Information processing apparatus with antenna switching function, communication apparatus, antenna switching control unit and computer-readable recording medium recording antenna switching control program

• US 7,606,553 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Client Computing Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Konaka, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, SIMON
• Application Number:
  US11/249,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20060030278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 455/78, 4555521-553, 4555561-5562, 455/575.7, 455/101, 455/132, 455/140, 455272-2772
• US Class Current: 455/403
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0602 using antenna switching H04B7/0686 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0689 using different transmission schemes, at least one of them being a diversity transmission scheme
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0691 using subgroups of transmit antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0822 according to predefined selection scheme

Abstract

In an information processing apparatus such as a notebook type personal computer having radio communication functions, for communication units to simultaneously carry out transmission/reception independently of each other without increasing the number of antennas, and for sufficiently utilizing a diversity function in the case of only a portion of the communication units, there are provided antennas, communication units capable of carrying out radio communications through the use of the antennas, respectively, and a switching unit for switching connection states between the antennas and the communication units. When radio communications are simultaneously made through the use of all the communication units, the switching unit establishes connections between the communication units and the antennas while, when radio communication is made through the use of the communication unit, the switching unit connects the antennas, the number of which depends on communication modes of the communication unit, with this communication unit.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus including an antenna switching function, comprising:

a plurality of antennas;

a plurality of communication units each capable of carrying out a radio communication;

a switching unit capable of switching connection states between said plurality of antennas and said plurality of communication units;

a switching control unit for controlling said switching unit to switch said connection states;

an inputting unit manipulated by an operator for inputting switching instruction information for switching said connection states through said switching unit, wherein said switching control unit controls said switching unit, in accordance with said switching instruction information inputted from said inputting unit, to switch said connection states; and

reception state providing means for providing, when said switching unit is to switch the connection states, an electric-wave reception state on said communication unit in use to the operator so that information as to whether the switching of the connection states by said switching unit causes a problem is provided to the operator, and

when radio communications are simultaneously made through a use of said plurality of communication units, said switching unit making connections between said plurality of communication units and said plurality of antennas and, when radio communications are made through a use of a portion of said plurality of communication units, said switching unit making connections between the antennas, a number of which depends on communication modes of said communication units made to carry out the radio communications, and said communication units,

wherein, when the radio communications are simultaneously made through the use of said plurality of communication units, said switching control unit controls said switching unit to make connections between said plurality of communication units and said plurality of antennas and, when the radio communications are made through the use of the portion of said plurality of communication units, said switching control unit controls said switching unit to make connections between said antennas, the number of which depends on the communication modes of said communication units made to carry out the radio communications, and said communication units.

2. The information processing apparatus including an antenna switching function according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of communication units has a diversity function whereby said plurality of antennas are controllable.

3. The information processing apparatus including an antenna switching function according to claim 1, wherein a movable side housing and a fixed side housing are rotatably connected to be foldable, and

said plurality of antennas are provided in an upper portion of said movable side housing in a state opened.

4. A communication apparatus including an antenna switching function, comprising a plurality of antennas and a plurality of communication units each capable to carry out a radio communication,

a switching unit being provided to switch connection states between said plurality of antennas and said plurality of communication units, and

a switching control unit for controlling said switching unit to switch said connection states, wherein, when the radio communications are simultaneously made through a use of said plurality of communication units, said switching control unit controls said switching unit to make connections between said plurality of communication units and said plurality of antennas and, when the radio communications are made through a use of the portion of said plurality of communication units, said switching control unit controls said switching unit to make connections between said antennas, the number of which depends on the communication modes of said communication units made to carry out the radio communications, and said communication units, and

an inputting unit manipulated by an operator for inputting switching instruction information for switching said connection states through said switching unit, wherein said switching control unit controls said switching unit, in accordance with said switching instruction information inputted from said inputting unit, to switch connection states,

reception state providing means for providing, when said switching unit is to switch the connection states, an electric-wave reception state on said communication unit in use to the operator so that information as to whether the switching of the connection states by said switching unit causes a problem is provided to the operator, and

when radio communications are simultaneously made through a use of said plurality of communication units, said switching unit makes connections between said plurality of communication units and said plurality of antennas and, when radio communications are made through the use of a portion of said plurality of communication units, said switching unit makes a connection between said antennas, the number of which depends on communication modes of said communication units made to carry out the radio communications, and said communication units.

