for instance a plurality of tunable passive antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit of a radio transmitter using several antennas simultaneously.
  • the invention also relates to an apparatus for radio communication using this method, for instance a radio transceiver.
  • open-loop control means control which does not utilize a measurement of the controlled variable
  • closed-loop control means control in which the control action is made to depend on a measurement of the controlled variable
  • a tunable passive antenna comprises at least one antenna control device having at least one parameter having an effect on one or more characteristics of said tunable passive antenna, said at least one parameter being adjustable, for instance by electrical means. Adjusting a tunable passive antenna means adjusting at least one said at least one parameter.
  • Each of said one or more characteristics may for instance be an electrical characteristic such as an impedance at a specified frequency, or an electromagnetic characteristic such as a directivity pattern at a specified frequency.
  • a tunable passive antenna may also be referred to as “reconfigurable antenna”.
  • An antenna control device may be used to control one or more characteristics of a tunable passive antenna.
  • An antenna control device may for instance be:
  • a parameter of the antenna control device having an effect on one or more characteristics of the tunable passive antenna may be the state of the switch or change-over switch;
  • a parameter of the antenna control device having an effect on one or more characteristics of the tunable passive antenna may be the reactance or the impedance of the adjustable impedance device at a specified frequency;
  • a parameter of the antenna control device having an effect on one or more characteristics of the tunable passive antenna may be a length of the deformation.
  • an antenna control device is an electrically controlled switch or change-over switch, it may for instance be an electro-mechanical relay, or a microelectromechanical switch (MEMS switch), or a circuit using one or more PIN diodes or one or more insulated-gate field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) as switching devices.
  • MEMS switch microelectromechanical switch
  • MOSFETs insulated-gate field-effect transistors
  • An adjustable impedance device is a component comprising two terminals which substantially behave as the terminals of a passive linear two-terminal circuit element, and which are consequently characterized by an impedance which may depend on frequency, this impedance being adjustable.
  • An adjustable impedance device having a reactance which is adjustable by electrical means may be such that it only provides, at a given frequency, a finite set of reactance values, this characteristic being for instance obtained if the adjustable impedance device is:
  • a network comprising a plurality of capacitors or open-circuited stubs and one or more electrically controlled switches or change-over switches, such as electro-mechanical relays, or microelectromechanical switches, or PIN diodes or insulated-gate field-effect transistors, used to cause different capacitors or open-circuited stubs of the network to contribute to the reactance; or
  • a network comprising a plurality of coils or short-circuited stubs and one or more electrically controlled switches or change-over switches used to cause different coils or short-circuited stubs of the network to contribute to the reactance.
  • An adjustable impedance device having a reactance which is adjustable by electrical means may be such that it provides, at a given frequency, a continuous set of reactance values, this characteristic being for instance obtained if the adjustable impedance device is based on the use of a variable capacitance diode; or a MOS varactor; or a microelectromechanical varactor (MEMS varactor); or a ferroelectric varactor.
  • a variable capacitance diode or a MOS varactor; or a microelectromechanical varactor (MEMS varactor); or a ferroelectric varactor.
  • each tunable passive antenna comprises a main antenna which is connected to the signal port of said each tunable passive antenna, and two or more auxiliary antennas.
  • Each of the auxiliary antennas is connected to an adjustable impedance device, each of the adjustable impedance devices having a reactance which is adjustable by electrical means.
  • Each of the tunable passive antennas may be regarded as a pattern-reconfigurable antenna. This first method is only applicable to a radio receiver using several antennas simultaneously for MIMO radio reception, and this first method is very slow.
  • a second method for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas is disclosed in the patent of the United States of America No. 9,698,484, entitled “Method for automatically adjusting tunable passive antennas”. This second method is applicable to a radio transmitter using a plurality of antennas simultaneously.
  • a block diagram of an automatic antenna system implementing this second method is shown in Figure 1. The automatic antenna system shown in Fig.
  • each of the tunable passive antennas comprising at least one antenna control device, said at least one antenna control device having at least one antenna control device parameter, said at least one antenna control device parameter having an effect on one or more characteristics of said each of the tunable passive antennas, said at least one antenna control device parameter being adjustable by electrical means; m sensing units (31) (32) (33) (34), each of the sensing units delivering two “sensing unit output signals”, each of the sensing unit output signals being determined by one electrical variable sensed (or measured) at one of the user ports; m sensing units (31) (32) (33) (34), each of the sensing units delivering two “sensing unit output signals”, each of the sensing unit output signals being determined by one electrical variable sensed (or measured) at one of the user ports; m
  • tunable passive antennas often only provide a poor tuning capability, so that it is often not possible to obtain that the automatic antenna system shown in Fig. 1 can sufficiently reduce or cancel any variation in the impedance matrix presented by the user ports, caused by a variation in a frequency of operation, and/or caused by the well-known user interaction.
  • each of the tunable passive antennas comprising at least one antenna control device, said at least one antenna control device having at least one antenna control device parameter, said at least one antenna control device parameter having an effect on one or more characteristics of said each of the tunable passive antennas, said at least one antenna control device parameter being adjustable by electrical means; m sensing units (31) (32) (33) (34), each of the sensing units delivering two “sensing unit output signals”, each of the sensing unit output signals being determined by one electrical variable sensed (or measured) at one of the user ports; a
  • the second method for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas and the first method for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit use closed-loop control to adjust the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit. They typically provide either an accurate but slow automatic tuning requiring many iterations, or a fast but inaccurate automatic tuning requiring few iterations.
  • Said two other methods for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit use open-loop control to adjust the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit, so that they may be fast, but they are typically inaccurate.
  • the purpose of the invention is a method for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit, without the above-mentioned limitations of known techniques, and also an apparatus for radio communication using this method.
  • X and Y being different quantities or variables, performing an action as a function of X does not preclude the possibility of performing this action as a function of Y.
  • “having an influence” and “having an effect” have the same meaning.
  • “coupled”, when applied to two ports may indicate that the ports are directly coupled, in which case each terminal of one of the ports is connected to (or, equivalently, in electrical contact with) one and only one of the terminals of the other port, and/or that the ports are indirectly coupled, in which case an electrical interaction different from direct coupling exists between the ports, for instance through one or more components.
  • the method of the invention is a method for automatically adjusting N tunable passive antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2, the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit having m input ports and n output ports, where m and n are each an integer greater than or equal to 2, the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit comprising p adjustable impedance devices, where p is an integer greater than or equal to m, the p adjustable impedance devices being referred to as the “adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit” and being such that, at a given frequency, each of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit has a reactance, the reactance of any one of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit being adjustable by electrical means, the reactance of any one of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit being mainly determined by at least one “tuning control signal”, the tunable passive antennas and the
  • Each of the q tuning parameters may for instance be substantially proportional to the absolute value, or the phase, or the real part, or the imaginary part of an entry of said impedance matrix presented by the input ports, or of an entry of the inverse of said impedance matrix presented by the input ports (this inverse being an admittance matrix presented by the input ports), or of an entry of a matrix of voltage reflection coefficients at the input ports, defined as being equal to (Z UI - Z O ) (Z UI - Z O ) _1 , where Z O is a reference impedance matrix, and where Z UI is said impedance matrix presented by the input ports.
  • the given frequency and the selected frequency may for instance be frequencies greater than or equal to 150 kHz.
  • the specialist understands that an impedance matrix seen by the output ports is a complex matrix of size n by n, and that an impedance matrix presented by the input ports is a complex matrix of size m by m.
  • Z Sant to denote the impedance matrix seen by the output ports
  • Z U to denote the impedance matrix presented by the input ports.
  • the impedance matrices Z Sant and Z U depend on the frequency.
  • Z U also depends on the one or more tuning control signals, so that the wording “impedance matrix presented by the input ports while each said initial value is generated” has a clear meaning.
  • Each of the N tunable passive antennas has a port, referred to as the “signal port” of the antenna, which can be used to receive and/or to emit electromagnetic waves.
  • Each of the tunable passive antennas comprises at least one antenna control device, which may comprise one or more terminals used for other electrical connections. It is assumed that each of the tunable passive antennas behaves, at the given frequency, with respect to the signal port of the antenna, substantially as a passive antenna, that is to say as an antenna which is linear and does not use an amplifier for amplifying signals received by the antenna or signals emitted by the antenna.
  • this matrix is consequently of size N x N. Because of the interactions between the tunable passive antennas, this matrix need not be diagonal. In particular, the invention may for instance be such that this matrix is not a diagonal matrix.
  • each of said one or more characteristics may for instance be an electrical characteristic such as an impedance at a specified frequency, or an electromagnetic characteristic such as a directivity pattern at a specified frequency.
  • the apparatus for radio communication allows, at the given frequency, a transfer of power from the m input ports to an electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas.
  • the apparatus for radio communication is such that, if a power is received by the m input ports at the given frequency, a part of said power received by the m input ports is transferred to an electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas at the given frequency, so that a power of the electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas at the given frequency is equal to said part of said power received by the m input ports.
  • the specialist knows that a power of the electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas (average radiated power) can be computed as the flux of the real part of a complex Poynting vector of the electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas, through a closed surface containing the tunable passive antennas.
  • said transfer of power from the m input ports to an electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas may for instance be a transfer of power with small or negligible or zero losses, this characteristic being preferred.
  • the method of the invention may for instance be such that any diagonal entry of the impedance matrix presented by the input ports is influenced by the reactance of at least one of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit.
  • the method of the invention may for instance be such that the reactance of at least one of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit has an influence on at least one non-diagonal entry of the impedance matrix presented by the input ports.
  • the specialist understands that this characteristic may avoid the poor tuning capability mentioned above in the prior art section.
  • the specialist understands that the one or more antenna control signals have an effect on each of the antenna control device parameters, so that they may have an influence on the impedance matrix seen by the output ports, and on the impedance matrix presented by the input ports.
  • each of the antenna control device parameters clearly means “each said at least one antenna control device parameter of each said at least one antenna control device of each of the tunable passive antennas”.
  • open-loop control is utilized to generate each of the one or more antenna control signals.
  • an open-loop control scheme is utilized to generate each of the one or more antenna control signals. This possible characteristic will be explained below in the presentations of the sixth and fourteenth embodiments.
  • At least one of the one or more subsequent values is generated by utilizing a numerical model, as explained below in the sixth embodiment.
