Antenna sharing apparatus for mobile communication terminal and method thereof

• US 7,605,701 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Won-Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/461,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20070030124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 340/10.1, 340/10.3, 340/10.33, 455/422.1, 455/550.1, 455/414.1, 455/556.1, 455/130, 455/351, 370/310, 370/315, 370/316, 370/319, 370/321, 370/328
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/006 using switches for selecting the desired band H04B1/0057 takes precedence

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal includes a first transceiver that transmits and receives signals, an RFID transceiver that transmits and receives signals, and a controller that stops the first transceiver while it is performing signal communication, and activates the RFID transceiver.

Claims

1. A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

a first transceiver that selectively transmits and receives signals;

an RFID transceiver that selectively transmits and receives signals;

a controller that halts an operation of the first transceiver while said mobile communication terminal is performing a signal communication, and activates the RFID transceiver; and

a duplexer that alternately connects an antenna to the first transceiver and the RFID transceiver,

wherein the controller deactivates the RFID transceiver while the mobile communication terminal is in an idle mode, and activates the RFID transceiver for a predetermined time slot period when the mobile communication terminal is in a sleep mode.

2. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the signal communication performed by the first transceiver is a voice call communicated using CDMA.

3. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller controls whether the antenna is connected to the first transceiver or the RFID transceiver.

4. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller connects the first transceiver to the antenna when the mobile communication terminal is in the idle mode, and connects the RFID transceiver to the antenna when the mobile communication terminal is in the sleep mode.

5. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller connects the RFID module to the antenna for a predetermined time period while the mobile communication terminal is in a calling state.

6. The mobile communication terminal of claim 5, wherein the controller periodically connects the RFID module to the antenna according to a slot cycle of the mobile communication terminal.

7. The mobile communication terminal of claim 5, wherein the controller connects the RFID module to the antenna for the predetermined time slot period during the sleep mode.

8. The mobile communication terminal of claim 7, wherein the mobile communication terminal does not communicate with a base station during the sleep mode.

9. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1, wherein the RFID transceiver communicates with a transponder.

10. A method for sharing an antenna of a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

determining whether the mobile communication terminal is in a calling state;

controlling a connection of an antenna to a first transceiver and a connection of the antenna to an RFID transceiver in response to the determination of whether the mobile communication terminal is in the calling state;

deactivating the RFID transceiver while the mobile communication terminal is in an idle mode; and

activating the RFID transceiver for a predetermined time slot period when the mobile communication terminal is in a sleep mode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling the connection of the antenna comprises connecting the antenna to the first transceiver when the mobile communication terminal is in the idle mode, and connecting the antenna to the RFID transceiver when the mobile communication terminal is in the sleep mode.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the RFID transceiver is connected to the antenna for the predetermined time slot period during the sleep mode.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling the connection of the antenna comprises periodically stopping a communication by the first transceiver when the mobile communication terminal is in the calling state, and connecting the RFID transceiver to the antenna.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the RFID transceiver is periodically connected to the antenna according to a slot cycle of the mobile communication terminal.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the RFID transceiver communicates with a transponder.

16. A method for sharing an antenna of a mobile communication terminal, comprising:

temporarily stopping call traffic communication during a calling state of the mobile communication terminal;

activating an RFID transceiver to perform RFID communication only while the call traffic communication is temporarily stopped;

re-starting the call traffic communication when the RFID communication is completed;

deactivating the RFID transceiver while the mobile communication terminal is in an idle mode; and

activating the RFID transceiver for a predetermined time slot period when the mobile communication terminal is in a sleep mode.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the RFID transceiver is activated during the calling state according to a slot cycle of the mobile communication terminal.

18. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for sharing an antenna of a mobile communication terminal, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:

a determination code segment that determines whether the mobile communication terminal is in a calling state;

a control code segment that controls a connection of an antenna to a first transceiver and a connection of the antenna to an RFID transceiver according to whether the mobile communication terminal is in the calling state;

a code segment that deactivates the RFID transceiver while the mobile communication terminal is in an idle mode; and

a code segment that activates the RFID transceiver for a predetermined time slot period when the mobile communication terminal is in a sleep mode.

19. A computer-readable storage medium which stores a program for sharing an antenna of a mobile communication terminal, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:

a stopping code segment that temporarily stops call traffic communication during a calling state of the mobile communication terminal;

an activating code segment that activates an RFID transceiver to perform RFID communication only while the call traffic communication is temporarily stopped;

a re-starting code segment that re-starts the call traffic communication when the RFID communication is completed;

a code segment that deactivates the RFID transceiver while the mobile communication terminal is in an idle mode; and

a code segment that activates the RFID transceiver for a predetermined time slot period when the mobile communication terminal is in a sleep mode.