Smart antenna for portable devices

• US 6,816,116 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Chen, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H
• Application Number:
  US10/264,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20030179138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 342/372, 342/373, 342/374, 333/157, 333/159
• US Class Current: 342/372
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/20 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a curvilinear path slotted waveguide arrays H01Q21/005; circularly or helically slotted waveguides H01Q21/0062
• 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 3/38 the phase-shifters being digital

Abstract

A dynamically reconfigurable antenna system is disclosed which may be configured with low cost discrete analog components. Particularly, the antenna elements, phase shifters, and beam forming network of the current smart antenna system are configured from RF transmission lines, RF couplers and RF switches in a system which is able to dynamically reconfigure its beam forming signals to point in a direction of greatest signal strength. The smart antenna system may be configured on portable devices to accomplish greater signal reception and transmission when used in a wireless network.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

an antenna array for sending and receiving system signals;

a phase array operatively connected to said antenna array and including a plurality of phase shifters that comprise discrete analog components for modifying the system signals, wherein the discrete analog components comprise slot couplers; and

a beam forming network comprising means for routing the system signals, wherein the system signals are able to be selectively routed to and from the antenna elements to adjust beams formed by the antenna array to a desired direction.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein one or more slot couplers are configured along one of said transmission lines which is attached to an individual antenna element.

3. The antenna system of claim 2, wherein the slot couplers configured along the transmission line are spaced evenly apart.

4. The antenna system of claim 3, wherein said spacing is a predetermined spacing.

5. The antenna system of claim 4, wherein said predetermined spacing corresponds to the wavelength of the system signals.

6. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the system signals comprise analog signals.

7. The antenna system of claim 6, wherein the analog signals comprise RF signals.

8. The antenna system of claim 7, wherein the RF signals comprise incoming RF signals and outgoing RF signals.

9. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of switches are selectively operated by the system control means to scan the incoming RF signals entering the phase array and to redirect outgoing RE signals from a first antenna element to a second antenna element.

10. The antenna system of claim 9, wherein said scanning involves selectively passing phase components of the phase array to the system control means for processing.

11. The antenna system of claim 10, wherein the processing function yields a direction of greatest antenna gain.

12. The antenna system of claim 11, wherein said redirection of outgoing RF signals accommodates the pointing of the antenna beam of the second antenna element in the direction of greatest gain.

13. A portable wireless communication processing system comprising the antenna system of claim 1 and a processing system for controlling the antenna system wherein the elements of said antenna system and processing system are configured in a portable device.

14. The portable wireless communication processing system as in claim 13, wherein the portable device is at least one of a notebook computer, personal digital assistant, and mobile phone.

15. The antenna system of claim 1 further comprising a system control means for processing system signals and interacting with said means for routing system signals.

16. The antenna system of claim 15, wherein said system control means includes a digital signal processor.

17. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the antenna array comprises a plurality of antenna elements.

18. The antenna system of claim 17, wherein at least one of said antenna elements comprises a directional antenna which is able to form a beam in a plurality of directions.

19. The antenna system of claim 17, wherein the antenna elements comprise RF antennas.

20. The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of transmissions lines connecting the antenna array, the phase array, and the beam forming network.

21. The antenna system of claim 20, wherein said transmission lines comprise RF transmission lines.

22. The antenna system claim 20, wherein said plurality of transmission lines are configured to accommodate multiple signal paths between the antenna array and the beam forming network.

23. The antenna system of claim 22, wherein said multiple signal paths and configured such that a series of individual signal paths extend from transmissions lines connected to each antenna element to a single transmission line of the beam forming network.

24. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein said means for routing system signals includes a plurality of switches, each said switch being selectively operable to allow or restrict passage of one or more system signals through the transmission lines of the beam forming network.

25. The antenna system of claim 24, wherein the switches comprise discrete analog switches.

26. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the phase array includes a plurality of phase shifters for selectively passing phase components of the system signals.

27. A reconfigurable RF antenna system comprising:

a system signal;

an antenna array for sending and receiving said system signal;

a phase array operatively connected to said antenna array comprising means for passing phase components of said system signal which comprises discrete analog components including slot couplers;

a beam forming network operatively connected to said phase array and said antenna array comprising means for selectively routing said system signal; and

a system control device for operating said means for selectively routing said system signal to reconfigure the antenna system.

28. A method of adjusting antenna beam components in a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of:

forming an antenna array using a plurality of antenna elements to send and receive system signals;

providing a phase array configured using a plurality of phase shift elements that comprise discrete analog components including slot couplers;

configuring a beam forming network using a plurality of switches and transmission lines to form a plurality of signal paths; and

selectively operating said switches to route said system signals along a desired signal path.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said system signals, switches, and transmission lines comprise discrete analog components.