  • An apparatus implementing the method of the invention is an apparatus for radio communication comprising:
  • each of the tunable passive antennas comprising at least one antenna control device, said at least one antenna control device having at least one antenna control device parameter, said at least one antenna control device parameter having an effect on one or more characteristics of said each of the tunable passive antennas, said at least one antenna control device parameter being adjustable by electrical means; a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit having m input ports and n output ports, where m and n are each an integer greater than or equal to 2, the apparatus for radio communication allowing, at a given frequency, a transfer of power from the m input ports to an electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas, the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit comprising p adjustable impedance devices, where p is an integer greater than or equal to m, the p adjustable impedance devices being referred to as “the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit” and being such that, at the given frequency,
  • each of the antenna control device parameters clearly means “each said at least one antenna control device parameter of each said at least one antenna control device of each of the tunable passive antennas”.
  • each of said electrical variables may be a voltage, or an incident voltage, or a reflected voltage, or a current, or an incident current, or a reflected current.
  • control unit is such that: for each of the one or more tuning control signals, the initial value of said each of the one or more tuning control signals is determined as a function of one of the one or more initial tuning unit adjustment instructions; and for one or more of the one or more tuning control signals, said one or more values of each said one or more of the one or more tuning control signals comprise at least one subsequent value determined as a function of one of the one or more subsequent tuning unit adjustment instructions.
  • control unit generates: for each of the one or more tuning control signals, an initial value determined as a function of one of the one or more initial tuning unit adjustment instructions; and, for at least one of the one or more tuning control signals, at least one subsequent value determined as a function of one of the one or more subsequent tuning unit adjustment instructions.
  • at least one subsequent value of said at least one of the one or more tuning control signals is generated as a function of: one or more quantities determined by the selected frequency; one or more variables determined by one or more of the one or more initial tuning unit adjustment instructions; and the q tuning parameters.
  • each of the tunable passive antennas is coupled, directly or indirectly, to one and only one of the output ports.
  • the signal port of the antenna is coupled, directly or indirectly, to one and only one of the output ports.
  • said transfer of power may take place through the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit.
  • the integer p may be greater than or equal to 2m.
  • each of the m input ports is coupled, directly or indirectly, to a port of the transmission and signal processing unit, said port of the transmission and signal processing unit delivering one and only one of the excitations.
  • Said multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit comprises m input ports and n output ports. It is assumed that said multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit behaves, at said given frequency, with respect to its input ports and output ports, substantially as a passive linear device, where “passive” is used in the meaning of circuit theory. More precisely, said multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit behaves, at said given frequency, with respect to the n output ports and the m input ports, substantially as a passive linear ( n + m)-port device. As a consequence of linearity, it is possible to define the impedance matrix presented by the input ports.
  • the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit does not provide amplification.
  • the reactance of any one of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit has an influence on an impedance matrix presented by the input ports.
  • the apparatus for radio communication is such that open-loop control is utilized to determine each of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions and to generate each of the one or more antenna control signals.
  • At least one of the one or more subsequent tuning unit adjustment instructions is determined by utilizing a numerical model, as explained below in the sixth embodiment.
  • the apparatus for radio communication of the invention is adaptive in the sense that the antenna control device parameters and the reactances of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit are varied with time as a function of the sensing unit output signals, which are each mainly determined by one or more electrical variables.
  • FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an automatic antenna system, and has already been discussed in the section dedicated to the presentation of the prior art
  • FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an automatic antenna system, and has already been discussed in the section dedicated to the presentation of the prior art
  • FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an automatic antenna system, and has already been discussed in the section dedicated to the presentation of the prior art
  • Figure 4 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for radio communication of the invention (first embodiment);
  • FIG. 5 shows a flowchart implemented in an apparatus for radio communication of the invention (sixth embodiment).
  • F igure 6 shows a schematic diagram of a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit having 4 input ports and 4 output ports, which may be used in the apparatus for radio communication shown in Fig. 4 (seventh embodiment);
  • F igure 7 shows a schematic diagram of a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit having 4 input ports and 4 output ports, which may be used in the apparatus for radio communication shown in Fig. 4 (eighth embodiment);
  • Figure 8 shows a flowchart implemented in an apparatus for radio communication of the invention (ninth embodiment);
  • Figure 9 shows a first tunable passive antenna, which comprises a single antenna control device (tenth embodiment);
  • Figure 10 shows a second tunable passive antenna, which comprises three antenna control devices (eleventh embodiment);
  • F igure 11 shows a third tunable passive antenna, which comprises four antenna control devices (twelfth embodiment);
  • Figure 12 shows a fourth tunable passive antenna, which comprises a single antenna control device (thirteenth embodiment);
  • Figure 13 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for radio communication of the invention (fourteenth embodiment).
  • Figure 14 shows the locations of the four antennas of a mobile phone (fifteenth embodiment).
  • Figure 15 shows a first typical use configuration (right hand and head configuration);
  • Figure 16 shows a second typical use configuration (two hands configuration);
  • Figure 17 shows a third typical use configuration (right hand only configuration);
  • Figure 18 shows a block diagram of an apparatus for radio communication of the invention (sixteenth embodiment).
  • Each of the tunable passive antennas is coupled to one and only one of the output ports. More precisely, for each of the tunable passive antennas, the signal port of the antenna is indirectly coupled to one and only one of the output ports, through one and only one of the feeders. Moreover, each of the output ports is coupled to one and only one of the tunable passive antennas. More precisely, each of the output ports is indirectly coupled to the signal port of one and only one of the tunable passive antennas, through one and only one of the feeders.
  • the given frequency lies in the given frequency band. The given frequency band only contains frequencies greater than or equal to 30 MHz.
  • the q tuning parameters are sufficient to allow a determination of an impedance matrix presented by the input ports.
  • the wording “are sufficient to allow a determination of an impedance matrix presented by the input ports” does not imply that an impedance matrix presented by the input ports is determined, but it is possible that an impedance matrix presented by the input ports is determined.
  • Each of the sensing units (31) (32) (33) (34) may for instance be such that the two sensing unit output signals delivered by said each of the sensing units comprise: a first sensing unit output signal proportional to a first electrical variable, the first electrical variable being a voltage across one of the input ports; and a second sensing unit output signal proportional to a second electrical variable, the second electrical variable being a current flowing in said one of the input ports.
  • Said voltage across one of the input ports maybe a complex voltage and said current flowing in said one of the input ports may be a complex current.
  • each of the sensing units (31) (32) (33) (34) may for instance be such that the two sensing unit output signals delivered by said each of the sensing units comprise: a first sensing unit output signal proportional to a first electrical variable, the first electrical variable being an incident voltage (which may also be referred to as “forward voltage”) at one of the input ports; and a second sensing unit output signal proportional to a second electrical variable, the second electrical variable being a reflected voltage at said one of the input ports.
  • Said incident voltage at one of the input ports maybe a complex incident voltage and said reflected voltage at said one of the input ports may be a complex reflected voltage.
  • Each of the m input ports is indirectly coupled to a port of the transmission and signal processing unit (8), through one and only one of the sensing units, said port of the transmission and signal processing unit delivering one and only one of the excitations.
  • Each of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions and each of the tuning unit adjustment instructions may be of any type of digital message.
  • the one or more antenna adjustment instructions and the tuning unit adjustment instructions are delivered during one or more adjustment sequences. Two different adjustment sequences are described below, in the sixth embodiment and in the ninth embodiment.
  • the duration of an adjustment sequence is less than 100 microseconds.
  • At least one of the excitations is an unmodulated carrier, the carrier frequency of said at least one of the excitations being the frequency of said carrier.
  • at least one of the excitations is an amplitude modulated carrier, the carrier frequency of said at least one of the excitations being the frequency of said carrier.
  • at least one of the excitations is a frequency modulated carrier, the carrier frequency of said at least one of the excitations being the frequency of said carrier.
  • at least one of the excitations is a bandpass signal, the carrier frequency of said at least one of the excitations being a carrier frequency of said bandpass signal.
  • the value of the selected frequency lies in a “set of possible values of the selected frequency”, which comprises several elements.
  • the selected frequency may take on any value lying in the set of possible values of the selected frequency.
  • the carrier frequency of each of the excitations may take on any value lying in the set of possible values of the selected frequency.
  • sensing unit output signals each of which is mainly determined by one or more electrical variables sensed at one of the input ports while at least one of the excitations is applied, and while, for each of the one or more tuning control signals, the initial value of said each of the one or more tuning control signals is generated.
  • the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit (4) is such that, at said given frequency, if the impedance matrix seen by the output ports is equal to a given non-diagonal impedance matrix, a mapping associating the impedance matrix presented by the input ports to the p reactances is defined, the mapping having, at a given value of each of the p reactances, a partial derivative with respect to each of the p reactances, a span of the p partial derivatives being defined in the set of the complex matrices of size m by m considered as a real vector space, any diagonal complex matrix of size m by m having the same diagonal entries as at least one element of the span of the p partial derivatives.
  • the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit is such that, at said given frequency, there exists a non-diagonal impedance matrix referred to as the given non-diagonal impedance matrix, the given non-diagonal impedance matrix being such that, if an impedance matrix seen by the output ports is equal to the given non-diagonal impedance matrix, then a mapping associating an impedance matrix presented by the input ports to the p reactances is defined, the mapping having, at a given value of each of the p reactances, a partial derivative with respect to each of the p reactances, a span of the p partial derivatives being defined in the set of the complex matrices of size m by m considered as a real vector space, any diagonal complex matrix of size m by m having the same diagonal entries as at least one element of the span of the p partial derivatives.
  • any diagonal complex matrix of size m by m has the same diagonal entries as at least one element of the span of the p partial derivatives, it is necessary that the dimension of the span of the p partial derivatives considered as a real vector space is greater than or equal to the dimension of the subspace of the diagonal complex matrices of size m by m considered as a real vector space. Since the dimension of the span of the p partial derivatives considered as a real vector space is less than or equal to p, and since the dimension of the subspace of the diagonal complex matrices of size m by m considered as a real vector space is equal to 2m, the necessary condition implies that p is an integer greater than or equal to 2m. This is why the requirement “p is an integer greater than or equal to 2 m” is an essential characteristic of this embodiment.
  • the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit (4) is such that it can provide, at said given frequency, for suitable values of the one or more tuning control signals, a low-loss transfer of power from the input ports to the output ports, and a low-loss transfer of power from the output ports to the input ports.
  • the specialist sees that the apparatus for radio communication allows, at the given frequency, a transfer of power from the m input ports to an electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas.
  • the apparatus for radio communication is such that, if a power is received by the m input ports at the given frequency, a part of said power received by the m input ports is transferred to an electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas at the given frequency, so that a power of the electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas at the given frequency is equal to said part of said power received by the m input ports.
