Communication device with phase/angle transformation and methods for use therewith

Abstract

A communication device includes antennas to receive a first signal from a remote device, wherein the first signal corresponds to a first operational mode. A baseband processor selects either a first operational mode for transmitting a second signal or a second operational mode for transmitting the second signal. When the second operational mode is selected the baseband processor transforms the phase-related information corresponding to the first operational mode to transformed phase-related information corresponding to the second operational mode. The antennas transmit the second signal to the remote device in accordance with the transformed phase-related information corresponding to the second operational mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication device, comprising:
 a plurality of antennas to receive a first signal from a remote device, in accordance with a co-phased space-time block coding mode;   a processor that selects one of: the co-phased space-time block coding mode for transmitting a second signal and a beamforming mode for transmitting the second signal;   wherein, when the beamforming mode is selected for transmitting the second signal:
 the processor converts antenna phase-related information corresponding to the co-phased space-time block coding mode to converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the beamforming mode, wherein the antenna phase-related information is one of: angle information between at least two of the plurality of antennas or phase information between at least two of the plurality of antennas; and 
 the at least two of the plurality of antennas transmit the second signal to the remote device in accordance with the converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the beamforming mode. 
   
     
     
         2 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the processor selects one of: the co-phased space-time block coding mode for transmitting the second signal and the beamforming mode for transmitting the second signal, based on a measure of staleness of the antenna phase-related information corresponding to the co-phased space-time block coding mode.   
     
     
         3 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein, when the co-phased space-time block coding mode is selected for transmitting the second signal:
 the plurality of antennas transmit the second signal to the remote device in accordance with the antenna phase-related information corresponding to the co-phased space-time block coding mode.   
     
     
         4 . The communication device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the plurality of antennas receive a third signal from the remote device, wherein the third signal is received accordance with to the beamforming mode; 
 the processor that selects one of: the co-phased space-time block coding mode for transmitting a fourth signal and a beamforming mode for transmitting the fourth signal; 
 wherein, when the co-phased space-time block coding mode is selected for transmitting the fourth signal:
 the processor converts antenna phase-related information corresponding to the beamforming mode to converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the co-phased space-time block coding mode; and 
 the at least one of the plurality of antennas transmit the fourth signal to the remote device in accordance with the converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the co-phased space-time block coding mode. 
 
 
     
     
         5 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the communication device is an access point (AP); and   the remote device is a wireless station (STA).   
     
     
         6 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the remote device is an access point (AP); and   the communication device is a wireless station (STA).   
     
     
         7 . A communication device, comprising:
 a plurality of antennas to receive a first signal from a remote device, in accordance with a beamforming mode;   a baseband processor that selects one of: the beamforming mode for transmitting a second signal and a co-phased space-time coding mode for transmitting the second signal;   wherein, when the co-phased space-time coding mode is selected for transmitting the second signal:
 the baseband processor converts antenna phase-related information corresponding to the beamforming mode to converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the co-phased space-time coding mode, wherein the antenna phase-related information is one of: angle information between at least two of the plurality of antennas or phase information between at least two of the plurality of antennas; and 
 the at least two of the plurality of antennas transmit the second signal to the remote device in accordance with the converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the co-phased space-time coding mode. 
   
     
     
         8 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the baseband processor selects one of: the beamforming mode for transmitting the second signal and the co-phased space-time coding mode for transmitting the second signal, based on a measure of staleness of the antenna phase-related information corresponding to the beamforming mode.   
     
     
         9 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein, when the beamforming mode is selected for transmitting the second signal:
 the plurality of antennas transmit the second signal to the remote device in accordance with the antenna phase-related information corresponding to the beamforming mode.   
     
     
         10 . The communication device of  claim 7  wherein:
 the plurality of antennas receive a third signal from the remote device, wherein the third signal is received accordance with to the co-phased space-time coding mode; 
 the baseband processor that selects one of: the beamforming mode for transmitting a fourth signal and a co-phased space-time coding mode for transmitting the fourth signal; 
 wherein, when the beamforming mode is selected for transmitting the fourth signal:
 the baseband processor converts antenna phase-related information corresponding to the co-phased space-time coding mode to converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the beamforming mode; and 
 the at least one of the plurality of antennas transmit the fourth signal to the remote device in accordance with the converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the beamforming mode. 
 
 
     
     
         11 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the communication device is an access point (AP); and   the remote device is a wireless station (STA).   
     
     
         12 . The communication device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the remote device is an access point (AP); and   the communication device is a wireless station (STA).   
     
     
         13 . A method for use in a communication device, the method comprising:
 receiving a first signal from a remote device via at least two antennas, wherein the first signal is received in accordance with a first operational mode that corresponds to a first transmission scheme;   selecting one of: the first operational mode for transmitting a second signal and a second operational mode that corresponds to a second transmission scheme for transmitting the second signal, based on a measure of staleness of antenna phase-related information corresponding to the first operational mode that includes a phase difference between the at least two antennas;   when the second operational mode is selected for transmitting the second signal:
 converting the antenna phase-related information corresponding to the first operational mode to converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the second operational mode; and 
 transmitting the second signal to the remote device in accordance with the converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the second operational mode. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first operational mode is a space-time block coding transmission scheme and the second operational mode is a beamforming transmission scheme.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the second operational mode is a space-time block coding transmission scheme and the first operational mode is a beamforming transmission scheme.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein, the method further comprises:
 when the first operational mode is selected for transmitting the second signal:   transmitting the second signal to the remote device in accordance with the antenna phase-related information corresponding to the first operational mode.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving a third signal from the remote device, wherein the third signal corresponds to the second operational mode;   selecting one of: the first operational mode for transmitting a fourth signal and a second operational mode for transmitting the fourth signal;   wherein, when the first operational mode is selected for transmitting the fourth signal:
 converting the antenna phase-related information corresponding to the second operational mode to converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the first operational mode; and 
 transmitting the fourth signal to the remote device in accordance with the converted antenna phase-related information corresponding to the first operational mode. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the communication device is an access point (AP); and   the remote device is a wireless station (STA).   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the remote device is a base station; and   the communication device is a mobile phone.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the communication device is a base station; and   the remote device is a mobile phone.