Antenna device, electronic device, and wireless communication method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10593183-B2
Application number	US-201816232989-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2018
Priority date	Jun 26, 2018
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an antenna device includes at least one terminal, a plurality of array antennas, a plurality of sensors corresponding to the plurality of array antennas, and a selection circuit. Each sensor of the plurality of sensors measures a temperature of an array antenna corresponding to the sensor among the plurality of array antennas. The selection circuit selects at least one array antenna from the plurality of array antennas, based on the temperature measured by each sensor. The at least one array antenna is connected to a wireless communication circuit via the at least one terminal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna device comprising:
at least one terminal;
a plurality of array antennas;
a plurality of sensors corresponding to the plurality of array antennas, each sensor of the plurality of sensors measuring a temperature of an array antenna corresponding to the sensor among the plurality of array antennas; and
a selection circuit that selects at least one array antenna from the plurality of array antennas, based at least in part on the temperature measured by each sensor, wherein
the at least one array antenna is connected to a wireless communication circuit via the at least one terminal.

2. The antenna device of claim 1 , wherein
the selection circuit selects the at least one array antenna having the temperature lower than a first temperature.

3. The antenna device of claim 2 , wherein,
when the temperature of one of the at least one array antenna becomes the first temperature or higher than the first temperature,
the selection circuit deselects the one of the at least one array antenna, and selects another array antenna having the temperature lower than the first temperature from the plurality of array antennas.

4. The antenna device of claim 2 , further comprising:
an alarm generator that generates an alarm when the temperature of one of the at least one array antenna becomes the first temperature or higher than the first temperature.

5. The antenna device of claim 1 , wherein
each sensor comprises a thermistor, a thermocouple, a diode, or a bipolar transistor.

6. An electronic device comprising:
a wireless communication circuit;
a plurality of array antennas;
a plurality of sensors corresponding to the plurality of array antennas, each sensor of the plurality of sensors measuring a temperature of an array antenna corresponding to the sensor among the plurality of array antennas; and
a selection connection circuit that selects at least one array antenna from the plurality of array antennas, based at least in part on the temperature measured by each sensor, and connects the at least one array antenna to the wireless communication circuit.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein
the selection connection circuit selects the at least one array antenna having the temperature lower than a first temperature.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein,
when the temperature of one of the at least one array antenna becomes the first temperature or higher than the first temperature,
the selection connection circuit deselects the one of the at least one array antenna, and selects another array antenna having the temperature lower than the first temperature from the plurality of array antennas.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising:
an alarm generator that generates an alarm when the temperature of one of the at least one array antenna becomes the first temperature or higher than the first temperature.

10. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein
each sensor comprises a thermistor, a thermocouple, a diode, or a bipolar transistor.

11. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein
the wireless communication circuit comprises a plurality of ports for multi-input multi-output wireless communication,
the number of the plurality of array antennas is greater than the number of the plurality of ports, and
the selection connection circuit selects array antennas of which the number is equal to the number of the plurality of ports from the plurality of array antennas, and connects each of the selected array antennas to each of the plurality of ports differently.

12. A wireless communication method for an electronic device,
the electronic device comprising
a wireless communication circuit,
a plurality of array antennas, and
a plurality of sensors corresponding to the plurality of array antennas, each sensor of the plurality of sensors measuring a temperature of an array antenna corresponding to the sensor among the plurality of array antennas,
the wireless communication method comprising:
selecting at least one array antenna from the plurality of array antennas, based at least in part on the temperature measured by each sensor; and
connecting the at least one array antenna to the wireless communication circuit.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein
the selecting comprising selecting the at least one array antenna having the temperature lower than a first temperature.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
when the temperature of one of the at least one array antenna becomes the first temperature or higher than the first temperature,
deselecting the one of the at least one array antenna; and
selecting another array antenna having the temperature lower than the first temperature from the plurality of array antennas.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
generating an alarm when the temperature of one of the at least one array antenna becomes the first temperature or higher than the first temperature.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein
the wireless communication circuit comprises a plurality of ports for multi-input multi-output wireless communication, and
the number of the plurality array antennas is greater than the number of the plurality ports,
the method further comprising:
selecting array antennas of which the number is equal to the number of the plurality of ports from the plurality of array antennas; and
connecting each of the selected array antennas to each of the plurality of ports differently.

Assignees

• Toshiba Client Solutions Co Ltd

Inventors

• Funaki Yasuo
• Hosokawa Takeshi

Classifications

• H04Q2209/823

  where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm · CPC title

• H04Q2209/40

  using a wireless architecture · CPC title

• H04Q9/00

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• H01Q21/28

  Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems {(multiple beam H01Q25/00)} · CPC title

• H01Q21/0025

  Modular arrays · CPC title