Systems, apparatus, and methods for selecting antennas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017194719-A1
Application number	US-201514986145-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 31, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to principles of the embodiments as disclosed herein, a device that determines its own orientation and selects an appropriately oriented antenna based on the device's orientation is provided. The device may include a housing including an interior having a base and a top and a first sidewall extending from a perimeter of the base to the top. A plurality of antenna may be coupled to the housing one or more orientation sensors may also be coupled to the housing. A controller may be electrically coupled to each of the plurality of antenna and the one or more orientation sensors, and may be configured to receive information from the one or more orientation sensors, determine an orientation of the housing, and select one of the plurality of antenna to transmit and receive data. A transceiver may be located within the housing and at least one of the plurality of antenna may be being electrically coupled to the antenna.

First claim

1 . A set top box, comprising:
a housing including an interior having a base and a top and a first sidewall extending from a perimeter of the base to the top; a plurality of antenna coupled to the housing; one or more orientation sensors coupled to the housing; a controller coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to each of the plurality of antenna and the one or more orientation sensors, the controller configured to receive information from the one or more orientation sensors, determine an orientation of the housing, and select one of the plurality of antenna; a transceiver within the housing, the controller configured to selectively couple the transceiver to one or more of the plurality of antenna.

2 . The set top box of claim 1 , wherein a first of the plurality of antenna is in a first orientation and a second of the plurality of antenna is in a second orientation.

3 . The set top box of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electric motor coupled to a first antenna of the plurality antenna and electrically coupled to the controller, the controller configured to actuate the motor to change an orientation of the first antenna based on the orientation of the housing.

4 . The set top box of claim 3 , further comprising:
a position sensor coupled to the first antenna and electrically coupled to the controller, the controller configured to receive information from the position sensor and determine the orientation of the first antenna.

5 . The set top box of claim 1 , wherein a first of the one or more orientation sensors is a proximity sensor coupled to the housing and configured to sense if an object external to the housing is proximate the housing, the controller configured to receive proximity information from the proximity sensor and determine an orientation of the housing and select one of the plurality of antenna based on the orientation of the housing.

6 . The set top box of claim 5 , wherein the proximity sensor is coupled at a first side of the housing, and further comprising:
a first of the plurality of antenna located a first distance from the proximity sensor; and a second of the plurality of antenna located a second distance from the proximity sensor, the controller configured to select the first of the plurality of antenna when the controller determines the object is proximate the housing and the second of the plurality of antenna when the controller determines no object is proximate the housing.

7 . The set top box of claim 1 , further comprising:
a stand coupled to the housing and configured to orient the housing in a first orientation; a first of the plurality of antenna oriented in a first orientation; and a second of the plurality of antenna oriented in a second orientation; and a proximity sensor configured to sense the proximity of the stand to the housing, the controller configured to select the first of the plurality of antenna when the controller determines the stand is proximate the housing and to select the second of the plurality of antenna when the controller determines the stand is not proximate the housing.

8 . The set top box of claim 1 , wherein a first of the one or more orientation sensors is an accelerometer coupled to the housing configured to sense acceleration due to gravity on the housing, the controller configured to receive acceleration information from the accelerometer and determine an orientation of the housing and select one of the plurality of antenna based on the orientation of the housing.

9 . The set top box of claim 1 , wherein a first of the one or more orientation sensors is a gyroscope coupled to the housing configured to sense an angular orientation of the housing, the controller configured to receive angular orientation information from the gyroscope and determine an orientation of the housing and select one of the plurality of antenna based on the orientation of the housing.

10 . The set top box of claim 7 , further comprising:
a first of the plurality of antenna oriented in a first orientation; and a second of the plurality of antenna oriented in a second orientation; wherein the proximity sensor is a limit switch configured to switch between a first state when the stand is proximate a housing and a second state when the stand is not proximate the housing, the controller configured to select the first of the plurality of antenna when the controller determines the stand is proximate the housing and the second of the plurality of antenna when the controller determines the stand is not proximate the housing.

11 . The set top box of claim 1 , further comprising:
a switch having an input and a plurality of outputs, the input electrically coupled to the transceiver and each of the plurality of outputs electrically coupled to a respective one of the plurality of antenna, the controller configured to electrically couple the transceiver to one of the plurality of antenna.

12 . The set top box of claim 1 , further comprising:
a retractable stand coupled to the housing and configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position; a first of the plurality of antenna oriented in a first orientation; and a second of the plurality of antenna oriented in a second orientation; and a proximity sensor configured to sense the position of the stand, the controller configured to select the first of the plurality of antenna when the controller determines the stand is in the retracted position and to select the second of the plurality of antenna when the controller determines the stand is in the extended position.

13 . The set top box of claim 1 , wherein the first of the plurality of antenna is a set of antennas.

14 . A method, comprising:
receiving an indication of orientation of a housing from an orientation sensor, the housing have a plurality of antenna contained therein; determining an orientation of the housing based on the indication of orientation; selecting a first antenna from the plurality of antenna within the enclosure based on the orientation of the housing; electrically connecting the first antenna to a transceiver; and transmitting data on the first antenna from the transceiver.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein selecting a first antenna includes selecting a motorized antenna and further comprising:
changing a position of the motorized antenna by actuating a motor of the motorized antenna.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein selecting a first antenna includes selecting a motorized antenna and further comprising:
determining a starting orientation of the first antenna using an orientation sensor; and moving the first antenna to a second orientation by actuating a motor of the motorized antenna.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the orientation of the housing based on the indication of orientation includes:
determining the orientation of the housing relative to the direction of the force of gravity.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the orientation of the housing based on the indication of orientation includes:
determining whether a base is coupled to the housing.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the orientation of the housing based on the indication of orientation includes:
determining whether a base that is coupled to the housing is in an extended or retracted position.

20 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining whether an object is proximate housing; and selecting a first antenna of the plurality of a

Assignees

• Echostar Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Bruhn Christopher William
• Langer Paul

Classifications

• H01Q1/2291

  used in Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi® devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] (H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W) · CPC title

• H01Q3/04

  for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation · CPC title

• H01Q21/245 Primary

  provided with means for varying the polarisation  (polarising devices H01Q15/24; tracking by comparing linear polarisation compounds G01S3/146; reducing depolarisation effects H04B7/00; polarisation diversity H04B7/10) · CPC title

• H01Q3/24

  varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching · CPC title

• H01Q3/02

  using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole · CPC title