Portable communication device having a MEMS switch and method therefor

• US 20030124986A1
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Green, Evan R., Rose, Bruce W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,184,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/83
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/005 adapting radio receivers, transmitters andtransceivers for operation on two or more bands, i.e. frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/48 in circuits for connecting transmitter and receiver to a common transmission path, e.g. by energy of transmitter H04B1/46 takes precedence

Abstract

Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a portable communication device includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device to couple an antennae from a first and second transceiver.

Claims

1. A portable communication device comprising:

a first transceiver; and

a first microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch to couple the first transceiver to an antennae.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second transceiver; and

a second MEMS switch to couple the second transceiver to the antennae.

3. The portable communication device of claim 2, wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver are adapted to communicate at about 1.9 GHz, 1.8 GHz, or 900 MHz.

4. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the first MEMS switch includes a cantilever adapted to move to a first position to couple the antennae to the first transceiver.

5. The portable communication device of claim 4, wherein the cantilever of the first MEMS switch is adapted to move to a second position to disconnect the antennae from the first transceiver.

6. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the first MEMS switch has an input node directly connected to the antennae.

7. The portable communication device of claim 6, further comprising a field effect transistor switch coupled to an output of the first MEMS switch.

8. The portable communication device of claim 7, wherein the field effect transistor switch and the first MEMS switch are contained within the same package.

9. The portable communication device of claim 8, wherein the field effect transistor switch and the first MEMS switch are contained within the same semiconductor substrate.

10. A portable communication device comprising:

an antennae;

a first mechanical switch that is enabled with an electrical signal;

a first transceiver, wherein the first mechanical switch is adapted to coupled the first transceiver to the antennae;

a second mechanical switch that is enabled with an electrical signal; and

a second transceiver, wherein the second mechanical switch is adapted to coupled the second transceiver to the antennae.

11. The portable communication device of claim 10, further comprising a first field effect transistor switch coupled to the first mechanical switch.

12. The portable communication device of claim 11, wherein the first field effect transistor switch and the first mechanical switch are both formed in the same semiconductor substrate.

13. The portable communication device of claim 10, further comprising a first base band module adapted to process signals at a first frequency, the first base band module coupled to the antennae when the first mechanical switch is enabled.

14. The portable communication device of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the first base band module and the first mechanical switch are formed on the same semiconductor substrate.

15. The portable communication device of claim 13, further comprising a second base band module adapted to process signals at a second frequency, the second base band module coupled to the antennae when the second mechanical switch is enabled.

16. The portable communication device of claim 15, wherein the first frequency is at least twice the second frequency.

17. The portable communication device of claim 15, wherein the first frequency is about 1.9 GHz.

18. A method of performing a wireless communication, comprising:

coupling a first transceiver to an antennae with a first electrically enabled mechanical switch; and

de-coupling a second transceiver from the antennae with a second electrically enabled mechanical switch.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting with the first transceiver at a first frequency.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

coupling the second transceiver to the antennae with the second electrically enable mechanical switch; and

transmitting with the second transceiver at a second frequency, the second frequency being lower than the first frequency.