  • the apparatus for radio communication also allows, at said given frequency, a transfer of power from an electromagnetic field incident on the tunable passive antennas to the m input ports.
  • the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and the tunable passive antennas are such that, at said given frequency, for suitable values of the one or more tuning control signals and of the one or more antenna control signals, a low-loss transfer of power from the m input ports to an electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas can be obtained (for radio emission), and a low-loss transfer of power from an electromagnetic field incident on the tunable passive antennas to the m input ports can be obtained (for radio reception).
  • the apparatus for radio communication allows, at said given frequency, for suitable values of the one or more tuning control signals and of the one or more antenna control signals, a low-loss transfer of power from the m input ports to an electromagnetic field radiated by the tunable passive antennas, and a low- loss transfer of power from an electromagnetic field incident on the tunable passive antennas to the m input ports.
  • the suitable values of the one or more tuning control signals and of the one or more antenna control signals are provided automatically.
  • the specialist understands that any small variation in the impedance matrix seen by the output ports can be at least partially compensated with a new automatic adjustment of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit. Since each of the tuning parameters is a quantity depending on an impedance matrix presented by the input ports while said initial values are generated, it follows that the apparatus for radio communication uses a closed-loop control scheme to determine the one or more subsequent tuning unit adjustment instructions.
  • the apparatus for radio communication is a portable radio transceiver, so that the transmission and signal processing unit (8) also performs functions which have not been mentioned above, and which are well known to specialists.
  • the apparatus for radio communication can be a user equipment (UE) of an LTE-advanced wireless network, or of a 5G New Radio wireless network.
  • UE user equipment
  • the specialist understands that Z Sant depends on the frequency and on the electromagnetic characteristics of the volume surrounding the tunable passive antennas.
  • the body of the user has an effect on Z Sant
  • Z Sant depends on the position of the body of the user. This is referred to as “user interaction”, or “hand effect” or “finger effect”.
  • the specialist understands that the apparatus for radio communication may automatically compensate a variation in Z Sant caused by a variation in a frequency of operation, and/or automatically compensate the user interaction.
  • a new adjustment sequence starts shortly after each change of the frequency of operation, and no later than 10 milliseconds after the beginning of the previous adjustment sequence.
  • N is greater than or equal to 3
  • N is greater than or equal to 4
  • n is greater than or equal to 3
  • n is greater than or equal to 4
  • m is greater than or equal to 3
  • m is greater than or equal to 4.
  • the second embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment are applicable to this second embodiment.
  • the m excitations are applied successively to the input ports, that is to say: the m excitations are applied one after another to the input ports.
  • Each of the m excitations applied successively to the input ports may for instance comprise a sinusoidal signal at said given frequency, for instance a sinusoidal current at said given frequency applied to one and only one of the input ports, said one and only one of the input ports being a different input port for each of the m excitations.
  • Each of the m excitations applied successively to the input ports may for instance comprise a sinusoidal signal at a frequency different from said given frequency, or a non-sinusoidal signal.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit is used to successively apply the m excitations to the input ports. For instance, if the input ports are numbered from 1 to m, if the excitations are numbered from 1 to m, and if a is any integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, the excitation number a may consist of a voltage applied to the input port number a and no voltage applied to the other input ports, or consist of a current applied to the input port number a and no current applied to the other input ports.
  • q 2 m 2 and the q tuning parameters fully determine an impedance matrix presented by the input ports, said impedance matrix presented by the input ports being an impedance matrix presented by the input ports while, for each of the one or more tuning control signals, the initial value of said each of the one or more tuning control signals is generated.
  • the two sensing unit output signals of each of said sensing units are proportional to a complex voltage across one of the input ports and to a complex current flowing in said one of the input ports, respectively, as explained above.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit (8) can use the sensing unit output signals caused by the m excitations applied successively to the input ports, to estimate q tuning parameters which are sufficient to allow a determination of an impedance matrix presented by the input ports, said impedance matrix presented by the input ports being an impedance matrix presented by the input ports while the one or more initial values are generated, we are going to consider two examples of signal processing.
  • the excitation number a consists of a current at the given frequency applied to the input port number a and no current applied to the other input ports.
  • the input ports see an impedance matrixZ IO( , and the excitation number a causes a vector of the open-circuit voltages at the ports of the transmission and signal processing unit, denoted by U UPO c a ⁇
  • Z LOC is a complex matrix of size m by m
  • V UPOCa is a complex vector of size m by 1 which is proportional to column a of Z LOC .
  • the specialist sees that, while the excitation number a is being applied, the vector of the complex currents measured by the sensing units is given by
  • I UP a (Zu + Z LOC ) -1 V UPOC a (1) and the vector of the complex voltages measured by the sensing units is given by
  • I UP be the complex matrix of size m bym whose column vectors arc I UP 1 , ..., m
  • Y UP be the complex matrix of size m bym whose column vectors are V UP 1 ..., V UPm .
  • V UP Z u (3)
  • said transmission and signal processing unit can use equation (4) to compute Z U .
  • said q tuning parameters may consist of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the real part of an entry of Z u and of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the imaginary part of an entry of Z U .
  • the excitation number a consists of a voltage at the given frequency applied to the input port number a and a zero voltage applied to the other input ports.
  • the input ports see an impedance matrix Z LSC , and the excitation number a causes a vector of the open-circuit voltages at the ports of the transmission and signal processing unit, denoted by U UPSCa ⁇
  • Z LSC is a complex matrix of size m bym
  • V UPSC a is a complex vector of size m by 1 , the entries of which are zero except the entry of row a.
  • I UP be the complex matrix of size m by m whose column vectors are I UP 1 , ..., l UPm
  • V UP be the complex matrix of size m by m whose column vectors are V UP 1 , ..., V UPm
  • the matrices I UP and V UP of this second example of signal processing may be completely different from the matrices I UP and V UP of the first example of signal processing. However, they satisfy equation (3).
  • the matrix Z U + Z LSC being the impedance matrix of a strictly passive network, Z U + Z LSC is invertible (as explained above for Z LOC and Z v + Z LOC ), so that I UP is correctly defined by equation (5).
  • said transmission and signal processing unit can use equation (4) to compute Z U .
  • said q tuning parameters may consist of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the real part of an entry of Z u and of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the imaginary part of an entry of Z u .
  • said q tuning parameters may consist of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the absolute value of an entry of Z u and of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the argument of an entry of Z U .
  • the third embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment are applicable to this third embodiment.
  • the m excitations are not applied successively to the input ports, that is to say: the m excitations are not applied one after another to the input ports.
  • the m excitations are not applied one after another to the input ports.
  • two or more of the excitations are applied simultaneously to the input ports.
  • the m excitations are applied simultaneously to the input ports.
  • each of the excitations is a bandpass signal.
  • This type of signal is sometimes improperly referred to as “passband signal” or “narrow-band signal” (in French: “signal a bande etroite”).
  • a bandpass signal is any real signal s(t), where t denotes the time, such that the spectrum ofs(t) is included in a frequency interval [ ⁇ c - W/2, ⁇ c + W/2], where ⁇ c is a frequency referred to as “carrier frequency” and where IT is a frequency referred to as “bandwidth”, which satisfies W ⁇ 2 ⁇ c .
  • the Fourier transform of s(t), denoted by S( ⁇ ), is non-negligible only in the frequency intervals [- ⁇ c - W/2, - ⁇ c + T72] and [ ⁇ c - W/2, ⁇ c + 1472]
  • the real part of s B (t) is referred to as the in-phase component, and the imaginary part of s B (t) is referred to as the quadrature component.
  • the specialist knows that the bandpass signal .
  • first signal being the product of the in-phase component and a first sinusoidal carrier of frequency ⁇ c
  • second signal being the product of the quadrature component and a second sinusoidal carrier of frequency ⁇ c
  • the second sinusoidal carrier being 90° out of phase with respect to the first sinusoidal carrier
  • the frequency interval [ ⁇ c - W/2, ⁇ c + W/2 ⁇ is a passband of the bandpass signal. From the definitions, it is clear that, for a given bandpass signal, several choices of carrier frequency ⁇ c and of bandwidth W are possible, so that the passband of the bandpass signal is not uniquely defined. However, any passband of the bandpass signal must contain any frequency at which the spectrum of s(t) is not negligible.
  • the complex envelope of the real signal s(t) clearly depends on the choice of a carrier frequency ⁇ c . However, for a given carrier frequency, the complex envelope of the real signal s(t) is uniquely defined, for a given choice of the real constant k.
  • Each of said m excitations is a bandpass signal having a passband which contains said given frequency. Said given frequency being considered as a carrier frequency, each of the excitations has one and only one complex envelope (or complex baseband equivalent), the m complex envelopes of the m excitations being linearly independent in E, where E is the set of complex functions of one real variable, regarded as a vector space over the field of complex numbers.
  • the excitations may be such that, for any integer a greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, the excitation number a consists of a current i a (t), of complex envelope i E a (t), applied to the input port number a, the complex envelopes i E , (t),..., i E m (t) being linearly independent in E.
  • any voltage or current measured at anyone of the input ports and caused by the excitation number a is a bandpass signal whose complex envelope is proportional to i Ea (t), the coefficient of proportionality being complex and time-independent.
  • i E1 (t) ,..., i E m (t) is a basis of S ; any voltage or current measured at anyone of the input ports and caused by the excitations is a bandpass signal whose complex envelope lies in S ; and, for any integer a greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, the product of the a-th coordinate of the complex envelope of this voltage or current in the basis i Em (t ) and the vector i Ea (t) is equal to the part of the complex envelope of this voltage or current which is caused by the excitation number a. Consequently, the contributions of the different excitations can be identified with suitable signal processing, as if the different excitations had been applied successively to the input ports.
  • the first example of signal processing of the second embodiment can be adapted to the context of this third embodiment, to obtain q tuning parameters which fully determine an impedance matrix presented by the input ports, each of the tuning parameters being a real quantity depending on said impedance matrix presented by the input ports, said impedance matrix presented by the input ports being an impedance matrix presented by the input ports while, for each of the one or more tuning control signals, the initial value of said each of the one or more tuning control signals is generated.
  • the excitation number a consists of a current i a (t), of complex envelope i Ea (t), applied to the input port number a, the complex envelopes i E1 (t),..., i Em (t) being linearly independent in E.
  • the input ports see an impedance matrix Z LOC , and the excitations cause: m open-circuit voltages at the ports of the transmission and signal processing unit, of complex envelopes v UPOC , (t),..., m (0; m currents flowing in the input ports, of complex envelopes i UP 1 (t),..., i UPm , (t); and m voltages across the input ports, of complex envelopes v UP (t),..., v UPm (t).
