Apparatus and method for antenna attachment

• US 7,242,917 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2002
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harmon, Roger, Abbasi, Aamir
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban; Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Nhan T.
• Application Number:
  US10/288,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20040087295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,708 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/78, 455/90.3, 455/347, 455/557, 455/277.1, 455/79, 455/82, 455/269, 455/272, 455/280, 455/281, 343/702, 343/846, 343/724, 343/725, 343/729, 324/527, 324/549
• US Class Current: 455/277.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/088 Quick-releasable antenna elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1207 for fastening a rigid aerial element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers

Abstract

An apparatus and method of for attaching an antenna to a mobile communication device. The apparatus can include radio frequency generation circuitry, a radio frequency feed point coupled to the radio frequency generation circuitry, a direct current voltage source coupled to the radio frequency feed point, and an antenna detection module coupled to the radio frequency feed point and the direct current voltage source. The antenna detection module is configured to detect a type of antenna coupled to the radio frequency feed point based on a detected direct current voltage. The antenna detection module can be coupled to the radio frequency feed point and a ground contact point. The apparatus can additionally include a parameter of operation adjustment module coupled to the antenna detection module. The adjustment circuitry can be configured to adjust a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

radio frequency generation circuitry;

a radio frequency feed point coupled to the radio frequency generation circuitry;

a direct current voltage source coupled to the radio frequency feed point;

an antenna detection module coupled to the radio frequency feed point and the direct current voltage source, wherein the antenna detection module is configured to detect a type of antenna coupled to the radio frequency feed point based on a detected direct current voltage;

a parameter of operation adjustment module coupled to the antenna detection module, wherein the adjustment circuitry is configured to adjust a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device; and

antenna matching circuitry coupled to the radio frequency feed point,

wherein the parameter of operation adjustment module is configured to adjust the operation of the antenna matching circuitry based on the type of antenna detected by the antenna detection module;

a ground; and

an extra antenna sense point coupled to the antenna detection module, the extra antenna sense point located between the radio frequency feed point and the ground.

2. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a ground; and

a ground contact point coupled to the ground,

wherein the antenna detection module is coupled to the radio frequency feed point and the ground contact point.

3. The mobile communication device according to claim 1,

wherein the parameter of operation adjustment module is configured to adjust a radio frequency input power based on the type of antenna detected by the antenna detection module.

4. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a blocking resistor coupled between the direct current voltage source and the radio frequency feed point.

5. The mobile communication device according to claim 1,

wherein the antenna detection module is configured to detect the difference between a patch antenna and an ungrounded antenna.

6. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage divider coupled between the antenna detection module and the radio frequency feed point.

7. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first resistance coupled between the direct current voltage source and the extra antenna sense point; and

a second resistance coupled between the extra antenna sense point and the ground.

8. The mobile communication device according to claim 1,

wherein the antenna detection module is configured to detect an alternate antenna configuration based on the extra antenna sense point being shorted to the ground.

9. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

analog-to-digital conversion circuitry coupled between the antenna detection module and the radio frequency feed point.

10. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the antenna detection module is configured to detect a type of antenna coupled to the radio frequency feed point based on a change in the detected direct current voltage.

11. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a test measurement probe coupled to the radio frequency feed point.

12. The mobile communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a car kit coupled to the radio frequency feed point.

13. Antenna attachment circuitry for detecting a plurality of antenna configurations coupled to a mobile communication device, the antenna attachment circuitry comprising:

radio frequency generation circuitry;

a radio frequency feed point coupled to the radio frequency generation circuitry, the radio frequency feed point including a first antenna connection contact;

a ground;

a ground connection point coupled to the ground, the ground connection point including a second antenna connection contact;

a direct current voltage source coupled to the radio frequency feed point; and

antenna detection circuitry coupled to the radio frequency feed point, the antenna detection circuitry configured to detect an antenna type based on inherent characteristics of the antenna,

wherein the antenna attachment circuitry further comprises;

an extra antenna sense point including an extra antenna connection point with a third antenna connection contact, the extra antenna sense point coupled between the radio frequency feed point and the ground connection point.

14. The antenna attachment circuitry according to claim 13, wherein the antenna detection circuitry includes analog-to-digital conversion circuitry.

15. The antenna attachment circuitry according to claim 13, further comprising:

mobile communication device parameter of operation adjustment circuitry coupled to the antenna detection circuitry.

16. The antenna attachment circuitry according to claim 13, further comprising:

a radio frequency blocking resistance coupled between the first antenna connection point and the antenna detection circuitry.

17. The antenna attachment circuitry according to claim 13, wherein the antenna type comprises a stubby antenna and the inherent characteristics of the antenna comprise not pulling the radio frequency feed point side to ground when the antenna is attached.

18. The antenna attachment circuitry according to claim 13, wherein the antenna type comprises a patch antenna and the inherent characteristics of the antenna comprise shorting the radio frequency feed point side to ground when the antenna is attached.

19. A method of operating a mobile communication device, comprising:

coupling a direct current voltage source through a blocking resistor to a radio frequency feed point;

detecting a direct current voltage at the radio frequency feed point;

detecting an antenna type based on the direct current voltage detected at the radio frequency feed point; and

adjusting a parameter of operation of the mobile communication device based on the detected antenna type,

wherein the method further comprises;

coupling a whip antenna to the radio frequency feed point; and

coupling a ground to an antenna sense point substantially simultaneously with coupling the whip antenna to the radio frequency feed point.

20. The method of operating a mobile communication device according to claim 19, wherein adjusting a parameter of operation further comprises adjusting an antenna power level.

21. The method of operating a mobile communication device according to claim 19, wherein detecting an antenna type further comprises performing analog-to-digital conversion on the detected direct current voltage.

22. The method of operating a mobile communication device according to claim 19, further comprising:

coupling a patch antenna to a ground and the radio frequency feed point.