Portable communication device having a MEMS switch and method therefor

• US 7,184,717 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Green, Evan R., Rose, Bruce W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord; Marceau
• Application Number:
  US10/039,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20030124986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 455/83, 455/88, 455/127.4, 455/41.2, 455/500, 455/574, 455/575.7, 330/127, 330/134, 330/279, 327/308, 327/427, 343/702, 343/895, 370/277
• US Class Current: 455/83
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/005 adapting radio receivers, transmitters andtransceivers for operation on two or more bands, i.e. frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/48 in circuits for connecting transmitter and receiver to a common transmission path, e.g. by energy of transmitter H04B1/46 takes precedence

Abstract

Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a portable communication device includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device to couple an antennae from a first and second transceiver.

Claims

1. A portable communication device comprising:

a first transceiver;

a first microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch to couple the first transceiver to an antennae, wherein the first MEMS switch has an input node directly connected to the antennae; and

a field effect transistor switch coupled to an output of the first MEMS switch.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the field effect transistor switch and the first MEMS switch are contained within the same package.

3. The portable communication device of claim 2, wherein the field effect transistor switch and the first MEMS switch are contained within the same semiconductor substrate.

4. The portable communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second transceiver; and

a second MEMS switch to couple the second transceiver to the antennae.

5. The portable communication device of claim 4, wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver are adapted to communicate at about 1.9 GHz, 1.8 GHz, or 900 MHz.

6. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the first MEMS switch includes a cantilever adapted to move to a first position to couple the antennae to the first transceiver.

7. The portable communication device of claim 6, wherein the cantilever of the first MEMS switch is adapted to move to a second position to disconnect the antennae from the first transceiver.

8. A portable communication device comprising:

an antennae;

a first mechanical switch that is enabled with an electrical signal;

a first transceiver, wherein the first mechanical switch is adapted to couple the first transceiver to the antennae;

a second mechanical switch that is enabled with an electrical signal;

a second transceiver, wherein the second mechanical switch is adapted to coupled the second transceiver to the antennae; and

a first field effect transistor switch coupled to the first mechanical switch.

9. The portable communication device of claim 8, wherein the first field effect transistor switch and the first mechanical switch are both formed in the same semiconductor substrate.

10. The portable communication device of claim 8, further comprising a first base band module adapted to process signals at a first frequency, the first base band module coupled to the antennae when the first mechanical switch is enabled.

11. The portable communication device of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the first base band module and the first mechanical switch are formed on the same semiconductor substrate.

12. The portable communication device of claim 10, further comprising a second base band module adapted to process signals at a second frequency, the second base band module coupled to the antennae when the second mechanical switch is enabled.

13. The portable communication device of claim 12, wherein the first frequency is at least twice the second frequency.

14. The portable communication device of claim 12, wherein the first frequency is about 1.9 GHz.