Beamforming using a backplane and passive antenna element

• US 20040113851A1
• Filed: 01/20/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPR Licensing Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tantivy Communications Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gainey, Kenneth M., Chiang, Bing, Gothard, Griffin K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,038,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/10 using reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/32 the primary active element being end-fed and elongated
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/446 the radiating element being at the centre of one or more rings of auxiliary elements

Abstract

An active antenna element to transmit and/or receive RF (Radio Frequency) signals is positioned in relation to a backplane that reflects RF signals. One or more passive antenna elements can be disposed on a similar side of the backplane as the active antenna element. Settings of the one or more passive antenna elements are adjusted to produce an input/output beam pattern that varies depending on whether the at least one passive antenna element is reflective or transmissive. Based on this technique, an RF input output beam pattern of an antenna assembly including the backplane, active antenna element and passive antenna elements can be controlled for better reception and transmission of RF signals.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an active antenna element to receive or transmit Radio Frequency (RF) signals, the active antenna element positioned in relation to a backplane that reflects transmitted or received RF signals;

at least one passive antenna element disposed on a similar side of the backplane as the active antenna element, characteristics of the at least one passive antenna element being adjusted to produce an input/output beam pattern for receiving/transmitting the RF signals, a shape of the input/output beam pattern depending on whether the at least one passive antenna element is in a reflective or transmissive state.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the backplane is disposed in a flip-top type earpiece.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein a lengthwise portion of the active antenna element is disposed at an angle smaller than 60 degrees with respect to the backplane.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein characteristics of the at least one passive antenna are selectively adjusted to be reflective or transmissive to support RF beamforming.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the at least one passive antenna element includes two passive antenna elements that are each selectably transmissive or reflective.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the active antenna element is positioned between the two passive antenna elements.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein the active antenna elements and two passive antenna elements are positioned to be substantially parallel with respect to each other.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the active antenna element and at least one passive antenna elements are positioned substantially parallel to the backplane.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the active antenna element and at least one passive antenna elements are positioned to substantially lie in a common plane that is at an angle between 10 and 60 degrees with respect to the backplane.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the backplane limits RF exposure to a user.

11. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein characteristics of the two passive antenna elements can be controlled to produce a narrower RF beam than otherwise possible without any passive antenna elements.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the at least one passive antenna element is positioned up to 2 inches from the active antenna element.

13. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the at least one passive antenna element is positioned about a quarter-wavelength of a transmitted or received RF signal from the active antenna element.

14. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein a first passive antenna element is reflective and a second passive antenna element is reflective to produce a narrower RF beam pattern.

15. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the at least one passive antenna element is selectively controlled to adjust a narrowness of the input/output beam pattern.

16. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the at least one passive antenna element is selectively controlled to directionally steer the input/output beam pattern.

17. A method of beamforming RF (Radio Frequency) signals of a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

positioning a backplane in relation to an active antenna element, the backplane reflecting transmitted and received RF (Radio Frequency) signals;

providing at least one passive antenna element to be on a similar side of the backplane as the active antenna element; and

selectively setting each of the at least one passive antenna elements to be reflective or transmissive to adjust an input/output beam pattern for reception and transmission of the RF signals.

18. A method as in claim 17, wherein the backplane is formed into a flip-top type earpiece of a mobile phone device.

19. A method as in claim 17 further comprising:

positioning the backplane to be substantially parallel to the active antenna element for transmission and reception of RF signals.

20. A method as in claim 17 further comprising:

providing the backplane to be movable in relation to the active and at least one passive antenna elements.

21. A method as in claim 18, wherein the flip-top earpiece of the mobile phone device includes a speaker.

22. A method as in claim 17, wherein the at least one passive antenna element includes two passive antenna elements that are each selectively transmissive or reflective.

23. A method as in claim 22 further comprising:

positioning the active antenna element to be between the two passive antenna elements.

24. A method as in claim 17 further comprising:

positioning the active antenna element and at least one passive antenna elements to be substantially parallel with each other.

25. A method as in claim 17 further comprising:

positioning the backplane to be at an angle between 10 and 60 degrees with respect to a lengthwise axis of the active antenna element.

26. A method as in claim 17 further comprising:

positioning the at least one passive antenna element and active antenna elements to lie in a common plane substantially parallel with the backplane.

27. A method as in claim 17, wherein the backplane limits RF exposure to a user.

28. A method as in claim 22 further comprising:

selectively controlling the two passive antenna elements to adjust the input/output beam pattern.

29. A method as in claim 17 further comprising:

positioning the at least one passive antenna element between 0.5 and 1.5 inches from the active antenna element.

30. A method as in claim 17 further comprising:

positioning the at least one passive antenna element about a quarter-wavelength from the active antenna element.

31. A method as in claim 22 further comprising:

setting both a first and second passive antenna element to a reflective mode to produce a narrow RF input/output beam pattern.

32. An apparatus comprising:

an active element to transmit or receive Radio Frequency (RF) signals;

one or more passive elements positioned in relation to the active element, the one or more passive elements each being set to a transmissive or reflective state;

a movable backplane that, when positioned in relation to the active element and one or more passive elements, supports shaping patterns of the transmitted or received RF signals.

33. An apparatus as in claim 32, wherein the active and one or more passive elements are disposed on a similar side of the movable backplane.

34. An apparatus as in claim 32, wherein the active and one or more passive elements are disposed on a mobile phone device.

35. An apparatus as in claim 32, wherein the backplane is integrally formed in an earpiece of a flip-top portable phone.

36. An apparatus as in claim 32, wherein the active and one or more passive elements are disposed on a similar side of the movable backplane when positioned to transmit or receive RF signals.

37. An apparatus as in claim 32, wherein the at least one passive antenna element is either passive or transmissive to adjust characteristics of an antenna beam.