Electronic device and antenna switching method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12136941-B2
Application number	US-202318363908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2023
Priority date	Jan 8, 2019
Publication date	Nov 5, 2024
Grant date	Nov 5, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device and method thereof are provided. A method includes, while a wireless communication of a first frequency band is performed via a first 5G antenna, obtaining first status information related to the first 5G antenna and second status information related to a second 5G antenna; if the first status information does not satisfy a first predetermined condition and the second status information satisfies a second predetermined condition, switching from the first 5G antenna to the second 5G antenna, and performing the wireless communication in the first frequency band via the second 5G antenna; and if the first status information does not satisfy the first predetermined condition and the second status information does not satisfy the second predetermined condition, switching from the first 5G antenna to a legacy communication antenna, and performing the wireless communication in a second frequency band via the legacy communication antenna.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable communication device, comprising:
a first 5th generation (5G) antenna;
a second 5G antenna;
a legacy communication antenna; and
a processor,
wherein the processor is configured to:
while a wireless communication of a first frequency band is performed via the first 5G antenna, obtain first status information related to the first 5G antenna and second status information related to the second 5G antenna,
if the first status information does not satisfy a first predetermined condition and the second status information satisfies a second predetermined condition, switch from the first 5G antenna to the second 5G antenna, and perform the wireless communication in the first frequency band via the second 5G antenna, and
if the first status information does not satisfy the first predetermined condition and the second status information does not satisfy the second predetermined condition, switch from the first 5G antenna to the legacy communication antenna, and perform the wireless communication in a second frequency band via the legacy communication antenna.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first status information relates to a first temperature of the first 5G antenna and the first predetermined condition is the first temperature of the first 5G antenna being less than a specified temperature, and
wherein the second status information relates to a second temperature of the second 5G antenna and the second predetermined condition is the second temperature of the second 5G antenna being less than the specified temperature.

3. The portable communication device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third 5G antenna,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
while the wireless communication of the first frequency band is performed via the first 5G antenna, obtain the first status information related to the first 5G antenna, the second status information related to the second 5G antenna, and third status information related to the third 5G antenna, and
if the second status information satisfies the second predetermined condition and the third status information does not satisfy a third predetermined condition, switch from the first 5G antenna to the second 5G antenna, and perform the wireless communication via the second 5G antenna based on the identified first status information.

4. The portable communication device of claim 3 , wherein the first status information relates to a first beamforming angle of the first 5G antenna,
wherein the second status information relates to a second beamforming angle of the second 5G antenna, and
wherein the third status information relates to a third beamforming angle of the third 5G antenna.

5. The portable communication device of claim 4 , wherein the second predetermined condition includes an array arrangement direction of an antenna array of the second 5G antenna forming the second beamforming angle matching an array arrangement direction of an antenna array of the first 5G antenna forming the first beamforming angle, and
wherein the third predetermined condition includes an array arrangement direction of an antenna array of the third 5G antenna forming the third beamforming angle being different from the array arrangement direction of the antenna array of the first 5G antenna forming the first beamforming angle.

6. The portable communication device of claim 1 , further comprising a display,
wherein the processor is further configured to, if the first status information does not satisfy the first predetermined condition and the second status information does not satisfy the second predetermined condition, stop the wireless communication in the first frequency band, and control the display to display a notification indicating that a cellular network corresponding to the wireless communication in the first frequency band is not available.

7. The portable communication device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
after stopping the wireless communication, obtain third status information related to the first 5G antenna and fourth status information related to the second 5G antenna, and
based at least in part on the third status information and the fourth status information, resume performing the wireless communication in the first frequency band via the first 5G antenna or the second 5G antenna.

8. The portable communication device of claim 1 , further comprising a third 5G antenna,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
obtain third status information related to the third 5G antenna, and
based at least in part on the second status information and the third status information, perform the wireless communication in the first frequency band via the second 5G antenna or the third 5G antenna.

9. The portable communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first 5G antenna comprises a first antenna array (AR 1 ) and a second antenna array (AR 2 ),
wherein the second 5G antenna comprises a third antenna array (AR 3 ) and a fourth antenna array (AR 4 ),
wherein the first status information includes a first array arrangement direction of the AR 1 of the first antenna and a second array arrangement direction of the AR 2 ,
wherein the second status information includes a third array arrangement direction of the AR 3 and a fourth antenna array of the AR 4 ,
wherein the AR 1 and AR 3 are configured to form a first beam pattern in a direction of a rear plate of the portable communication device, and
wherein the AR 2 and AR 4 are configured to form a second beam pattern in a direction of a non-conductive region of a lateral surface of the portable communication device.

10. A method of a portable communication device, the method comprising:
while a wireless communication of a first frequency band is performed via a first 5th generation (5G) antenna, obtaining first status information related to the first 5G antenna and second status information related to a second 5G antenna;
if the first status information does not satisfy a first predetermined condition and the second status information satisfies a second predetermined condition, switching from the first 5G antenna to the second 5G antenna, and performing the wireless communication in the first frequency band via the second 5G antenna; and
if the first status information does not satisfy the first predetermined condition and the second status information does not satisfy the second predetermined condition, switching from the first 5G antenna to a legacy communication antenna, and performing the wireless communication in a second frequency band via the legacy communication antenna.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first status information relates to a first temperature of the first 5G antenna and the first predetermined condition is the first temperature of the first 5G antenna being less than a specified temperature, and
wherein the second status information relates to a second temperature of the second 5G antenna and the second predetermined condition is the second temperature of the second 5G antenna being less than the specified temperature.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising, while the wireless communication of the first frequency band is performed via the first 5G antenna, obtaining the first status information related to the first 5G antenna, the second status information related to the second 5G antenna, and third status information related to a third 5G antenna.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first status information relates to a first beamforming angle of the first 5G antenna,
wherein the second status information r

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kwon Ohhyuck
• Huh Jaeyoung
• Kang Daesuk
• Kim Boram
• Lim Jonghoon
• Park Sungchul

Classifications

• H04B17/318

  Received signal strength · CPC title

• H04B7/0602 Primary

  using antenna switching (H04B7/0686 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24) · CPC title

• G01K3/08

  giving differences of values (using thermoelectric elements G01K7/02); giving differentiated values · CPC title

• H04B1/0064

  with separate antennas for the more than one band (H04B1/0053 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04B1/401 Primary

  for selecting or indicating operating mode · CPC title