System and Method for Configurable Information Handling System Wireless Network Antenna

• US 20090284416A1
• Filed: 05/15/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Hendrickson, Keith, Montag, Bruce, Quinn, Liam B.
• Application Number:
  US12/121,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20090284416A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/377
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/14 Length of element or elements adjustable telescopic elements H01Q1/10

Abstract

An information handling system interacts with plural classes of wireless communications devices having plural frequency bands with integrated wireless components having a common antenna. The antenna has plural segments that selectively interface with the wireless components to form antenna configurations associated with the frequency bands. For example, a grid of antenna segments formed on an integrated circuit selectively interface the segments with wireless components by switching on and off an interface between the wireless components and the segments. In one embodiment, the segments are selected and deselected to form desired antenna configurations with MEMS devices disposed as an array in the grid of segments.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

plural processing components operable to process information;

plural antenna segments;

a wireless component interfaced with the processing components and operable to communicate information through an antenna, the wireless component communicating information with plural wireless frequency bands, each frequency band having an associated antenna configuration; and

a connection manager interfaced with the antenna segments, the processing components and the wireless component, the connection manager operable to determine a frequency band for communicating information and to selectively connect one or more of the antenna segments with the wireless component to have the antenna configuration associated with the determined frequency band.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the plural antenna segments comprise a grid.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 further comprising connection devices disposed in the grid to selectively interface antenna segments with the wireless component in the antenna configuration associated with the determined frequency band.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 wherein the connection devices comprise MicroElectroMechanical System devices.

5. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the grid and the MicroElectroMechanical System devices comprise structures formed on a silicon substrate.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the plural wireless frequency bands comprise at least a WIFI frequency band and a CDMA frequency band.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the plural wireless frequency bands comprise at least a WFFI frequency band and a GSM frequency band.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the connection manager is further operable to adjust the antenna configuration to provide beam and null steering.

9. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the plural wireless frequency bands comprise a wireless local area network frequency band and a wireless wide area network frequency band.

10. A method for interfacing an information handling system with plural wireless communication devices, each wireless communication device having an associated frequency band, the method comprising:

selecting a wireless component within the information handling system for communication with a selected of the plural wireless communication devices;

interfacing plural antenna segments disposed in the information handling system to the wireless component, the plural antenna segments having a predetermined configuration for the associated frequency band; and

receiving wireless signals from the selected wireless communication device at the selected wireless component through the plural antenna segments.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising sending wireless signals from the selected wireless component to the selected wireless communication device through the plural antenna segments.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

selecting a second wireless component within the information handling system for communication with a second of the plural wireless communication devices;

interfacing plural antenna segments disposed in the information handling system to the second wireless component, the plural antenna segments having a second predetermined configuration for the associated frequency band; and

receiving wireless signals from the second wireless communication device at the second wireless component through the plural antenna segments.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein interfacing plural antenna segments further comprises selectively switching on and off conductive paths associated with the antenna segments to define an antenna shape.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein selectively switching on and off conductive paths further comprises selectively switching on and off MEMS distributed among the antenna segments.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein interfacing plural antenna segments further comprises adjusting the predetermined configuration for beam steering.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein interfacing plural antenna segments further comprises adjusting the predetermined configuration for null steering.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein selecting a wireless component comprises selecting between at least a wireless local area network component and a wireless wide area network component.

18. An integrated circuit comprising:

plural antenna segments operable to selectively form plural antenna configurations; and

plural selection devices interfaced with the antenna segments and operable to interface selected of the antenna segments with a wireless device in an antenna configuration associated with the wireless device.

19. The integrated circuit of claim 18 wherein the selection devices comprise MEMS.

20. The integrated circuit of claim 18 wherein the plural antenna segments comprise a grid.