Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Having particular housing or support of a transceiver
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-20
2001-10-09
Nguyen, Lee (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Having particular housing or support of a transceiver
C455S277200, C343S702000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06301469
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable telephone with an extendible antenna, and more particularly, to a method for automatically switching an antenna mode according to a received signal strength.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a portable telephone employs an extendible antenna which can be extended from the top of the telephone. The extendible antenna is extended (or stretched out) in an external antenna mode, and retracted (or unstretched) in an internal antenna mode. Both manual and automatic antenna mode switching techniques have been used to implement the extension/retraction operations.
In the manual antenna mode switching technique, the portable phone user extends and retracts the antenna by hand. The user typically extends the antenna when reception sensitivity is poor during a call. This method is inconvenient to the user, and may also cause a noise problem. That is, if the user extends the antenna by hand when a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value is poor, noise may be introduced to the receiver when the antenna is physically touched. Worse, the call may be disconnected as a result of the added noise. The RSSI value, which is measured by circuitry within the portable phone, is a measure of the strength of the communication signal transmitted by the base station to the portable phone.
With the automatic antenna mode switching technique, the antenna is automatically extended when the user initiates the call and automatically retracted when the user terminates the call. In this case, the antenna is extended and retracted by an antenna moving mechanism (actuator) employing a motor. A drawback to this technique, however, is that the antenna is automatically extended when the call is initiated, regardless of the user's intention. That is, the antenna is extended even when the RSSI value is satisfactory. Such unconditional extension of the antenna when the call is initiated may annoy the user, or result in damage to the antenna due to carelessness of the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for automatically switching an antenna mode according to a received signal strength.
To achieve the above object of the present invention, a method for automatically switching an antenna mode in a portable telephone with an extendible antenna is disclosed. In the method, the portable telephone measures an RSSI value during a communication session in an internal antenna mode where the antenna is retracted, and compares the measured RSSI value with a threshold value. If the RSSI value is lower than the threshold value, the antenna is extended, thereby switching the antenna mode to an external antenna mode. In the meantime, if the call is terminated, the antenna is retracted, switching the antenna mode back to the internal antenna mode. Optionally, the method can be tailored to give the user the option of setting the antenna switching mode function.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5212725 (1993-05-01), Yamamato et al.
patent: 5689821 (1997-11-01), Shimazaki
patent: 5991637 (1999-11-01), Mack et al.
patent: 6067449 (2000-05-01), Jager
Dilworth & Barrese LLP
Nguyen Lee
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
LandOfFree
Method for automatically switching antenna mode in portable... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for automatically switching antenna mode in portable..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for automatically switching antenna mode in portable... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2552589