Mobile wireless communications device with selective load switching for antennas and related methods

• US 9,954,269 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Qi, Yihong, Man, Ying Tong, Jarmuszewski, Perry
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi, Dameon E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alkassim, Jr., Ab Salam
• Application Number:
  US14/289,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 4555757, 455 78, 343876
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/005 adapting radio receivers, transmitters andtransceivers for operation on two or more bands, i.e. frequency ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/006 using switches for selecting the desired band H04B1/0057 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0067 with one or more circuit blocks in common for different bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device may include a plurality of antennas, a plurality of wireless transceivers, and signal processing circuitry. The device may further include a controller for selectively switching the signal processing circuitry to a desired one of the wireless transceivers, and for selectively switching a desired one of the antennas to the desired one of the wireless transceivers. Moreover, the controller may also be for selectively connecting and disconnecting the at least one other one of the antennas to an unused one of the wireless transceivers.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing having a top and a bottom;

a plurality of antennas carried by said housing, at least one of said plurality of antennas positioned within the bottom of said housing;

a plurality of wireless transceivers carried by said housing; and

switching circuitry carried by said housing, wherein according to a configuration the switching circuitry connects any disconnected first antenna of said plurality of antennas to any first wireless transceiver of said plurality of wireless transceivers, connects any disconnected second antenna of said plurality of antennas to a first impedance load and to any second wireless transceiver of said plurality of wireless transceivers, wherein the first antenna operates in an active mode and the second antenna operates in a passive mode, and wherein the second wireless transceiver provides a second impedance load at the second antenna in the passive mode.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of loads comprising a plurality of impedance elements.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) carrying said wireless transceivers and said impedance elements.

4. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein said plurality of loads comprises a respective set of loads for each of said antennas.

5. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein said plurality of loads have different loading characteristics.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein according to the configuration said switching circuitry further connects at least one antenna of said plurality of antennas to a signal ground.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of antennas is operable over a different frequency band and an associated communications network.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of wireless transceivers comprises a cellular wireless transceiver.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a housing having a top and a bottom;

a plurality of antennas carried by said housing and operable at different frequency bands, at least one of said plurality of antennas positioned within the bottom of said housing;

a plurality of wireless transceivers operable at different frequency bands corresponding to the different frequency bands operable by the plurality of antennas, wherein the plurality of wireless transceivers are carried by said housing;

a plurality of loads carried by said housing and having different loading characteristics; and

switching circuitry carried by said housing that, according to a configuration, connects any disconnected first antenna of said plurality of antennas operable at a first frequency band of the different frequency bands to any first wireless transceiver of said plurality of wireless transceivers that transmits in the first frequency band, and connects any disconnected second antenna of said plurality of antennas to a first impedance load of said plurality of loads and to any second wireless transceiver of said plurality of wireless transceivers, wherein the first antenna operates in an active mode and the second antenna operates in a passive mode, and wherein the second wireless transceiver provides a second impedance load at the second antenna in the passive mode.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein said plurality of loads comprises a plurality of impedance elements.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) carrying said wireless transceivers and said impedance elements.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein said plurality of loads comprises a respective set of loads for each of said antennas.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein according to the configuration said switching circuitry further connects at least one antenna of said plurality of antennas to a signal ground.

14. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein at least one of said plurality of wireless transceivers comprises a cellular wireless transceiver, and wherein each of said plurality of antennas is operable over a different communications network.

15. A method for operating a mobile wireless communications device comprising a housing having a top and a bottom, a plurality of antennas with at least one of the antennas carried within the bottom of the housing, a plurality of wireless transceivers carried by the housing, and switching circuitry carried by the housing, the method comprising:

operating the switching circuitry according to a configuration to connect any disconnected first antenna of the plurality of antennas to any first wireless transceiver of the plurality wireless transceivers, and to connect any disconnected second antenna of the plurality of antennas to a first impedance load and to any second wireless transceiver of the plurality of wireless transceivers, wherein the first antenna operates in an active mode and the second antenna operates in a passive mode, and wherein the second wireless transceiver provides a second impedance load at the second antenna in the passive mode.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the mobile wireless communications device further comprises a plurality of loads carried by the housing and further comprising operating the switching circuitry according to the configuration to connect the second antenna of the plurality of antennas to at least one of the plurality of loads.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of loads have different loading characteristics.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of antennas is operable over a different frequency band and a different communications network.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one of the plurality of wireless transceivers comprises a cellular wireless transceiver.