Antenna diversity systems for portable electronic devices

• US 8,159,399 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2008
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Dorsey, John G., Kough, Douglas B.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, DIEU HIEN
• Application Number:
  US12/132,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20090295648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 343/876, 343/702, 343/893, 455/101, 455/575.7
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• 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

Abstract

Antenna diversity systems are provided for portable electronic devices that have wireless communications circuitry and environment sensors. The wireless communications circuitry may include multiple redundant antennas that operate in one or more overlapping radio-frequency communications bands. The environment sensors and redundant antennas may be used in implementing an antenna diversity system. For example, an electronic device may use environment sensors to select an antenna for use in handling wireless communications. The electronic devices may monitor the wireless performance of an active antenna. When the wireless performance of the active antenna degrades, the electronic devices may select a new antenna for wireless communications using the antenna diversity system and environment sensors. Antenna selection may also be made based on which features are being used in the electronic device.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device with wireless communications circuitry, comprising:

an accelerometer that determines an orientation of the portable electronic device relative to the direction of gravity;

a plurality of antennas that each transmit and receive radio-frequency signals in at least a first radio-frequency band;

a radio-frequency transceiver;

switching circuitry that selectively couples one of the plurality of antennas to the radio-frequency transceiver, wherein the plurality of antennas comprises a first antenna and a second antenna; and

a proximity sensor that detects when an object comes within a given distance of the first antenna, wherein when the proximity sensor detects that an object has come within the given distance of the first antenna, the switching circuitry selectively couples the second antenna to the radio-frequency transceiver.

2. The portable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the switching circuitry comprises circuitry that selectively couples a given antenna in the plurality of antennas to the radio-frequency transceiver based at least partly on the orientation of the portable electronic device relative to the direction of gravity.

3. The portable electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising:

processing circuitry that selectively couples a given antenna in the plurality of antennas to the radio-frequency transceiver based at least partly on signals from the orientation sensor that indicate which antennas out of the plurality of antennas are facing away from the direction of gravity.

4. The portable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first antenna is located at one end of the portable electronic device and the second antenna is located at an opposite end of the portable electronic device.

5. The portable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein when the proximity sensor has not detected that an object has come within the given distance of the first antenna, the switching circuitry selectively couples the first antenna to the radio-frequency transceiver.

6. The portable electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising:

processing circuitry that uses signals from the orientation sensor that indicate the orientation of the portable electronic device to determine that a given antenna out of the first and second antennas is facing away from the direction of gravity, wherein when the proximity sensor does not detect that an object has come within the given distance of the first antenna, the given antenna is selectively coupled by the switching circuitry to the radio-frequency transceiver.

7. A portable electronic device comprising:

first and second antennas that each transmit and receive radio-frequency signals in at least a first radio-frequency band;

a first proximity sensor that is located adjacent to the first antenna and that detects objects relative to the first antenna;

a second proximity sensor that is located adjacent to the second antenna and that detects objects relative to the second antenna;

a radio-frequency transceiver; and

switching circuitry that selectively couples a selected one of the first and second antennas to the radio-frequency transceiver, wherein the switching circuitry selectively couples the first to the radio-frequency transceiver whenever a given communications protocol is being used by the radio-frequency transceiver and wherein the switching circuitry selectively couples a selected one of the first and second antennas to the radio-frequency transceiver based on signals from the first and second proximity sensors whenever the given communications protocol is not being used by the radio-frequency transceiver.

8. The portable electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein each proximity sensor comprises a light emitting diode that emits light at an infrared frequency from the portable electronic device and a light detecting diode that detects light at the infrared frequency that has been reflected back to the portable electronic device.

9. The portable electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the given communications protocol comprises a Bluetooth®

communications protocol.

10. The portable electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the first antenna is located at one end of the portable electronic device and the second antenna is located at an opposite end of the portable electronic device.