TUNER MODULE, AND MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL

• US 20140184921A1
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TKR Corporation (nms Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: TKR Corporation (nms Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Yoshikazu, Yamada, Masaaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,872,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/731
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0837 using pre-detection combining H04B7/0868 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0857 using maximum ratio combining techniques, e.g. signal-to- interference ratio [SIR], received signal strenght indication [RSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0874 using subgroups of receive antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

Provided is an LTE-system mobile communication terminal in which a reduction in terminal size and a reduction in the number of components is desired when a terrestrial digital television broadcast is to be received. Two antennas from among terrestrial digital television broadcast receiving antennas are switched and controlled so as to also be used as transmitting/receiving antennas from LTE communication, and the reception diversity is switched to either a 2-system combination or 4-system combination in accordance with whether the television broadcast is in the VHF band or UHF band. As a result, the number of antennas for example can be reduced and the terminal costs and size can be reduced.

Claims

1. A tuner module which transmits/receives a signal for mobile communication through a transmitting/receiving antenna, and receives a signal of a digital television broadcast through a reception antenna or the reception antenna and the transmitting/receiving antenna, the module comprising:

a first high frequency switch which has a first contact point to which a transmitting/receiving RF signal for the mobile communication is supplied, a second contact point to which a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast is supplied, and a common contact point to which one of the first contact point and the second contact point is selectively connected and which is connected to a first transmitting/receiving antenna;

a second high frequency switch which has a first contact point to which a transmitting/receiving RF signal for the mobile communication is supplied, a second contact point to which a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast is supplied, and a common contact point to which one of the first contact point and the second contact point is selectively connected and which is connected to a second transmitting/receiving antenna;

a first digital broadcast RF reception unit which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast supplied from the second contact point in the first high frequency switch, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal;

a second digital broadcast RF reception unit which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast supplied from the second contact point in the second high frequency switch, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal;

a third digital broadcast RF reception unit which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast supplied from a first reception antenna, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal;

a fourth digital broadcast RF reception unit which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast supplied from a second reception antenna, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal; and

a digital broadcast demodulating unit which receives the reception IF signals obtained by conversion by any of the first to fourth digital broadcast RF reception units, performs diversity combining on the signals, demodulates and externally outputs the signals.

2. The tuner module according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first transmitting/receiving antenna which is connected to the common contact point of the first high frequency switch, transmits and receives a signal for the mobile communication, and receives a signal of the digital television broadcast;

a second transmitting/receiving antenna which is connected to the common contact point of the second high frequency switch, transmits and receives a signal for the mobile communication, and receives a signal of the digital television broadcast;

a first reception antenna which is connected to the third digital television broadcast RF reception unit, and receives a signal of the digital television broadcast; and

a second reception antenna which is connected to the fourth digital television broadcast RF reception unit, and receives a signal of the digital television broadcast.

4. The tuner module according to claim 2,

wherein a band of the first and second transmitting/receiving antennas is from 460 MHz to 1520 MHz, and a band of the first and second reception antennas is from 90 MHz to 770 MHz.

5. The tuner module according to claim 2,

wherein the first and second transmitting/receiving antennas include an antenna element which coverts from 460 MHz to 770 MHz and an antenna element which covers from 1428 MHz to 1511 MHz, and the first and second reception antennas include an antenna element which covers from 90 MHz to 218 MHz and an antenna element which covers from 460 MHz to 770 MHz.

6. The tuner module according to claim 2,

wherein a band of the first and second transmitting/receiving antennas is from 470 MHz to 787 MHz, and a band of the first and second reception antennas is from 90 MHz to 698 MHz.

7. The tuner module according to claim 2,

wherein the first and second transmitting/receiving antennas include an antenna element which covers from 470 MHz to 698 MHz and an antenna element which covers from 746 MHz to 787 MHz, and the first and second reception antennas include an antenna element which covers from 90 MHz to 300 MHz and an antenna element which covers from 470 MHz to 698 MHz.

