Multi-mode antenna system for a computing device and method of operation

• US 20040160370A1
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Waltho, Alan E., Bettner, Al, Ghosh, Prosenjit
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00

Abstract

An antenna system for a computing device operable in multiple communication modes.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

a first antenna operable in a first mode of communication between a computing device and a first node;

a second antenna operable in a second mode of communication between the computing device and a second node; and

a third antenna operable in a third mode of communication between the computing device and a third node.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first mode of communication has an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band.

3. The antenna system of claim 2, wherein the second mode of communication has an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band or a 5.15 to 5.825 GHz band.

4. The antenna system of claim 3, wherein the third mode of communication has an operating frequency in a 450 to 1990 MHz band.

5. The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth antenna operable in a fourth mode of communication between the computing device and a fourth node.

6. The antenna system of claim 5, wherein the first and second modes of communications have an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band, the third mode of communication has an operating frequency in the 450 to 1990 MHz band, and the fourth mode of communication has an operating frequency in the 5.15 to 5.825 GHz band.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first antenna has a range up to approximately 10 meters, the second antenna has a range up to approximately 100 meters, and the third antenna has a range of approximately 100 meters and greater.

8. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first mode comprises a wireless personal area network (PAN) connection, the second mode comprises a wireless local area network (LAN) connection, and the third mode comprises a wireless wide area network (WAN) connection.

9. A computing device comprising:

a housing; and

an antenna system disposed on the housing, the antenna system operable in a first mode,

operable in a second mode, and operable in a third mode.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the first mode has an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the second mode has an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band or a 5.15 to 5.825 GHz band.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the third mode has an operating frequency in a 450 to 1990 MHz band.

13. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the antenna system is operable in a fourth mode.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the first and second modes have an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band, the third mode has an operating frequency in the 450 to 1990 MHz band, and the fourth mode has an operating frequency in the 5.15 to 5.825 GHz band.

15. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the first mode is operable in a range up to approximately 10 meters, the second mode is operable in a range up to approximately 100 meters, and the third mode is operable in a range of approximately 100 meters and greater.

16. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the first mode comprises a wireless personal area network (PAN) connection, the second mode comprises a wireless local area network (LAN) connection, and the third mode comprises a wireless wide area network (WAN) connection.

17. The computing device of claim 9, further comprising:

a display disposed in the housing; and

a second housing movably coupled with the housing, the second housing including a keyboard.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the second housing is detachable from the housing.

19. The computing device of claim 17, further comprising a processing device disposed within the housing.

20. The computing device of claim 17, further comprising a processing device disposed within the second housing.

21. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the antenna system includes an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) material.

22. The computing device of claim 21, wherein the AMC material shields at least a portion of the antenna system from a processing device disposed within the housing.

23. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the housing comprises a metal material.

24. The computing device of claim 23, wherein the antenna system includes an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) material, the AMC material to isolate at least a portion of the antenna system from the housing.

25. A computing device comprising:

a housing;

a first antenna disposed on the housing, the first antenna operable in a first mode;

a second antenna disposed on the housing, the second antenna operable in a second mode; and

a third antenna disposed on the housing, the third antenna operable in a third mode.

26. The computing device of claim 25, wherein the first mode has an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band.

27. The computing device of claim 26, wherein the second mode has an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band or a 5.15 to 5.825 GHz band.

28. The computing device of claim 27, wherein the third mode has an operating frequency in a 450 to 1990 MHz band.

29. The computing device of claim 25, further comprising:

a fourth antenna disposed on the housing;

wherein the fourth antenna is operable in a fourth mode.

30. The computing device of claim 29, wherein the first and second modes have an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band, the third mode has an operating frequency in the 450 to 1990 MHz band, and the fourth mode has an operating frequency in the 5.15 to 5.825 GHz band.

31. The computing device of claim 25, wherein the first antenna has a range up to approximately 10 meters, the second antenna has a range up to approximately 100 meters, and the third antenna has a range of approximately 100 meters and greater.

32. The computing device of claim 25, wherein the first mode comprises a wireless personal area network (PAN) connection, the second mode comprises a wireless local area network (LAN) connection, and the third mode comprises a wireless wide area network (WAN) connection.

33. The computing device of claim 25, further comprising:

a display disposed in the housing; and

a second housing movably coupled with the housing, the second housing including a keyboard.

34. The computing device of claim 33, wherein the second housing is detachable from the housing.

35. The computing device of claim 33, further comprising a processing device disposed within the housing.

36. The computing device of claim 33, further comprising a processing device disposed within the second housing.

37. The computing device of claim 25, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third antennas is disposed on a base comprising an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC).

38. The computing device of claim 37, wherein the AMC material shields the at least one antenna from a processing device disposed within the housing.

39. The computing device of claim 37, wherein the at least one antenna has a thickness that does not exceed approximately 4 millimeters.

40. The computing device of claim 25, further comprising:

a cavity formed on an exterior of the housing;

wherein one of the first, second, and third antennas is disposed in the cavity.

