Antenna swapping methods including repeatedly swapping between antennas, and related wireless electronic devices

Antenna swapping methods for a wireless electronic device may include repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating a first antenna and activating a second antenna, and measuring an antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device, during a time period of repeated swapping. The methods may include comparing the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device during the time period of repeated swapping and an antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device before the time period of repeated swapping. The methods may include, in response to determining that the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device during the time period of repeated swapping is stronger than the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device before the time period of repeated swapping, swapping once between the first and second antennas. Related devices are also described.

FIELD

The present inventive concepts generally relate to the field of communications and, more particularly, to antennas and wireless electronic devices incorporating the same.

BACKGROUND

Wireless electronic devices may include a greater number of antennas than active transceivers. Accordingly, a given wireless electronic device may swap from using one antenna with an active transceiver to using a different antenna with the active transceiver. Swapping between the antennas, however, may risk decreasing communications quality because the wireless electronic device may swap to a worse-performing antenna in some cases.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments of the present inventive concepts include antenna swapping methods for a wireless electronic device. The antenna swapping methods may include repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating a first antenna and activating a second antenna, and measuring an antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device, during a time period of repeated swapping. The antenna swapping methods may include comparing the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device during the time period of repeated swapping and an antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device before the time period of repeated swapping. The antenna swapping methods may include, in response to determining that the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device during the time period of repeated swapping is stronger than the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device before the time period of repeated swapping, swapping once between the first and second antennas.

In various embodiments, repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna may include a plurality of swaps for antenna evaluation purposes during the time period of repeated swapping, and may be more temporary than the swapping once.

According to various embodiments, repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna may include continuously swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna during the time period of repeated swapping such that the first and second antennas are alternately active during/within adjacent time slots, respectively.

In various embodiments, the swapping once may include swapping between the first and second antennas to maintain one of the first and second antennas as an active antenna continuously for a plurality of contiguous time slots.

According to various embodiments, repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna may include repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna in response to detecting weak signal conditions.

In various embodiments, detecting the weak signal conditions may include detecting and/or using a Single Input Single Output (SISO) mode and/or a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)/2 G mode for communications of the wireless electronic device.

According to various embodiments, the wireless electronic device may include a main signal path including uplink and downlink signal paths that are configured for transmissions through the first and second antennas, and a diversity signal path that configured is for downlink signals only. In some embodiments, communications using the diversity signal path may be disabled in response to the SISO mode and/or the GSM/2 G mode.

In various embodiments, repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna may include repeatedly swapping back and forth between connecting the first antenna to the main signal path, together with disconnecting the second antenna from the main signal path, and connecting the second antenna to the main signal path, together with disconnecting the first antenna from the main signal path.

According to various embodiments, comparing the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device during the time period of repeated swapping and the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device before the time period of repeated swapping may include comparing a signal quality measurement of the wireless electronic device during the time period of repeated swapping and a signal quality measurement of the wireless electronic device before the time period of repeated swapping.

In various embodiments, the signal quality measurement of the wireless electronic device during the time period of repeated swapping may include an average of signal quality when the first antenna is active and signal quality when the second antenna is active. Alternatively, the signal quality measurement of the wireless electronic device during the time period of repeated swapping may be a measurement that ignores (e.g., excludes) the signal quality of the one of the first and second antennas that was active immediately before repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna. In some embodiments, the signal quality measurement of the wireless electronic device before the time period of repeated swapping may include a stored value of signal quality of the one of the first and second antennas that was active immediately before repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna.

Wireless electronic devices according to various embodiments may include first and second antennas connected to a multi-band transceiver circuit configured to provide communications for the wireless electronic devices via a plurality of frequency bands. The first and second antennas may be configured to connect to the multi-band transceiver circuit via main and diversity signal paths. The wireless electronic devices may include a controller configured to control repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna, and configured to control measuring an antenna performance characteristic of the a particular one of the wireless electronic devices, during a time period of repeated swapping. The controller may be configured to compare the antenna performance characteristic of the particular one of the wireless electronic devices during the time period of repeated swapping and an antenna performance characteristic of the particular one of the wireless electronic devices before the time period of repeated swapping. The controller may be configured to control swapping once between the first and second antennas in response to determining that the antenna performance characteristic of the particular one of the wireless electronic devices during the time period of repeated swapping is stronger than the antenna performance characteristic of the particular one of the wireless electronic devices before the time period of repeated swapping.

In various embodiments, the main signal path may provide a path for both uplink and downlink signals, whereas the diversity signal path may provide a path for downlink signals only.

According to various embodiments, the first and second antennas may include redundant antennas with respect to each other for the main signal path.

