Radio terminal device antenna and radio terminal device

• US 20050119035A1
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyano, Kentaro, Mimura, Masahiro, Nakagawa, Yoichi, Koyanagi, Yoshio, Fujimoto, Kyohei
• Granted Patent: US 7,212,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.700
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/247 by switching different parts of a primary active element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/26 with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

A radio terminal device has an antenna element, a coil, a switch, an RF circuit section and a conductive substrate. The switch is used to switch between a case where current distribution exists only in the antenna element and its vicinities and a case where the current distribution exists not only in the antenna element and its vicinities but also in other places. Additionally, the switch is switched in accordance with the usage pattern in which the user uses the radio terminal device (e.g., telephone call and data communication). This allows the transmission/reception to be performed with the antenna polarization and directivity suitable for the usage pattern. Thus, there can be provided a radio terminal device that exhibits a reception characteristic suitable for a respective situation.

Claims

1. An antenna for a radio terminal device comprising:

(a) an antenna element;

(b) and an antenna characteristic switching section for switching between the states in which a current distribution exists only on and in the vicinity of the antenna element and in which a current distribution exists not only on and in the vicinity of the antenna element but also on the other portions.

2. An antenna for a radio terminal device:

according to claim 1, wherein the antenna element is connected with a conductive substrate

arranged close in parallel to the long side of the antenna element with a sufficiently small spacing as compared with the wavelength in a twisted position relationship.

and the antenna characteristic switching section, being connected to one end of the antenna element in the vicinity of the conductive substrate, for changing the state of continuity with the conductive substrate.

3. An antenna for a radio terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna characteristic switching section has either of a switch and a diode, and a coil connected each other in

5. An antenna for a radio terminal device according to claim 1, wherein any one of a loop antenna, dipole antenna, and diversity antenna is used as the antenna element.

6. An antenna for a radio terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna element is a dipole antenna and also an array antenna configured by two antenna elements.

4. (canceled)

7. A radio terminal device comprising:

(a) an antenna for a radio terminal device comprising;

(1) an antenna element;

(2) and an antenna characteristic switching section for switching between the states in which a current distribution exists only on and in the vicinity of the antenna element and in which a current distribution exists not only on and in the vicinity of the antenna element but also on the other portions;

(b) and a RF circuit section connected to the other end of the antenna element.

8. A radio terminal device according to claim 7, wherein

(a) the antenna element is connected with a conductive substrate arranged close in parallel to the long side of the antenna element with a sufficiently small spacing as compared with the wavelength in a twisted position relationship;

and the antenna characteristic switching section is connected to one end of the antenna element in the vicinity of the conductive substrate, for changing the state of continuity with the conductive substrate,

10. A radio terminal device according to claim 7, further comprising:

(a) an operating pattern estimator for discriminating whether the present communication media is a telephone call or a data communication, to notify the antenna characteristic switching section,

wherein the antenna characteristic switching section performs a predetermined switching on the basis of the notification.

11. A radio terminal device according to claim 7, further comprising:

(a) a propagation environment estimator for detecting a received power, a polarization of an arrival radio wave or a direction of an arrival radio wave, to notify the antenna characteristic switching section,

wherein the antenna characteristic switching section performs a predetermined switching on the basis of the notification.

12. A radio terminal device according to claim 7, further comprising:

(a) A tilt detector for detecting the tilt angle of the radio terminal device to notify the antenna characteristic switching section,

wherein the antenna characteristic switching section performs a predetermined switching on the basis of the notification.

13. A radio terminal device according to claim 7, wherein the antenna characteristic switching section has either of a switch and a coil being connected each other in series, one end of the coil being connected to said antenna element.

15. A radio terminal device according to claim 7, wherein the antenna element is any one of a loop antenna, dipole antenna, and diversity antenna.

16. A radio terminal device according to claim 7, wherein the antenna element is a dipole antenna and also an array antenna configured by two antenna elements.

41. A radio terminal device according to claim 7, further comprising:

an anteanna element that is used in a stand-by mode.

42. A radio terminal device according to claim 7, further comprising:

(a) one or more sets paired said antenna with said RF circuit section;

(b) and a splitter which combines the signals from two or more said RF circuit sections, or divides a signal into the respective RF circuit sections,

wherein the splitter connects with the respective RF circuit sections.

9. A radio terminal device comprising:

(a) an antenna element;

(b) a conductive substrate arranged close in parallel to the long side of the antenna element with a sufficiently small spacing as compared with the wavelength in a twisted position relationship;

(c) a balanced/unbalanced converter connected to both ends of the antenna element;

(d) a RF circuit section connected to said antenna element through said balanced/unbalanced converter;

(e) and an antenna characteristic switching section being connected to the antenna element in the vicinity of the conductive substrate, for changing the state of continuity with the conductive substrate.

21. A radio terminal device according to claim 9, further comprising:

(a) an operating pattern estimator for discriminating whether the present communication media is a telephone call or a data communication, to notify the antenna characteristic switching section,

wherein the antenna characteristic switching section performs a predetermined switching on the basis of the notification.

24. A radio terminal device according to claim 9, further comprising:

(a) a propagation environment estimator for detecting a received power or a polarization and direction of an arrival radio wave, to notify the antenna characteristic switching section,

wherein the antenna characteristic switching section performs a predetermined switching on the basis of the notification.

27. A radio terminal device according to claim 9, further comprising:

(a) A tilt detector for detecting the tilt angle of the radio terminal device to notify the antenna characteristic switching section,

wherein the antenna characteristic switching section performs a predetermined switching on the basis of the notification.

30. A radio terminal device according to claim 9, wherein the antenna characteristic switching section has a switch and a coil being connected each other in series, one end of the coil being connected to said antenna element.

39. A radio terminal device according to claim 9, wherein the antenna element is a dipole antenna and also an array antenna configured by two antenna elements.

43. A radio terminal device according to claim 9, wherein the antenna element is connected with a conductive substrate arranged close in parallel to the long side of the antenna element with a sufficiently small spacing as compared with the wavelength in a twisted position relationship;

and the antenna characteristic switching section is connected to one end of the antenna element in the vicinity of the conductive substrate, for changing the state of continuity with the conductive substrate.

14. (canceled)

17-20. -20. (canceled)

22-23. -23. (canceled)

25-26. -26. (canceled)

28-29. -29. (canceled)

31-38. -38. (canceled)

40. (canceled)