Portable radio housing incorporating diversity antenna structure

• US 5,649,306 A
• Filed: 09/16/1994
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dailey, Kirk W., Vaas, Randall S., Vannatta, Louis Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US08/308,054
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 455/89, 455/90, 455/101, 455/133, 455/134, 455/135, 455/272, 455/277.1, 455/278.1, 455/269, 455/277.2, 343/702, 343/700 MS, 343/793, 343/725
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/084 Pivotable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching

Abstract

A radio communication device (50) has a housing having a first housing element (51) and a second housing element (53). The first housing element (51) is movable between an extended and a closed position. The radio communication device has at least two antennas (112, 113). A switch (121) is provided that is operable to switch between a first antenna (112) and a second antenna (113) responsive to position of the first housing element (51). Preferably the first antenna (112) is disposed in the first housing element (51) and the second antenna (113) is disposed in the second housing element (53) or a battery housing (57).

Claims

1. A diversity antenna structure for a radio having radio circuitry operative in a radio communication system, the radio having a first movable housing element and a second housing element, the first movable housing element movable between an extended position and a closed position and a substantial portion of the radio circuitry disposed within the second housing element, said antenna structure comprising:

a first antenna disposed in the first movable housing element and operative when the first movable housing element is in the extended position;

a second antenna disposed in the second housing element and operative when the first movable housing element is in the closed position;

a third antenna disposed in the second housing element, and operative when the first movable housing element is in the extended position and when the first movable housing element is in the closed position; and

a first switch device operatively coupled to the first housing element, said first antenna, said second antenna, and the radio circuitry, said switch device selectively coupling one of said first antenna and said second antenna to the radio circuitry, wherein said switch device is responsive to the position of said first movable housing element for switching in said first antenna when the first housing element is in the extended position and for switching in said second antenna when the first housing element is the closed position.

2. The diversity antenna structure as defined in claim 1, further including a controller and a second switch device coupled to said third antenna and to said first switch device, said processor controlling said second switch device to selectively connect said third antenna to the radio circuitry.

3. The diversity antenna structure as defined in claim 1, further including a controller, and wherein the radio circuitry includes a first demodulator coupled to the first switch and a second demodulator coupled to the third antenna, wherein said controller selects one of the first demodulator and the second demodulator.

4. The diversity antenna structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the first switch device includes a sensor to sense the position of the first housing element, a controller coupled to the sensor, and a switch coupled to the controller.

5. A radio including a diversity antenna structure and having radio circuitry operative in a radio communication system, the radio having a first movable housing element and a second housing element wherein said first movable housing element is movable between an extended position and a closed position and a substantial portion of the radio circuitry is disposed within said second housing element, the radio circuitry operating with selected antennas of the antenna structure in a diversity mode, said antenna structure comprising:

a first antenna disposed in said first movable housing element and operative when said first movable housing element is in said extended position;

a second antenna disposed in said second housing element and operative when said first movable housing element is in said closed position;

a third antenna extending from said second housing element, the third antenna selectively operative with an antenna chosen from the group of the first antenna and the second antenna; and

a first switch selecting the first and third antennas when said first housing element is in the extended position and selecting the second and third antennas when the second housing element is in the closed position.

6. The radio of claim 5 wherein said first antenna is a half-wave dipole antenna and said second antenna is a patch antenna.

7. The radio of claim 5 wherein said first movable housing element is a flap and is pivoted from the closed position to the extended position.

8. The radio as defined in claim 5, further including a controller, and wherein the radio circuitry includes a first demodulator coupled to the first switch and a second demodulator coupled to the third antenna, wherein said controller select one of the first demodulator and the second demodulator.

9. The diversity antenna structure as defined in claim 8, wherein the first switch device selectively connects one of said first and second antennas to a first conductor, and said second switch device selectively connects one of said first conductor and said third antenna to the radio circuitry.

10. The radio as defined in claim 5, further including a controller and a second switch coupled to said third antenna and to said first switch, said controller controlling said second switch to selectively connect said third antenna to the radio circuitry.

11. The radio as defined in claim 10, wherein the first switch selectively connects one of said first and second antennas to a first conductor, and the second switch selectively connects one of said first conductor and said third antenna to the radio circuitry.

12. The radio as defined in claim 10, wherein the radio circuitry includes a receiver coupled to said second switch and to said controller.

13. A radio communication device having a first housing element and a second housing element and radio circuitry, the first housing element is movable between a first position and a second position, and a substantial portion of the radio circuitry disposed in the second housing element, the radio communication device comprising:

a transceiver having a first diversity branch and a second diversity branch;

a first antenna disposed within the first housing element;

a second antenna having at least a first portion disposed within the second housing element;

a third antenna extending from the second housing element and coupled to said first diversity branch; and

a switching device to sense the position of the first housing element and to couple one of the first antenna and the second antenna to the second diversity branch according to the sensed position of the first housing element.

14. The radio communication device of claim 13 wherein said first movable housing element is a flap and is rotated between the first position and the second position.