  • the bandwidth of the complex envelopes i E1 (t),..., i Em (t) is sufficiently narrow, for any integer a greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m
  • the product of the a-th coordinate of each of these complex envelopes in the basis i E , (t),..., i Em (t) and the vector i Ea (t) is equal to the part of said each of these complex envelopes which is caused by the excitation number a.
  • n UPOC a to denote the column vector of the a-th coordinates of the complex envelopes
  • J UPa to denote the column vector of the a-th coordinates of the complex envelopes i UP l (t),..., i UPm (t ) in this basis.
  • u UP a to denote the column vector of the a-th coordinates of the complex envelopes v UP (t),..., v UPm (t) in this basis.
  • Z LOC is a complex matrix of size m by m
  • u UPOCa , j UPa , and u UPa are complex vectors of size m by 1. The specialist sees that
  • J UP be the complex matrix of size m bym whose column vectors are J UP , J UPm , and let U UP be the complex matrix of size m by m whose column vectors are n UP 1 , ..., n UP m .
  • J UP is correctly defined by equation (6). Also, it may easily be shown that J UP is the product of three terms: the inverse of Z u + Z LOC , Z LOC and an invertible matrix. Thus, J UP is invertible, so that
  • the sensing unit number b delivers: a first sensing unit output signal proportional to the voltage across the input port number b ; and a second sensing unit output signal proportional to the current flowing in this input port.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit may for instance perform an in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) demodulation (homodyne reception) of these sensing unit output signals, to obtain, for any integer b greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, four analog signals: the real part of v UP b (t); the imaginary part of v UPb (t); the real part of i UPb (t ); and the imaginary part of i UPb (t).
  • I/Q in-phase/quadrature
  • said q tuning parameters may consist of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the real part of an entry of Y, and of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the imaginary part of an entry of ⁇ u .
  • This example of signal processing shows that, in an embodiment where the m excitations are not applied successively, the effects of the different excitations can be identified with suitable signal processing, as if the different excitations had been applied successively to the input ports, so that the m excitations can be used to estimate said impedance matrix presented by the input ports, and any quantity depending on said impedance matrix presented by the input ports.
  • q 2 m 2 and the q tuning parameters fully determine an impedance matrix presented by the input ports, said impedance matrix presented by the input ports being an impedance matrix presented by the input ports while the one or more initial values are generated.
  • said q tuning parameters may consist of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the real part of an entry of and of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the imaginary part of an entry of Y u .
  • said q tuning parameters may consist of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the absolute value of an entry of Y u and of m 2 real numbers each proportional to the argument of an entry of Y u .
  • the fourth embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment and for the third embodiment are applicable to this fourth embodiment.
  • the complex envelopes of the m excitations are orthogonal to each other. More precisely, the complex envelopes of the m excitations are orthogonal to one another, for a given scalar product.
  • the scalar product of any one of the m complex envelopes and itself is nonzero, so that the orthogonality requirements entail that the m complex envelopes are linearly independent.
  • ⁇ I 1 g> to denote the scalar product of two functions / and g, which may be any scalar product satisfying the properties of conjugate symmetry, linearity in the second argument, and positivity (we do not require positive definiteness).
  • each of said complex envelope is square-integrable, and that the scalar product is the usual scalar product of the Hilbert space of square-integrable functions of a real variable, which, for two square-integrable functions / and g, is given by in which the bar above / (x) denotes the complex conjugate.
  • the excitations are such that, while the one or more initial values are generated, for any integer a greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, the excitation number a consists of a current i a (t), of complex envelope i E a (t), applied to the input port number a, the complex envelopes i E1 (t),..., i Em (t) being orthogonal to each other.
  • equation (9) is applicable, and the entries of U UP and of J UP can be easily computed, since, for any integer a greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, and for any integer b greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, the entry of the row b and the column a of J UP , that is to say the b- th entry of the vector J UPa , that is to say the a-th coordinate of the complex envelope i UPb (t ) in the basis i E 1 (t),..., i Em (t), is clearly given by and the entry of the row b and the column a of U UP , that is to say the b- th entry of the vector u UPa , that is to say the a-th coordinate of the complex envelope v UPb ⁇ t) in said basis, is clearly given by
  • the sensing unit number b delivers: a first sensing unit output signal proportional to the voltage across the input port number b; and a second sensing unit output signal proportional to the current flowing in this input port.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit may for instance perform a down-conversion of all sensing unit output signals, followed by an in- phase/quadrature (I/Q) demodulation (heterodyne reception), to obtain, for any integer b greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, four analog signals: the real part of v UP b (t); the imaginary part of v UPb (t ); the real part of i UPb (t ); and the imaginary part of i UPb (t). These analog signals may then be converted into digital signals and further processed in the digital domain, based on equations (12) and (13), to estimate all entries of U UP and of J UP .
  • I/Q in- phase/quadrature
  • the excitations are such that, while the one or more initial values are generated, for any integer a greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, the excitation number a consists of a current i a (t), of complex envelope i Ea (t), applied to the input port number a, the complex envelopes i E1 (t),..., i Em (t) being orthogonal to each other.
  • the excitations could for instance be such that, while the one or more initial values are generated, for any integer a greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, the excitation number a consists of a voltage v a (t), of complex envelope v Ea (t), applied to the input port number a, the complex envelopes v E j (t),..., v Em (t) being orthogonal to each other.
  • the specialist understands how to generate m excitations having complex envelopes which are orthogonal to one another. For instance, let us consider m arbitrary sequences of data symbols, each sequence being modulated on a single sub-carrier of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal, different sequences being modulated on different sub carriers. These m modulated sub-carriers are orthogonal to one another, so that each of these modulated sub-carriers could be used as the complex envelope of one of the m excitations.
  • OFDM orthogonal frequency division multiplexing
  • orthogonality also exists between any two different resource elements of an OFDM signal (a resource element means one OFDM sub-carrier for the duration of one OFDM symbol), so that m different resource elements could each be used to obtain the complex envelope of one of the m excitations.
  • each of the complex envelopes of the m excitations is the sum of a first complex signal and a second complex signal, the first complex signal being referred to as the primary component of the complex envelope, the second complex signal being referred to as the secondary component of the complex envelope, the primary components of the m complex envelopes being orthogonal to each other, each of the primary components of the m complex envelopes being orthogonal to each of the secondary components of the m complex envelopes.
  • the primary components of the m complex envelopes are orthogonal to one another, for a given scalar product, and each of the primary components of the m complex envelopes is orthogonal to each of the secondary components of the m complex envelopes, for the given scalar product.
  • the scalar product of any one of the primary components of the m complex envelopes and itself is nonzero, so that the orthogonality requirements entail that the m complex envelopes are linearly independent.
  • the excitation number a consists of a current i a (t), of complex envelope i E a (t), applied to the input port number a, the complex envelope i Ea (t) being of the form where i c a (t) is the primary component of the complex envelope, and i D a (t) is the secondary component of the complex envelope, the primary components i cl (t),..., i Cm (t) of the m complex envelopes being orthogonal to each other, and each of the primary components i c j (t),..., i Cm (t) of the m complex envelopes being orthogonal to each of the secondary components i D , (t),..., i Dm (l) of the m complex envelopes.
  • equation (9) is applicable, and the entries of U UP, and of J UP can be easily computed, since, for any integer a greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, and for any integer b greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, the entry of the row b and the column a of J UP , that is to say the b- th entry of the vector j UPa , that is to say the a-th coordinate of the complex envelope i UPb (t ) in the basis i E , (t),..., i Em (t), is clearly given by and the entry of the row b and the column a of U UP , that is to say the b- th entry of the vector n UPa , that is to say the a-th coordinate of the complex envelope v UPb (t) in said basis, is clearly given by
  • the sensing unit number b delivers: a first sensing unit output signal proportional to the voltage across the input port number b; and a second sensing unit output signal proportional to the current flowing in this input port.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit may for instance perform a down-conversion of all sensing unit output signals, followed by a conversion into digital signals using bandpass sampling, and by a digital quadrature demodulation, to obtain, for any integer b greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, four digital signals: the samples of the real part of v UPb (t ); the samples of the imaginary part of v UP b (t); the samples of the real part of i UPb (t ); and the samples of the imaginary part of i UPb (t). These digital signals may then be further processed, based on equations (15) and (16), to estimate all entries of U UP and of J UP .
  • the excitation number a consists of a current i a (t), of complex envelope i Ea (t), applied to the input port number a, the complex envelope i Ea (t) being the sum of i Ca (t) and i Da (t), where i Ca (t) is the primary component of the complex envelope, and i Da (t) is the secondary component of the complex envelope, the primary components i c 1 (t),..., i Cm (t) of the m complex envelopes being orthogonal to each other, each of the primary components i c 1 (t),..., i ( m (t) of the m complex envelopes being orthogonal to each of the secondary components i D j (t),..., i Dm (t) of the m complex envelopes.
  • the excitations could for instance be such that, while the one or more initial values are generated, for any integer a greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to m, the excitation number a consists of a voltage v a (t), of complex envelope v Ea (t), applied to the input port number a, the complex envelope v E a (t) being the sum of v Ca (t) and v D a (t), where v c a ( t ) is the primary component of the complex envelope, and v D a ( t ) is the secondary component of the complex envelope, the primary components v c1 (t),..., v Cm ⁇ t) of the m complex envelopes being orthogonal to each other, each of the primary components v c , (t),..., v Cm ( t ) of the m complex envelopes being orthogonal to each of the secondary components v D j (t),..., v Dm (t) of the m complex envelopes
  • each of said complex envelopes being the sum of a first complex signal and a second complex signal
  • the first complex signal being referred to as the primary component of the complex envelope
  • the second complex signal being referred to as the secondary component of the complex envelope
  • the primary components of the m complex envelopes being orthogonal to each other
  • each of the primary components of the m complex envelopes being orthogonal to each of the secondary components of the m complex envelopes.
  • the sub-carriers modulated by the m arbitrary sequences are orthogonal to one another, and each of them is orthogonal to any combination of sub-carriers which are not modulated by any one of the m arbitrary sequences, and which may carry any data.
  • each of the sub-carriers modulated by the m arbitrary sequences could be used as the primary component of the complex envelope of one of the m excitations, and any combination of sub-carriers which are not modulated by any one of the m arbitrary sequences, and which may carry any data, could be used as the secondary component of the complex envelope of any one of the m excitations. For instance, let us consider m different resource elements of an OFDM signal.
  • the m different resource elements are orthogonal to one another, and each of the m different resource elements is orthogonal to any combination of resource elements which are not one of said m different resource elements.
  • each of said m different resource elements could be used to obtain the primary component of the complex envelope of one of the m excitations, and any combination of resource elements which are not one of said m different resource elements could be used to obtain the secondary component of the complex envelope of any one of the m excitations.
  • OFDM or single carrier frequency domain equalization SC-FDE
  • different resource elements in different spatial layers also referred to as “spatial streams”
  • reference signals also referred to as “pilots”
  • Such a reference signal considered in a given spatial layer, can be used as the primary component of the complex envelope of one of the m excitations, and any combination of resource elements which are not used by such a reference signal, considered in a given spatial layer and carrying any data symbols, can be used to obtain the secondary component of the complex envelope of any one of the m excitations.
  • the reference signals meet suitable orthogonality relations. Consequently, this fifth embodiment is compatible with the requirements of 4G standards typically applicable to MIMO wireless networks.
  • the sixth embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment are applicable to this sixth embodiment.
  • a flowchart of one of the one or more adjustment sequences used in this sixth embodiment is shown in Figure 5.
  • said flowchart comprises: a process “choosing the selected frequency” (802), in which the transmission and signal processing unit chooses the selected frequency, from the set of possible values of the selected frequency; a process “delivering antenna control signals to the tunable passive antennas” (803), in which the transmission and signal processing unit delivers one or more of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions, and in which the control unit delivers said one or more antenna control signals to the tunable passive antennas, each of said one or more of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions being determined as a function of the selected frequency; a process “start applying the excitations” (804), in which the transmission and signal processing unit starts applying at least one of the excitations, each of the excitations having a carrier frequency which is equal to the selected frequency, so that the sensing units become able to deliver sensing unit output signals such that each of the sensing unit output signals is determined by an electrical variable sensed at one of the input ports while at least one of the excitations is applied;
  • Each of the one or more antenna control signals has no influence on the selected frequency.
  • Each of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions has no influence on the selected frequency.
  • Each of said one or more of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions being determined as a function of the selected frequency, and only as a function of the selected frequency, it is clear that open-loop control is utilized to generate each of the one or more antenna control signals.
  • the one or more antenna adjustment instructions and the one or more antenna control signals are such that: at the end of the process “delivering antenna control signals to the tunable passive antennas” (803), the impedance matrix seen by the output ports approximates a specified impedance matrix, which may depend on frequency; each said antenna control device parameter of each said antenna control device of each of the tunable passive antennas has a value which does not change from the end of the process “delivering antenna control signals to the tunable passive antennas” (803) to the end of said one of the one or more adjustment sequences.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit uses an algorithm to determine and deliver the one or more antenna adjustment instructions.
  • the algorithm uses the selected frequency and some properties of the tunable passive antennas. For instance, the algorithm may be based on a formula allowing one to estimate Z Sant in an assumed use configuration, as a function of the selected frequency and of each said antenna control device parameter of each said antenna control device of each of the tunable passive antennas, the formula being possibly used to compute, for the assumed use configuration, an optimal value of each said antenna control device parameter of each said antenna control device of each of the tunable passive antennas, at the selected frequency.
  • the algorithm may be based on one or more formulas allowing one to estimate, in an assumed use configuration, an optimal value of each said antenna control device parameter of each said antenna control device of each of the tunable passive antennas, as a function of the selected frequency.
  • the specialist knows how to write such an algorithm, and he understands that such an algorithm cannot take into account the variations ofZ Sant caused by variations in the electromagnetic characteristics of the volume surrounding the tunable passive antennas.
  • tunable passive antennas often only provide a poor tuning capability. Consequently, at the end of the process “delivering antenna control signals to the tunable passive antennas” (803), the impedance matrix seen by the output ports typically only very coarsely approximates the specified impedance matrix.
  • Said one of the one or more adjustment sequences is intended to be such that, at the end of said one of the one or more adjustment sequences, the impedance matrix presented by the input ports is close to a wanted impedance matrix, denoted by Z w , said wanted impedance matrix being possibly dependent on the selected frequency.
  • Z U a matrix function denoted by h
  • the matrix function being a function from a set of square complex matrices into the same set of square complex matrices, the matrix function being continuous where it is defined and such that h( Z w ) is a null matrix.
  • the norm maybe a vector norm or a matrix norm.
  • the impedance matrix Z is close to the wanted impedance matrix, if and only if said norm of h( Z ) is close to zero; we say that the impedance matrix Z is coarsely close to the wanted impedance matrix, if and only if said norm of h(Z ) is coarsely close to zero; we say that the impedance matrix Z is as close as possible to the wanted impedance matrix, if and only if said norm of h(Z ) is as close as possible to zero; we say that the impedance matrix Z is very close to the wanted impedance matrix, if and only if said norm of h(Z ) is very close to zero; etc.
  • the initial tuning unit adjustment instruction is determined as a function of the selected frequency.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit uses a lookup table (also spelled “look-up table”) to determine and deliver the initial tuning unit adjustment instruction, as a function of the selected frequency.
  • the specialist knows how to build and use such a lookup table, and he understands that such a lookup table cannot take into account the variations of Z Sant caused by variations in the electromagnetic characteristics of the volume surrounding the tunable passive antennas. Consequently, in this case, at the end of the process “initial values of the tuning control signals” (805), it is very likely that the impedance matrix presented by the input ports is only very coarsely close to the wanted impedance matrix Z w .
  • the transmission and signal processing unit first determines if an earlier adjustment sequence (that is to say, an adjustment sequence which was completed before the beginning of said one of the one or more adjustment sequences), which used the same selected frequency as said one of the one or more adjustment sequences, has its subsequent tuning unit adjustment instruction stored in memory, in which case this subsequent tuning unit adjustment instruction stored in memory is used to determine and deliver the initial tuning unit adjustment instruction, whereas, in the opposite case, a lookup table is used to determine and deliver the initial tuning unit adjustment instruction, as a function of the selected frequency (as explained above).
  • the process “subsequent values of the tuning control signals” (807) provides an impedance matrix presented by the input ports, denoted by Z U , which is very close, or as close as possible, to the wanted impedance matrix Z w .
  • the numerical model is a model of the multiple-input-port and multiple- output-port tuning unit and of the control unit.
  • an accurate numerical model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit may be put in the form of a mapping denoted by g U and defined by g U ( ⁇ ,Z Sant ,T C , a T ) (20) where /is the frequency, where t c is the applicable tuning unit adjustment instruction, t c lying in a set of possible tuning unit adjustment instructions, this set being denoted by T c , and where a T is a real vector of temperatures, which is sufficient to characterize the effects of temperature on Z u .
  • the elements of a T could for instance be the temperatures of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit, or a T could for instance have a single element, this single element being a common temperature applicable to each of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit, if such a common temperature exists.
  • the process “subsequent values of the tuning control signals” (807) utilizes the q tuning parameters to determine a value of Z u , said value of Z U ⁇ being denoted by Z UI and being an impedance matrix presented by the input ports while the one or more initial values are generated.
  • the process “subsequent values of the tuning control signals” (807) then utilizes the selected frequency (which is a quantity determined by the selected frequency), denoted by ⁇ c , and the initial tuning unit adjustment instruction (which is a variable determined by the initial tuning unit adjustment instruction), denoted by t CI , to solve the equation
  • (22) is very close, or as close as possible, to the wanted impedance matrix Z w .
  • Said one of the one or more adjustment sequences uses the model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit twice, the first time when it uses equation (21) and the second time when it uses equation (22).
  • the explanations provided below in the presentations of the seventeenth and eighteenth embodiments show that this characteristic is such that the inaccuracies in the model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit have a reduced effect on the accuracy of the resulting Z U .
  • said one of the one or more adjustment sequences is accurate.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit can determine a subsequent tuning unit adjustment instruction such that Z U ⁇ is very close, or as close as possible, to Z w , by utilizing a numerical model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit, and as a function of:
  • the subsequent tuning unit adjustment instruction (and, consequently, the subsequent values of the one or more tuning control signals) may also be determined as a function of:
  • the specialist understands that the possible use of the data (d) and (e) is for instance relevant if the impedance of at least one of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit significantly depends on its temperature and/or if the characteristics of the control unit significantly depend on temperature.
  • the specialist understands that, in the steps of the process “subsequent values of the tuning control signals” (807), the combined use of the data (a), (b) and (c), and possibly of the data (d) and (e), has allowed the transmission and signal processing unit to compute Z Sant by utilizing equation (21), and to determine afterwards the subsequent tuning unit adjustment instruction by utilizing an algorithm based on equation (22), so that each of the one or more tuning control signals can directly vary from its initial value to its subsequent value, the subsequent values of the one or more tuning control signals being such that Z u is very close, or as close as possible, to Z w .
  • said one of the one or more adjustment sequences is very fast.
  • the invention overcomes the limitations of prior art, because it provides a fast and accurate method for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit.
  • the specialist understands that the invention is completely different from said second method for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas, mentioned above in the “prior art” section, and from said first method for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit, mentioned above in the “prior art” section, because the invention is characterized in that at least one subsequent tuning unit adjustment instruction is determined as a function of the data (a), (b) and (c), which allows the transmission and signal processing unit to utilize a numerical model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit twice, to obtain a fast and accurate method for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit.
  • the specialist understands that the invention is completely different from said two other methods for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit, mentioned above in the “prior art” section, because the invention is not based on the use of electrical variables sensed at the output ports.
  • the specialist understands that there is an interaction between the process “delivering antenna control signals to the tunable passive antennas” (803) and the subsequent processes of said one of the one or more adjustment sequences, and of next adjustment sequences, this interaction improving speed and accuracy.
  • the specialist also understands that the invention provides a much broader tuning range than an automatic tuning system which would comprise the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit, but no tunable passive antenna.
  • the seventh embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4 and to the flowchart shown in Figure 5, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment and for the sixth embodiment are applicable to this seventh embodiment.
  • W e have represented in F igure 6 the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit (4) used in this seventh embodiment.
  • All adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit (401) (404) are adjustable by electrical means, but the circuits and the control links needed to determine the reactance of each of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit are not shown in Figure 6.
  • the inductance matrix of the windings is not a diagonal matrix.
  • Such a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit is for instance considered in the section III of the article of F. Broyde and E. Clavelier entitled “Two Multiple- Antenna-Port and Multiple-User-Port Antenna Tuners”, published in Proc. 9 th European Conference on Antenna and Propagation, EuCAP 2015, in April 2015.