In various embodiments, the controller may be configured to command a multiplexer connected between the main and diversity signal paths and the first and second antennas to switch which of the first and second antennas is connected to the main signal path.

According to various embodiments, the wireless electronic devices may include a non-transitory storage medium that stores an antenna swapping algorithm. The controller may be configured to control input of the antenna performance characteristic of the a particular one of the wireless electronic devices during the time period of repeated swapping and the antenna performance characteristic of the particular one of the wireless electronic devices before the time period of repeated swapping into the antenna swapping algorithm. The controller may be configured to control input of an output of the antenna swapping algorithm into the multiplexer to switch which of the first and second antennas is connected to the main signal path.

In various embodiments, the wireless electronic devices may include a third antenna connected to the multiplexer. The controller may be configured to command the multiplexer to connect one of the first, second, and third antennas to the main signal path. The controller may be configured to command the multiplexer to disconnect another one of the first, second, and third antennas from the main signal path.

According to various embodiments, repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna may include continuously swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna during the time period of repeated swapping such that the first and second antennas are alternately active during/within adjacent time slots, respectively. The swapping once may include swapping between the first and second antennas to maintain one of the first and second antennas as an active antenna continuously for a plurality of contiguous time slots. The time period of repeated swapping may include a time period ranging from about 100.0 milliseconds to about 2.0 seconds. The controller may be configured to maintain the one of the first and second antennas after the swapping once for at least about 5.0 seconds

In various embodiments, repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna may include repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna and activating the second antenna in response to detecting weak signal conditions.

According to various embodiments, detecting the weak signal conditions may include detecting and/or using a Single Input Single Output (SISO) mode and/or a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)/2 G mode for communications of a particular one of the wireless electronic devices.

Antenna swapping methods according to various embodiments are provided herein. The antenna swapping methods may be for (e.g., performed within) a wireless electronic device having multiple radio frequency signal paths (e.g., a main signal path and a secondary/diversity signal path). The antenna swapping methods may include using an algorithm to repeatedly switch between activating a first antenna and activating a second antenna, by transmitting and/or receiving signals using one of the radio frequency signal paths, during a time period of repeated swapping, to measure performance of at least one of the first and second antennas before activating a better-performing one of the first and second antennas for a time period that is longer than the time period of repeated swapping. Moreover, it will be understood that two or more of the radio frequency signal paths in the wireless electronic device may be active (e.g., used for transmitting/receiving signals with a network) in some embodiments. Accordingly, measuring performance of “first and second antennas” as described herein may include measuring/comparing performance of first and second antenna configurations (e.g., first and second pairs of antennas). Furthermore, after the time period of repeated swapping, one or both antennas in an antenna pair may be swapped out to provide a better-performing antenna configuration. In some embodiments, a best-performing antenna (among two or more antennas) in the wireless electronic device may be actively used with (e.g., communicating signals with a network via) the main signal path, and a second-best-performing antenna may be actively used with the secondary/diversity signal path.

Other devices and/or operations according to embodiments of the inventive concepts will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon review of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional devices and/or operations be included within this description, be within the scope of the present inventive concepts, and be protected by the accompanying claims. Moreover, it is intended that all embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented separately or combined in any way and/or combination.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present inventive concepts now will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the inventive concepts are shown. However, the present application should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the embodiments to those skilled in the art. Like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “coupled,” “connected,” or “responsive” to another element, it can be directly coupled, connected, or responsive to the other element, or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly coupled,” “directly connected,” or “directly responsive” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. As used herein the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

It is to be understood that the functions/acts indicated in the illustrated blocks may occur out of the order noted in the operational illustrations. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.

For purposes of illustration and explanation only, various embodiments of the present inventive concepts are described herein in the context of “wireless electronic devices.” Among other devices/systems, wireless electronic devices may include multi-band wireless communication terminals (e.g., portable electronic devices/wireless terminals/mobile terminals/terminals) that are configured to carry out cellular communications (e.g., cellular voice and/or data communications) in more than one frequency band. It will be understood, however, that the present inventive concepts are not limited to such embodiments and may be embodied generally in any device and/or system that is configured to transmit and receive in two or more frequency bands. The term “activating,” as used herein with respect to a particular antenna, may refer to transceiving (transmitting and/or receiving) using the particular antenna. Moreover, it will be understood that the terms “swap” and “swapping,” as used herein, may include switching, changing, or selecting between different antennas of a device and/or system. As used herein, the term “about” means that the recited number or value can vary by twenty percent (20%).

Given relatively weak signal conditions, a secondary receiver (e.g., including a diversity receiver/signal path) of a wireless electronic device may be disabled/off. An example of relatively weak signal conditions is when the wireless electronic device is connected to a 2 G network such as a Global Standard for Mobile (GSM)/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)/enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE) network. In particular, the wireless electronic device may be operating in a Single Input Single Output (SISO) mode in which only one antenna is being used via a primary receiver, even though multiple antennas are available in the wireless electronic device. The antenna that is currently being used by the primary receiver, however, may provide worse performance than an antenna that is not being used, and a swap to the unused antenna may thus improve performance. Moreover, it will be understood that three or more antennas may be available in a wireless electronic device in some embodiments, such as in a wireless electronic device configured to communicate with an LTE network. In particular, in any wireless electronic device that has antenna redundancy (i.e., more antennas than receivers or transmitters for communicating downlink or uplink signals, respectively), it may be desirable to swap to an unused antenna.

For example, a hand of a user of a wireless electronic device may touch a first antenna (or the first antenna may otherwise be loaded), and may cause a performance decrease (e.g., as measured by received signal strength) that is significant enough to warrant swapping from the first antenna to a second antenna that is not currently being used by a primary receiver. Connection quality between the wireless electronic device and a network thus may improve if the wireless electronic device swaps from the first antenna to the second antenna. Moreover, because a power amplifier of the wireless electronic device may operate at a relatively high power level (and thus consume a relatively large amount of current) during weak signal conditions, swapping to the better-performing second antenna may save power for the wireless electronic device.

Because a secondary receiver of a wireless electronic device may be turned off under 2 G/SISO conditions, however, it may be difficult to efficiently swap between antennas. For example, although it may be possible to enable the secondary receiver temporarily to test an antenna connected thereto to determine whether swapping between antennas would improve performance, enabling the secondary receiver may be complicated under 2 G/SISO conditions. In another example, although it may be possible to blindly swap between antennas without first testing to determine whether the swap would improve performance, blindly swapping between antennas may result in swapping to a worse-performing antenna. In particular, if a user of the wireless electronic device is using the wireless electronic device for a phone call when the wireless electronic device swaps to a worse-performing antenna, then a potential risk is that the worse antenna performance will be sufficiently weak to drop the phone call entirely.

Various embodiments of the operations and related wireless electronic devices described herein, however, may repeatedly alternate/swap between antennas for a short time period to determine whether a more permanent swap between the antennas would improve performance. In particular, a wireless electronic device may alternate/swap between the antennas with sufficient speed to provide a low risk of a lost communications connection (e.g., a dropped phone call) that may otherwise result from swapping to a worse-performing antenna. Moreover, repeatedly swapping/alternating between the antennas may allow the wireless electronic device to measure antenna performance during the repeated swapping/alternating to easily determine whether a more permanent swap between the antennas would improve or decrease performance.

Referring toFIG. 1, a diagram is provided of a wireless communications network110that supports communications in which wireless electronic devices100can be used according to various embodiments of the present inventive concepts. The network110includes cells101,102and base stations130a,130bin the respective cells101,102. Networks110are commonly employed to provide voice and data communications to subscribers using various radio access standards/technologies. The network110may include wireless electronic devices100that may communicate with the base stations130a,130b. The wireless electronic devices100in the network110may also communicate with a Global Positioning System (GPS)174, a local wireless network170, a Mobile Telephone Switching Center (MTSC)115, and/or a Public Service Telephone Network (PSTN)104(i.e., a “landline” network).

The wireless electronic devices100can communicate with each other via the Mobile Telephone Switching Center (MTSC)115. The wireless electronic devices100can also communicate with other devices/terminals, such as terminals126,128, via the PSTN104that is coupled to the network110. As also shown inFIG. 1, the MTSC115is coupled to a computer server135via a network130, such as the Internet.

The network110is organized as cells101,102that collectively can provide service to a broader geographic region. In particular, each of the cells101,102can provide service to associated sub-regions (e.g., the hexagonal areas illustrated by the cells101,102inFIG. 1) included in the broader geographic region covered by the network110. More or fewer cells can be included in the network110, and the coverage area for the cells101,102may overlap. The shape of the coverage area for each of the cells101,102may be different from one cell to another and is not limited to the hexagonal shapes illustrated inFIG. 1. Each of the cells101,102may include an associated base station130a,130b. The base stations130a,130bcan provide wireless communications between each other and the wireless electronic devices100in the associated geographic region covered by the network110.

Each of the base stations130a,130bcan transmit/receive data to/from the wireless electronic devices100over an associated control channel. For example, the base station130ain cell101can communicate with one of the wireless electronic devices100in cell101over the control channel122a. The control channel122acan be used, for example, to page the wireless electronic device100in response to calls directed thereto or to transmit traffic channel assignments to the wireless electronic device100over which a call associated therewith is to be conducted.

