Patent ID: 9444530
Filing Date: 2016-09-13
CPC Classification: H01Q,H04B

Claim Text:
1. A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna device adapted for connecting electrically to a radio frequency (RF) circuit so as to transmit and receive RF signals, said MIMO antenna device comprising: a circuit board having a peripheral edge; a number (N) of antenna units disposed on said circuit board proximate to said peripheral edge of said circuit board and arranged in a loop formation, wherein (N) is an integer not smaller than 6 and is a multiple of 3; three (1×(N/3))-multiplexer units disposed on said circuit board, each of said (1×(N/3))-multiplexer units having (N/3) input terminals that are connected electrically and respectively to (N/3) corresponding ones of said (N) antenna units and being operable to select one of said (N/3) corresponding ones of said antenna units for connecting electrically the selected one of said (N/3) corresponding ones of said antenna units to the RF circuit; a controller connected electrically to said (1×(N/3))-multiplexer units, each of said (1×(N/3))-multiplexer units being controlled by said controller to select one of said antenna units connected thereto for connecting electrically the selected one of said antenna units to the RF circuit; and a signal-source determining unit that is connected electrically to said controller and that is adapted to be coupled to the RF circuit, said signal-source determining unit being operable to determine a source of a RF signal based on intensity of the RF signal received by each of said (N) antenna units, and to generate a control signal corresponding to the source of the RF signal for controlling said controller, said controller being responsive to the control signal so as to control each of said (1×(N/3))-multiplexer units to select one of said (N/3) corresponding ones of said (N) antenna units able to receive a maximum intensity of the RF signal relative to other ones of said antenna units in said (N/3) corresponding ones of said (N) antenna units for connecting electrically the selected one of said antenna units to the RF circuit.