Electronic device for identifying performance of communication circuit based on signal transmitted and received via antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11329395-B2
Application number	US-201916702000-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2019
Priority date	Dec 4, 2018
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

An electronic device is provided The electronic device includes a patch antenna element, at least one antenna including a first feeding unit electrically connected to the patch antenna element and a second feeding unit electrically connected to the patch antenna element so as to have a designated isolation for a signal that is input to the first feeding unit, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) which includes a first communication circuit including a first transmission circuit and a first reception circuit which are electrically connected to the first feeding unit, and a second communication circuit including a second transmission circuit and a second reception circuit which are electrically connected to the second feeding unit, and a processor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable communication device comprising:
a printed circuit board;
one antenna disposed on the printed circuit board;
a first feeding unit connected to a first part of the one antenna;
a second feeding unit connected to a second part of the one antenna that is different from the first part of the one antenna, but is physically part of a same one antenna as the first part of the one antenna;
a first communication circuit comprising a first transmission circuit and a first reception circuit;
a second communication circuit comprising a second transmission circuit and a second reception circuit;
a first switch circuit configured to connect the first feeding unit with one of the first transmission circuit or the first reception circuit;
a second switch circuit configured to connect the second feeding unit with one of the second transmission circuit or the second reception circuit; and
at least one processor configured to:
connect the first transmission circuit with the first feeding unit via the first switch circuit,
connect the second reception circuit with the second feeding unit via the second switch circuit,
transmit a signal to the one antenna via only the first transmission circuit and the first switch circuit,
receive the transmitted signal from the one antenna via only the second reception circuit and the second switch circuit, and
based on the received signal, determine a state of at least a part of a signal path comprising only the first transmission circuit, the one antenna, and the second reception circuit, and excluding the first reception circuit, the second transmission circuit, and any path between the one antenna and a second antenna.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1 ,
wherein the printed circuit board comprises a first surface and a second surface facing opposite to the first surface,
wherein the one antenna is disposed on the first surface, and
wherein the first communication circuit and the second communication circuit are disposed on the second surface.

3. The portable communication device of claim 1 , further comprising:
another printed circuit board,
wherein the at least one processor is disposed on the other printed circuit board.

4. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform calibration related to the signal path based on the determination of the state.

5. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the determination of the state when at least a part of the received signal is attenuated by a designated degree or more in comparison to the transmitted signal.

6. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform the determination of the state based on at least one of a magnitude difference, phase difference, or frequency difference between the transmitted signal and the received signal.

7. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first switch circuit comprises:
a first wiring configured to connect the first feeding unit and the first transmission circuit;
a second wiring configured to connect the first feeding unit and the first reception circuit;
a first switch configured to electrically connect or disconnect a ground and a point on the first wiring having a length of λ/4 from the first feeding unit; and
a second switch configured to electrically connect or disconnect the ground and a point on the second wiring having a length of λ/4 from the first feeding unit.

8. The portable communication device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
electrically disconnect the first wiring and the ground via the first switch, and
electrically connect the second wiring with the ground via the second switch to transfer the transmitted signal to the first feeding unit from the first transmission circuit.

9. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the second switch circuit comprises:
a third wiring configured to connect the second feeding unit and the second transmission circuit;
a fourth wiring configured to connect the second feeding unit and the second reception circuit;
a third switch configured to electrically connect or disconnect a ground and a point on the third wiring having a length of λ/4 from the second feeding unit; and
a fourth switch configured to electrically connect or disconnect the ground and a point on the fourth wiring having a length of λ/4 from the second feeding unit.

10. The portable communication device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
electrically connect the third wiring and the ground via the third switch, and
electrically disconnect the fourth wiring and the ground via the fourth switch to transfer the received signal to the second reception circuit from the second feeding unit.

11. The portable communication device of claim 1 ,
wherein the first communication circuit is configured to support a horizontal polarization component of signals transmitted or received via the one antenna, and
wherein the second communication circuit is configured to support a vertical polarization component of signals transmitted or received via the one antenna.

12. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit an RF signal of a frequency band designated to be used for 5G network communication to the one antenna via the first transmission circuit.

13. The portable communication device of claim 12 , wherein the frequency band is 6 GHz or higher.

14. A portable communication device comprising:
a printed circuit board;
one antenna disposed on the printed circuit board;
a first feeding unit connected to a first part of the one antenna;
a second feeding unit connected to a second part of the one antenna that is different from the first part of the one antenna, but is physically part of a same one antenna as the first part of the one antenna;
a first communication circuit comprising a first transmission circuit and a first reception circuit;
a second communication circuit comprising a second transmission circuit and a second reception circuit;
a first switch circuit configured to selectively connect the first feeding unit with one of the first transmission circuit or the first reception circuit;
a second switch circuit configured to selectively connect the second feeding unit with one of the second transmission circuit or the second reception circuit; and
at least one processor configured to:
connect the first transmission circuit with the first feeding unit via the first switch circuit,
connect the second reception circuit with the second feeding unit via the second switch circuit,
transmit a signal to the one antenna via only the first transmission circuit and the first switch circuit,
receive at least a part of the transmitted signal from the one antenna via only the second reception circuit and the second switch circuit, and
based on the at least part of the transmitted signal, perform calibration related to a signal path comprising only the at least one processor, the first transmission circuit, the one antenna, and the second reception circuit, and excluding the first reception circuit, the second transmission circuit, and any path between the one antenna and a second antenna.

15. The portable communication device of claim 14 , wherein the first switch circuit comprises:
a first wiring configured to connect the first

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Chaejun
• Kim Jihoon
• Kim Jiyong
• Na Hyoseok
• Lee Jongin

Classifications

• H04B17/14

  of the whole transmission and reception path, e.g. self-test loop-back · CPC title

• H01Q9/0442

  with particular tuning means · CPC title

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q9/0414

  in a stacked or folded configuration · CPC title

• H04B17/21

  for calibration; for correcting measurements · CPC title