The wireless electronic devices100may also be capable of receiving messages from the network110over the respective control channel122a. In various embodiments according to the inventive concepts, the wireless electronic devices100receive Short Message Service (SMS), Enhanced Message Service (EMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), and/or Smartmessaging™ formatted messages.

The GPS174can provide GPS information to the geographic region including cells101,102so that the wireless electronic devices100may determine location information. The network110may also provide network location information as the basis for the location information applied by the wireless electronic devices100. In addition, the location information may be provided directly to the server135rather than to the wireless electronic devices100and then to the server135. Additionally or alternatively, the wireless electronic devices100may communicate with the local wireless network170.

FIGS. 2A and 2Billustrate front and rear views, respectively, of a wireless electronic device100, according to various embodiments of the present inventive concepts. Accordingly,FIGS. 2A and 2Billustrate opposite sides of the wireless electronic device100. In particular,FIG. 2Billustrates an external face200of a backplate of the wireless electronic device100. Accordingly, the external face200of the backplate may be visible to, and/or in contact with, the user of the wireless electronic device100. In contrast, an internal face of the backplate may face internal portions of the wireless electronic device100, such as a transceiver circuit.

FIG. 2Bfurther illustrates a first antenna210on one end of the wireless electronic device100, a second antenna220on another end of the wireless electronic device100. It will be understood, however, that the wireless electronic device100may include more than two antennas, and/or that the antennas210,220may be arranged at various locations of the wireless electronic device100. The antennas210,220may be antennas configured for wireless communications. For example, at least one of the antennas210,220may be a monopole antenna or a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), among others. Additionally, at least one of the antennas210,220may be a multi-band antenna and/or may be configured to communicate cellular and/or non-cellular frequencies. Moreover, according to various embodiments, each of the antennas210,220may be designed to cover all frequency bands of interest to the wireless electronic device100, and each may be configured to transmit at full power and/or reduced power levels.

Referring now toFIGS. 3A and 3B, block diagrams are provided illustrating a wireless electronic device100, according to various embodiments of the present inventive concepts. As illustrated inFIG. 3A, a wireless electronic device100may include a multi-band antenna system346, antenna swapping circuitry341, a Radio Frequency (RF) Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) (including, e.g., a transceiver)342, and a processor351. The wireless electronic device100may further include a display354, keypad352, speaker356, memory353, microphone350, and/or camera358. The antenna swapping circuitry341is connected between the multi-band antenna system346and the RF ASIC342of the wireless electronic device100such that it can provide swapping between different antennas in the multi-band antenna system346for active use (e.g., for transmitting and/or receiving communications). For example, different antennas in the multi-band antenna system346may communicate with the network110illustrated inFIG. 1.

The RF ASIC342may include transmit/receive circuitry (TX/RX) that provides separate communication paths for supplying/receiving RF signals to different radiating elements of the multi-band antenna system346via their respective RF feeds. Accordingly, when the multi-band antenna system346includes two active antenna elements (e.g., the antennas210,220), the RF ASIC342may include two transmit/receive circuits343,345connected to different ones of the antenna elements via the respective RF feeds.

The RF ASIC342, in operational cooperation with the processor351, may be configured to communicate according to at least one radio access technology in two or more frequency ranges. The at least one radio access technology may include, but is not limited to, WLAN (e.g., 802.11), WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), TransferJet, 3GPP LTE (3rd Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution), 4 G, Time Division LTE (TD LTE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Global Standard for Mobile (GSM) communication, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE), DCS, PDC, PCS, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), wideband-CDMA, and/or CDMA2000. The radio access technology may operate using such frequency bands as 700-800 Megahertz (MHz), 824-894 MHz, 880-960 MHz, 1710-1880 MHz, 1820-1990 MHz, 1920-2170 MHz, 2300-2400 MHz, and 2500-2700 MHz. Other radio access technologies and/or frequency bands can also be used in embodiments according to the inventive concepts. Various embodiments may provide coverage for non-cellular frequency bands such as Global Positioning System (GPS), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and/or Bluetooth frequency bands. As an example, in various embodiments according to the inventive concepts, the local wireless network170(illustrated inFIG. 1) is a WLAN compliant network. In various other embodiments according to the inventive concepts, the local wireless network170is a Bluetooth compliant interface.

A transmitter portion of a transceiver of the RF ASIC342converts information, which is to be transmitted by the wireless electronic device100, into electromagnetic signals suitable for radio communications. A receiver portion of the transceiver of the RF ASIC342demodulates electromagnetic signals, which are received by the wireless electronic device100from the network110(illustrated inFIG. 1) to provide the information contained in the signals in a format understandable to a user of the wireless electronic device100.

The wireless electronic device100is not limited to any particular combination/arrangement of the keypad352and the display354. As an example, it will be understood that the functions of the keypad352and the display354can be provided by a touch screen through which a user can view information, such as computer displayable documents, provide input thereto, and otherwise control the wireless electronic device100. Additionally or alternatively, the wireless electronic device100may include a separate keypad352and display354.

