Detection, selection and provision of external antennas for a mobile device

• US 8,818,455 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2013
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Harrison, Joshua, Deckert, David
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US13/854,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20130237283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.3, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/569.2, 455/575.1, 455/575.7, 343/702, 343/876
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2275 associated to expansion card or bus, e.g. in PCMCIA, PC cards, Wireless USB
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/244 extendable from a housing along a given path
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile device can detect, select and use an external antenna supported by an attached accessory device. The mobile device queries the accessory device whether it supports an external antenna and receives an indication of whether the accessory device supports external antennas. The indication can comprise a list of accessory device pins operatively coupled to supported external antennas. The mobile device selects an external antenna for use by the mobile device. The selection can comprise selecting a mobile device pin operatively coupled to the selected external antenna. The selected mobile device pin can be a predetermined pin or a pin that is both operatively coupled to a supported external antenna and configured to operate as an external antenna pin. The mobile device can use the selected external antenna. The mobile device can switch between an internal antenna and an external antenna operatively coupled to a selected mobile device pin.

Claims

1. One or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media having instructions thereon for executing a method of selecting an antenna for use by a mobile device, the method comprising:

at the mobile device, querying an accessory device releasably attached to the mobile device whether the accessory device supports at least one external antenna, wherein the accessory device supports one or more external antennas;

receiving an indication that the accessory device supports at least one external antenna, wherein the accessory device comprises one or more pins and the indication indicates which of the one or more accessory device pins are operatively coupled to the one or more external antennas supported by the accessory device; and

selecting one of the one or more external antennas supported by the accessory device as an antenna for use by the mobile device.

2. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises an internal antenna, the method further comprising the mobile device using both the selected external antenna and the internal antenna.

3. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile device pin operatively coupled to the one of the one or more external antennas and the selecting one of the one or more external antennas comprises selecting the mobile device pin as an active external antenna pin.

4. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 3, wherein the accessory device comprises a pin connected to the selected mobile device pin, the method further comprising instructing the accessory device to operatively couple the selected external antenna to the accessory device pin.

5. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 3, wherein the selected mobile device pin is a predetermined mobile device pin.

6. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the indication is received through a docking station positioned intermediate the accessory device and the mobile device.

7. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 3, wherein the selected mobile device pin is configured to operate as an external antenna input pin and is connected to one of the one or more accessory device pins indicated as being operatively coupled to the one or more external antennas.

8. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 1, further comprising detecting connection of the accessory device to the mobile device, wherein the querying is performed in response to detecting the connection.

9. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 1, the mobile device further comprising an internal antenna, the method further comprising in response to receiving the indication that the accessory device supports at least one external antenna, deselecting the internal antenna for use by the mobile device when switching to the selected external antenna.

10. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting disconnection of the accessory device from the mobile device; and

selecting the internal antenna for use by the mobile device.

11. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 1, the mobile device comprising a first internal antenna and a receiver configured for receive-only communication, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone and the receiver is coupled to the first internal antenna;

the method further comprising;

using the first internal antenna as an antenna for the receiver;

detecting connection of the mobile device to the accessory device;

switching from the first internal antenna to the selected external antenna as the antenna for the receiver; and

using the selected external antenna as the antenna for the receiver.

12. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the receiver is an AM/FM receiver.

13. The one or more nonvolatile computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the mobile device further comprises a second internal antenna and a transceiver configured for two-way communication with a cellular communication network, the second internal antenna being coupled to the transceiver.

14. One or more computer-readable nonvolatile memory having instructions thereon for executing a method of providing an antenna for use by a mobile device, the method comprising:

at an accessory device releasably attached to the mobile device, receiving a query from the mobile device inquiring whether the accessory device supports at least one external antenna; and

sending an indication that the accessory device supports at least one external antenna;

wherein the accessory device comprises one or more accessory device pins, the indication indicating which of the one or more accessory device pins are operatively coupled to the at least one external antenna.

15. The one or more computer-readable nonvolatile memory of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting disconnection of the accessory device from the mobile device; and

selecting an internal antenna for use by the mobile device.

16. An accessory device for providing an antenna configuration for use by a mobile device, the accessory device comprising:

a connector including one or more pins for electrical coupling to the mobile device;

one or more antennas supported by the accessory device; and

a controller for communicating with the mobile device that the accessory device supports the one or more antennas in response to a query from the mobile device and which of the one or more pins on the connector are operatively coupled to the one or more antennas supported by the accessory device.

17. The accessory device of claim 16, wherein the one or more pins are electrically coupled to the mobile device through a docking station.

18. The accessory device of claim 16, further including a switch coupled between the controller and the one or more antennas for selectively coupling the one or more antennas and the one or more pins of the connector.

19. The accessory device of claim 16, wherein the one or more antennas include at least two antennas tuned to different frequency bands.

20. The accessory device of claim 16, wherein the connector is a first connector and the accessory device includes a second connector coupled to at least one of the one or more antennas that are external to the accessory device.