Antenna system having receiver antenna diversity and configurable transmission antenna and method of management thereof

• US 7,847,740 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Dunn, Doug, Khalona, Ramon, Poilasne, Gregory, Chang, Henry, Hwang, Huan-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Wimer; Michael C
• Application Number:
  US11/353,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/853, 343/844, 343/833, 343/834, 343/810, 343/858, 343/876, 455/562.1, 455/575.7, 455/277.1, 455/277.2, 342/51
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0602 using antenna switching H04B7/0686 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0613 using simultaneous transmission H04B7/0686 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0802 using antenna selection H04B7/0868 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0837 using pre-detection combining H04B7/0868 takes precedence

Abstract

An antenna system comprises a receive diversity antenna system and a configurable antenna arrangement. Incoming signals are received through the receive diversity antenna system and outgoing signals are transmitted through the configurable antenna arrangement. A controller generates control signals to adjust the configurable antenna arrangement to change the transmission performance characteristics of the configurable antenna arrangement. The configurable antenna arrangement may be a smart antenna, a plurality of antennas, or a configurable antenna where transmission characteristics change in response to control signals.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

a receive diversity antenna system comprising a plurality of antennas; and

a configurable antenna arrangement having transmission performance characteristics responsive to control signals and comprising at least one of the plurality of antennas, the configurable antenna arrangement comprising;

a configurable transmission antenna; and

a parasitic element responsive to the control signals to change the transmission performance characteristics.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of antennas is the configurable transmission antenna.

3. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of antennas is a configurable antenna.

4. The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to generate the control signals in accordance with near field antenna conditions.

5. The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to generate the control signals in accordance with far field antenna conditions.

6. The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising a switch connected to the plurality of antennas and configured to selectively couple the plurality of antennas to a transmitter.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the configurable antenna arrangement comprises a plurality of transmission antennas, the configurable antenna arrangement configurable by selecting one of the plurality of transmission antennas.

8. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein each antenna of the plurality of antennas is configured to separately connect to a receiver.

9. A method of managing an antenna system, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming signal through a receive diversity antenna system comprising a plurality of antennas;

configuring a configurable antenna arrangement to connect at least one of the plurality of antennas to a transmitter, the configuring comprising adjusting a parasitic element to change antenna performance characteristics of a transmission antenna; and

transmitting an outgoing signal through the configurable antenna arrangement.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the configuring comprises:

configuring the configurable antenna arrangement in accordance with near field antenna conditions.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the configuring comprises:

configuring the configurable antenna in accordance with far field antenna conditions.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving an incoming signal through a receive diversity antenna system comprises receiving a different version of the incoming signal through each of the plurality of antennas.

13. A communication device comprising:

a receive diversity antenna configuration comprising a plurality of antennas;

a configurable antenna arrangement having transmission performance characteristics responsive to control signals and comprising at least one of the plurality of antennas, the configurable antenna arrangement comprising;

a configurable transmission antenna; and

a parasitic element responsive to the control signals to change the transmission performance characteristics; and

a controller configured to generate the control signals.

14. The communication device of claim 13, further comprising:

a transmitter coupled to the configurable antenna arrangement; and

a receiver coupled to the receive diversity antenna configuration.

15. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the at least one of the plurality of antennas is the

configurable transmission antenna.

16. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the at least one of the plurality of antennas is a configurable antenna.

17. The communication device of claim 14, further comprising a switch connected to the plurality of antennas and configured to selectively couple the plurality of antennas to the transmitter.

18. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the configurable antenna arrangement comprises a plurality of transmission antennas, the configurable antenna arrangement configurable by selecting one of the plurality of transmission antennas.

19. The communication device of claim 13, wherein each antenna of the plurality of antennas is configured to separately connect to a receiver.