Method for sharing antennas of a wireless device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving a radio frequency signal using first and second antennas;
determining signal characteristics, including a signal strength of the received radio frequency signal;
selecting one of the first and second antennas as a function of the signal characteristics, wherein the selection maximizes the signal strength of the received radio frequency signal;
coupling the selected antenna to a first signal line communicating signals according to a first wireless protocol; and
coupling the non-selected antenna to a second signal line communicating signals according to a second wireless protocol.
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Abstract
The present invention proposes novel antenna means mounted on handheld devices and methods of use of such antenna means with multiple radios. The novel antenna means exhibit smaller sizes, good performance, have higher reliability, and exhibit novel hardware configurations. The novel methods of utilization for the antenna means comprise the reception of an 802.11 RF signal to the antennas, the acquisition step while a radio is determining which antenna has the better signal and acquiring signal from that antenna, and usage by the Bluetooth signal of the remaining antenna.
33 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving a radio frequency signal using first and second antennas; determining signal characteristics, including a signal strength of the received radio frequency signal; selecting one of the first and second antennas as a function of the signal characteristics, wherein the selection maximizes the signal strength of the received radio frequency signal; coupling the selected antenna to a first signal line communicating signals according to a first wireless protocol; and coupling the non-selected antenna to a second signal line communicating signals according to a second wireless protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method, comprising:
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receiving a radio frequency signal using first and second antennas; determining signal characteristics, including a signal strength of the received radio frequency signal; selecting an antenna from the first and second antennas as a function of the signal characteristics, wherein the selection maximizes the signal strength of the received radio frequency signal; coupling the selected antenna to a first signal line communicating signals according to a first wireless protocol; coupling the non-selected antenna to a second signal line communicating signals according to a second wireless protocol; and after the radio frequency signal has been received, transmitting a further radio frequency signal using the selected antenna. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method, comprising:
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receiving a first radio frequency signal using first and second antennas; determining signal characteristics, including a signal strength of the first radio frequency signal; selecting one of the first and second antennas as a function of the signal characteristics, wherein the selection maximizes the signal strength of the first radio frequency signal; coupling the selected antenna to a first signal line communicating signals according to a first wireless protocol; coupling the non-selected antenna to a second signal line communicating signals according to a second wireless protocol; after the first radio frequency signal has been received, transmitting a second radio frequency signal on the selected antenna; and receiving, simultaneously with the transmitting, a third radio frequency signal on the non-selected antenna.
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15. A device, comprising:
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a first signal line communicating radio frequency signals according to a first wireless protocol; a second signal line communicating radio frequency signals according to a second wireless protocol; a first antenna receiving a radio frequency signal; a second antenna receiving the radio frequency signal; a microchip detecting signal characteristics, including signal strength, of the received radio frequency signal, the microchip generating a control signal as a function of the signal characteristics; and a switch coupling the first signal line to one of the first and second antennas which is selected as a function of the control signal, the switch simultaneously coupling the second signal line to the other of the first and second antennas. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A device, comprising:
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a microchip detecting signal characteristics, including a signal strength, of a radio frequency signal received using first and second antennas, the microchip generating a control signal as a function of the signal characteristics, the control signal maximizing the signal strength; and a switch selectively coupling one of the first and second antennas to one of first and second signal lines as a function of the control signal, the switch simultaneously coupling the other of the non-selected antenna to the other of the first and second signal lines, wherein a further radio frequency signal is communicated on the other of the first and second signal lines simultaneously with the receipt of the radio frequency signal; and
wherein the first signal line communicates IEEE 802.11 signals and the second signal line communicates Bluetooth signals. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification