Receiver device

• US 20020058488A1
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Miyahara, Yutaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,149,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/277.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0814 based on current reception conditions, e.g. switching to different antenna when signal level is below threshold

Abstract

A receiver device for receiving incoming radio waves by using a plurality of antennas, which is capable of improving the maximum input sensitivity is provided. In the receiver device, a switching unit switches to an antenna having the lower antenna gain as a new receiving antenna on the precondition that when receiving incoming radio waves by one particular antenna currently set as the receiving antenna, if a reception level of this particular antenna becomes a level close to the maximum input sensitivity of a signal processing unit, then the reception condition is satisfactory. Consequently, it is possible to improve the maximum input sensitivity and forestall the occurrence of waveform distortion and the like.

Claims

1. A receiver device comprising:

a plurality of antennas having different antenna gains;

an antenna switching device for selecting one of reception signals received by the plurality of antennas, and supplying the selected reception signal to a signal processor arranged subsequent to the antenna switching device;

a detector for detecting the level of a reception signal from each antenna;

a controller for controlling the antenna switching device for selecting a reception signal having a lower level than a maximum input level of the signal processor, in accordance with detection result from the detector.

2. A receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the controller has a judger for judging a reception state of each antenna;

and

when there are a plurality of antennas capable of receiving signals without any troubles, the antenna switching device is controlled so as to select a reception signal from an antenna having a low antenna gain.

3. A receiver device according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of antennas are located close to one another,

wherein the controller operates to control the antenna switching device, in a manner such that once the level of a reception signal supplied to the signal processor approaches a maximum input level of the signal processor, an antenna having a lower antenna gain than that of an antenna being selected is selected.

4. A receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the controller operates to control the antenna switching device, in a manner such that once the level of a reception signal supplied to the signal processor becomes lower than a predetermined level, an antenna having a higher antenna gain than that of an antenna being selected is selected.

5. A receiver device according to claim 1, wherein the controller operates to control the antenna switching device, in a manner such that once a reception signal of each antenna becomes lower than a predetermined level, a reception signal from an antenna having a high antenna gain is selected, and that when there are plurality of reception signals having a higher level than the predetermined level, a reception signal from an antenna having a low antenna gain is selected.