CONFIGURABLE SEGMENTED ANTENNA

• US 20120142274A1
• Filed: 12/01/2010
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bard, Thomas, Creigh, George, Mahn, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 9,118,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/22 Antenna units of the array energised non-uniformly in amplitude or phase, e.g. tapered array or binomial array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/247 by switching different parts of a primary active element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/18 Monitoring during normal operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus that utilize a configurable segmented antenna are presented herein. A monitor component can be configured to detect at least one parameter corresponding to one or more segments of an antenna integrated with a communications device. An antenna component can be configured to select at least one segment of the one or more segments in response to the at least one parameter. A control component can be configured to modify a quality of a signal according to the at least one parameter. Further, a transmission component can be configured to transmit the signal from the at least one segment based on the quality.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

measuring, by a communications device, one or more parameters corresponding to one or more segments of an antenna integrated with the communications device; and

selecting, by the communications device, a segment of the one or more segments according to the one or more parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the communications device, a signal via a first segment of the one or more segments, wherein the measuring the one or more parameters further includes first measuring a parameter of the signal, and wherein the selecting the segment further includes selecting the segment according to the parameter.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first measuring the parameter further comprises:

second measuring at least one of a power of the signal or a magnitude of the signal, wherein the selecting the segment further includes selecting the segment according to the at least one of the power of the signal or the magnitude of the signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the segment further comprises:

first selecting a first segment of the antenna associated with a wireless protocol according to the one or more parameters; and

second selecting a second segment of the antenna associated with the wireless protocol according to the one or more parameters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the segment further comprises:

first selecting a first segment of the antenna associated with a first wireless protocol according to the one or more parameters; and

second selecting a second segment of the antenna associated with a second wireless protocol according to the one or more parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

varying, via the segment, a quality of a signal in response to the one or more parameters; and

transmitting the signal from the segment in response to the varying the quality.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the varying the quality of the signal further comprises:

first varying, via the segment, at least one of a power of the signal, a magnitude of the signal, or a direction of propagation of the signal in response to the one or more parameters.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the segment further comprises selecting the segment according to at least one of:

a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi™

) protocol;

a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX™

) protocol;

a Bluetooth™

protocol;

an Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (Enhanced GPRS) protocol;

a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) protocol;

a Long Term Evolution (LTE™

) protocol;

a Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) protocol;

an Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) protocol;

a 3GPP Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) protocol;

a High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) protocol;

a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) protocol;

a High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) protocol;

an LTE™

Advanced (LTE-A) protocol;

a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) protocol, a Near Field Communication (NFC) protocol, a Wibree protocol, or a Wi-Fi Direct™

protocol.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a monitor component configured to detect at least one parameter corresponding to one or more segments of an antenna integrated with a communications device; and

an antenna component configured to select at least one segment of the one or more segments in response to the at least one parameter.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the antenna component is further configured to:

first select a first segment of the one or more segments associated with a wireless protocol; and

second select a second segment of the one or more segments associated with the wireless protocol.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the antenna component is further configured to:

first select a first segment of the one or more segments associated with a first wireless protocol; and

second select a second segment of the one or more segments associated with a second wireless protocol.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the antenna component further comprises:

a control component configured to modify a quality of a signal according to the at least one parameter; and

a transmission component configured to transmit the signal from the at least one segment based on the quality.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control component is further configured to modify at least one of a power of the signal, a magnitude of the signal, or a direction of propagation of the signal based on the at least one parameter, and wherein the transmission component is further configured to transmit the signal from the at least one segment based on the at least one of the power of the signal, the magnitude of the signal, or the direction of propagation of the signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the monitor component is further configured to detect an obstruction of a segment of the one or more segments, and wherein the antenna component is further configured to select the at least one segment in response to the obstruction of the segment.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the antenna component is further configured to, in response to the obstruction of the segment, at least one of:

decrease a first use of the segment;

or

increase a second use of the at least one segment.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the antenna component is further configured to, in response to the obstruction of the segment, at least one of:

first modify, via the segment, at least one of a first power of a first signal, a first magnitude of the first signal, or a first direction of propagation of the first signal;

or

second modify, via the at least one segment, at least one of a second power of a second signal, a second magnitude of the second signal, or a second direction of propagation of the second signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the monitor component further comprises:

a sensing component configured to detect the obstruction of the segment in response to at least one of a first touch of the antenna, a second touch of an object coupled to the antenna, a first source of heat applied to the antenna, or a second source of heat applied to the object.

18. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least a part of a segment of the one or more segments of the antenna at least one of:

extends from the communications device;

is enclosed by the communications device;

is included in a surface of the communications device;

is included on a surface of the communications device;

or

is included in an overlapping strip of one or more overlapping strips of the one or more segments.

19. A system, comprising:

means for determining whether a first segment of one or more segments of an antenna integrated with a communications device is obstructed; and

means for optimizing selection of at least one segment of the one or more segments if the first segment is obstructed.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for optimizing selection of the at least one segment further comprises:

means for at least one of;

increasing at least one of a power of a signal or a strength of the signal;

or

selecting the at least one segment in response to a direction of propagation of the signal via the at least one segment; and

means for transmitting the signal according to at least one of the power of the signal, the strength of the signal, or the direction of propagation of the signal.