Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g. – Directive – Including antenna orientation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-23
2001-08-21
Phan, Dao (Department: 3662)
Communications: directive radio wave systems and devices (e.g.,
Directive
Including antenna orientation
C342S074000, C343S766000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278405
ABSTRACT:
PRIORITY
This application claims priority to an application entitled “AI Antenna Driving Device and Method For Controlling the Same” filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Nov. 23, 1998 and assigned Ser. No. 98-50274, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an antenna driving device for a mobile communication terminal, and in particular, to an AI (Artificial Intelligence) antenna driving device for automatically shifting the position (or direction) of an antenna to a position having a higher RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) value, and a method for controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a mobile communication terminal uses a flat antenna, such as a patch antenna, in order to increase portability of the terminal and to facilitate installation of the antenna. However, since flat antennas have a directional radiation property, their properties depend on the state of installation as well as working environment of the antenna. That is, the flat antenna points in a different direction according to whether the user carries the mobile communication terminal at the side or in a pocket, or puts the mobile communication terminal on a desk. Therefore, the flat antenna has a directivity property which depends on the circumstances of the position of the mobile communication terminal.
FIG. 1
shows the directivity property of a flat antenna, which depends on the direction of the antenna. In
FIG. 1
, reference numeral
10
denotes a satellite mounted with a relay, and reference numeral
110
denotes a flat antenna. When located at a position C, the flat antenna
110
has a directivity C′. At this point, since the directivity of the flat antenna
110
is best matched to the directivity of the satellite
10
, a signal received through the flat antenna
110
has a higher RSSI. However, when located at position A, the flat antenna
110
has a directivity A′. At this point, the directivity of the flat antenna
110
, facing the ground, is not well matched to the directivity of the satellite
10
, so that the received signal of the flat antenna
110
has a lower RSSI. Further, when located at position B, the flat antenna
110
has a directivity B′. Even in this case, the directivity of the flat antenna
110
is not well matched to the directivity of the satellite
10
, thus causing a decrease in the RSSI of the flat antenna
110
.
As described above, the flat antenna has a directivity which depends on the state of installation and the working environment. The lack of proper directivity causes deterioration of the quality of communication.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an AI antenna driving device for automatically shifting the direction of a flat antenna to a position having a higher RSSI value according to the state of installation and the working environment of the flat antenna in a mobile communication terminal, and a method for controlling the same.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an antenna driving device for a mobile communication terminal including a flat antenna and a receiver for receiving a radio signal through the flat antenna. The device comprises a flat antenna driver for shifting the direction of the flat antenna by predetermined steps; an RSSI detector for detecting an RSSI value of the received radio signal for each shifting step of the flat antenna; a position detector for detecting the position of the flat antenna through the flat antenna driver, a memory for storing the RSSI value detected for each step and the associated positional information of the flat antenna; and a controller for controlling the flat antenna driver and the RSSI detector, and for shifting the direction of the flat antenna to a position having the highest RSSI value by controlling the flat antenna driver. The flat antenna driver comprises a motor for shifting the direction of the flat antenna; and a driver for driving the motor under the control of the controller to shift the direction of the flat antenna.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling an antenna driving device including a memory for storing a plurality of detected RSSI values, the flat antenna positional information associated with the detected RSSI values, and a reference RSSI value. The method comprises the steps of: upon power-on, shifting the direction of the flat antenna by predetermined steps; detecting RSSI values while the direction of the flat antenna is shifted by predetermined steps; storing the detected RSSI values and the flat antenna positional information associated with the detected RSSI values in the memory; shifting the direction of the flat antenna to the position having the highest one of the detected RSSI values; detecting an RSSI value at the shifted position and comparing the detected RSSI value with the reference RSSI value; and repeating the above procedure, if the detected RSSI value is lower than or equal to the reference RSSI value.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4725843 (1988-02-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 5347286 (1994-09-01), Babitch
patent: 5376941 (1994-12-01), Fukazawa et al.
patent: 5583514 (1996-12-01), Fulop
patent: 5594460 (1997-01-01), Eguchi
patent: 5983071 (1999-11-01), Gagnon et al.
Ha Dong-In
Kim Dong-Hwan
Kim Seong-Joong
Dilworth & Barrese LLP
Phan Dao
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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