Referring still toFIG. 3A, the memory353can store computer program instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit351, carry out the operations described herein and shown in the figures. As an example, the memory353can be non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM (e.g., flash memory), that retains stored data while power is removed from the memory353.

Referring now toFIG. 3B, a block diagram is provided for the antenna swapping/matching circuitry341of the wireless electronic device100. According to various embodiments, the antenna swapping/matching circuitry341of the wireless electronic device100may include a multiplexer340connected to both a main signal path344and a diversity signal path347, such that the multiplexer340connects one of first and second antennas210,220to the main signal path344, and the other one of the first and second antennas210,220to the diversity signal path347. When the wireless electronic device100is communicating using a SISO mode and/or a GSM/2 G mode, however, communications using the diversity signal path347may be disabled. Accordingly, the one of first and second antennas210,220that is not connected to the main signal path344may be referred to as a redundant antenna. Moreover, it will be understood that the transmit/receive circuits343,345ofFIG. 3Amay be connected to the main signal path344and the diversity signal path347, respectively. Disabling communications via the diversity signal path347may thus include disabling communications via the transmit/receive circuit345. Alternatively, it will be understood that, in some embodiments, the swapping operations described herein may be performed when two or more radio frequency signal paths (e.g., the main signal path344and the diversity signal path347and/or another/a secondary signal path) in the wireless electronic device100are active. Accordingly, the swapping operations described herein may include measuring performance of, and swapping between, different combinations/configurations (e.g., pairs, etc.) of antennas connected to the radio frequency signal paths.

The main signal path344may provide paths for both uplink and downlink signals, whereas the diversity signal path347may provide only a downlink path. For example,FIG. 3Billustrates uplink and downlink paths348′ and349′, respectively, along the main signal path344between the RF ASIC342and one of the first and second antennas210,220. In contrast, only the downlink path357′ is along the diversity signal path347between the RF ASIC342and one of the first and second antennas210,220. Accordingly, although each of the main signal path344and the diversity signal path347may include one or more Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs)349,357, respectively, the main signal path344may additionally include one or more Power Amplifiers (PAs)348, whereas PAs may be absent from the diversity signal path347. Moreover, a Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) comparator circuit367may be configured to compare the strength of downlink signals (e.g., downlink signals received at different times) along the downlink path349′. Additionally or alternatively, the RSSI comparator circuit367may be configured to compare the strength of a downlink signal along the downlink path349′ with the strength of a downlink signal along the downlink path357′. Although the circuit367is described in terms of RSSI comparison, it will be understood that the circuit367may additionally or alternatively be used to measure other indicators of antenna performance/signal strength. For example, the circuit367may be used to measure one or more of any of the performance characteristics described herein.

Referring now toFIG. 4, a wireless electronic device100including several possible antenna combinations is illustrated, according to various embodiments of the present inventive concept. In particular,FIG. 4illustrates third and fourth antennas410,420, in addition to the first and second antennas210,220. Moreover,FIG. 4illustrates that one or more antennas (e.g., side antennas430,440, which may be notch/slot antennas, among other configurations) may be located at a side portion (as opposed to a top or bottom portion) of the wireless electronic device100. Furthermore, although six (6) antennas are illustrated inFIG. 4, it will be understood that the third and/or fourth antennas410,420may be located at a side portion of the wireless electronic device100rather than the side antennas430,440. In other words, the wireless electronic device100may include three (3) or four (4) antennas, each of which may be located anywhere along the periphery of the wireless electronic device100.

Each of the antennas210,220,410,420,430, and440may be multi-band antennas. Additionally, the antennas210,220,410,420,430, and440may be ones of various antennas configured for wireless communications. For example, each of the antennas210,220,410,420,430, and440may be a monopole antenna or a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA), among others. Additionally, each of the antennas210,220,410,420,430, and440may be a multi-band antenna and/or may be configured to communicate cellular and/or non-cellular frequencies. Moreover, each of the antennas210,220,410,420,430, and440may be a multi-band antenna included within the multi-band antenna system346illustrated inFIG. 3A. Furthermore, according to various embodiments, each of the antennas210,220,410,420,430, and440may be designed to cover all frequency bands of interest to the wireless electronic device100, and each may be configured to transmit at full power.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that a controller (e.g., the processor351and/or another controller) may be configured to control the components of the wireless electronic device100. For example, the controller may be configured to command the multiplexer340to select (e.g., to swap to) the second antenna220for active transmission and/or reception of signals with respect to the network110.

