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

• US 8,914,084 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• 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:
  US14/136,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20140106689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.7, 455/140, 455/277.1, 455/132, 455/133, 455/134, 455/575.1, 455/575.5
• 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 transceiver operably connected to a first antenna and to a second antenna; and a controller operably connected to the transceiver and to a memory having instructions that when executed by the controller generates, based on determining that one of a first signal from the first antenna and a second signal from the second antenna is weak, a resultant signal from a remaining signal of the first signal and the second signal.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device comprising:

a transceiver operably connected to a first antenna and to a second antenna; and

a controller operably connected to said transceiver and to a memory having instructions that when executed by said controller generates, based on determining that one of a first signal from said first antenna and a second signal from said second antenna is weak, a resultant signal from a remaining signal of said first signal and said second signal and responsive to said determining, generating, from a raw outgoing signal, a first transformed outgoing signal and a second transformed outgoing signal for said first antenna and said second antenna respectively.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein said first antenna and said second antenna are located substantially side-by-side at an end of said mobile communication device adjacent an ear speaker.

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

4. The mobile communication device of claim 3 wherein said first antenna and said second antenna are substantially co-planar.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein a first polarity of said first antenna is substantially orthogonal to a second polarity of said second antenna.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein said first antenna and said second antenna have different gain patterns and provide pattern diversity.

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

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1 wherein the mobile communication device is one of a wireless modem internal to a computer and an external modem operable for connection to a computer.

9. A method of operating a mobile communications device having a housing, a wireless transceiver and a plurality of antennas connected to the wireless transceiver, the method comprising:

determining that one of a first signal received via a first antenna and a second signal received via a second antenna is weak;

responsive to the determining, generating a resultant signal from a remaining signal of the first and second signals; and

responsive to the determining, generating, from a raw outgoing signal, a first transformed outgoing signal and a second transformed outgoing signal for said first antenna and said second antenna respectively.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein a signal transformation technique is operable to manipulate said remaining signal to generate said resultant received signal.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said signal transformation technique is operable to attenuate said remaining signal to generate said resultant received signal.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said signal transformation technique is operable to amplify said remaining signal to generate said resultant received signal.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said resultant received signal is identical to one of said first and said second received signals.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising sending said first transformed outgoing signal to said first antenna and said second transformed outgoing signal to said second antenna.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising sending one, but not both, of said first transformed outgoing signal to said first antenna and said second transformed outgoing signal to said second antenna.