MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE WITH SELECTIVE ANTENNA LOAD SWITCHING AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20090278750A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Qi, Yihong, Bandurska, Krystyna, Man, Ying Tong, Cooke, Adrian
• Granted Patent: US 8,378,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/702
• 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: 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 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/04 using two or more spaced independent antennas

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device may include at least two antennas having a different structure. The device may also include wireless transceivers, a load(s), signal processing circuitry, and a controller. The controller may be for selectively switching the signal processing circuitry to a desired one of the wireless transceivers, selectively switching a desired one of the antennas to the desired one of the wireless transceivers, and selectively switching a different one of the antennas to at least one of the loads.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a plurality of antennas having different structures;

a plurality of wireless transceivers;

a plurality of loads;

signal processing circuitry; and

a controller for

selectively switching said signal processing circuitry to a desired one of said wireless transceivers,

selectively switching a desired one of said antennas to the desired one of said wireless transceivers, and

selectively switching a different one of said antennas to at least one of said loads.

2. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 where at least one of said antennas comprises a monopole antenna.

3. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said antennas comprises an inverted F antenna.

4. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said antennas comprises a multi-band Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) antenna.

5. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said antennas comprises a wideband code-division multiple access (WCDMA) frequency division duplex (FDD) band antenna.

6. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said controller also selectively switches the different one of said antennas to an unused one of said wireless transceivers.

7. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 further comprising a portable housing having an inner surface carrying said antennas.

8. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 7 further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) within said portable housing and carrying said wireless transceivers, said loads, said signal processing circuitry, and said controller.

9. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 7 wherein said portable housing has opposing top and bottom ends and opposing first and second sides;

and wherein at least one of said antennas extends from the bottom end vertically upward toward the top end along at least one of the first and second sides.

10. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 7 wherein said portable housing has opposing top and bottom ends and opposing first and second sides;

and wherein at least one of said antennas is carried adjacent the bottom end of said portable housing.

11. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said plurality of loads comprises a plurality of impedance elements.

12. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said plurality of loads comprises at least one respective load for each of said antennas.

13. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a plurality of antennas comprising a monopole antenna and an inverted F antenna;

a plurality of wireless transceivers;

a plurality of loads;

signal processing circuitry; and

a controller for

selectively switching said signal processing circuitry to a desired one of said wireless transceivers,

selectively switching a desired one of said antennas to the desired one of said wireless transceivers, and

selectively switching a different one of said antennas to at least one of said loads.

14. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 wherein said inverted F antenna comprises a multi-band Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) antenna.

15. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 wherein said monopole antenna comprises a wideband code-division multiple access (WCDMA) frequency division duplex (FDD) band antenna.

16. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 13 wherein said controller also selectively switches the different one of said antennas to an unused one of said wireless transceivers.

17. A method for operating a mobile wireless communications device comprising a plurality of antennas having different structures, a plurality of wireless transceivers, a plurality of loads, and signal processing circuitry, the method comprising:

using a controller to selectively switch the signal processing circuitry to a desired one of the wireless transceivers;

using the controller to selectively switch a desired one of the antennas to the desired one of the wireless transceivers; and

using the controller to selectively switch a different one of the antennas to at least one of the loads.

18. The method of claim 17 where at least one of the antennas comprises a monopole antenna.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein at least one of the antennas comprises an inverted F antenna.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein at least one of the antennas comprises a multi-band Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) antenna.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein at least one of the antennas comprises a wideband code-division multiple access (WCDMA) frequency division duplex (FDD) band antenna.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising using the controller to selectively switch the different one of the antennas to an unused one of the wireless transceivers.