IP Library Granted Patent US 8,743,014
Granted Patent B2
US 8,743,014 · App. 13/057,995 · Granted Jun 3, 2014

Antenna device and wireless communication terminal

Inventors: Toshinori Kondo (Osaka, JP); Hiroyuki Takebe (Osaka, JP); Mikio Kuramoto (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,743,014
App. No.
13/057,995
Granted
Jun 3, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

At least three resonance frequencies are obtained by two antenna elements. The antenna device includes antenna elements ( 11 ) and ( 12 ), a wireless section ( 20 ) for supplying power to each of the antenna elements ( 11 ) and ( 12 ), a PIN diode ( 16 ) for electrically connecting and disconnecting the antenna element ( 11 ) and the wireless section ( 20 ) with/from each other, the antenna elements ( 11 ) and ( 12 ) being provided so as to be capacitively coupled to each other during the electrical disconnection between the antenna element ( 11 ) and the wireless section ( 20 ) which electrical disconnection is made by the PIN diode ( 16 ).

Claims (29)

1. An antenna device comprising:

a first antenna element;

a second antenna element;

a power supply section configured to supply a high-frequency current to the second antenna element;

a switching element configured to electrically connect and disconnect the first antenna element and the power supply section with/from each other;

a first power supply path through which the first antenna element and the power supply section are electrically connected; and

a second power supply path through which the second antenna element and the power supply section are electrically connected, wherein

the switching element being provided in the first power supply path,

the high-frequency current is supplied to the first antenna element via the switching element during the electrical connection between the first antenna element and the power supply section which electrical connection is made by the switching element, and

the first antenna element and the second antenna element being provided so as to be capacitively coupled to each other during the electrical disconnection between the first antenna element and the power supply section which electrical disconnection is made by the switching element.

2. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1 ,

the first antenna element and the first power supply path are connected with each other at a first connecting part,

the second antenna element and the second power supply path are connected with each other at a second connecting part, and

a distance between the first connecting part and the second connecting part being more than 0 (zero) and not more than λ/15 which is one-fifteenth of a wavelength λ, where an electrical length of the first antenna element is λ/4.

3. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the switching element is a semiconductor element which becomes conductive or non-conductive according to whether or not a forward voltage of a specified value is applied to the switching element.

4. The antenna device as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the switching element is further configured to make the electrical disconnection between the first antenna element and the power supply section in response to application of a reverse voltage to the switching element.

5. The antenna device as set forth in claim 3 , further comprising:

a direct current supply circuit configured to supply a direct current to the switching element during the electrical connection between the first antenna element and the power supply section, wherein

the direct current being in proportion to a level of transmission power under which a transmitted wave is radiated from each of the first antenna element and the second antenna element.

6. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:

an impedance matching circuit configured to change a impedance matching value in accordance with whether the first antenna element and the power supply section are electrically connected or disconnected with/from each other by the switching element.

7. The antenna device as set forth in claim 2 , wherein a ratio between (i) a resonance frequency f which is in association with the wavelength λ and (ii) a frequency f′ at which the second antenna element resonates is substantially 1:2.

8. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:

the first antenna element and the second antenna element are at right angles to each other; and

the first antenna element and the second antenna element have an identical electrical length during the electrical connection between the first antenna element and the power supply section.

9. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein frequencies at which the first antenna element and/or the second antenna element resonate are in conformity with different frequency bands for use in wireless communication systems, depending on whether the first antenna element and the power supply section are electrically connected or disconnected with/from each other.

10. A wireless communication terminal comprising an antenna device recited in claim 1 .

11. The antenna device as set forth in claim 1 ,

wherein the switching element is provided between the first antenna element and the power supply section.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2011
From: KONDO, TOSHINORI; TAKEBE, HIROYUKI; KURAMOTO, MIKIO
To: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 025778/0498 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2009-174619 · Jul 27, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110134014A1 · Jun 9, 2011