Mobile Wireless Communications device with multiple RF transceivers using a common antenna at a same time and related methods

• US 7,369,092 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Rao, Qinjiang, Ali, Shirook, Pecen, Mark, Wen, Geyi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tan
• Application Number:
  US11/551,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20080094290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/767, 343/770, 455/82, 455/90.3, 455/277.1
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/35 using two or more simultaneously fed points

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing and a common antenna carried by the housing and having a plurality of spaced apart signal feed points thereon. The device may further include a plurality of wireless radio frequency (RF) transceivers carried by the housing and coupled to respective ones of the signal feed points of the common antenna. Each wireless RF transceiver may also have a respective different operating frequency associated therewith. Furthermore, the device may also include a controller selectively operating at least some of the wireless RF transceivers to advantageously use the common antenna at a same time.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing;

a common antenna carried by said housing and having a plurality of spaced apart signal feed points thereon;

a plurality of wireless radio frequency (RF) transceivers carried by said housing and coupled to respective ones of the signal feed points of said common antenna, each wireless RF transceiver also having a respective different operating frequency associated therewith; and

a controller selectively operating at least some of the wireless RF transceivers to use said common antenna at a same time.

2. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 further comprising a dielectric substrate carried within said housing;

and wherein said common antenna comprises at least one conductive trace on said dielectric substrate.

3. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said common antenna also has a reference voltage point.

4. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said common antenna comprises a patch antenna having at least one slot therein.

5. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 4 wherein said patch antenna has a generally rectangular perimeter.

6. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 4 wherein the at least one slot comprises a plurality of slots defining an exterior common antenna portion and an interior common antenna portion therein.

7. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 6 wherein at least one of the signal feed points is on the interior common antenna portion.

8. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 6 wherein at least one of the signal feed points is on the exterior common antenna portion.

9. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said wireless RF transceivers comprises a cellular transceiver.

10. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the different operating frequencies are within a range of about 900 MHz to 6 GHz.

11. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the different operating frequencies have different user functions associated therewith.

12. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein the different user functions comprise at least one of voice communication, email reception, email transmission, data reception, and data transmission.

13. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing;

a common antenna carried by said housing and comprising a patch antenna having at least one slot therein, said common antenna also having a plurality of spaced apart signal feed points and a reference voltage point thereon;

a plurality of wireless radio frequency (RF) transceivers carried by said housing and coupled to respective ones of the signal feed points of said common antenna, each wireless RF transceiver also having a respective different operating frequency associated therewith; and

a controller selectively operating at least some of the wireless RF transceivers to use said common antenna at a same time.

14. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 further comprising a dielectric substrate carried within said housing;

and wherein said common antenna comprises at least one conductive trace on said dielectric substrate.

15. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 wherein said at least one slot comprises a plurality of slots defining an exterior common antenna portion and an interior common antenna portion therein.

16. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 15 wherein at least one of the signal feed points is on the interior common antenna portion.

17. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 15 wherein at least one of the signal feed points is on the exterior common antenna portion.

18. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 wherein at least one of said wireless RF transceivers comprises a cellular transceiver.

19. A method for making a mobile wireless communications device comprising:

providing a housing with a common antenna carried thereby, the common antenna having a plurality of spaced apart signal feed points thereon;

coupling a plurality of wireless radio frequency (RF) transceivers also carried by the housing to respective ones of the signal feed points of the common antenna, each wireless RF transceiver also having a respective different operating frequency associated therewith; and

coupling a controller to the plurality of wireless RF transceivers to selectively operate at least some of the wireless RF transceivers to use the common antenna at a same time.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the common antenna comprises at least one conductive trace.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the common antenna also has a reference voltage point.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the common antenna comprises a patch antenna having at least one slot therein.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the at least one slot comprises a plurality of slots defining an exterior common antenna portion and an interior common antenna portion therein.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein at least one of the signal feed points is on the interior common antenna portion, and at least one of the signal feed points is on the exterior common antenna portion.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein at least one of the wireless RF transceivers comprises a cellular transceiver.