Rf-antenna architecture in mobile communication devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016381618-A1
Application number	US-201514751227-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 26, 2015
Priority date	Jun 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing high-throughput and reliable operation in WiFi and cellular environments stem in antenna volume-constrained devices employs a switched or multiplexed cellular band antenna to support WiFi MIMO for mobile handheld operation. The device housing may a single, unitary metallic piece having the device antennas formed as part of the housing. Alternatively, one or more antennas may be internal to the device.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A portable electronic communication device comprising:
a housing; a WiFi transceiver; an LTE (long term evolution) transceiver; and a plurality of antennas, including a first antenna operating for WiFi at 2400 MHz, and a second antenna supporting at least cellular bands between 2300 MHz and 2690 MHz, the second antenna also being linkable to the WiFi transceiver to provide MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) operation.

2 . The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the device housing is metallic and the first and second antennas are formed as parts of the device housing.

3 . The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second antennas is internal to the device housing.

4 . The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second antenna is the sole device antenna operating at 2.4 and at 5.0 GHz.

5 . The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first antenna provides WiFi connectivity and the second antenna is switchable to provide WiFi connectivity via an RF (radio frequency) switch.

6 . The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a first WiFi antenna provides WiFi connectivity and the secondary antenna is switchable to provide WiFi connectivity via a multiplexer.

7 . The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second antenna is a primary cellular antenna.

8 . The portable electronic communication device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second antenna is a cellular diversity antenna.

9 . A method of antenna usage in a portable electronic communication device having a housing, a WiFi transceiver, an LTE (long term evolution) transceiver, and a plurality of antennas, the method comprising:
operating a first one of the plurality of antennas as a primary WiFi antenna at 2400 MHz; operating a second one of the plurality of antennas as a secondary WiFi antenna that also supports at least cellular bands between 2300 MHz and 2690 MHz; and selectively linking the secondary WiFi antenna to the WiFi transceiver for MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) operation.

10 . The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the device housing is metallic and the primary WiFi antenna and secondary WiFi antenna are formed as parts of the device housing.

11 . The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein at least one of the primary and secondary antennas is internal to the device housing.

12 . The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the secondary WiFi antenna is the sole device antenna operating at 2.4 and at 5.0 GHz.

13 . The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein selectively linking the secondary WiFi antenna to the WiFi transceiver comprises using one of an RF (radio frequency) switch and a multiplexer.

14 . The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the secondary WiFi antenna is a primary cellular antenna.

15 . The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the secondary WiFi antenna is a cellular diversity antenna.

16 . A portable electronic device comprising:
a WiFi transceiver; an LTE (long term evolution) transceiver; a plurality of antennas including a primary WiFi antenna, a secondary WiFi antenna and an alternative WiFi antenna, wherein the secondary WiFi antenna also supports at least cellular bands between 2300 MHz and 2690 MHz; and a processor configured to selectively switch the WiFi transceiver to one of the secondary WiFi antenna and the alternative WiFi antenna for MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) operation based on detection of an impingement at the other of the secondary WiFi antenna and the alternative WiFi antenna.

17 . The portable electronic device in accordance with claim 16 , wherein detection of an impingement at the other of the secondary WiFi antenna and the alternative WiFi antenna employs an RSSI comparison to evaluate the performance of the secondary WiFi antenna or alternative WiFi antenna.

18 . The portable electronic device in accordance with claim 16 , wherein detection of an impingement at the other of the secondary WiFi antenna and the alternative WiFi antenna employs a capacitive sensor adjacent at least one of the secondary WiFi antenna and the alternative WiFi antenna.

19 . The portable electronic device in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the secondary WiFi antenna is a primary cellular antenna.

20 . The portable electronic device in accordance with claim 16 , wherein the secondary WiFi antenna is a cellular diversity antenna.

Assignees

• Motorola Mobility Llc

Inventors

• Sayem Abu T
• Abdul-Gaffoor Mohammed
• Duong Minh H
• Olgun Ugur
• Slater Robert E

Classifications

• H01Q21/30

  Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system · CPC title

• H04B7/0413 Primary

  MIMO systems · CPC title

• H04W40/06 Primary

  based on characteristics of available antennas · CPC title

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H04B7/0608

  Antenna selection according to transmission parameters · CPC title