Patent ID: 8351849

Claim:
A wireless communication device, comprising: a transceiver configured for communication using multiple radio access technologies, the transceiver comprising a transmitter and a receiver; an antenna array coupled to the transceiver, the antenna array including a first fixed antenna element and a second fixed antenna element; and a control circuit configured to detect an available one of the radio access technologies based on a wireless signal received at the antenna array and to automatically alter a configuration of the antenna array by switching the first and/or second antenna elements between active and inactive states responsive to detection of the available one of the radio access technologies, wherein the control circuit comprises: a detector circuit configured to detect the available one of the radio access technologies based on the received wireless signal and output a selection signal indicative thereof; and a switching circuit configured to selectively connect the first and/or second antenna elements to the transceiver responsive to the selection signal to increase an efficiency of the antenna array for the available one of the radio access technologies, wherein the switching circuit is configured to automatically disconnect the second antenna element from the transceiver to increase the efficiency of the antenna array responsive to detection of the available one of the radio access technologies as not supporting multiple-output (MIMO).