Apparatus and method for matching antenna of mobile communication terminal

• US 7,539,527 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yun, Jin-Sik, Jang, Sung-Kwon
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Lana N
• Application Number:
  US11/318,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20060142075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 4555753-5757, 455/272, 455/276.1, 455/277.1
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts

Abstract

An apparatus for matching an antenna of a mobile communication terminal and its method are disclosed. The apparatus for matching an antenna of a mobile communication terminal includes a sensing unit for generating a first match signal when an antenna of the mobile communication terminal and a display unit becomes adjacent to each other, and generating a second match signal when the display unit becomes apart from the antenna; a first matching unit for matching first impedance between the antenna and an RF signal generating unit based on the first match signal; and a second matching unit for matching second impedance between the antenna and the RF signal generating unit based on the second match signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for matching an antenna of a mobile communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna;

a switch connected to the antenna and configured to receive a first or second control signal;

a first matching unit connected between the switch and an RF signal generating unit of the mobile communication terminal for matching a first impedance between the antenna and the RF signal generating unit if the antenna is adjacent to a display unit of the mobile communication terminal;

a second matching unit connected between the switch and the RF signal generating unit for matching a second impedance between the antenna and the RF signal generating unit if the antenna is apart from the display unit;

a sensing unit comprising a magnet and a Hall effect switch, wherein the Hall effect switch is configured to generate a first match signal if the antenna is adjacent to the display unit and generate a second match signal if the antenna is apart from the display unit; and

a controller configured to generate the first control signal for connecting the first matching unit to the antenna in response to the first match signal and generate the second control signal for connecting the second matching unit to the antenna in response to the second match signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnet is situated at a folder or a slider of the mobile communication terminal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the Hall effect switch is configured to generate the first match signal if a magnetic field of the magnet is detected and generate the second match signal if the magnetic field is not detected.

4. An apparatus for matching an antenna of a mobile communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna

an RF switch electrically connected to an RF signal generating unit of the mobile communication terminal and configured to receive a first control signal or a second control signal;

a first matching unit connected between the RF switch and the antenna for matching a first impedance between the antenna and the RF signal generating unit if the antenna is adjacent to a display unit of the mobile communication terminal;

a second matching unit connected between the RF switch and the antenna for matching a second impedance between the antenna and the RF signal generator if the antenna is apart from the display unit;

a sensing unit comprising a magnet and a Hall effect switch, wherein the Hall effect switch is configured to generate a first match signal if the antenna is adjacent to the display unit and generate a second match signal if the antenna is apart from the display unit; and

a controller configured to generate the first control signal for connecting the first matching unit to the RF signal generating unit in response to the first match signal, and generate the second control signal for connecting the second matching unit to the RF signal generating unit in response to the second match signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the magnet is situated at a folder or a slider of the mobile communication terminal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the Hall effect switch is configured to generate the first match signal if a magnetic field of the magnet is detected and generate the second match signal if the magnetic field is not detected.

7. An apparatus for matching an antenna of a mobile communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna;

a first switch connected to the antenna and configured to receive a first control signal or a second control signal;

a first matching unit connected to the first switch for matching a first impedance between the antenna and an RF signal generating unit of the mobile communication terminal if the antenna is adjacent to a display unit of the mobile communication terminal;

a second matching unit connected to the first switch for matching a second impedance between the antenna and the RF signal generating unit if the antenna is apart from the display unit;

a second switch connected between the first matching unit and the RF signal generating unit, and connected between the second matching unit and the RF signal generating unit, wherein the second switch is configured to receive a third control signal or a fourth control signal;

a sensing unit comprising a magnet and a Hall effect switch, wherein the Hall effect switch is configured to generate a first match signal if the antenna is adjacent to the display unit and generate a second match signal if the antenna is apart from the display unit; and

a controller configured to generate the first control signal for connecting the antenna to the first matching unit and generate the third control signal for connecting the first matching unit to the RF signal generating unit in response to the first match signal, and to generate the second control signal for connecting the antenna to the second matching unit and generate the fourth control signal for connecting the second matching unit to the RF signal generating unit in response to the second match signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the magnet is situated at a folder or a slider of the mobile communication terminal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the Hall effect switch is configured to generate the first match signal if a magnetic field of the magnet is detected and generate the second match signal if the magnetic field is not detected.

10. An apparatus for matching an antenna of a mobile communication terminal, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna;

a first matching unit connected to the antenna for matching a first impedance between the antenna and an RF signal generating unit of the mobile communication terminal if the antenna is adjacent to a display unit of the mobile communication terminal;

a second matching unit connected in series between the first matching unit and the RF signal generating unit for matching a second impedance between the antenna and the RF signal generating unit if the antenna is adjacent to the display unit;

a switch connected in parallel with the first matching unit and configured to receive a first control signal or a second control signal;

a sensing unit comprising a magnet and a Hall effect switch, wherein the Hall effect switch is configured to generate a first match signal if the antenna is adjacent to the display unit and generate a second match signal if the antenna is apart from the display unit; and

a controller configured to generate the first control signal for providing an RF signal from the RF signal generating unit to the antenna via the first and second matching units in response to the first match signal, and to generate the second control signal for providing the RF signal from the RF signal generating unit to the antenna via the second matching unit in response to the second match signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the magnet is situated at a folder or a slider of the mobile communication terminal.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the Hall effect switch is configured to generate the first match signal if a magnetic field of the magnet is detected and generate the second match signal if the magnetic field is not detected.