  • the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit is such that, at the given frequency, there exists a diagonal impedance matrix referred to as “the given diagonal impedance matrix”, the given diagonal impedance matrix being such that, if an impedance matrix seen by the output ports is equal to the given diagonal impedance matrix, then the reactance of any one of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit has an influence on the impedance matrix presented by the input ports.
  • Y 401 ( ⁇ C , t C , a T ) to denote an admittance matrix of the n adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit (401) each presenting a negative reactance and each being coupled in parallel with one of the output ports;
  • Y 404 ( ⁇ C , t c , a T ) to denote an admittance matrix of the m adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit (404) each presenting a negative reactance and each being coupled in parallel with one of the input ports.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit knows said numerical model, which comprises equation (23) relating to the mapping g v , a lookup table describing Y 401 ( ⁇ C , t c , a T ), a lookup table describing Z 403 ( ⁇ C , a T ) and a lookup table describing Y 404 ( ⁇ C , t c , a T ).
  • equation (23) relating to the mapping g v , a lookup table describing Y 401 ( ⁇ C , t c , a T ), a lookup table describing Z 403 ( ⁇ C , a T ) and a lookup table describing Y 404 ( ⁇ C , t c , a T ).
  • the eighth embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4 and to the flowchart shown in Figure 5, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment and for the sixth embodiment are applicable to this eighth embodiment.
  • W e have represented in F igure 7 the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit (4) used in this eighth embodiment.
  • All adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit (401) (402) (404) (405) are adjustable by electrical means, but the circuits and the control links needed to control the reactance of each of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit are not shown in Figure 7.
  • the inductance matrix of the windings is not a diagonal matrix.
  • the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit is such that, at the given frequency, there exists a diagonal impedance matrix referred to as “the given diagonal impedance matrix”, the given diagonal impedance matrix being such that, if an impedance matrix seen by the output ports is equal to the given diagonal impedance matrix, then: the reactance of any one of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit has an influence on the impedance matrix presented by the input ports; and the reactance of at least one of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit has an influence on at least one non diagonal entry of the impedance matrix presented by the input ports.
  • Y 40i ( ⁇ C , t c , a T ) to denote an admittance matrix of the n (n + 1)/2 adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit (401) (402) each presenting a negative reactance and each being coupled to one or more of the output ports;
  • Y 404 ( ⁇ C , t c , a T ) to denote an admittance matrix of the m (m + 1)/2 adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit (404) (405) each presenting a negative reactance and each being coupled to one or more of the input ports.
  • equation (23) is applicable.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit knows said numerical model, which comprises equation (23) relating to the mapping g u , a lookup table describing Y 401 ( ⁇ C , t c , a T ), a lookup table describing Z 403 ( ⁇ C , a T ) and a lookup table describing Y 404 ( ⁇ C , t c , a T ).
  • equation (21) with respect to the unknown Z Sant is given by equation (24), so that it is computed quickly and accurately by the transmission and signal processing unit.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit uses an algorithm.
  • a first possible algorithm may for instance use the formulas shown in Section VI of said article entitled “Some Properties of Multiple- Antenna-Port and Multiple-User-Port Antenna Tuners”. This first possible algorithm does not take the losses in the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit into account.
  • a second possible algorithm may for instance use the iterative computation technique presented in Section 4 of said article entitled “A Tuning Computation Technique for a Multiple- Antenna-Port and Multiple-User-Port Antenna Tuner”.
  • This second possible algorithm is more accurate than the first possible algorithm, because it takes the losses in the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit into account.
  • the specialist knows how to write such an algorithm, which uses said lookup tables.
  • the algorithm can be such that the adjustment of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit is always optimal or almost optimal, in spite of the losses in the multiple-input-port and multiple-output- port tuning unit.
  • the ninth embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment are applicable to this ninth embodiment.
  • the excitations are applied continuously, so that the sensing units can continuously deliver the sensing unit output signals caused by said excitations.
  • a flowchart of one of the one or more adjustment sequences used in this ninth embodiment is shown in Figure 8. Before said one of the one or more adjustment sequences, the transmission and signal processing unit has chosen the selected frequency, from the set of possible values of the selected frequency.
  • Each of the excitations has, during said one of the one or more adjustment sequences, a carrier frequency which is equal to the selected frequency.
  • said flowchart comprises: a process “delivering antenna control signals to the tunable passive antennas” (803), in which the transmission and signal processing unit delivers one or more of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions, and in which the control unit delivers said one or more antenna control signals to the tunable passive antennas, each of said one or more of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions being determined as a function of the selected frequency; a process “initial values of the tuning control signals” (805), in which the transmission and signal processing unit delivers an initial tuning unit adjustment instruction, and in which, for each of the one or more tuning control signals, the control unit begins to generate a value of said each of the one or more tuning control signals, said value being referred to as initial value, said initial value being determined as a function of the initial tuning unit adjustment instruction, and only as a function of the initial tuning unit adjustment instruction; a process “initialization” (810), in which a requirement is defined; a process “impedance matrix presented by the input ports”
  • the one or more antenna adjustment instructions and the one or more antenna control signals are such that: at the end of the process “delivering antenna control signals to the tunable passive antennas” (803), the impedance matrix seen by the output ports approximates a specified impedance matrix, which may depend on frequency; and each said antenna control device parameter of each said antenna control device of each of the tunable passive antennas has a value which does not change from the end of the process “delivering antenna control signals to the tunable passive antennas” (803) to the beginning of an adjustment sequence which follows the end of said one of the one or more adjustment sequences.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit uses a lookup table to determine and deliver the one or more antenna adjustment instructions, as a function of the selected frequency.
  • the specialist knows how to build and use such a lookup table, and he understands that such a lookup table cannot take into account the variations of Z Sant caused by variations in the electromagnetic characteristics of the volume surrounding the tunable passive antennas.
  • tunable passive antennas often only provide a poor tuning capability. Consequently, at the end of the process “delivering antenna control signals to the tunable passive antennas” (803), the impedance matrix seen by the output ports typically only very coarsely approximates the specified impedance matrix.
  • the decision (812) is such that, during said one of the one or more adjustment sequences, the process “impedance matrix presented by the input ports” (806) and the process “subsequent values of the tuning control signals” (807) are performed at least two times, for instance two times, or for instance three times.
  • the explanations provided below in the presentations of the seventeenth, nineteenth and twentieth embodiments show that, in the case where the numerical model is not accurate, and in the case where the effects of temperature are significant and not accurately compensated, said one of the one or more adjustment sequences is accurate, because the process “impedance matrix presented by the input ports” (806) and the process “subsequent values of the tuning control signals” (807) are performed at least two times.
  • the tenth embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment are applicable to this tenth embodiment.
  • a tunable passive antenna (11) used in this tenth embodiment is shown in Figure 9.
  • the other tunable passive antennas (12) (13) (14) used in this tenth embodiment maybe identical to the tunable passive antenna shown in Figure 9.
  • the tunable passive antenna shown in Figure 9 comprises a planar metallic structure (111) built above a ground plane (115), the signal port of the antenna (116) where an unbalanced feeder is connected to the metallic structure, and an antenna control device (112).
  • the metallic structure is slotted and such that, if the antenna control device was not present, the tunable passive antenna would be an example of a planar inverted-F antenna, also referred to as PIFA.
  • the antenna control device is a MEMS switch comprising a first terminal (113) connected to the metallic structure (111) at a first side of the slot, and a second terminal (114) connected to the metallic structure (111) at a second side of the slot.
  • the specialist understands that the self-impedance of the tunable passive antenna, in a given test configuration and at the given frequency, is a characteristic of the tunable passive antenna which may be varied using said antenna control device, so that this characteristic is controlled by utilizing said antenna control device.
  • the state of the MEMS switch (on or off) is an antenna control device parameter of the antenna control device. This antenna control device parameter has an influence on said characteristic.
  • This antenna control device parameter is adjustable by electrical means, but the circuits and the control links needed to determine the state of the antenna control device are not shown in Figure 9.
  • the eleventh embodiment of an apparatus of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment are applicable to this eleventh embodiment.
  • a tunable passive antenna (11) used in this eleventh embodiment is shown in Figure 10.
  • the other tunable passive antennas (12) (13) (14) used in this eleventh embodiment maybe identical to the tunable passive antenna shown in Figure 9 or to the tunable passive antenna shown in Figure 10.
  • the tunable passive antenna shown in Figure 10 comprises a planar metallic structure (111) built above a ground plane (115), the signal port of the antenna (116) where an unbalanced feeder is connected to a metallic strip (117) lying between the ground plane and the metallic structure, and three antenna control devices (112).
  • Each of the antenna control devices is an adjustable impedance device having a reactance at the given frequency, comprising a first terminal (113) connected to the metallic structure (111), and a second terminal (114) connected to the ground plane (115).
  • the specialist understands that the self-impedance of the tunable passive antenna, in a given test configuration and at the given frequency, is a characteristic of the tunable passive antenna which may be varied using said antenna control devices, so that this characteristic is controlled by utilizing said antenna control devices.
  • Each of the antenna control devices has a reactance at the given frequency, this reactance being an antenna control device parameter of said each of the antenna control devices, this antenna control device parameter having an influence on said characteristic.
  • This antenna control device parameter of said each of the antenna control devices is adjustable by electrical means, but the circuits and the control links needed to determine the reactance of each of the antenna control devices are not shown in Figure 10.
  • the twelfth embodiment of an apparatus of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment are applicable to this twelfth embodiment.
  • a tunable passive antenna (11) used in this twelfth embodiment is shown in Figure 11.
  • the other tunable passive antennas (12) (13) (14) used in this twelfth embodiment maybe identical to the tunable passive antenna shown in Figure 9, or to the tunable passive antenna shown in Figure 10, or to the tunable passive antenna shown in Figure 11.
  • the tunable passive antenna (11) shown in Figure 11 has a plane of symmetry orthogonal to the drawing. Thus, the tunable passive antenna has a first half-antenna, on the left in Figure 11, and a second half-antenna, on the right in Figure 11.
  • the signal port of the antenna comprises a first terminal (118) where a first conductor of a balanced feeder is connected to the first half-antenna, and a second terminal (119) where a second conductor of the balanced feeder is connected to the second half-antenna.
  • Each half-antenna includes three segments and two antenna control devices (112).
  • Each of the antenna control devices is an adjustable impedance device having a reactance at the given frequency, comprising a first terminal connected to a segment of an half-antenna, and a second terminal connected to another segment of this half-antenna.
  • the self-impedance of the tunable passive antenna in a given test configuration and at the given frequency, is a characteristic of the tunable passive antenna which may be varied using said antenna control devices, so that this characteristic is controlled by utilizing said antenna control devices.
