Wireless device cradle with spatial antenna diversity capability

• US 6,529,746 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kotzin, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, LANA N
• Application Number:
  US09/676,904
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.130, H01/Q.132, 455/561, 455/562, 455/101, 455/352, 455/132, 455/193.1, 455/272, 455/273, 455/277.1, 455/277.2, 455/575, 455/90, 455/FOR.121, 379/454, 379/455, 343/702
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0805 with single receiver and antenna switching H04B7/0822 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0817 with multiple receivers and antenna path selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/084 Equal gain combining, only phase adjustments antenna beam scanning or forming by phase or amplitude control H01Q3/26, e.g. phased arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0857 using maximum ratio combining techniques, e.g. signal-to- interference ratio [SIR], received signal strenght indication [RSS]

Abstract

A cradle for a wireless device such as a cellular telephone. The cradle provides a second antenna for antenna diversity operation of the wireless device. Optionally, the cradle contains any of hardware circuitry, processing, and software to provide antenna diversity operation in conjunction with the wireless device.

Claims

1. A diversity apparatus comprising:

a cradle having a first antenna and a connector;

a wireless device removeably mated to the connector and having a second antenna;

a processor programmed to provide antenna diversity reception of a radio frequency (RF) signal using the first antenna and the second antenna when the wireless device is mated with the connector.

2. The diversity apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a receiver, the processor being programmed to selectively couple the first antenna or the second antenna to the receiver responsive to signals received by the first antenna and the second antenna.

3. The diversity apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is programmed to selectively couple the first antenna or the second antenna to the receiver according to at least one of a switched antenna diversity (SAD) technique and a selection diversity (SD) technique.

4. The diversity apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first receiver coupled to the first antenna and a second receiver coupled to the second antenna, the processor being programmed to combine signals received by the first antenna and the second antenna.

6. The diversity apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is programmed to combine signals received by the first antenna and the second antenna according to at least one of a maximal ratio combining diversity (MRCD) technique and an equal gain combining diversity (EGCD) technique.

7. The diversity apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter adapted to transmit signals from at least one of the first antenna and the second antenna.

8. The diversity apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first transceiver coupled to the wireless device for communicating, via a first communication link, with a remote base station; and

an external data port coupled to the cradle to permit the wireless device to exchange data with a remote device via a second communication link, the second communication link defined by a different data exchange protocol than the first communication link.

5. A diversity apparatus comprising:

a cradle having a first antenna, a connector, and a first receiver coupled to the first antenna;

a wireless device removeably mated to the connector and having a second antenna and a second receiver coupled to the second antenna;

a processor operable to provide antenna diversity reception of a radio frequency (RF) signal through at least one of the first antenna and the second antenna, the processor being programmed to combine signals received by the first antenna and the second antenna;

wherein the first receiver is associated with the cradle and the second receiver is associated with the wireless device.

9. A method of antenna diversity communication comprising the steps of:

providing a cradle having a first antenna, the cradle adapted to receive and communicate with a wireless device;

coupling the wireless device to the cradle so that the cradle and the wireless device are in communication with each other, the wireless device having a second antenna; and

selectively coupling a first received signal representation from the first antenna and a second received signal representation from the second antenna to a receiver responsive to signal representations received by the first antenna and the second antenna.

10. The method of antenna diversity communication of claim 9, further including:

transmitting a third signal representation from at least one of the first antenna and the second antenna.

11. The method of antenna diversity communication of claim 9, wherein selectively coupling further comprises:

selectively coupling the first received signal representation from the first antenna or the second received signal representation from the second antenna to a receiver at least partially associated with the wireless device.

12. The method of antenna diversity communication of claim 9, further including:

coupling data between a data port and the wireless device, the data port being associated with the cradle.

13. A method of antenna diversity communication comprising the steps of:

providing a cradle with a first antenna;

coupling a wireless device to the cradle so that the cradle and the wireless device are in electrical communication with each other, the wireless device having a second antenna;

providing a first receiver in communication with the first antenna and a second receiver in communication with the second antenna; and

combining a first signal representation from the first receiver with a second signal representation from the second receiver responsive to signal representations received by the first antenna and the second antenna.

14. The method of antenna diversity communication of claim 13, further including:

transmitting a third signal representation from at least one of the first antenna and the second antenna.

15. The method of antenna diversity communication of claim 13, further including:

coupling data between a data port and the wireless device, the data port being associated with the cradle.

16. A cradle for a wireless communication device, comprising:

a housing

a connector carried on the housing adapted to communicate with the wireless communication device;

a cradle antenna carried on the housing; and

a receiver positioned in the housing, the receiver coupled to the cradle antenna and with the connector and operable to provide communication signals received by the antenna to the connector for communication to the wireless communication device to enable antenna diversity communication of communication signals using the cradle antenna and an antenna in the wireless communication device.

17. A cradle for a wireless communication device, comprising:

a housing;

a connector carried on the housing adapted to communicate with the wireless communication device including a device antenna;

a cradle antenna carried by the housing; and

a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the cradle antenna and the connector, the processor operable with the wireless communication device to enable antenna diversity communication of a radio frequency (RF) signals using the cradle antenna and the device antenna.