Adjustment of radiation patterns utilizing a position sensor

Abstract

A device for a wireless RF link to a remote receiving device can radiate at different radiation patterns in response to detecting a change in the device position. As the device is moved, displaced, or re-positioned, a position sensor in the device detects the change in position and provides position information to a processor. The processor receives the position information from the position sensor, selects an antenna configuration and physical data rate based on the position information, and provides an RF signal associated with the selected antenna configuration through the antenna elements of the selected antenna configuration.

1 . A method for processing feedback at a wireless device, the method comprising:
 computing a respective transmission success ratio based on attempted transmissions of a data packet to a remote receiving node for a plurality of antenna configurations of a wireless device in a first position, wherein each of the plurality of antenna configurations is associated with a different radiation pattern;   ranking the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the first position based on the respective computed transmission success ratios;   determining a respective user data rate for each physical data rate of each of the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the first position;   ranking each physical data rate of each of the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the first position based on the determined respective user data rates;   selecting an antenna configuration from the plurality of antenna configurations based on the rankings of the plurality of antenna configurations for the wireless device in the first position; and   selecting a physical data rate based on the physical data rate rankings and the selected antenna configuration of the wireless device in the first position.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 detecting a first position of the wireless device using a tilt sensor.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 detecting a first position of the wireless device using an accelerometer.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining a respective received signal strength for each of the plurality of antenna configurations.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
 ranking the plurality of antenna configurations based on the determined received signal strengths.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein selecting an antenna configuration of the plurality of antenna configurations is based on the received signal strength ranking. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 detecting a second position of the wireless device, wherein the second position is different than the first position.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:
 computing respective transmission success ratios for the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the second position;   ranking the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the second position based on the computed transmission success ratios; and   selecting an antenna configuration from the plurality of antenna configurations based on the ranking.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining a respective user data rate for each physical data rate of each of the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the second position;   ranking each physical data rate of each of the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the second position based on the determined respective user data rates; and   selecting a physical data rate based on the ranking.   
     
     
         10 . A wireless device for wirelessly exchanging data in a wireless local area network, the wireless device comprising:
 an antenna apparatus associated with a plurality of antenna configurations, each antenna configuration associated with a different radiation pattern;   a position sensor that detects a first position of the wireless device;   a memory; and   a processor that executes:
 a feedback module stored in memory, wherein execution of the feedback module includes:
 computing a respective transmission success ratio based on attempted transmissions of a data packet to a remote receiving node for a plurality of antenna configurations of a wireless device in a first position, wherein each of the plurality of antenna configurations is associated with a different radiation pattern, 
 ranking the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the first position based on the respective computed transmission success ratios, determining a respective user data rate for each physical data rate of each of the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the first position, and 
 ranking each physical data rate of each of the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the first position based on the determined respective user data rates; 
 
 an antenna configuration selection module stored in the memory, the antenna configuration selection module selecting an antenna configuration from the plurality of antenna configurations for the antenna apparatus based on the ranking of the plurality of antenna configurations; and 
 a transmission control selection module stored in the memory, the transmission control selection module selecting a physical data rate based on the physical data rate rankings and the selected antenna configuration of the wireless device in the first position. 
   
     
     
         11 . The wireless device of  claim 10 , wherein position sensor is a tilt sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless device of  claim 10 , wherein position sensor is an accelerometer. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless device of  claim 10 , wherein execution of the feedback module further includes:
 determining a respective received signal strength for each of the plurality of antenna configurations.   
     
     
         14 . The wireless device of  claim 13 , wherein execution of the feedback module further includes:
 ranking the plurality of antenna configurations based on the determined received signal strengths.   
     
     
         15 . The wireless device of  claim 14 , wherein execution of the antenna configuration selection module further includes selecting an antenna configuration from the plurality of antenna configurations based on the received signal strength ranking. 
     
     
         16 . The wireless device of  claim 10 , wherein the position sensor detects a second position of the wireless device, wherein the second position is different than the first position. 
     
     
         17 . The wireless device of  claim 16 , wherein:
 execution of the feedback module further includes:
 computing respective transmission success ratios for the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the second position, and 
 ranking the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the second position based on the computed transmission success ratios; and wherein execution of the antenna configuration selection module further includes: 
 selecting an antenna configuration from the plurality of antenna configurations based on the ranking. 
   
     
     
         18 . The wireless device of  claim 17 , wherein:
 execution of the feedback module further includes:
 determining a respective user data rate for each physical data rate of each of the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the second position, and 
 ranking each physical data rate of each of the plurality of antenna configurations of the wireless device in the second position based on the determined respective user data rates; and wherein 
   execution of the antenna configuration selection module further includes:
 selecting a physical data rate based on the ranking.