Antenna apparatus of mobile communications terminal and operation method thereof

• US 20060050007A1
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Min, Kyung Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,522,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/876
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/145 by varying the electrical length

Abstract

An antenna apparatus for a mobile communications terminal and its operation method in which the length of an antenna can be varied according to the changes in the usage environment. The antenna requires minimal space for installation, and can support multiplexing of frequency bands, such as tri-band or quad-band capabilities, so as to reduce the deterioration of signal transmission and reception sensitivity caused by changes in the usage environment, such as effects from the user'"'"'s hand that holds the terminal, an act of opening and closing of a folder portion of the terminal, and the like.

Claims

1. An antenna apparatus of a mobile communications terminal comprising:

a first antenna; and

an antenna length adjustor connected to the first antenna for varying the length of the first antenna according to a signal transmission/reception quality of the mobile communications terminal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the antenna length adjustor comprises:

at least one or more second antennas;

one or more first switches connected between the first antenna and each second antenna; and

a controller for controlling the first switches according to the signal transmission/reception quality of the mobile communications terminal, and connecting the at least one or more second antennas to the first antenna.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more second antennas have the same length, and are connected to one another in series.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of second antennas have different lengths, and are connected to one another in parallel.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller compares a transmission/reception quality of the first antenna with a transmission/reception quality measured by sequentially connecting the first antenna to each second antenna, and thus the controller changes the length of the first antenna according to an antenna combination having an optimal transmission/reception quality.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an antenna switching unit provided with at least one or more third antennas which are different from the first antenna, for selecting one of the first antenna and the third antennas according to a user'"'"'s selection.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the antenna switching unit comprises:

at least one or more third antennas;

a second switch for connecting one of the first antenna and the one or more third antennas to a matching circuit; and

a controller for changing the operation frequency band of the mobile communications terminal by controlling the second switch.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the third antennas are installed around the first antenna or in the mobile communications terminal.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the third antenna is a chip type antenna or a loop type antenna used to transmit and receive frequency band signals which are different from those of the first and second antennas.

10. An antenna apparatus of a mobile communications terminal comprising:

a first antenna;

at least one or more second antennas;

a switching unit for connecting the first antenna with each second antenna; and

a controller for controlling an operation of the switching unit according to a signal transmission/reception quality of the mobile communications terminal, and thus varying the length of the first antenna.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the switching unit comprises at least one or more switches connected between the first antenna and each second antenna.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one or more second antennas are antennas being connected to one another in series and having the same length, or antennas being connected to one another in parallel and having different lengths.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a third antenna for supporting a particular operation frequency band; and

a switch for connecting either the first antenna or the third antenna to a matching circuit according to a control of the controller.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the third antenna is a chip type antenna or a loop type antenna used to transmit and receive frequency band signals which are different from those of the first and second antennas.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the third antenna is at least one or more, and installed around the first antenna or in the mobile communications terminal.

16. An antenna operation method in a mobile communications terminal provided with a first antenna and at least one or more second antennas, comprising:

measuring a transmission/reception quality of the first antenna;

connecting the first antenna to each second antenna, and detecting an antenna combination for obtaining an optimal transmission/reception quality; and

adjusting a length of an antenna according to the detected antenna combination.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, when the detected transmission/reception quality is lowered less than a threshold value, re-detecting an antenna combination for obtaining an optimal transmission/reception quality, and re-adjusting the length of the antenna.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one or more second antennas are antennas being connected to one another in series and having the same length, or antennas being connected to one another in parallel and having different lengths.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmission/reception quality comprises a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) or a Bit Error Rate (BER).

20. An antenna operation method in a mobile communications terminal provided with a first antenna and a second antenna comprising:

checking changes of an operation frequency band of the mobile communications terminal; and

when the operation frequency band of the mobile communications terminal is changed, varying the first antenna into the second antenna for supporting the changed operation frequency band.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second antennas support different frequency bands from each other.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first antenna is a main antenna, and the second antenna is a chip type antenna or a loop type antenna.

23. A mobile communications terminal comprising:

a first antenna;

at least one or more second antennas;

at least one or more first switches provided between the first antenna and the at least one or more second antenna; and

a controller for controlling the at least one or more first switches according to a signal transmission/reception quality to vary a length of the first antenna.

24. The terminal of claim 23, wherein the at least one or more second antennas are antennas being connected to one another in series and having the same length, or antennas being connected to one another and having different lengths.

25. The terminal of claim 23, further comprising:

a third antenna for supporting a particular frequency band signal; and

a second switch for connecting the first antenna or the third antenna to a matching circuit according to a control of the controller.

26. The terminal of claim 25, wherein the third antenna is a chip type antenna or a loop type antenna used to transmit and receive frequency band signals which are different from those of the first and second antennas.

27. The terminal of claim 25, wherein the third antenna is provided with at least one or more, each being installed around the first antenna or installed in the mobile communications terminal.

28. An antenna apparatus of a mobile communication terminal comprising:

an antenna unit; and

a controller for adjusting a physical characteristic of the antenna unit according to changes in signal transmission or signal reception, or according to a desired operation frequency band.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the physical characteristic of the antenna unit is associated with at least one of an antenna length and an antenna type.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the antenna unit comprises:

a main antenna portion; and

one or more sub-antenna portions that are allowed to be selectively connected to the main antenna portion;

wherein the controller adjusts the physical characteristic of the antenna unit by selecting either the main antenna portion or the main antenna portion together with the one or more sub-antenna portions connected thereto according to changes in signal transmission or signal reception.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the one or more sub-antenna portions are provided with at least one or more antennas which are connected to one another in series and have the same length, or connected to one another in parallel and have different lengths.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the antenna unit comprises:

a first antenna used to transmit and receive signals of a first frequency band; and

one or more second antennas used to transmit and receive signals of a second frequency band,

wherein the controller adjusts the physical characteristic of the antenna unit by selecting either the first antenna or the one or more second antennas according to the desired operation frequency band.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the second antenna is a chip type antenna or a loop type antenna installed around the first antenna or installed in the mobile communications terminal.