  • Each of the antenna control devices has a reactance at the given frequency, this reactance being an antenna control device parameter of said each of the antenna control devices, this antenna control device parameter having an influence on said characteristic.
  • This antenna control device parameter of said each of the antenna control devices is adjustable by electrical means, but the circuits and the control links needed to determine the reactance of each of the antenna control devices are not shown in Figure 11.
  • the thirteenth embodiment of an apparatus of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment are applicable to this thirteenth embodiment.
  • a tunable passive antenna (12) used in this thirteenth embodiment is shown in Figure 12.
  • the other tunable passive antennas (11) (13) (14) used in this thirteenth embodiment may be identical to the tunable passive antenna shown in Figure 12.
  • the tunable passive antenna (12) shown in Figure 12 comprises a main antenna (121), a parasitic antenna (122), the signal port of the antenna (127) where an unbalanced feeder (128) is connected to the main antenna and to ground (126), and an antenna control device (123).
  • the antenna control device is an adjustable impedance device having a reactance at the given frequency, comprising a first terminal (124) connected to the parasitic antenna (122), and a second terminal (125) connected to ground (126).
  • the directivity pattern of the tunable passive antenna (12), in a given test configuration and at the given frequency, is a characteristic of the tunable passive antenna which may be varied using said antenna control device, so that this characteristic is controlled by utilizing said antenna control device.
  • the reactance of the antenna control device at the given frequency is an antenna control device parameter of said antenna control device.
  • This antenna control device parameter has an influence on said characteristic.
  • This antenna control device parameter is adjustable by electrical means, but the circuits and the control links needed to determine the reactance of the antenna control device are not shown in Figure 12.
  • this antenna control device parameter also has an influence on the self-impedance of the tunable passive antenna, so that the self-impedance of the tunable passive antenna, in a given test configuration and at the given frequency, is also a characteristic of the tunable passive antenna which may be varied using said antenna control device.
  • the tunable passive antenna (12) could also comprise other parasitic antennas each coupled to an antenna control device.
  • FIG. 13 the block diagram of an apparatus for radio communication comprising: a localization sensor unit (7), the localization sensor unit estimating one or more “localization variables”, each of the one or more localization variables depending on a distance between a part of a human body and a zone of the apparatus for radio communication;
  • N 4 tunable passive antennas (11) (12) (13) (14), each of the tunable passive antennas comprising at least one antenna control device, one or more characteristics of said each of the tunable passive antennas being controlled by utilizing said at least one antenna control device, said at least one antenna control device having at least one antenna control device parameter, said at least one antenna control device parameter having an influence on said one or more characteristics, said at least one antenna control device parameter being adjustable by electrical means;
  • At least one of the one or more localization variables is an output of a sensor responsive to a pressure exerted by a part of a human body.
  • at least one of the one or more localization variables is the output of a circuit comprising a switch using a single pressure non-locking mechanical system, the state of which changes while a sufficient pressure is exerted by a part of a human body.
  • at least one of the one or more localization variables is the output of a circuit comprising another type of electromechanical sensor responsive to a pressure exerted by a part of a human body, for instance a microelectromechanical sensor (MEMS sensor).
  • MEMS sensor microelectromechanical sensor
  • At least one of the one or more localization variables is an output of a proximity sensor, such as a proximity sensor dedicated to the detection of a human body.
  • a proximity sensor may for instance be a capacitive proximity sensor, or an infrared proximity sensor using reflected light intensity measurements, or an infrared proximity sensor using time- of-flight measurements, which are well known to specialists.
  • the set of the possible values of at least one of the one or more localization variables is a finite set. It is possible that at least one of the one or more localization variables is a binary variable, that is to say such that the set of the possible values of said at least one of the one or more localization variables has exactly two elements.
  • a capacitive proximity sensor dedicated to the detection of a human body for instance the device SX9300 of Semtech
  • the set of the possible values of any one of the one or more localization variables is a finite set.
  • the set of the possible values of at least one of the one or more localization variables is an infinite set, and it is possible that the set of the possible values of at least one of the one or more localization variables is a continuous set.
  • the set of the possible values of at least one of the one or more localization variables has at least three elements.
  • an infrared proximity sensor using time-of- flight measurements and dedicated to the assessment of the distance to a human body for instance the device VL6180 of STMicroelectronics
  • the set of the possible values of the localization variable has three or more elements, one of the values meaning that no human body has been detected, each of the other values corresponding to a different distance between a zone of the apparatus for radio communication and the nearest detected part of a human body.
  • the set of the possible values of any one of the one or more localization variables has at least three elements.
  • At least one of the one or more localization variables is an output of a sensor which is not dedicated to human detection.
  • at least one of the one or more localization variables is determined by a change of state of a switch of a keypad or keyboard, which is indicative of the position of a human finger.
  • at least one of the one or more localization variables is determined by a change of state of an output of a touchscreen, which is indicative of the position of a human finger.
  • Such a touchscreen may use any one of the available technologies, such as a resistive touchscreen, a capacitive touchscreen or a surface acoustic wave touchscreen, etc.
  • each of the one or more localization variables depends on the distance between a part of a human body and a zone of the apparatus for radio communication. This must be interpreted as meaning: each of the one or more localization variables is such that there exists at least one configuration in which the distance between a part of a human body and a zone of the apparatus for radio communication has an effect on said each of the one or more localization variables. However, it is possible that there exist one or more configurations in which the distance between a part of a human body and a zone of the apparatus for radio communication has no effect on said each of the one or more localization variables.
  • the distance between a part of a human body and a zone of the apparatus for radio communication has no effect on a switch, in a configuration in which no force is directly or indirectly exerted by the human body on the switch.
  • the distance between a part of a human body and a zone of the apparatus for radio communication has no effect on a proximity sensor if the human body is out of the proximity sensor’s range.
  • one of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions and one of the one or more initial tuning unit adjustment instructions are combined into a single instruction delivered by the transmission and signal processing unit.
  • an instruction delivered by the transmission and signal processing unit is both one of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions and one of the one or more initial tuning unit adjustment instructions.
  • Each of the one or more antenna control signals has no influence on the selected frequency and on the one or more localization variables.
  • Each of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions has no influence on the selected frequency and on the one or more localization variables. Since each of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions is determined as a function of the selected frequency and of the one or more localization variables, and only as a function of the selected frequency and of the one or more localization variables, it is clear that open-loop control is utilized to generate each of the one or more antenna control signals.
  • the fifteenth embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Fig. 13, and all explanations provided for the fourteenth embodiment are applicable to this fifteenth embodiment.
  • the apparatus for radio communication is a mobile phone, and the localization sensor unit comprises 4 proximity sensors.
  • Figure 14 is a drawing of a back view of the mobile phone (800).
  • Figure 14 shows: a point (71) where the first of the 4 proximity sensors is located, near one of the tunable passive antennas (11); a point (72) where the second of the 4 proximity sensors is located, near one of the tunable passive antennas (12); a point (73) where the third of the 4 proximity sensors is located, near one of the tunable passive antennas (13); and a point (74) where the fourth of the 4 proximity sensors is located, near one of the tunable passive antennas (14).
  • Figure 15 shows a first typical use configuration, which may be referred to as the “right hand and head configuration”
  • Figure 16 shows a second typical use configuration, which maybe referred to as the “two hands configuration”
  • Figure 17 shows a third typical use configuration, which may be referred to as the “right hand only configuration”.
  • the mobile phone (800) is held by a user. More precisely, the user holds the mobile phone close to his head using his right hand in Fig. 15; the user holds the mobile phone far from his head using both hands in Fig. 16; and the user holds the mobile phone far from his head using his right hand only in Fig. 17.
  • the localization variables assessed by the 4 proximity sensors are used to determine the typical use configuration which is the closest to the actual use configuration.
  • Said at least one of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions and said at least one of the one or more initial tuning unit adjustment instructions are determined from a set of pre-defined instructions that are stored in a lookup table realized in the transmission and signal processing unit, and from a set of pre-defined tuning unit adjustment instructions that are stored in a lookup table realized in the transmission and signal processing unit, based on the closest typical use configuration and on the selected frequency.
  • the specialist understands how to build and use such lookup tables.
  • the specialist understands the advantage of defining and using a set of typical use configurations, which must be sufficiently large to cover all relevant cases, and sufficiently small to avoid excessively large lookup tables.
  • localization variables depending on the distance between a part of a human body and different zones of the apparatus for radio communication. More precisely, it is necessary that there exist two of the localization variables, denoted by A and B, the localization variable A depending on the distance between a part of a human body and a zone X of the apparatus for radio communication, the localization variable B depending on the distance between a part of a human body and a zone Y of the apparatus for radio communication, such that X or Y are distinct, or preferably such that X and Y have an empty intersection.
  • this result is obtained by utilizing a localization sensor unit comprising a plurality of proximity sensors, located at different places in the apparatus for radio communication, as shown in Fig. 14.
  • said at least one of the one or more subsequent tuning unit adjustment instructions is determined as a function of one or more quantities determined by the selected frequency, it is possible to say that said at least one of the one or more subsequent tuning unit adjustment instructions is determined as a function of the selected frequency. Since said at least one of the one or more subsequent tuning unit adjustment instructions is determined as a function of one or more variables determined by one or more of the one or more initial tuning unit adjustment instructions, it is possible to say that said at least one of the one or more subsequent tuning unit adjustment instructions is determined as a function of one or more of the one or more initial tuning unit adjustment instructions.
  • the switching unit operates (or is used) in an active configuration determined by the one or more configuration instructions, the active configuration being one of a plurality of allowed configurations, the switching unit providing, in any one of the allowed configurations, for signals in the given frequency band and for any one of the antenna array ports, a path between said any one of the antenna array ports and one of the antenna ports.
  • the switching unit operates in an active configuration which is one of the allowed configurations, and each allowed configuration corresponds to a selection of n antenna ports among the N antenna ports. It is also possible to say that the switching unit operates in an active configuration corresponding to a selection of n antenna ports among the N antenna ports.
  • Each allowed configuration corresponds to a selection of n antenna ports among the N antenna ports, the switching unit providing, for signals in the given frequency band and for any one of the antenna array ports, a path between said any one of the antenna array ports and one of the selected antenna ports.
  • This path may preferably be a low loss path for signals in the given frequency band.
  • a suitable switching unit may comprise one or more electrically controlled switches and/or change-over switches.
  • one or more of said electrically controlled switches and/or change-over switches may for instance be an electro mechanical relay, or a microelectromechanical switch, or a circuit using one or more PIN diodes and/or one or more insulated-gate field-effect transistors as switching devices.
