Patent ID: 8059031

Claim:
A method for controlling a beam switching antenna system installed in a mobile communication terminal, the beam switching antenna system including an antenna element for forming a beam, at least one conductive reflector for reflecting the beam, and a ground switch for applying a reference voltage to the least one conductive reflector, the method comprising: receiving a current signal from a first base stations using a current-directional beam pattern formed in a direction of the first base station; forming a non-directional beam pattern by controlling the ground switch in an omni-directional mode; receiving a first signal from the first base station and a second signal from a second base stations using the non-directional beam pattern, wherein the first and second base stations are located in a different direction from each other; comparing a detected reception property of the first and second signals to the detected reception property of the current signal, wherein the detected reception property includes at least an intensity or an error rate; controlling the beam to orient to the direction of the first base station if the detected reception property of the current signal is at least as good as the detected reception property of the first and second signals; and controlling the beam to orient to a direction of the second base station if the detected reception property of the first and second signals is better than the detected reception property of the current signal.