Method for operating antenna and electronic device implementing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10812124-B2
Application number	US-201514799035-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2015
Priority date	Jul 14, 2014
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A method for operating an antenna and an electronic device implementing the method are provided. The electronic device includes a power feed module including a first power feed terminal and a second power feed terminal, a current supply module configured to select one of the first power feed terminal and the second power feed terminal and to supply an electric current to the selected power feed terminal, and an antenna module including a first antenna and a second antenna. The electronic device further includes a connection module configured to connect the power feed module and the antenna module, and a control module configured to control the current supply module. The connection module includes a plurality of wirings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
an antenna module including a first antenna and a second antenna;
a power feed module including a first power feed terminal and a second power feed terminal;
a connector module connecting the power feed module and the antenna module;
a current supply module supplying an electric current to at least one of the first power feed terminal and the second power feed terminal; and
at least one processor operatively connected to the current supply module,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
identify a wireless communication operator through a universal subscriber identity module (USIM) card,
when the identified wireless communication operator is identified to be a first wireless communication operator, select the first power feed terminal corresponding to a first frequency band serviced by the first wireless communication operator,
when the identified wireless communication operator is identified to be a second wireless communication operator, select the second power feed terminal corresponding to a second frequency band serviced by the second wireless communication operator, and
supply the electric current to the selected one of the first power feed terminal and the second power feed terminal through the current supply module, wherein the connector module includes a plurality of wirings,

wherein the plurality of wirings comprise a first wiring path from the first power feed terminal to the first antenna, a second wiring path from the second power feed terminal to the first antenna, a third wiring path from the first power feed terminal to the second antenna, and a fourth wiring path from the second power feed terminal to the second antenna,
wherein the first wiring path and the second wiring path have substantially the same length for the first antenna, and the third wiring path and the fourth wiring path have a different length for the second antenna,
wherein the length of the third wiring paths is adjusted to change a first resonant frequency based on an available frequency among a plurality of available frequencies offered by the first wireless communication operator, and
wherein the length of the fourth wiring paths is adjusted to change a second resonant frequency based on an available frequency among a plurality of available frequencies offered by the second wireless communication operator.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the connector module comprises a first wiring connecting the second power feed terminal and the second antenna, a third wiring connected with the second antenna at one end, a fourth wiring connecting the other end of the third wiring and the first antenna, and a second wiring connecting the first power feed terminal and the fourth wiring, and
wherein the first path is formed of the second wiring and the fourth wiring, the second path is formed of the first wiring, the third wiring and the fourth wiring, the third path is formed of the second wiring and the third wiring, and the fourth path is formed of the first wiring.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
ascertain the USIM card inserted in a slot, and
ascertain wireless communication operator information based on information stored in the USIM card, and

wherein, when the USIM card is selectable from multiple USIM cards, the at least one processor is further configured to:
select the USIM card through switching, and
ascertain the wireless communication operator information through the selected USIM card.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein, when wireless communication operator information is stored in a memory, the at least one processor is further configured to ascertain the wireless communication operator information stored in the memory.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the current supply module further comprises a switch for selecting at least one of the first power feed terminal or the second power feed terminal, and
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the switch to select at least one of the first power feed terminal or the second power feed terminal.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
when the first power feed terminal is selected through the current supply module, supply the electric current from the first power feed terminal to the first antenna through the first path or to supply the current from the first power feed terminal to the second antenna through the third path.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
when the second power feed terminal is selected through the current supply module, supply the electric current from the second power feed terminal to the first antenna through the second path, or
supply the electric current from the second power feed terminal to the second antenna through the fourth path.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the frequency band comprises one or more frequency bands, and
wherein the USIM card stores user identification information, device identification information, and user additional information.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the antenna module is composed of conductive components of the electronic device,
wherein the conductive components include a connector member mounted on a conductive layer disposed on a circuit board of the electronic device, and
wherein the connector member is connected to at least one of the first antenna and the second antenna.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising a slit formed by partially removing the conductive layer from an area surrounding the connector member.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising a power feeding line formed across the slit,
wherein the connector member is connected to the first power feed terminal and to the second power feed terminal through the power feeding line.

12. A method for operating an antenna in an electronic device, the method comprising:
identifying a wireless communication operator through a universal subscriber identity module (USIM) card,
when the identified wireless communication operator is identified to be a first wireless communication operator, selecting, by at least one processor, a first power feed terminal of a power feed module corresponding to a first frequency band serviced by the first wireless communication operator,
when the identified wireless communication operator is identified to be a second wireless communication operator, selecting, by at least one processor, a second power feed terminal of the power feed module corresponding to a second frequency band serviced by the second wireless communication operator, and
supplying, by the at least one processor, an electric current to the selected one of the first power feed terminal and the second power feed terminal through a current supply module of the electronic device,
wherein the power feed module connected to an antenna module through a connector module, wherein the antenna module including a first antenna and a second antenna,
wherein the connector module includes a plurality of wirings,
wherein the plurality of wirings comprise a first wiring path from the first power feed terminal to the first antenna, a second wiring path from the second power feed terminal to the first antenna, a third wiring path from the first power feed terminal to the second antenna, and a fourth wiring path from the second power feed terminal to the second antenna,
wherein the first wiring path and the sec

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jongkui
• Kim Yongtae
• Cho Sunghee

Classifications

• H01Q13/10 Primary

  Resonant slot antennas · CPC title

• H01Q5/371

  Branching current paths · CPC title

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q21/28

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

• H01Q9/40

  Element having extended radiating surface · CPC title