Wireless communication apparatus

A wireless communication apparatus includes a first antenna, an antenna driving circuit, a first medium, a second medium, and a second antenna. The antenna driving circuit drives the first antenna. The first medium is electrically connected between the first antenna and the antenna driving circuit. The second medium and the first medium are in energy coupling. The second antenna is electrically connected with the second medium.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 201210040549.4 filed in People's Republic of China on Feb. 21, 2012, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present disclosure relates to an electronic apparatus and, in particular, to a wireless communication apparatus.

2. Related Art

Wireless transmission has been widely applied to electronic products with broadband transmission function for satisfying customers' demands. Thus, the existing electronic products are mostly equipped with the wireless transmission function. In a wireless transmission system, an antenna is needed for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves. If the antenna is out of function, the wireless transmission system can not normally transmit or receive data. In other words, the antenna is an indispensable role in the wireless transmission.

If the position of the antenna is close to a metal body, the metal body will shield the antenna radiation so that the communication dead space, thereby decreasing the communication performance. However, many commercial products have metal appearances, which suffer the antenna transmission performance. In addition, if the antenna is damaged, the wireless communication apparatus will lose the communication function.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A wireless communication apparatus includes a first antenna, an antenna driving circuit, a first medium, a second medium, and a second antenna. The antenna driving circuit drives the first antenna. The first medium is electrically connected between the first antenna and the antenna driving circuit. The second medium and the first medium are in energy coupling. The second antenna is electrically connected with the second medium.

As mentioned above, the wireless communication apparatus of the disclosure includes a first antenna, a first medium, a second antenna and a second medium. When the signal transmission performance of the first antenna is bad or the first antenna is damaged, the feeding signal outputted from the antenna driving circuit can be transferred to the second antenna through the energy coupling between the first medium and the second medium, thereby utilizing the second antenna to transmit the signal. Accordingly, the wireless communication apparatus of this disclosure provides two transmission paths for the antenna signals. The first transmission path includes the antenna driving circuit, the first medium and the first antenna, and the second transmission path includes the antenna driving circuit, the first medium, the second medium and the second antenna. Thus, the transmission paths can be switched based on the actual circumstances, thereby improving the communication function of the wireless communication apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1is a block diagram showing a wireless communication apparatus1according to a first embodiment of the disclosure. In this embodiment, the wireless communication apparatus1is a laptop computer. Of course, the wireless communication apparatus1may also be a TV, a computer (e.g. a tablet PC), a portable communication device (e.g. a mobile phone), or a network communication device (e.g. an access point).

The wireless communication apparatus1includes a first antenna11, an antenna driving circuit12, a first medium13, a second medium14and a second antenna15. The first antenna11and the second antenna15can be any kind of antenna such as a planar antenna, a solid antenna, a directional antenna or an omni-directional antenna. Besides, the operation frequency of this embodiment is not limited and it can be the working band of WLAN a/b/g/n, WiMAX and UWB.

The antenna driving circuit12is configured to drive the first antenna11. The first medium13is electrically connected between the first antenna11and the antenna driving circuit12. In this embodiment, the antenna driving circuit12is electrically connected with the first antenna11by a conductive unit, such as a coaxial transmission line. The first medium13is located between the conductive unit and the first antenna11. The signal transmission distance of the first medium13and the first antenna11is specially designed, and is for example equal to ¼ of the operation wavelength of the first antenna11. In the transmission line theory, it is an open loop from the view of the first medium. This configuration helps the energy coupling of the first medium13and the second medium14.

The first medium13and the second medium14are in energy coupling. In general, the materials of the first medium13and the second medium14are selected to enable the energy coupling therebetween. For example, the materials of the first medium13and the second medium14are ceramic or microwave material (e.g. Duroid). The energy coupling effect between the first medium13and the second medium14is relative to the distance therebetween. For example, when the distance between the first medium13and the second medium14is shorter, the intensity of the energy coupling is stronger. Besides, the second antenna15is electrically connected with the second medium14.

The wireless communication apparatus1of this disclosure provides two transmission paths for the antenna signals. The first transmission path includes the antenna driving circuit12, the first medium13and the first antenna11, and it is applied to transmit or receive antenna signals in the normal circumstance. The second transmission path includes the antenna driving circuit12, the first medium13, the second medium .14and the second antenna15, and it is applied to transmit or receive antenna signals in the special circumstance (e.g. the transmission performance of the first antenna11is bad or the antenna is damaged). In the second transmission path, the second antenna15can replace the first antenna11to transmit or receive signals due to the energy coupling between the first medium13and the second medium14.

The two transmission paths can be switched based on the actual circumstances, thereby improving the communication function of the wireless communication apparatus. Of course, the disclosure is not limited to this (two transmission paths), and it is possible to configure more antennas and media for building more transmission paths.

FIG. 2is a block diagram showing a wireless communication apparatus1aaccording to a second embodiment of the disclosure. Different from the first embodiment, the wireless communication apparatus1afurther comprises a medium driving module16, which is connected with the second medium14for driving the second medium14to move toward or away from the first medium13. When the distance between the first medium13and the second medium14is smaller than a default value, the energy coupling between the first medium13and the second medium14is enabled, or the energy coupling intensity is sufficiently increased. The medium driving module16may include several actuators such as motors, gears, belts or the likes.

FIG. 3is a block diagram showing a wireless communication apparatus1baccording to a third embodiment of the disclosure. Different from the second embodiment, the medium driving module16is connected with the first medium13for driving the first medium13to move toward or away from the second medium14. Otherwise, it is also possible to combine both of the features of the second and third embodiments so that the first medium13and the second medium can be independently moved.

FIG. 4is a block diagram showing a wireless communication apparatus1caccording to a fourth embodiment of the disclosure. Different from the above embodiments, the wireless communication apparatus1cfurther comprises a medium isolating element17disposed between the first medium13and the second medium14for blocking the energy coupling between the first medium13and the second medium14. Moreover, the wireless communication apparatus1cfurther comprises a medium isolating driving module18for driving the medium isolating element17to move. When the medium isolating element17is moved to the position between the first medium13and the second medium14, the energy coupling between the first medium13and the second medium14is terminated. Alternatively, when the medium isolating element17is removed from the position between the first medium13and the second medium14, the energy coupling between the first medium13and the second medium14is enabled.