Moreover, the controller of the wireless electronic device100may use an antenna swapping algorithm to provide commands to the multiplexer340. The antenna swapping algorithm may be controlled/performed by at least one of the RF ASIC342, the processor351, and another processor/ASIC. Additionally, the antenna swapping algorithm may be stored in the memory353, the RF ASIC342, and/or another non-transitory storage medium within the wireless electronic device100. For example, the RF ASIC342may provide signal quality measurement values for antennas in the multi-band antenna system346to the antenna swapping algorithm, which may then provide an output that commands the multiplexer340to select a particular antenna for active transmission and/or reception of signals with respect to the network110.

In particular, the antenna swapping algorithm may include an algorithm for operations illustrated in one or more of the flowcharts ofFIGS. 5A-5D. For example, the antenna swapping algorithm may determine that one of the first and second antennas210,220(or one of any combination/pair of the antennas illustrated inFIG. 4) has a better/stronger performance, and may command the multiplexer340to swap once between the first and second antennas210,220to use the better/stronger antenna. Moreover, before the one-time swap, the antenna swapping algorithm may control repeated swapping between the first and second antennas210,220to measure performance during a time period of repeated swapping. In some embodiments, the antenna swapping algorithm may include saving/accessing a performance measurement of the active antenna that was used by the wireless electronic device100before repeatedly swapping the antennas210,220.

Referring now toFIGS. 5A-5D, flowcharts are provided illustrating antenna swapping operations, according to various embodiments of the present inventive concepts. Referring specifically toFIG. 5A, the operations include using the processor351ofFIG. 3A, and/or other control circuitry in the wireless electronic device100, and the antenna swapping circuitry341ofFIG. 3Bto repeatedly alternate/swap back and forth between activating a first antenna (e.g., the antenna210) and activating a second antenna (e.g., the antenna220) during a time period of repeated swapping (Block501). The wireless electronic device100may measure an antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device100during the time period of repeated swapping. The time period of repeated swapping in Block501may be in a range from about one hundred (100.0) milliseconds (ms) to about two (2.0) seconds, which should be long enough to determine whether antenna performance has increased or decreased. The performance characteristic may be one of such parameters as received signal strength, antenna input impedance, received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), or other quality measurements, such as other signal quality properties or radio channel propagation properties. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, these parameters may be sensed by various sensors in the wireless electronic device100.

The operations may also include comparing (a) the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device100during the time period of repeated swapping and (b) an antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device100before the time period of repeated swapping (Block502). As an example, the wireless electronic device100may detect weak signal conditions (e.g., 2 G/SISO conditions) when the first antenna is active (e.g., is using the main signal path344ofFIG. 3B), and the wireless electronic device100may measure antenna performance characteristics both (a) during and (b) before repeatedly swapping between the first and second antennas210,220. Furthermore, the wireless electronic device100may save (e.g., in the memory353or the RF ASIC342ofFIG. 3A) the performance characteristic of the antenna that was active immediately before the repeated swapping in Block501.

Referring still toFIG. 5A, the operations may include, in response to determining that the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device100during the time period of repeated swapping is stronger than the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device100before the time period of repeated swapping, swapping once between the first and second antennas210,220(Block503). Alternatively, if the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device100during the time period of repeated swapping is weaker than, or is the same as, the antenna performance characteristic of the wireless electronic device100before the time period of repeated swapping, then the wireless electronic device100may continue using the antenna that was active immediately before the repeated swapping in Block501and may wait/delay for a given time period before returning to Block501's operations of repeatedly swapping and measuring performance (Block502′).

The time delay of Block502′ may be in a range from about five (5.0) seconds to about ten (10.0) seconds if the first and second antennas210,220are closely-located on the wireless electronic device100, because small changes in a user's hand position on the wireless electronic device100may significantly change antenna performance when antennas are closely located. Alternatively, if the first and second antennas210,220are farther apart, then the time delay of Block502′ may be larger (e.g., thirty (30.0) seconds or greater) because antenna conditions are less likely to have changed. Moreover, in some embodiments, the wireless electronic device100may continue the operations illustrated inFIG. 5Aindefinitely by proceeding to the time delay (Block502′) even after swapping between the first and second antennas210,220in Block503. It will be understood that one of the first and second antennas210,220is used continuously during the time delay in Block502′. Moreover, it will be understood that the repeated swapping in Block501includes a plurality of swaps for antenna evaluation purposes during the time period of repeated swapping and is more temporary than the single swap in Block503.

Referring toFIG. 5B, the operations include Blocks503and502′ ofFIG. 5Aand further include Blocks501′ and502″, which are modifications of FIG.5A's Block501and502, respectively. In particular, Block501′ ofFIG. 5Bindicates that the antenna performance characteristic may be a measurement of average signal quality of the wireless electronic device100during the time period of repeated swapping. In particular, the measurement is an average of (i) signal quality when the first antenna210is active during the time period of repeated swapping and (ii) signal quality when the second antenna220is active during the time period of repeated swapping. Accordingly, about half of the average may be attributed to the first antenna210, and about half of the average may be attributed to the second antenna220.

