Mobile wireless communications device including acoustic coupling based impedance adjustment and related methods

• US 8,830,136 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Mankaruse, George Soliman, Shaker, George, Simmons, Sean Bartholomew, Jarmuszewski, Perry
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Trinh
• Application Number:
  US13/229,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20130063323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 343/861
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, and an antenna carried by the portable housing. The mobile wireless communications device may further include wireless communications circuitry carried by the portable housing and an adjustable impedance matching network coupled between the wireless communications circuitry and the antenna. An audio input transducer and an audio output transducer may be carried by the portable housing. The mobile wireless communications device may further include a controller carried by the portable housing and configured to determine an acoustic coupling between the audio input transducer and the audio output transducer. The controller may further be configured to adjust the adjustable impedance matching network based upon the determined acoustic coupling.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a portable housing;

an antenna carried by said portable housing;

wireless communications circuitry carried by said portable housing;

an adjustable impedance matching network coupled between said wireless communications circuitry and said antenna;

an audio input transducer and an audio output transducer carried by said portable housing; and

a controller carried by said portable housing and configured to

determine an acoustic coupling between said audio input transducer and said audio output transducer, and

adjust said adjustable impedance matching network based upon the determined acoustic coupling.

2. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to perform echo cancellation also based upon the determined acoustic coupling.

3. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory coupled to said controller and configured to store a plurality of acoustic coupling values and corresponding impedance matching network values;

and wherein said controller is configured to adjust said adjustable impedance matching network based upon the stored plurality of acoustic coupling values and corresponding impedance network matching values.

4. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor carried by said portable housing and coupled to said controller;

and wherein said controller is also configured to adjust said adjustable impedance network based upon said sensor.

5. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 4, wherein said sensor comprises a proximity sensor.

6. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 4, wherein said sensor comprises a magnetic sensor.

7. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 4, wherein said sensor comprises one of an acceleration sensor, a touch sensor, a cable detection sensor, a charger detection sensor, and an optical sensor.

8. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, further comprising an input device carried by said housing and coupled to said controller;

and wherein said controller is also configured to adjust said adjustable impedance network based upon said input device.

9. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable impedance matching network comprises at least one capacitor and at least one switch coupled thereto.

10. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable impedance matching network comprises at least one variable capacitor.

11. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a portable housing;

an antenna carried by said portable housing;

wireless communications circuitry carried by said portable housing;

an adjustable impedance matching network coupled between said wireless communications circuitry and said antenna;

an audio input transducer and an audio output transducer carried by said portable housing;

a sensor carried by said portable housing and coupled to said controller; and

a controller carried by said portable housing and configured to

determine an acoustic coupling between said audio input transducer and said audio output transducer,

adjust said adjustable impedance matching network based upon the determined acoustic coupling, and said sensor, and

perform echo cancellation also based upon the determined acoustic coupling.

12. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, further comprising a memory coupled to said controller and configured to store a plurality of acoustic coupling values and corresponding impedance matching network values;

and wherein said controller is configured to adjust said adjustable impedance matching network based upon the stored plurality of acoustic coupling values and corresponding impedance network matching values.

13. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, wherein said sensor comprises a proximity sensor.

14. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, wherein said sensor comprises a magnetic sensor.

15. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, wherein said sensor comprises one of an acceleration sensor, a touch sensor, a cable detection sensor, a charger detection sensor, and an optical sensor.

16. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, further comprising an input device carried by said housing and coupled to said controller;

and wherein said controller is also configured to adjust said adjustable impedance network based upon said input device.

17. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, wherein said adjustable impedance matching network comprises at least one capacitor and at least one switch coupled thereto.

18. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 11, wherein said adjustable impedance matching network comprises at least one variable capacitor.

19. A method of controlling impedance matching between wireless communications circuitry and an antenna carried by a portable housing in a mobile wireless communications device, the method comprising:

determining an acoustic coupling between an audio input transducer and an audio output transducer carried by a portable housing; and

adjusting an adjustable impedance matching network coupled between the antenna and the wireless communications circuitry based upon the determined acoustic coupling.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising performing echo cancellation also based upon the determined acoustic coupling.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

storing a plurality of acoustic coupling values and corresponding impedance matching network values in a memory; and

adjusting the adjustable impedance matching network based upon the stored plurality of acoustic coupling values and corresponding impedance network matching values.

22. The method according to claim 19, further comprising adjusting the adjustable impedance network based upon a sensor carried by the portable housing.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the sensor comprises a proximity sensor.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein the adjustable impedance matching network comprises at least one capacitor and at least one switch coupled thereto.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein the adjustable impedance matching network comprises at least one variable capacitor.