  • each of the n output ports is, at a given time, coupled to one and only one of the N tunable passive antennas. More precisely, each of the n output ports is, at any given time except during a change of active configuration, indirectly coupled to the signal port of one and only one of the N tunable passive antennas, through the switching unit and one and only one of the feeders.
  • the apparatus for radio communication is a radio transmitter or a radio transceiver, so that the transmission and signal processing unit (8) also performs functions which have not been mentioned above, and which are well known to specialists.
  • the apparatus for radio communication uses simultaneously, in the given frequency band, n tunable passive antennas among the N tunable passive antennas, for MIMO radio emission and/or for MIMO radio reception.
  • the given frequency band only contains frequencies greater than or equal to 300 MHz.
  • each of the one or more configuration instructions may be determined as a function of: one or more localization variables, defined as in the fourteenth embodiment; the selected frequency, or a frequency used for radio communication with the tunable passive antennas; one or more additional variables, each of the additional variables lying in a set of additional variables, the elements of the set of additional variables comprising: communication type variables which indicate whether a radio communication session is a voice communication session, a data communication session or another type of communication session; a speakerphone mode activation indicator; a speaker activation indicator; variables obtained using one or more accelerometers; user identity variables which depend on the identity of the current user; reception quality variables; and emission quality variables.
  • the elements of said set of additional variables may further comprise one or more variables which are different from the localization variables and which characterize the grip with which a user is holding the apparatus for radio communication.
  • Each of the one or more configuration instructions may for instance be determined using a lookup table.
  • Each of the one or more configuration instructions, each of the one or more antenna adjustment instructions and each of the tuning unit adjustment instructions may be of any type of digital message.
  • the one or more configuration instructions, the one or more antenna adjustment instructions and the tuning unit adjustment instructions are delivered during several adjustment sequences.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit begins an adjustment sequence when one or more configuration instructions are delivered.
  • the transmission and signal processing unit ends the adjustment sequence when the last tuning unit adjustment instruction of the adjustment sequence has been delivered.
  • the duration of an adjustment sequence is less than 100 microseconds.
  • adjustment sequences may take place repeatedly. For instance, a new adjustment sequence may start periodically, for instance every 10 milliseconds.
  • the seventeenth embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment are applicable to this seventeenth embodiment.
  • the elements of a T could for instance be the temperatures of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit, or a T could for instance have a single element, this single element being a common temperature applicable to each of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit, if such a common temperature exists.
  • an adjustment sequence is intended to be such that, at the end of said adjustment sequence, the impedance matrix presented by the input ports is close to a wanted impedance matrix, denoted by Z w .
  • An adjustment sequence comprises the following steps: an antenna adjustment instruction is delivered by the transmission and signal processing unit; an initial tuning unit adjustment instruction t CI is delivered by the transmission and signal processing unit; the transmission and signal processing unit estimates q tuning parameters, which provide a measurement Z U1M of Z U 7 , where Z UI is the value of Z u at the selected frequency ⁇ c while t CI is applicable; and a subsequent tuning unit adjustment instruction t cs is computed as explained below, and delivered by the transmission and signal processing unit.
  • a TM be an estimated value of a T , which may for instance be obtained using one or more temperature measurements.
  • Z UI -Z UIM g AU ( ⁇ c ,Z Sant , t CI , a T )
  • Z SantE , and , Z a TM are used by a suitable algorithm, to obtain t cs such that g AU ( ⁇ c SantE , t CS , , TM ) is as close as possible to the wanted impedance matrix Z w .
  • g AU ( ⁇ c , Z SantE , t CS , a ) d QCL2 ( ⁇ c , Z SantE , t CS , a ) Z W (30) where the mapping d QCL2 represents a quantization error which is known to the transmission and signal processing unit, but which cannot be avoided because there is no t c in T c such that g AU ( ⁇ c , Z SantE , t CS , a ) is closer to Z w .
  • Z SantE may be regarded as a function of ⁇ c , t CI , a TM and Z UIM .
  • t cs may be regarded as a function of ⁇ C , t CI , a TM , Z UIM and Z w .
  • D AU ( ⁇ c , Z Sant , Z SantE , t cs , t CI , a T , a TM ) may be regarded as a function of ⁇ c , Z Sant , t CI , a T , a TM , Z UIM and Z w .
  • a mapping E AU such that
  • the mapping E AU is probably neither smooth nor continuous, because of the quantization error and possibly other reasons.
  • the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit, the control unit, and the transmission and signal processing unit are such that, with respect to the variable Z UIM , the mapping E AU may approximately be considered as continuous.
  • equation (39) the error of the adjustment sequence while t cs is applicable is almost equal to the measurement error Z ui - Z UIM less the quantization error. If we compare equation (39) to equation (36), we observe that a cancellation of errors has occurred. Also, the error given by equation (39) is to a large extent independent of the accuracy of the approximate numerical model.
  • the adjustment sequence described above uses the approximate numerical model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit twice, the first time when it solves equation (28) to obtain Z SantE , and the second time when said suitable algorithm is used to obtain t cs such that g AU ( ⁇ c , Z SantE , t cs , a TM ) is as close as possible to the wanted impedance matrix Z w .
  • Z UIM is sufficiently close to Z w
  • the inaccuracies in the approximate numerical model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit have a reduced effect on the accuracy of the resulting Z u .
  • the adjustment sequence described above is accurate.
  • this adjustment sequence does not use any known value of the reactance of any one of the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit, to obtain the estimated value Z SantE of Z Sant . If this was the case, the adjustment sequence would not use the approximate numerical model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit twice, and the above-mentioned cancellation of error would not occur, so that the accuracy of the resulting Z U would be degraded.
  • the eighteenth embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment and for the seventeenth embodiment are applicable to this eighteenth embodiment.
  • the apparatus for radio communication is such that, in an adjustment sequence, Z UIM is sufficiently close to Z w to obtain that the error of the adjustment sequence while t cs is applicable satisfies equation (39).
  • the adjustment sequence uses the approximate numerical model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit twice, and that this characteristic is used to obtain that the inaccuracies in the approximate numerical model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit have a reduced effect on the accuracy of the resulting Z u .
  • said adjustment sequence is accurate.
  • the nineteenth embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment and for the seventeenth embodiment are applicable to this nineteenth embodiment.
  • the apparatus for radio communication is such that a first adjustment sequence has used a Z UIM which need not be sufficiently close to Z w to obtain that the error of the first adjustment sequence while its t cs is applicable satisfies equation (39). At the end of the first adjustment sequence, the error is given by equation (36).
  • This first adjustment sequence is quickly followed by a second adjustment sequence, such that the subsequent tuning unit adjustment instruction of the first adjustment sequence becomes the initial tuning unit adjustment instruction of the second adjustment sequence.
  • the apparatus for radio communication is such that the second adjustment sequence uses an initial tuning unit adjustment instruction such that Z UIM is sufficiently close to Z w to obtain that the error of the second adjustment sequence while its t cs is applicable satisfies equation (39).
  • the inaccuracies in the approximate numerical model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit have a reduced effect on the accuracy of the resulting Z U at the end of the second adjustment sequence.
  • the combination of the first adjustment sequence and of the second adjustment sequence is accurate, because, in this combination, the transmission and signal processing unit estimates the tuning parameters twice, and delivers a subsequent tuning unit adjustment instruction twice (so that the combination of the first adjustment sequence and of the second adjustment sequence uses the approximate numerical model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit four times).
  • the twentieth embodiment of a device of the invention also corresponds to the apparatus for radio communication shown in Figure 4, and all explanations provided for the first embodiment are applicable to this twentieth embodiment.
  • An adjustment sequence of this twentieth embodiment comprises the first adjustment sequence of the nineteenth embodiment and the second adjustment sequence of the nineteenth embodiment.
  • the adjustment sequence is accurate, because, in the adjustment sequence, the transmission and signal processing unit estimates the tuning parameters twice, and delivers a subsequent tuning unit adjustment instruction twice (so that the adjustment sequence uses the approximate numerical model of the multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit and of the control unit four times).
  • the method of the invention is a fast and accurate method for automatically adjusting a plurality of tunable passive antennas and a multiple-input-port and multiple-output-port tuning unit.
  • the apparatus for radio communication of the invention can quickly, accurately and automatically adjust its tunable passive antennas and its multiple-input-port and multiple- output-port tuning unit.
  • N 4 tunable passive antennas, but this is not at all a characteristic of the invention.
  • the adjustable impedance devices of the tuning unit each present a negative reactance, but this is not at all a characteristic of the invention.
  • the apparatus for radio communication of the invention may for instance be a radio transmitter using a plurality of antennas simultaneously, or a radio transceiver using a plurality of antennas simultaneously.
  • the method and the apparatus for radio communication of the invention are suitable for MIMO radio communication.
  • the method and the apparatus for radio communication of the invention provide the best possible characteristics using very close tunable passive antennas, hence presenting a strong interaction between them.
  • the invention is therefore particularly suitable for mobile radio transmitters and transceivers, for instance those used in portable radiotelephones or portable computers.
  • the method and the apparatus for radio communication of the invention provide the best possible characteristics using a very large number of tunable passive antennas in a given volume, hence presenting a strong interaction between them.
  • the invention is therefore particularly suitable for high-performance radio transmitters and transceivers, for instance those used in the fixed stations of cellular radiotelephony networks.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Input Circuits Of Receivers And Coupling Of Receivers And Audio Equipment (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé de réglage automatique d'une pluralité d'antennes passives accordables et une unité d'accord à entrées multiples et à sorties multiples. L'invention concerne également un appareil de communication radio utilisant ce procédé. Un appareil de communication radio de l'invention comprend : 4 antennes passives accordables (11) (12) (13) (14) qui forment un réseau d'antennes multiport (1); 4 sources (21) (22) (23) (24); une unité d'accord à entrées multiples et à sorties multiples (4); 4 unités de détection (31) (32) (33) (34); une unité de transmission et de traitement du signal (8); et une unité de commande (6), qui délivre un ou plusieurs signaux de commande d'antenne aux antennes passives accordables, et qui délivre un ou plusieurs signaux de commande d'accord à l'unité d'accord à ports d'entrée multiples et à ports de sortie multiples.
PCT/IB2020/054953 2019-08-13 2020-05-26 Procédé de réglage automatique d'antennes passives accordables et unité d'accord, et appareil de communication radio utilisant ce procédé WO2021028730A1 (fr)

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FR3099968A1 (fr) 2021-02-19

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