5. The communication apparatus including an antenna switching function according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said plurality of communication units has a diversity function whereby said plurality of antennas are controllable.

6. An antenna switching control unit, which is used for an apparatus comprising a plurality of antennas, a plurality of communication units each made to carry out

a radio communication and a switching unit made to switch connection states between said plurality of antennas and said plurality of communication units and which is made to control said switching unit to switch the connection states,

controlling said switching unit so that, when radio communications are simultaneously made through the use of the plurality of communication units, said switching unit makes connections between said plurality of communication units and said plurality of antennas and, when radio communications are made through the use of a portion of said plurality of communication units, said switching unit makes connection between the antennas, the number of which depends on communication modes of said communication units made to carry out the radio communications, and said communication units,

further comprising an inputting unit manipulated by an operator for inputting switching instruction information for switching said connection states through said switching unit, wherein said switching unit is controlled in accordance with said switching instruction information inputted from said inputting unit to switch said connection states;

and

reception state providing means for providing, when said switching unit is to switch the connection states, an electric-wave reception state on said communication unit in use to the operator so that information as to whether the switching of the connection states by said switching unit causes a problem is provided to the operator.

7. A computer-readable recording medium recording an antenna switching control program, which makes a computer function as an antenna switching control unit to, in an apparatus comprising a plurality of antennas, a plurality of communication units each made to carry out a radio communication and a switching unit made to switch connection states between said plurality of antennas and said plurality of communication units, control said switching unit to switch said connection states,

wherein that said antenna switching control program makes said computer control said switching unit so that, when radio communications are simultaneously made through the use of said plurality of communication units, said switching unit makes connections between said plurality of communication units and said plurality of antennas and, when radio communications are made through the use of a portion of said plurality of communication units, said switching unit makes connection between the antennas, the number of which depends on communication modes of said communication units made to carry out the radio communications, and said communication units,

wherein said antenna switching control program makes said computer control said switching unit in accordance with switching instruction information inputted from an inputting unit manipulated by an operator to switch said connection states through said switching unit,

wherein said antenna switching control program makes said computer function as reception state providing means for providing, when said switching unit is to switch the connection states, an electric-wave reception state on said communication unit in use to the operator so that information as to whether the switching of the connection states by said switching unit causes a problem is provided to the operator.

8. An antenna switching control unit, capable of being used for an apparatus comprising a plurality of antennas, a plurality of communication units, and a switching unit capable of switching connection states between said plurality of antennas and said plurality of communication units and to control said switching unit to switch the connection states, controlling said switching unit so that, when radio communications are simultaneously made through a use of the plurality of communication units, said switching unit makes connections between said plurality of communication units and said plurality of antennas and, when radio communications are made through the use of a portion of said plurality of communication units, said switching unit makes connection between the antennas, the number of which depends on communication modes of said communication units made to carry out the radio communications, and said communication units, comprising:

an inputting unit manipulated by an operator for inputting switching instruction information for switching said connection states through said switching unit, wherein said switching unit is controlled in accordance with said switching instruction information inputted from said inputting unit to switch said connection states; and

a processor for providing, when said switching unit is to switch the connection states, an electric-wave reception state on said communication unit in use to the operator so that information as to whether the switching of the connection states by said switching unit causes a problem is provided to the operator.

9. An antenna switching control unit, comprising:

an inputting unit manipulated by an operator for inputting instruction information for switching connection states through a switching unit; and

a processor capable of providing, when said switching unit is to switch the connection states, an electric-wave reception state on said communication unit in use to the operator so that information as to whether the switching of the connection states by said switching unit causes a problem is provided to the operator.

10. A method performed by a processor of controlling a switching, comprising:

inputting information for switching connection states;

providing, when the connection states are to be switched, an electric-wave reception state on a communication unit in use to an operator; and

determining whether the switching of the connection states causes a problem based on the provided state.