Method of controlling a plurality of internal antennas in a mobile communication device

• US 8,831,697 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kezys, Vytautas Robertas, Qi, Yihong
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US13/358,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20120142282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.7, 455/140, 455/101, 455/277.1, 343/853
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/245 with means for shaping the antenna pattern, e.g. in order to protect user against rf exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0608 Antenna selection according to transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0615 of weighted versions of same signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0808 comparing all antennas before reception
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0814 based on current reception conditions, e.g. switching to different antenna when signal level is below threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0848 Joint weighting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

In one embodiment, a mobile communication device comprises a first antenna; a second antenna; and a controller, based on a detected obstruction, for selecting one of said first antenna or said second antenna.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

a first antenna operable to receive a first signal;

a second antenna operable to receive a second signal; and

a controller, based on determining that one of said first signal and said second signal is weak, for selecting a remaining signal of said first signal and said second signal, selecting a received signal transformation algorithm for the remaining signal, and generating a resultant signal from the remaining signal using the selected received signal transformation algorithm.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein said first antenna and said second antenna have polarities that are substantially orthogonal to each other.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 2 wherein said first antenna and said second antenna are disposed substantially coplanar with each other.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein said first antenna and said second antenna have locations at opposed ends of the mobile communication device.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 4 wherein said locations provide for high antenna system efficiency for a holding position adjacent said first antenna.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein said one of said first signal and said second signal is weak because of a partial obstruction.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 6 wherein said partial obstruction is part of a human body.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 7 wherein said part of a human body is a hand.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 7 wherein said part of a human body is a head.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 6 wherein said partial obstruction is clothing.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the mobile communication device is a data communication device.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the mobile communication device is a multifunction communication device having voice and data communication capabilities.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the mobile communication device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

14. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the mobile communication device is a computer.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 14 wherein the computer is a laptop computer.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein said controller performs at least one of attenuation, amplification, filtering and phase shifting on said signal received from said selected one of said antenna in generating said resultant signal.

17. A method operable on a mobile communication device having a first antenna and a second antenna, the method comprising:

based on determining that one of a first signal from said first antenna and a second signal from said second antenna is weak, selecting one of said first antenna or said second antenna;

selecting a received signal transformation algorithm for the selected antenna; and

generating a resultant signal from a signal received from said selected antenna using said selected received signal transformation algorithm.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said one of said first signal and said second signal is weak because of a partial obstruction.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said generating comprises performing at least one of attenuation, amplification, filtering and phase shifting on said signal received from said selected one of said antenna.