41. The computing device of claim 40, wherein the one antenna disposed in the cavity has a height less than a depth of the cavity.

42. The computing device of claim 25, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third antennas extends a height above an exterior surface of the housing that does not exceed approximately 4 millimeters.

43. The computing device of claim 25, wherein the housing comprises a metal material.

44. The computing device of claim 43, wherein one of the first, second, and third antennas includes an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) material;

the AMC material to isolate the one antenna from the housing.

45. The computing device of claim 25, wherein at least two of the first, second, and third antenna comprise a single integrated antenna.

46. A computing device comprising:

a first generally rectangular-shaped housing;

a second housing movably coupled with a first edge of the first housing;

a first antenna disposed on a second edge of the first housing, the first antenna operable in a first mode;

a second antenna disposed on a third edge of the first housing, the third edge opposing the first edge, the second antenna operable in a second mode; and

a third antenna disposed on a fourth edge of the first housing, the fourth edge opposing the second edge, the third antenna operable in a third mode.

47. The computing device of claim 46, wherein the second housing is detachable from the first housing.

48. The computing device of claim 46, wherein the first mode has an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band.

49. The computing device of claim 48, wherein the second mode has an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band or a 5.15 to 5.825 GHz band.

50. The computing device of claim 49, wherein the third mode has an operating frequency in a 450 to 1990 MHz band.

51. The computing device of claim 46, further comprising:

a fourth antenna disposed on the third edge of the first housing, the fourth antenna operable in a fourth mode.

52. The computing device of claim 51, wherein the first and second modes have an operating frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band, the third mode has an operating frequency in the 450 to 1990 MHz band, and the fourth mode has an operating frequency in the 5.15 to 5.825 GHz band.

53. The computing device of claim 46, wherein the first antenna has a range up to approximately 10 meters, the second antenna has a range up to approximately 100 meters, and the third antenna has a range of approximately 100 meters and greater.

54. The computing device of claim 46, wherein the first mode comprises a wireless personal area network (PAN) connection, the second mode comprises a wireless local area network (LAN) connection, and the third mode comprises a wireless wide area network (WAN) connection.

55. The computing device of claim 46, further comprising a display disposed in the first housing.

56. The computing device of claim 55, further comprising a processing device disposed within the first housing.

57. The computing device of claim 55, further comprising a processing device disposed within the second housing.

58. The computing device of claim 46, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third antennas is disposed on a base comprising an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC).

59. The computing device of claim 58, wherein the AMC material shields the at least one antenna from a processing device disposed within the first housing.

60. The computing device of claim 46, wherein the first housing comprises a metal material.

61. The computing device of claim 60, wherein one of the first, second, and third antennas includes an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) material, the AMC material to isolate the one antenna from the first housing.

62. The computing device of claim 46, wherein at least two of the first, second, and third antenna comprise a single integrated antenna.

63. The computing device of claim 46, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third antennas is attached to the first housing using an adhesive.

64. The computing device of claim 46, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third antennas is attached to the first housing using a mechanical fastener.

65. The computing device of claim 46, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third antennas is mounted in a cavity formed on one of the edges of the first housing.

66. A method comprising:

establishing a first wireless connection over a first mode using a first antenna of a computing device;

establishing a second wireless connection over a second mode using a second antenna of the computing device; and

establishing a third wireless connection over a third mode using a third antenna of the computing device.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the first mode is conducted at a frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the second mode is conducted at a frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band or a 5.15 to 5.825 GHz band.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the third mode is conducted at a frequency in a 450 to 1990 MHz band.

70. The method of claim 66, wherein two of the first, second, and third wireless connections are simultaneously active.

71. The method of claim 66, wherein the first, second, and third wireless connections are simultaneously active.

72. The method of claim 66, further comprising establishing a fourth wireless connection over a fourth mode using a fourth antenna of the computing device.

73. The computing device of claim 72, wherein the first and second modes are conducted at a frequency in a 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band, the third mode is conducted at a frequency in the 450 to 1990 MHz band, and the fourth mode is conducted at a frequency in the 5.15 to 5.825 GHz band.

74. A method comprising:

selecting an antenna to provide a specified coverage margin for an antenna system;

measuring a gain characteristic of the antenna;

determining a coverage margin based upon the measured gain characteristic; and

if the coverage margin does not meet the specified coverage margin, altering a parameter.

75. The method of claim 74, further comprising:

measuring a second gain characteristic of the antenna; and

determining a second coverage margin based upon the second measured gain characteristic.

76. The method of claim 74, further comprising:

if the coverage margin meets the specified coverage margin, using the selected antenna in the antenna system.

77. The method of claim 74, wherein the parameter comprises a transmission power, a receive sensitivity of a source node, or a gain characteristic of the source node.

78. The method of claim 74, wherein the antenna is selected based upon an estimated gain.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein the estimated gain is determined from a transmission power, a receive sensitivity of a source node, a gain characteristic of the source node, a wavelength, a path loss characteristic, and a distance.