Abstract: A system and method for maximizing signal strength while limiting specific absorption rate in diversity transmission network is achieved by coupling a first input signal to a second input signal. The system includes a sampler, a coupling network, and combiner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus has been developed to reduce SAR for a mobile device by designing appropriate matching circuits between each antenna and its power amplifier. In the presence of such matching circuits the normal phase adjustments may be carried out to provide a preferred safe SAR level that can be maintained during phase adjustment without sacrificing TRP.

Abstract: A system and method of maintaining performance of an RF Distribution Network that combines signals (phases and amplitudes) passing through components that are subjected to parameters variations due to aging and temperature is disclosed; resultant distortion is reduced or eliminated via a real time calibration.

Abstract: A system may include a modifiable mobile device having at least two antennas coupled to fractional amplifiers, with returned power detectors. A beamformer unit provides adaptive beam shaping pattern, and a baseband processor provides beam pattern requirements, wherein the beamformer unit modifies the beam pattern requirements with return loss sampling information to shape the adaptive beam pattern so that a transmitted beam pattern minimizes transmitted power reflected back to the mobile device. A method may include regularly measuring a return power level, if output power is greater than a specific absorption rate level, comparing the return power level to a first threshold, else implementing mobile transmit diversity (MTD), and repeating. If the return power level is greater than the first threshold, implementing a MTD combined with reflection-based beamforming that modifies beam pattern requirements of the mobile device with return loss sampling information to create an adaptive beam pattern.

Abstract: A system for distinguishing between any one of a plurality of antennas in a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) system having an augmented number of antennas is provided herein. The system includes a MIMO receiving system having N branches and configured to operate in accordance with a channel estimation MIMO receiving scheme; a radio distribution network (RDN) connected to the MIMO receiving system, the RDN comprising at least one beamformer, being fed by two or more antennas, so that a total number of antennas in the system is M, wherein M is greater than N, wherein each one of the beamformers include a combiner configured to combine signals coming from the antennas into a single signal; and at least one antenna distinguishing circuitry, each associated with a respective beamformer, wherein the antenna distinguishing circuitry is configured to distinguish between the signals coming from the antennas which feed the respective beamformer.

Abstract: A multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) receiving system configured for receiving multiple transmission layers is provided herein. The system includes a plurality of beamformed tunable receiving antennas configured to receive a plurality of transmitted layers; and a control module configured to select for the beamformed antennas a single set of discrete weights for tuning said antennas for all of the transmitted layers so that the weights are selected for optimal performance of said receiving system, wherein said selection is carried out based on an extended Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC) metric or other quality metric measured by the MIMO baseband module, and using said measured metric separately for each beamformed antenna to determine gain or attenuation independently of phase selection.

Abstract: A system for enhancing performance of a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) receiving system is provided. The performance enhancement system includes a MIMO receiving system having N branches and is configured to operate in accordance with one or more legacy MIMO receiving classes, types and schemes; a radio distribution network (RDN) connected to the MIMO receiving system and including one or more beamformers, wherein at least one of the beamformers is being fed by two or more antennas so that a total number of the antennas in the system is M which is larger than N; and a control module configured to tune the one or more beamformers based on legacy MIMO signals derived from the MIMO receiving system in various methods depending on the MIMO class/type, so that the RDN adds gain and antenna directivity to the MIMO receiving system.

Abstract: A system having a multi-layer (multi-stream) multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) receiving system, having a MIMO baseband module and a radio distribution network (RDN) connected to the MIMO receiving system. The RDN has two or more beamformers that are fed by two or more antennas, so that a total number of antennas in the system are greater than the number of branches of the MIMO baseband module. Each of the beamformers combines RF signals coming from the antennas. The system further implements an antenna routing module that swaps antennas between different beamformers according to one or more qualitative indicators derived from the baseband module, thus increasing the probability of grouping antennas that have lower conflicts between best phases of different layers' transmitted signals. The system increases the range of antenna selection beyond the set of antennas available for each beamformer.

Abstract: A system and a method for applying a blind tuning process to M antennas coupled via N beamformers to a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) receiving system having N channels, wherein M>N, are provided herein. The method includes the following steps: Periodically measuring channel fading rate at a baseband level to determine the number of antennas L out of K antennas connected to each one of the beamformers, to be combined at each one of the N beamformers; assigning the antennas to the subset L according to some criteria such as best quality indicator; repeatedly applying a tuning process to L antennas in each one of the N beamformers.

Abstract: A method for modifying a signal transmitted from a mobile communication device comprising by perturbing a transmit diversity parameter from its nominal value by modulating the parameter with respect to the nominal value in a first direction for a first feedback interval and then in a second direction for a second feedback interval, receiving a feedback signal including feedback information relating to the perturbed signal as received at a feedback device, and based at least on the feedback information, adjusting the nominal value of the transmit diversity parameter by increasing, decreasing, or preserving the nominal value.

Abstract: A system may include a modifiable mobile device having at least two antennas coupled to fractional amplifiers, with returned power detectors. A beamformer unit provides adaptive beam shaping pattern, and a baseband processor provides beam pattern requirements, wherein the beamformer unit modifies the beam pattern requirements with return loss sampling information to shape the adaptive beam pattern so that a transmitted beam pattern minimizes transmitted power reflected back to the mobile device. A method may include regularly measuring a return power level, if output power is greater than a specific absorption rate level, comparing the return power level to a first threshold, else implementing mobile transmit diversity (MTD), and repeating. If the return power level is greater than the first threshold, implementing a MTD combined with reflection-based beamforming that modifies beam pattern requirements of the mobile device with return loss sampling information to create an adaptive beam pattern.

