Antenna and electronic device including the same

• US 10,224,611 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2017
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hong, Sang Ho, Son, Mu Chang, Park, Sung Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tho G
• Application Number:
  US15/625,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20170365914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• 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: H01Q 5/50 Feeding or matching arrangements for broad-band or multi-band operation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0064 with separate antennas for the more than one band H04B1/0053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0602 using antenna switching H04B7/0686 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0802 using antenna selection H04B7/0868 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0805 with single receiver and antenna switching H04B7/0822 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device including a first antenna element configured selectively to receive signals of a first frequency band and a second frequency band or of the first frequency band and a third frequency band, a second antenna element configured to receive a signal of the third frequency band, a transceiver configured to be electrically connected with the first antenna element and the second antenna element, and a processor configured to be electrically connected with the transceiver. The electronic device performs carrier aggregation using the second frequency band and the third frequency band.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first antenna element configured to receive, selectively, (i) signals of a first frequency band and a second frequency band or (ii) signals of the first frequency band and a third frequency band;

a second antenna element configured to receive a signal of the third frequency band;

a transceiver configured to be electrically connected with the first antenna element and the second antenna element; and

a processor configured to be electrically connected with the transceiver,

wherein, if a network supports carrier aggregation (CA) using the second frequency and the third frequency band, the processor enables the first antenna element to receive the signals of the first frequency band and the second frequency band, enables the second antenna element to receive the signal of the third frequency band, and enables the transceiver to perform CA using the signal of the second frequency band and the signal of the third frequency band.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna element comprises a first radiator and a second radiator,

wherein at least parts of the first radiator and the second radiator are positioned adjacent to each other to perform capacitive coupling feed to one of the first radiator and the second radiator when power is fed to the other of the first radiator and the second radiator, and

wherein the first antenna element receives the signal of the first frequency band and the second frequency band when power is fed to the first radiator and receives the signal of the first frequency band and the third frequency band when power is fed to the second radiator.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna element is electrically connected with a first ground location and a second ground location, and

wherein the first antenna element receives the signals of the first frequency band and the second frequency band when connected with the first ground location and receives the signals of the first frequency band and the third frequency band when connected with the second ground location.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna element comprises at least part of a metal housing of the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second antenna element is implemented as a flexible printed circuit board.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein, if the network does not support CA, the processor does not receive a signal using the second antenna element.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, if the network does not support CA, the processor enables the first antenna element to receive the signals of the first frequency band and the second frequency or to receive the signals of the first frequency band and the third frequency band.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second frequency band corresponds to 1930 to 1990 megahertz (MHz), and

wherein the third frequency band corresponds to 2496 to 2690 MHz.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna element is configured to receive a signal using a first communication mode, and

wherein the second antenna element is configured to receive a signal using a second communication mode.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first communication mode corresponds to a frequency division duplex communication mode, and

wherein the second communication mode corresponds to a time division duplex communication mode.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive, if the network corresponds to the third frequency band, the signal of the third frequency band via the first antenna element; and

receive a diversity signal of the third frequency band via the second antenna element.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising:

a third antenna element and a fourth antenna element configured to receive the signal of the third frequency band,

wherein the processor is configured to;

receive, if the network corresponds to the third frequency band, a diversity signal of the third frequency band via the third antenna element and the fourth antenna element.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a signal of the second frequency band and the signal of the third frequency band are configured not to be simultaneously received by the first antenna element.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor determines whether the network supports CA based on a system information block received from the network.

15. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a filter circuit configured to be connected with the first antenna element,

wherein the filter circuit is configured to;

isolate the signal of the first frequency band and the second frequency band or the third frequency band, the signal being received via the first antenna element.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

a first antenna element;

a first switch configured to enable the first antenna element to receive signals of a first frequency band and a second frequency band or to receive signals of the first frequency band and a third frequency band;

a second antenna element configured to receive a signal of the third frequency band;

a first radio frequency (RF) block configured to process a signal of the first frequency band;

a second RF block configured to process a signal of the second frequency band;

a third RF block configured to process the signal of the third frequency band;

a second switch configured to connect the first antenna element with the second RF block or the third RF block according to a connection of the first switch and connect the second antenna element with third RF block according to whether a network supports carrier aggregation (CA);

a transceiver configured to be connected with the first RF block, the second RF block, and the third RF block; and

a processor configured to be electrically connected with the transceiver,

wherein, if the network supports CA, the processor controls the first switch such that the first antenna element receives the signals of the first frequency band and the second frequency band, controls the second switch to connect the first antenna element with the second RF block and connect the second antenna element with the third RF block, and enable the transceiver to perform CA using the signal of the second frequency band and the signal of the third frequency band.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, further comprising:

a filter circuit configured to be electrically connected with the first antenna element,

wherein the filter circuit transmits the signal of the first frequency band, received via the first antenna element, to the first RF block and transmits the signal of the second frequency band or the third frequency band, received via the first antenna element, to the second switch.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the first antenna element is configured to:

enable, if the first switch is configured to receive the signal of the first frequency band and the second frequency band, the second switch to connect the filter circuit with the second RF block, and

wherein the first antenna element is configured to;

enable, if the first switch is configured to receive the signal of the first frequency band and the third frequency band, the second switch to connect the filter circuit with the third RF block.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the CA uses a first carrier component (CC) of the second frequency band and a second CC of the third frequency band.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein, if the network does not support CA, the processor is configured to release a connection between the second antenna element and the third RF block by the second switch.