Antenna Placement

• US 20140135060A1
• Filed: 01/21/2014
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mercer, Sean Russell
• Granted Patent: US 9,432,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• 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 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Antenna placement techniques are described. In one or more embodiments, a computing device includes an antenna suite having multiple different kinds of antennas. An antenna zone for the antenna suite may be established along a particular edge of the computing device. Non-interfering materials (e.g., RF transparent material) may be used within the antenna zone and other materials (e.g., metal) may be employed for other regions of the device. The multiple different kinds of antennas in the antenna suite may then be disposed within the established antenna zone. The antennas may be placed to minimize interference between antennas and/or achieve performance objective for the suite of antennas. In one approach, a suite of five antennas may be placed along a top edge of a computing device in a landscape orientation.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

multiple distinct antenna zones established for the computing device in designated areas of the computing device;

a plurality of antennas arranged within the multiple distinct antenna zones to provide multiple different types of wireless communication functionality; and

a microcontroller configured to selectively turn the multiple distinct antenna zones on and off responsive to changes in position of the computing device.

2. The computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the computing device is a tablet computing device.

3. The computing device described in claim 1, wherein the multiple antennas include at least one or more cellular antennas to provide cellular communications.

4. The computing device described in claim 1, wherein the changes in position of the computing device comprises changes in position of the computing device relative to an accessory device connectable to the computing device via an interface.

5. The computing device described in claim 4, wherein the interface is configured to enable rotation of the accessory device into different orientations relative to the computing device.

6. The computing device described in claim 1, wherein the changes in position of the computing device comprise changes between a portrait orientation and landscape orientation of the computing device.

7. The computing device described in claim 1, wherein the multiple antennas include a two-by-two multiple input/multiple output configuration for at least one type of wireless communication functionality.

8. The computing device described in claim 1, wherein selectively turning the multiple distinct antenna zones on and off comprises switching from using one antenna zone to using a different antenna zone for wireless communications based upon the position of the computing device.

9. The computing device described in claim 1, wherein the multiple antennas include a two-by-two multiple input/multiple output configuration for at least one type of wireless communication functionality.

10. The computing device described in claim 1, wherein one of said multiple distinct antenna zones includes a suite of multiple different types of antennas arranged together along a single, designated edge of the computing device.

11. A method comprising:

establishing an antenna zone for a computing device that is associated with an edge of the computing device; and

placing multiple antennas for the computing device within the antenna zone to provide multiple different types of wireless functionality.

12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the edge is a top edge of the computing device in a landscape orientation.

13. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the computing device is a tablet device.

14. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the multiple different types of wireless functionality include functionality for at least cellular communications, Wi-Fi communications, and global navigation.

15. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the multiple different types of wireless functionality include functionality for Wi-Fi communications and at least one other type of wireless functionality.

16. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the multiple different types of wireless functionality include functionality for cellular communications and at least one other type of wireless functionality.

17. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the multiple different types of wireless functionality include functionality for global navigation and at least one other type of wireless functionality.

18. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the multiple antennas include dual two-by-two multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antennas for Wi-Fi communications placed along the edge.

19. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the multiple antennas include a pair of cellular antennas for cellular communications placed at opposite corners of the device along the edge.

20. A tablet device comprising:

an antenna zone established for the tablet device along an edge of the tablet device;

an antenna suite of multiple antennas located within the antenna zone along the top edge, the multiple antennas including a pair of cellular antennas to provide cellular communications, a pair of Wi-Fi antennas for Wi-Fi communications, and a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna to provide global navigation functionality.