Also, Block502″ indicates comparing (a) the average signal quality measured in Block501′ and (b) the signal quality using one of the first and second antennas210,220before the repeated swapping in Block501′. Moreover, it will be understood that the signal quality measurement of the wireless electronic device100before the time period of repeated swapping in Block501′ may include a stored value of signal quality of the one of the first and second antennas210,220that was active (e.g., that was using the main signal path344ofFIG. 3B) immediately before the repeated swapping.

Accordingly, a performance characteristic may include an average/combination of performances of multiple antennas (e.g., the first and second antennas210,220) during the time period of repeated swapping. Alternatively, performance of one of the antennas210,220may be ignored during the time period of repeated swapping. For example, if the wireless electronic device100was actively using the first antenna210immediately before the time period of repeated swapping, then the wireless electronic device100may measure a performance characteristic of the second antenna220while ignoring the performance of the first antenna210during the time period of repeatedly swapping between the first and second antennas210,220. A signal (e.g., a data signal) transmitted or received using the first antenna210during the time period of repeated swapping, however, may be combined with a signal transmitted or received using the second antenna220during the time period of repeated swapping, and vice versa, such that an especially weak performance by one of the first and second antennas210,220should not drop a connection between the wireless electronic device100and the network110.

Referring toFIG. 5C, the operations include Blocks501-503ofFIG. 5Aand further include Block500. Block500indicates that the repeated swapping in Block501may be responsive to detecting weak signal conditions. For example, repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna210and activating the second antenna220may include repeatedly swapping back and forth between activating the first antenna210and activating the second antenna220in response to detecting the weak signal conditions.

Referring toFIG. 5D, the operations include Blocks501-503ofFIG. 5Cand further include Block500′, which is a modification of Block500ofFIG. 5C. In particular, Block500′ indicates that the repeated swapping in Block501may be responsive to detecting and/or using a SISO mode and/or 2 G/GSM mode/network for communications of the wireless electronic device100. It will be understood that detecting and/or using the SISO mode and/or 2 G/GSM mode/network may occur shortly after powering-on the wireless electronic device100or may be responsive to degraded antenna performance after the wireless electronic device100uses a faster mode/network.

Referring now toFIGS. 6A and 6B, diagrams are provided illustrating antenna swapping operations during a group of contiguous time slots, according to various embodiments of the present inventive concepts. Referring specifically toFIG. 6A, an example of the repeated swapping in Block501ofFIG. 5Ais illustrated. In particular,FIG. 6Aillustrates that, during the repeated swapping, only one of the first and second antennas210,220is active within a given time slot. For example, only one of the first and second antennas210,220may be connected to the main signal path344ofFIG. 3Bby the multiplexer340within a given time slot.

Moreover, the wireless electronic device100may use the multiplexer340to alternate between activating the first antenna210and activating the second antenna220, such that the first and second antennas210,220are alternately active during adjacent time slots, respectively. For example,FIG. 6Aillustrates that the first antenna210may be active during the first, third, and fifth time slots, and the second antenna220may be active during the second and fourth time slots. It will be understood that the use of time slots may indicate that the wireless electronic device100is receiving/processing signals using a Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) system/protocol and/or a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) system/protocol. Also, because the wireless electronic device100is repeatedly alternating between the first and second antennas210,220, even if one of the first and second antennas210,220receives no signal at all, the total signal loss during the time period of repeated swapping may only be about half of the signal that was provided before the repeated swapping. Specifically, the total signal drop if one of the first and second antennas210,220receives no signal at all may only be about three (3.0) decibels (dB) because the wireless electronic device100is repeatedly alternating between the first and second antennas210,220. The operations of repeated swapping described herein may therefore reduce lost communications connections and/or dropped phone calls.

AlthoughFIG. 6Aillustrates five (5) time slots to provide an example of repeated swapping, it will be understood that more or fewer time slots may be used during the repeated swapping, and that an odd or an even number of time slots may be used. Moreover, it will be understood that the time slots are contiguous time slots, and that the alternately active first and second antennas210,220are temporarily active for evaluation purposes during the contiguous time slots. In particular, as described herein, the total time period of repeated swapping (e.g., including the entire group of contiguous time slots) is in a range from about 100.0 ms to about 2.0 s.

