MOBILE DEVICE HAVING AT LEAST TWO ANTENNAS AND OPERATION CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20100285759A1
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Myeong Hwa, Jo, Kyung Hwan, Kim, Doo Na, Chung, Chang Gwon, Kim, Geun Woo, Kim, Hyun
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/101
• 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: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use

Abstract

A mobile device having at least two antennas can circumvent transmission problems caused by a user'"'"'s grasp of the device. A sensor unit is disposed at a specific location of a device body and creates a sensor signal by detecting the contact or proximity of a particular object such a user'"'"'s hand. When receiving the sensor signal, a control unit selects one of the antennas depending on the sensor signal and establishes a communication path based on the selected antenna. The selected antenna involved in the communication path is typically relatively free from degradation in transmission caused by a user'"'"'s grasp of the mobile device. The radiation property of the mobile device, which may be degraded due to a user'"'"'s grasp, can exhibit relatively little or no degradation as compared to the typical degradation in performance when the mobile device is being grasped.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a radio frequency unit having at least two antennas;

a sensor unit disposed at a specific location of a device body to sense whether the mobile device is in contact or proximity of a particular object external to the mobile device; and

a control unit configured to select one of the antennas depending on a sensor signal received from the sensor unit and to establish a communication path based on the selected antenna.

2. The mobile device claim 1, wherein the sensor unit creates the sensor signal depending on the contact or proximity of the particular object external to the mobile device.

3. The mobile device claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes a capacitive sensor creating the sensor signal according to a variation of capacitance caused by the contact of the particular object with the mobile device

4. The mobile device claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes a proximity sensor creating the sensor signal according to a variation of light caused by the contact of the particular object with the mobile device.

5. The mobile device claim 1, wherein the radio frequency unit includes:

a first antenna supporting a communication system for a low frequency band or supporting a plurality of communication systems for both the low frequency band and a high frequency band which is higher than the low frequency band; and

a second antenna supporting a communication system for at least one high frequency band which is higher than the low frequency band of the first antenna.

6. The mobile device claim 5, wherein the control unit establishes a first communication path based on the first antenna when the control unit does not receive the sensor signal from the sensor unit, and establishes a second communication path based on the second antenna when the control unit receives the sensor signal from the sensor unit.

7. The mobile device claim 5, wherein the second antenna has a smaller length or volume than the first antenna.

8. The mobile device claim 5, wherein the first antenna is disposed adjacent a microphone of the mobile device and the second antenna is disposed adjacent a speaker.

9. The mobile device claim 5, wherein the first antenna is arranged closer to a microphone than the second antenna.

10. The mobile device claim 1, wherein the radio frequency unit further comprises:

an integrated signal processor configured to process the transmission and reception of signals; and

an analog switch disposed between the integrated signal processor and the antennas,

and wherein the control unit is further configured to control the analog switch to establish the communication path based on the selected antenna in accordance with an output of the sensor signal from the sensor unit.

11. The mobile device claim 1, wherein the radio frequency unit further includes:

a signal processor configured to perform up-conversion or down-conversion for radio signals;

at least one amplifier configured to amplify the radio signals according to a specific type of a communication system;

a switch-plexer connected with the amplifier and configured to distribute the signals; and

an analog switch disposed between the switch-plexer and the amplifier supporting the selected antenna and the specific type of the communication system,

and wherein the control unit is further configured to control the analog switch to establish the communication path based on the selected antenna and the amplifier by isolating the switch-plexer.

12. A method for controlling an operation of a mobile device which includes a radio frequency unit having at least two antennas, said method comprising:

receiving a sensor signal from a sensor unit disposed at a specific location of a device body to sense whether the mobile device is in contact or proximity of a particular object external to the mobile device;

selecting one of the antennas depending on the received sensor signal; and

establishing a communication path based on the selected antenna.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the receiving of the sensor signal includes at least of:

creating the sensor signal by detecting a variation of capacitance caused by the contact or proximity of the particular object with the mobile device; and

creating the sensor signal by detecting a variation of light caused by the contact or proximity of the particular object with the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the establishing of the communication path includes:

establishing a first communication path based on a first antenna of said at least two antennas when no sensor signal is received from the sensor unit, the first antenna supporting a communication system having a low frequency band or supporting a plurality of communication systems for both the low frequency band and a high frequency band which is higher than the low frequency band; and

establishing a second communication path based on a second antenna of said at least two antennas when the sensor signal from the sensor unit is received, the second antenna supporting a communication system having at least one high frequency band which is higher than the low frequency band of the first antenna.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second antenna has a smaller length or volume than the first antenna.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first antenna is disposed adjacent a microphone and the second antenna is disposed adjacent a speaker.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the establishing of the communication path includes establishing the second communication path when receiving the sensor signal, the second communication path being based on the second antenna, an integrated signal processor configured to process the transmission and reception of signals, and an analog switch disposed between the integrated signal processor and the second antennas.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the establishing of the communication path includes establishing the second communication path when receiving the sensor signal, the second communication path being based on the second antenna, an amplifier configured to support the second antenna and a specific type of a communication system, and an analog switch disposed between the second switch and the amplifier of the mobile device.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first antenna is arranged closer to a microphone than the second antenna.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second antenna is arranged closer to a speaker than the first antenna.