Mobile wireless communications device with selective antenna load switching and related methods
View Patent ↗A mobile wireless communications device may include at least two antennas having a different structure. The device may also include wireless transceivers, a load(s), signal processing circuitry, and a controller. The controller may be for selectively switching the signal processing circuitry to a desired one of the wireless transceivers, selectively switching a desired one of the antennas to the desired one of the wireless transceivers, and selectively switching a different one of the antennas to at least one of the loads.
1. An electronic device comprising:
a monopole antenna;
a non-monopole antenna;
a plurality of wireless transceivers;
a plurality of loads;
signal processing circuitry; and
a controller configured to
switch said signal processing circuitry to a selected one of said wireless transceivers,
switch one of said monopole and non-monopole antennas to the selected one of said wireless transceivers, and
switch the other one of said monopole and non-monopole antennas to at least one of said loads.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said non-monopole antenna comprises an inverted F antenna.
3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said monopole and non-monopole antennas comprises a multi-band Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) antenna.
4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein at least one of said monopole and non-monopole antennas comprises a wideband code-division multiple access (WCDMA) frequency division duplex (FDD) band antenna.
5. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a portable housing having an inner surface carrying said monopole and non-monopole antennas.
6. The electronic device of claim 5 further comprising a printed circuit board (PCB) within said portable housing and carrying said wireless transceivers, said loads, said signal processing circuitry, and said controller.
7. The electronic device of claim 5 wherein said portable housing has opposing top and bottom ends and opposing first and second sides; and wherein at least one of said monopole and non-monopole antennas extends from the bottom end vertically upward toward the top end along at least one of the first and second sides.
8. The electronic device of claim 5 wherein said portable housing has opposing top and bottom ends and opposing first and second sides; and wherein at least one of said monopole and non-monopole antennas is carried adjacent the bottom end of said portable housing.
9. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said plurality of loads comprises a plurality of impedance elements.
10. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said plurality of loads comprises at least one respective load for each of said antennas.
11. An electronic device comprising:
a monopole antenna;
an inverted F antenna;
a plurality of wireless transceivers;
a plurality of impedance elements;
signal processing circuitry; and
a controller configured to
switch said signal processing circuitry to a selected one of said wireless transceivers,
switch one of said monopole and inverted F antennas to the selected one of said wireless transceivers, and
switch the other one of said monopole and inverted F antennas to at least one of said impedance elements.
12. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein said inverted F antenna comprises a multi-band Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) antenna.
13. The electronic device of claim 11 wherein said monopole antenna comprises a wideband code-division multiple access (WCDMA) frequency division duplex (FDD) band antenna.
14. A method for operating an electronic device comprising monopole and non-monopole antennas, a plurality of wireless transceivers, a plurality of loads, and signal processing circuitry, the method comprising:
using a controller to switch the signal processing circuitry to a selected one of the wireless transceivers;
using the controller to switch one of the monopole and non-monopole antennas to the selected one of the wireless transceivers; and
using the controller to switch the other one of the monopole and non-monopole antennas to at least one of the loads.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the non-monopole antenna comprises an inverted F antenna.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of the monopole and non-monopole antennas comprises a multi-band Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) antenna.
17. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of the monopole and non-monopole antennas comprises a wideband code-division multiple access (WCDMA) frequency division duplex (FDD) band antenna.
18. An electronic device comprising:
an inverted F antenna;
a non-inverted F antenna;
a plurality of wireless transceivers;
a plurality of loads;
signal processing circuitry; and
a controller configured to
switch said signal processing circuitry to a selected one of said wireless transceivers,
switch one of said inverted F and non-inverted F antennas to the selected one of said wireless transceivers, and
switch the other one of said inverted F and non-inverted F antennas to at least one of said loads.
19. The electronic device of claim 18 wherein said plurality of loads comprises a plurality of impedance elements.
20. A method for operating an electronic device comprising inverted F and non-inverted F antennas, a plurality of wireless transceivers, a plurality of loads, and signal processing circuitry, the method comprising:
using a controller to switch the signal processing circuitry to a selected one of the wireless transceivers;
using the controller to switch one of the inverted F and non-inverted F antennas to the selected one of the wireless transceivers; and
using the controller to switch the other one of the inverted F and non-inverted F antennas to at least one of the loads.