Abstract: A system for selectively and discretely amplifying or attenuating antennas in a hybrid multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) radio distribution network (RDN) receiving system is provided herein. The system includes a MIMO receiving system comprising a MIMO baseband module having N branches; an RDN connected to the MIMO receiving system, the RDN comprising at least one beamformer fed by two or more antennas, so that a total number of antennas in the system is M, wherein M is greater than N, wherein each one of the beamformers include a passive combiner configured to combine signals coming from the antennas coupled to a respective beamformer into a combined signal, wherein the at least one beamformer is further configured to selectively amplify or attenuate in discrete steps, one or more of the signals coming from the M antennas, based on qualitative metrics measured by the MIMO baseband module.

Abstract: A system having a multi-layer (multi-stream) multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) receiving system, having a MIMO baseband module and a radio distribution network (RDN) connected to the MIMO receiving system. The RDN has two or more beamformers that are fed by two or more antennas, so that a total number of antennas in the system are greater than the number of branches of the MIMO baseband module. Each of the beamformers combines RF signals coming from the antennas. The system further implements an antenna routing module that swaps antennas between different beamformers according to one or more qualitative indicators derived from the baseband module, thus increasing the probability of grouping antennas that have lower conflicts between best phases of different layers' transmitted signals. The system increases the range of antenna selection beyond the set of antennas available for each beamformer.

Abstract: A system for implementing a transmit uplink channel in MIMO RDN architecture is provided herein. The system includes a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) transmitting system that includes a MIMO baseband module having N branches; and a radio distribution network (RDN) connected to the MIMO receiving system. The RDN includes at least one beamformer, wherein each of the beamformers feeds K transmit antennas, so that a total number of transmit antennas in the system is M=N*K. At least some of the beamformers include passive splitters/combiners configured to split the signal coming from the transmitter into multiple signals which are weighted individually going to each transmit antenna. The baseband module is configured to repeatedly apply a “blind scanning” process to at least some of the transmit antennas, one at a time, so that performance of the tested transmit beam can be graded.

Abstract: A system and a method for applying a blind tuning process to M antennas coupled via N beamformers to a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) receiving system having N channels, wherein M>N, are provided herein. The method includes the following steps: Periodically measuring channel fading rate at a baseband level to determine the number of antennas L out of K antennas connected to each one of the beamformers, to be combined at each one of the N beamformers; assigning the antennas to the subset L according to some criteria such as best quality indicator; repeatedly applying a tuning process to L antennas in each one of the N beamformers.

Abstract: A system for selecting optimal phase combinations for RF beamformers in a MIMO hybrid receiving systems augmented by RF Distribution Network. The system addresses the issue of providing beamforming gains for a plurality of layers using one common set of weights for each beamformer. The specification may be based on channel estimation of all layers as viewed by all receiving antennas, and maximizing metrics that capture the total received power.

Abstract: A system for distinguishing between any one of a plurality of antennas in a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) system having an augmented number of antennas is provided herein. The system includes a MIMO receiving system having N branches and configured to operate in accordance with a channel estimation MIMO receiving scheme; a radio distribution network (RDN) connected to the MIMO receiving system, the RDN comprising at least one beamformer, being fed by two or more antennas, so that a total number of antennas in the system is M, wherein M is greater than N, wherein each one of the beamformers include a combiner configured to combine signals coming from the antennas into a single signal; and at least one antenna distinguishing circuitry, each associated with a respective beamformer, wherein the antenna distinguishing circuitry is configured to distinguish between the signals coming from the antennas which feed the respective beamformer.

Abstract: A system having a multi-layer (multi-stream) multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) receiving system, having a MIMO baseband module and a radio distribution network (RDN) connected to the MIMO receiving system. The RDN has two or more beamformers that are fed by two or more antennas, so that a total number of antennas in the system are greater than the number of branches of the MIMO baseband module. Each of the beamformers combines RF signals coming from the antennas. The system further implements an antenna routing module that swaps antennas between different beamformers according to one or more qualitative indicators derived from the baseband module, thus increasing the probability of grouping antennas that have lower conflicts between best phases of different layers' transmitted signals. The system increases the range of antenna selection beyond the set of antennas available for each beamformer.

Abstract: A reconfigurable RF routing module may include M RF inputs and N RF outputs, wherein M is greater than N; a plurality of RF switches arranged to select between incoming RF signals; a plurality of RF combiners arranged to combine RF signals to a single RF signal; and a plurality of RF couplers, each associated with a transfer switch and a specified attenuation, wherein the specified attenuation of each one of the plurality of RF couplers is selected so that the RF inputs of each one of the plurality of the RF combiners are combined in a balanced manner, wherein the switches, the combiners, and the RF couplers are configured to route any of 1 to M of the inputs into each of the N outputs.

Abstract: A system for enhancing performance of a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) receiving system is provided. The performance enhancement system includes a MIMO receiving system having N branches and is configured to operate in accordance with one or more legacy MIMO receiving classes, types and schemes; a radio distribution network (RDN) connected to the MIMO receiving system and including one or more beamformers, wherein at least one of the beamformers is being fed by two or more antennas so that a total number of the antennas in the system is M which is larger than N; and a control module configured to tune the one or more beamformers based on legacy MIMO signals derived from the MIMO receiving system in various methods depending on the MIMO class/type, so that the RDN adds gain and antenna directivity to the MIMO receiving system.