Multi-band antenna unit of mobile terminal

• US 20080096492A1
• Filed: 02/21/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoon, Seong Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/83
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 Transmit/receive switching

Abstract

Disclosed is a multi-band antenna unit of a mobile terminal that includes an antenna, switch, sensor, first matching circuit, second matching circuit, diplexer, first signal processing unit, and second signal processing unit. The antenna is movably installed between first and second contacts, and transmits and receives first and second signals of different frequency bands. The switch connects the first contact to the first matching circuit or the second contact through the second matching circuit. The sensor detects an antenna position, and allowing selective connection of first or second matching circuits. Transmission and reception of multiple signals of various frequency bands is enabled using a single antenna unit, reducing the number of components, cost, and size of a mobile terminal. Additionally, performance of an antenna is improved by connecting to a proper matching circuit according to the position of the antenna.

Claims

1. A multi-band antenna unit for a mobile terminal, the multi-band antenna unit comprising:

an antenna movable between a first contact and a second contact for transmitting and receiving a first signal and a second signal having different frequency bands from each other;

a switch for selectively connecting to the first contact through a first path or to the second contact through a second path;

a diplexer connected to the switch for separating the first signal and the second signal;

a first signal processing unit connected to the diplexer; and

a second signal processing unit connected to the diplexer.

2. The multi-band antenna unit of claim 1, wherein the first path and the second path comprise a first matching circuit and a second matching circuit, respectively.

3. The multi-band antenna unit of claim 1, further comprising a sensor connected to the first contact for detecting a position of the antenna and controlling the switch.

4. The multi-band antenna unit of claim 1, wherein the first signal and the second signal are an RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) signal and a T-DMB (Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) signal, respectively.

5. The multi-band antenna unit of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary antenna connected to the second signal processing unit.

6. The multi-band antenna unit of claim 5, wherein the first signal and the second signal are an RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) signal and an S-DMB (Satellite Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) signal, respectively.

7. A multi-band antenna unit for a mobile terminal, the multi-band antenna unit comprising:

a first antenna movable between a first contact and a second contact, for transmitting and receiving a first signal, second signal and third signal having different frequency bands from each other;

a first branch connected to the first contact;

a second branch connected to the second contact and the first branch;

a duplexer connected to the first branch;

a first signal processing unit connected to the duplexer;

a diplexer connected to the second branch for separating the second signal and the third signal;

a second signal processing unit connected to the diplexer; and

a third signal processing unit connected to the diplexer.

8. The multi-band antenna unit of claim 7, further comprising:

a switch disposed between the first branch and the diplexer; and

a second antenna connected to the switch for transmitting and receiving the first signal;

wherein the switch selectively connects to the first branch or the second antenna.

9. The multi-band antenna unit of claim 8, further comprising a sensor connected to the first contact for detecting a position of the first antenna and controlling the switch.

10. The multi-band antenna unit of claim 7, further comprising a band reject filter disposed between the second branch and the diplexer.

11. The multi-band antenna unit of claim 7, wherein the first signal, second signal, and third signal are a communication mobile signal, RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification), and DMB (digital multimedia broadcasting) signal, respectively.

12. A multi-band antenna unit for a mobile terminal, the multi-band antenna unit comprising:

a first antenna movable between a first contact and a second contact, for transmitting and receiving a first signal, second signal and third signal having different frequency bands from each other;

a first switch for selectively connecting to the first contact or the second contact;

a branch connected to the first switch;

a second antenna for transmitting and receiving the first signal;

a second switch for selectively connecting to the branch or to the second antenna;

a duplexer connected to the second switch;

a first signal processing unit connected to the duplexer;

a band reject filter connected to the branch;

a diplexer connected to the band reject filter for separating the second signal and the third signal;

a second signal processing unit connected to the diplexer; and

a third signal processing unit connected to the diplexer.

13. The multi-band antenna unit of claim 12, further comprising:

a first matching circuit disposed between the first contact and the first switch; and

a second matching circuit disposed between the second contact and the first switch.

14. The multi-band antenna unit of claim 12, further comprising a sensor connected to the first contact, first switch and second switch, wherein the sensor detects a position of the first antenna and controls the first switch and the second switch.