Antenna device with a first and second antenna

• US 7,142,824 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kojima, Noriharu, Watanabe, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D.
• Application Number:
  US10/530,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20050277387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 455/78, 455/575.7, 455/562.1
• US Class Current: 455/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity

Abstract

An antenna device corresponds to a plurality of radio communications systems and frequency bands, can simultaneously carry out a reception and a transmission of different radio communications systems, and is capable of using antenna diversity by a simple construction. An antenna device comprises a first antenna matching with first, second, and third frequency bands, a second antenna matching with the third frequency band, a diplexer and the like. For signals of the first frequency band, a high-frequency switch circuit connects a transmitter or a receiver to the diplexer by switching. For signals of the second frequency band, an additional high-frequency switch connects a receiver or a transmitter to the diplexer by switching. For signals of the third frequency band, the additional high-frequency switch circuit and a further additional high-frequency switch circuit connect the second antenna or diplexer to a transmitter/receiver by switching.

Claims

1. An antenna device comprising:

a first antenna which is matched with first, second, and third frequency bands;

a second antenna which is matched with the third frequency band;

a diplexer which distributes signals received from the first antenna into signals of the first frequency band and signals of the second and third frequency band;

a first switch unit which selects a first transmitter for transmitting signals of the first frequency band or a first receiver for receiving signals of the first frequency band, and connects the selected one to the diplexer;

a second switch unit which selects a second receiver for receiving signals of the second frequency band or a second transmitter for transmitting signals of the second frequency band, and connects the selected one to the diplexer; and

a third switch unit which selects the second antenna or diplexer, and connects the selected one to a transmitter/receiver for transmitting and receiving signals of the third frequency band.

2. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an antenna switching connector which is provided between the first antenna and the diplexer,

wherein when an external antenna is attached, the antenna switching connector connects the external antenna to the diplexer instead of the first antenna.

3. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a lowpass filter which is provided at least either between the first switch unit and the first transmitter or between the second switch unit and the second transmitter.

4. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the signals of the first frequency band are signals of a 900 MHz band in a GSM scheme;

the signals of the second frequency band are signals of a 1800 MHz band in a DCS scheme; and

the signals of the third frequency band are signals of a 2 GHz band in a WCDMA scheme.

5. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1, wherein;

the first antenna is further matched with a fourth frequency band;

the diplexer distributes the signals into signals of the first frequency band and signals of the second, third, and fourth frequency bands; and

the second switch unit selects a second receiver for receiving signals of the second frequency band, a fourth receiver for receiving signals of the fourth frequency band, or a fourth transmitter for transmitting signals of the second or fourth frequency band, and connects the selected one to the diplexer.

6. The antenna device as set forth in claim 5, further comprising an antenna switching connector which is provided between the first antenna and the diplexer,

wherein when an external antenna is attached, the antenna switching connector connects the external antenna to the diplexer instead of the first antenna.

7. The antenna device as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a lowpass filter which is provided at least either between the first switch unit and the first transmitter or between the second switch unit and the fourth transmitter.

8. The antenna device as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

the signals of the first frequency band are signals of a 900 MHz band in a GSM scheme;

the signals of the second frequency band are signals of a 1800 MHz band in a DCS scheme;

the signals of the third frequency band are signals of a 2 GHz band in a WCDMA scheme; and

the signals of the fourth frequency band are signals of a 1900 MHz band in a PCS scheme.

9. The antenna device as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a controller which switches the third switch unit so as to connect the transmitter/receiver to the diplexer, when the controller detects that the external antenna is attached to the antenna switching connector,

wherein signals of the third frequency band are transmitted and received by the external antenna.

10. The antenna device as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a controller which switches the third switch unit so as to connect the transmitter/receiver to the diplexer, when the controller detects that the external antenna is attached to the antenna switching connector,

wherein signals of the third frequency band are transmitted and received by the external antenna.