8. The tuner module according to claim 1,

wherein the digital broadcast demodulating unit:

stops an operation of the first and second digital broadcast RF reception units, and performs 2-system diversity combining using the reception IF signals obtained by conversion by the third and fourth digital broadcast RF reception units when the tuner module receives a digital television broadcast of a VHF band; and

performs 4-system diversity combining using the reception IF signals obtained by conversion by any of the first to fourth digital broadcast RF reception units when the mobile communication terminal receives a digital television broadcast of a UHF band.

9. The tuner module according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication is an LTE system, and the television broadcast is a terrestrial digital television broadcast (an ISDB-T system, a DVB-T system, a DTMB system, or an ATSC system).

10. The tuner module according to claim 8, wherein the digital television broadcast of the UHF band is a terrestrial digital television broadcast (an ISDB-T system, a DVB-T system, a DTMB system, or an ATSC system), and the digital television broadcast of the VHF band is an ISDB-Tmm broadcast or/and an ISDB-Tsb broadcast.

18. The tuner module according to claim 1, comprising:

an M-number of digital broadcast RF reception units each of which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast from the first reception antenna, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal;

an N-number (N<

M) of first high frequency switches each of which has a first contact point to which a transmitting/receiving RF signal for the mobile communication is supplied, a second contact point to which a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast is supplied, and a common contact point to which one of the first contact point and the second contact pint is selectively connected and which is connected to a first transmitting/receiving antenna;

an N-number of digital broadcast RF reception units each of which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast from the second contact point in the N-number of high frequency switches, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal; and

a digital broadcast demodulating unit which receives the reception IF signals obtained by conversion by any of the first to M-th digital broadcast RF reception units, performs diversity combining on the signal, and demodulating and externally outputting the signal.

19. The tuner module according to claim 1, comprising:

an L-number of first high frequency switches each of which includes a first contact point to which a transmitting/receiving RF signal for the mobile communication is supplied and a second contact point to which a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast is supplied, and a common contact point to which one of the first contact point and the second contact point is selectively connected and which is connected to a first transmitting/receiving antenna;

a K-number (K<

L) of digital broadcast RF receivers each of which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast from the first reception antenna, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal;

a K-number of digital broadcast RF reception units each of which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast from the second contact point in the K-number of high frequency switches, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal; and

a digital broadcast demodulating unit which receives the reception IF signals obtained by conversion by the first to K-th digital broadcast RF reception units, performs diversity combining on the signal, and demodulating and externally outputting the signal.

3. A mobile communication terminal which transmits/receives a signal for mobile communication through a transmitting/receiving antenna, and receives a signal of a digital television broadcast through a reception antenna or the reception antenna and a transmitting/receiving antenna, the terminal comprising:

a first transmitting/receiving antenna which transmits/receives a signal for the mobile communication, and receives a signal of the digital television broadcast;

a second transmitting/receiving antenna which transmits/receives a signal for the mobile communication, and receives a signal of the digital television broadcast;

a first reception antenna which receives a signal of the digital television broadcast;

a second reception antenna which receives a signal of the digital television broadcast;

a first high frequency switch which has a first contact point to which a transmitting/receiving RF signal for the mobile communication is supplied, a second contact point to which a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast is supplied, and a common contact point to which one of the first contact point and the second contact point is selectively connected and which is connected to the first transmitting/receiving antenna;

a second high frequency switch which has a first contact point to which a transmitting/receiving RF signal for the mobile communication is supplied, a second contact point to which a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast is supplied, and a common contact point to which one of the first contact point and the second contact point is selectively connected and which is connected to the second transmitting/receiving antenna;

a mobile communication transmitting/receiving unit which generates the transmission RF signal for the mobile communication and supplies it to the first contact point in the first high frequency switch, processes a reception RF signal for the mobile communication supplied from the first contact point in the first high frequency switch, processes the reception RF signal for the mobile communication supplied from the first contact point in the second high frequency switch, and performs diversity combining on and demodulating the signal;

a first digital broadcast RF reception unit which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast supplied from the second contact point in the first high frequency switch, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal;

a second digital broadcast RF reception unit which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast supplied from the second contact point in the second high frequency switch, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal;

a third digital broadcast RF reception unit which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast from the first reception antenna, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal;

a fourth digital broadcast RF reception unit which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast from the second reception antenna, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal;

a digital broadcast demodulating unit which receives the reception IF signals obtained by conversion by any of the first to fourth digital broadcast RF reception units, and performs diversity combining on and demodulating the signals; and

a control unit which controls an operation of the mobile communication terminal,

the control unit controlling the first high frequency switch and the second high frequency switch to connect the common contact point in each of the first high frequency switch and the second high frequency switch to the first contact point when mobile communication is to be performed, and to connect the common contact point to the second contact point when the digital television broadcast is to be received.

11. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 3,

wherein a band of the first and second transmitting/receiving antennas is from 460 MHz to 152 MHz, and a band of the first and second reception antennas is from 90 MHz to 770 MHz.

12. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 3,

wherein the first and second transmitting/receiving antennas include an antenna element which covers from 460 MHz to 770 MHz and an antenna element which coves from 1428 MHz to 1511 MHz, and the first and second reception antennas include an antenna element which covers from 90 MHz to 218 MHz and an antenna element which covers from 460 MHz and 770 MHz.

13. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 3,

wherein a band of the first and second transmitting/receiving antennas is from 470 MHz to 787 MHz, and a band of the first and second reception antennas is from 90 MHz to 698 MHz.

14. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 3,

wherein the first and second transmitting/receiving antennas include an antenna element which covers from 470 MHz to 698 MHz and an antenna element which covers from 746 MHz to 787 MHz, and the first and second reception antennas include an antenna element which covers from 90 MHz to 300 MHz and an antenna element which covers from 470 MHz to 698 MHz.

15. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the digital broadcast demodulating unit to:

stop an operation of the first and second digital broadcast RF reception units, and perform 2-system diversity combining using the reception IF signals obtained by conversion by the third and fourth digital broadcast RF reception units, when the mobile communication terminal receives a digital television broadcast of a VHF band, and

perform 4-system diversity combining using the reception IF signals obtained by conversion by any of the first to fourth digital broadcast RF reception units when the mobile communication unit receives a digital television broadcast of a UHF band.

16. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein the mobile communication is an LTE system, and the television broadcast is a terrestrial digital television broadcast (an ISDB-T system, a DVB-T system DTMB system, or an ATSC system).

17. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 15, wherein the digital television broadcast of the UHF band is a terrestrial digital television broadcast (an ISDB-T system, a DVB-T system, a DTMB system, or an ATSC system), and the digital television broadcast of the VHF band is an ISDB-Tmm broadcast or/and an ISDB-Tsb broadcast.

20. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, comprising:

an M-number of digital broadcast RF reception units each of which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast from the first reception antenna, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal;

an N-number (N<

M) of first high frequency switches each of which has a first contact point to which a transmitting/receiving RF signal for the mobile communication is supplied, a second contact point to which a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast is supplied, and a common contact point to which one of the first contact point and the second contact point is selectively connected and which is connected to a first transmitting/receiving antenna;

an N-number of digital broadcast RF reception units each of which receives the reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast from the second contact point in the N-number of high frequency switches, and converts the reception RF signal into a reception IF signal; and

a digital broadcast demodulating unit which receives the reception IF signals obtained by conversion by any of the first to M-th digital broadcast RF reception units, performs diversity combining on the signals, and demodulating and externally outputting the signals.

21. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 3, comprising:

an L-number of first high frequency switches each of which includes a first contact point to which a transmitting/receiving RF signal for the mobile communication is supplied, a second contact point to which a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast is supplied, and a common contact point to which one of the first contact point and the second contact point is selectively connected and which is connected to a first transmitting/receiving antenna;

a K-number (K<

L) of digital broadcast RF reception units each of which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast from the first reception antenna, and converts the reception RF signal into the reception IF signal;

a K-number of digital broadcast RF reception units each of which receives a reception RF signal of the digital television broadcast from the second contact point in the K-number of high frequency switches, and converts the reception RF signal into the reception IF signal; and

a digital broadcast demodulating unit which receives the reception IF signal obtained by conversion by the first to K-th digital broadcast RF reception units, performs diversity combining on the IF signals, and demodulating and externally outputting the signal.