In some embodiments, a swap between the first and second antennas210,220during the time period of repeated swapping may be triggered responsive to receipt of a signal from the network110(e.g., from the base station130a) indicating the start of a next time slot (e.g., a next one of the time slots inFIG. 6A). Additionally or alternatively, it will be understood that the repeated swapping illustrated inFIG. 6Amay occur during one or more time slots that are not allocated/assigned to the wireless electronic device100for communications with the network110. Performing the repeated swapping during such non-communications-allocated time slots may help to reduce/prevent lost data from the network110to the wireless electronic device100during the time period of repeated swapping.

Moreover, although a performance characteristic measured during the time period of repeated swapping may represent a measurement of antenna performance in all time slots that occur during the time period of repeated swapping, it will be understood that the performance characteristic may alternatively be a measurement (e.g., an average and/or comparison) of any sub-combination of the time slots during the time period of repeated swapping. For example, the antenna performance characteristic during the time period of repeated swapping may simply be an average/comparison between (a) performance of the first antenna210during the third time slot ofFIG. 6Aand (b) performance of the second antenna220during the second time slot. Moreover, in some embodiments, performance characteristic calculations may compensate for performance changes over time by more heavily weighting (i.e., assigning greater influence on the resulting performance characteristic) more recent measurements than less recent measurements. For example, the performance of the first antenna210during the fifth time slot ofFIG. 6Amay be weighted more heavily than the performance of the first antenna210during the first and/or third time slots ofFIG. 6Awhen calculating a performance characteristic.

Referring toFIG. 6B, an example of the single swap in Block503ofFIG. 5Ais illustrated. In contrast with the repeated swapping for evaluation purposes inFIG. 6A,FIG. 6Billustrates the result of a single, one-time swap from one of the antennas210,220to the other. The swap inFIG. 6Bis referred to as a single, one-time swap because the wireless electronic device100maintains a particular one of the antennas210,220as the active antenna continuously for many contiguous time slots. Specifically, the wireless electronic device100may maintain a particular one of the antennas210,220as the active antenna either indefinitely or throughout the time delay502′ ofFIG. 5A, which, as described herein, may be at least about 5.0 seconds. In the example illustrated inFIG. 6B, the wireless electronic device100has performed a one-time swap to the second antenna220after comparing (a) the antenna performance characteristic during the time period of repeated swapping and (b) the antenna performance characteristic before the time period of repeated swapping. In particular,FIG. 6Billustrates that the second antenna220is continuously maintained as the active antenna through several contiguous time slots.

Referring now toFIGS. 7A and 7B, graphs are provided illustrating antenna performance levels during antenna swapping operations, according to various embodiments of the present inventive concepts. Referring specifically toFIG. 7A, an example is illustrated in which antenna performance of the wireless electronic device100improves during a time period of repeated swapping (e.g., during the contiguous time slots of FIG.6A). As illustrated inFIG. 7A, weak signal conditions (e.g., as indicated by degraded performance of the first antenna210) may trigger repeated swapping between the first and second antennas210,220. The wireless electronic device100may measure the average antenna performance of the combination of the alternating first and second antennas210,220during the time period of repeated swapping. If the average antenna performance during the time period of repeated swapping indicates improved performance in comparison with the weak signal conditions, then the wireless electronic device100will perform a single swap (e.g., as illustrated in Block503ofFIG. 5A) to select and maintain the second antenna220. In particular, if the first antenna210was providing weak performance before (e.g., immediately before) the repeated swapping, and if the average antenna performance during the time period of repeated swapping is greater than the performance of the first antenna210before (e.g., immediately before) the repeated swapping, then the performance of the second antenna220is stronger than the performance of the first antenna210because the performance of the second antenna220is lifting the average. Accordingly, the wireless electronic device100will select and maintain the second antenna220continuously for a plurality of contiguous time slots (e.g., as illustrated inFIG. 6B) after the time period of repeated swapping.

Alternatively, referring toFIG. 7B, if the average antenna performance during the time period of repeated swapping indicates decreased performance in comparison with the weak signal conditions, then the wireless electronic device100will maintain the antenna that was active before the repeated swapping began. For example,FIG. 7Billustrates that although weak signal conditions when the first antenna210was active triggered a time period of repeated swapping, the performance of the second antenna220was even weaker than that of the first antenna210. In particular, as the performance of the second antenna220during the time period of repeated swapping was weaker than the performance of the first antenna210, an overall average antenna performance during the time period of repeated swapping would be lower than the performance of the first antenna210before the time period of repeated swapping. Accordingly, as the average antenna performance during the time period of repeated swapping indicated a decrease in performance because of the alternating combination of the first and second antennas210,220, the wireless electronic device100will select and maintain the first antenna210continuously for a plurality of contiguous time slots after the time period of repeated swapping.

The wireless electronic device100may therefore use the operations of temporary repeated swapping described herein to efficiently determine whether to more permanently swap to a particular antenna.

In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed various embodiments and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.