Steerable Antenna Device

• US 20130328723A1
• Filed: 08/14/2013
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theodore S. Rappaport
• Original Assignee: Theodore S. Rappaport
• Inventors: Rappaport, Theodore S.
• Granted Patent: US 11,063,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/372
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/245 with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/335 at the feed, e.g. for impedance matching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/35 using two or more simultaneously fed points
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/357 using a single feed point
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0053 with common antenna for more than one band
• 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

Wireless devices, and particularly mobile devices such as cellphones, PDAs, computers, navigation devices, etc., as well as other devices which transmit or receive data or other signals at multiple frequency bands utilize at least one antenna to transmit and receive and a plurality of different bands (e.g., GSM cellular communication band; Bluetooth short range communication band; ultrawideband (UWB) communications, etc.). These wireless devices can simultaneously transmit or receive at a plurality of different bands, or simultaneously transmit and receive at different bands. The wireless devices have the ability to use a single physical structure (e.g., an antenna) for transmission and reception of many different bands. The antenna can be either actively tuned or passively tuned using one or more elements. The antenna may comprise a plurality of antenna elements or antennas, and at least one antenna may be a steerable antenna.

Claims

1. A method for avoiding radiation of a user or structure by a wireless device having a steerable antenna, comprising the steps of:

detecting, using one or more sensors, one or more parameters of said wireless device or pertaining to said user'"'"'s physical relationship to said wireless device;

determining, using said one or more parameters, zones or spans of directions corresponding with one or more directions of said user or structure relative to said steerable antenna; and

adjusting one or more beams of said steerable antenna to radiate in one or more directions which are not in said zones or spans of directions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more beams are adjusted as said one or more parameters change over time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting step comprises one or more of:

capturing one or more images with at least one camera;

detecting ambient light or blockage thereof with at least one light sensor;

detecting motion of said wireless device with at least one gyroscope;

detecting one or more of audio or ultrasonic signals relating to one or more of the proximity of a user or orientation of user with one or more of a microphone, ultrasonic sensor, or ultrasonic transducer;

detecting heat from a human user with at least one heat sensor; and

detecting touch or proximity of a user'"'"'s skin or clothing with at least one capacitive sensor.

4. A wireless device for avoiding radiation of a user or structure, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to detect at least one parameter of said wireless device or pertaining to a user'"'"'s physical relationship to said wireless device;

one or more processors communicatively coupled to said one or more sensors;

a steerable antenna communicatively coupled to said one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by said one or more processors cause said one or more processors to perform the steps of;

receiving signals from said one or more sensors pertaining to said at least one parameter;

using said signals, computing zones or spans of directions corresponding with one or more directions of said user or structure relative to said steerable antenna; and

adjusting one or more beams of said steerable antenna to radiate in one or more directions which are not in said zones or spans of directions.

5. The wireless device of claim 4, wherein said steerable antenna comprises a plurality of antennas, said plurality of antennas forming an antenna array.

6. The wireless device of claim 4, wherein said one or more sensors includes one or more cameras, heat sensors, gyroscopes, light or motion detectors, capacitive detectors, microphones, and ultrasound sensors or transducers.

7. The wireless device of claim 4, wherein said one or more parameters are selected from the group consisting of light, temperature, motion, orientation, video, capacitance, ultrasound, and sound.

8. A steerable antenna system for avoiding radiation of a user or structure by a wireless device, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to detect at least one parameter of said wireless device or pertaining to a user'"'"'s physical relationship to said wireless device;

a computation module communicatively coupled to said one or more sensors configured to determine zones or spans of directions; and

a steerable antenna communicatively coupled to said computation module, said steerable antenna radiating one or more beams in one or more directions which are not in said zones or spans of directions,

wherein said zones or spans of directions correspond with one or more directions of said user or structure relative to said steerable antenna.

9. The steerable antenna system of claim 8, wherein said steerable antenna comprises a plurality of antennas, said plurality of antennas forming an antenna array.

10. The steerable antenna device of claim 8, wherein said one or more sensors includes one or more cameras, heat sensors, gyroscopes, light or motion detectors, capacitive detectors, microphones, and ultrasound transducers.

11. The steerable antenna device of claim 8, wherein said one or more parameters are selected from the group consisting of light, temperature, motion, orientation, video, capacitance, ultrasound, and sound.