Electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power and method thereof

Abstract

The disclosure provides an electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power and a method thereof. In the electronic device, a plurality of groups of tuners is electrically connected to antennas respectively, so that each group of tuners corresponds to an antenna. The modem is electrically connected to the plurality of tuners to control the tuners and obtain status information of each of the plurality of tuners. A processing device is electrically connected to the modem and determines the operation of the plurality of tuners according to changes of the status information. When only one group of the tuners acts or adjacent groups act simultaneously, the processing device sets an output power of the modem to a limb specific absorption rate mode. When all groups of the tuners act or relatively long side groups act at the same time, the processing device sets the output power of the modem to a body specific absorption rate mode.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This case relates to an electronic device and method for adaptively adjusting the transmission power of an antenna according to the usage scenario. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Currently, electronic devices that support adaptive antenna power adjustment (including 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G mobile communication systems, WiFi, etc.) must pass mandatory regulatory certifications in each country before being sold. Among these safety specifications is the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) test, which is generally tested in the following scenarios: Head SAR, Body SAR, Extremity SAR (Limb SAR), and Co-SAR (Hot Spot SAR). This test affects the transmission power. Without sensors or other mechanisms to differentiate between these scenarios, it directly impacts free space scenarios where transmission power doesn't need to be reduced, thus affecting the user experience. The tests for specific absorption rates of the whole body and specific absorption rates of extended limbs require the use of additional components (such as capacitive coupling sensors) or other mechanisms to differentiate them. However, additional components increase costs, power consumption, and may even affect antenna performance. Other mechanisms may not be accurate enough and need to be limited in their use, resulting in a slow response. [Summary of the Invention]

[0003] This invention provides an electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power, comprising multiple antennas, multiple tuners, a modem, and a processing device. The multiple tuners are electrically connected to the antennas, with each tuner corresponding to a separate antenna. The modem is electrically connected to the multiple tuners to control them and acquire state information for each tuner. The processing device is electrically connected to the modem. Based on changes in the state information, the processing device determines the operation of the multiple tuners. When only one tuner is operating or adjacent tuners are operating simultaneously, the processing device sets one output power of the modem to a specific absorption rate mode for a specific limb. When all tuners are operating or relatively long-side tuners are operating simultaneously, the processing device sets the output power of the modem to a specific absorption rate mode for the entire body.

[0004] This application also provides a method for adaptively adjusting antenna power, applicable to an electronic device including multiple antennas, multiple array tuners, and a modem. The method includes: acquiring state information of each of the multiple array tuners; determining the operation of the multiple array tuners based on changes in the state information, and determining how many array tuners have changed when the state information changes; setting one output power of the modem to a limb-specific absorption rate mode when only one array tuner is operating or adjacent array tuners are operating simultaneously; and setting the output power of the modem to a whole-body-specific absorption rate mode when all array tuners are operating or relatively long-side array tuners are operating simultaneously.

[0005] In summary, this invention relates to an electronic device and method for adaptively adjusting antenna power. It directly determines the current usage scenario of the electronic device by real-time detection of changes in components such as antenna tuners used to enhance antenna performance, thereby achieving the purpose of adjusting the output power. Therefore, this invention can improve the accuracy and timeliness of determining specific absorption rate modes, and no additional component power consumption is generated during the determination process.

Implementation Method

[0006] The embodiments of this case will be described below with reference to the relevant drawings. Furthermore, some components or structures are omitted in the drawings of the embodiments to clearly show the technical features of this case. In these drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar components or circuits. It must be understood that although the terms "first," "second," etc., can be used herein to describe various components, parts, areas, or functions, these components, parts, areas, and / or functions should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component, part, area, or function from another component, part, area, or function.

[0007] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, an electronic device 10 for adaptively adjusting antenna power includes multiple antennas 12, multiple tuners 14, a modem 16, and a processing device 18. The electronic device 10 is exemplified here as a mobile phone. In the electronic device 10, the multiple antennas 12 are evenly distributed on a housing 20, which includes a frame and a back cover. The configuration of the multiple antennas 12 has various options; here, three antennas 12 are used as an example, including a first antenna 121, a second antenna 122, and a third antenna 123. The first antenna 121, the second antenna 122, and the third antenna 123 can be positioned at any suitable location within the housing 20. In this embodiment, the first antenna 121 is positioned below the housing 20, the second antenna 122 can be positioned below the long side of the housing 20, and the third antenna 123 can be positioned above the long side of the housing 20, but this is not a limitation of the present invention.

[0008] The multiple sets of tuners 14 are electrically connected to the antenna 12 respectively, so that each set of tuners 14 corresponds to an antenna 12. Since each antenna 12 may correspond to multiple tuners 14, the tuners 14 corresponding to each antenna 12 are regarded as a group. That is, the first set of tuners 141 is electrically connected to the first antenna 121, the second set of tuners 142 is electrically connected to the second antenna 122, and the third set of tuners 143 is electrically connected to the third antenna 123. The modem 16 is electrically connected to the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143. The modem 16 generates a first control signal to control the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143 respectively. While controlling the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143, the modem 16 also acquires status information for each of the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143, and feeds this status information back to the processing device 18 in real time. In one embodiment, this status information is the configuration change of the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143.

[0009] The processing device 18 is electrically connected to the modem 16. The processing device 18 determines the operation of the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143 based on changes in status information. When only one of the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143 is operating, or when adjacent tuners are operating simultaneously, the processing device 18 generates a second control signal to the modem 16 to set one of the modem 16's output power to an Extremity SAR (Limb SAR) mode. When all of the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143 are operating, or when the relatively longer tuners are operating simultaneously, the processing device 18 generates a second control signal to the modem 16 to set the modem 16's output power to a Body SAR mode. Therefore, the processing device 18 can adaptively adjust the output power to a limb-specific absorption rate mode or a whole-body-specific absorption rate mode based on changes in status information.

[0010] In one embodiment, the electronic device 10 may be a digital assistant, a tablet computer, or other similar device in addition to the aforementioned mobile phone. However, this invention is not limited to these, and any portable electronic device with mobile communication function is included in this invention.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first group of tuners 141 is an antenna impedance tuner, an antenna aperture tuner, a phase tuner, or any combination thereof. The second group of tuners 142 is an antenna impedance tuner, an antenna aperture tuner, a phase tuner, or any combination thereof. The third group of tuners 143 is an antenna impedance tuner, an antenna aperture tuner, a phase tuner, or any combination thereof.

[0012] In one embodiment, the processing device 18 is a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose or special-purpose microprocessor, microcontroller, micro control unit (MCU), digital signal processor (DSP), programmable controller, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other similar elements or combinations thereof, and this invention is not limited thereto.

[0013] In one embodiment, the first control signal is a general-purpose input / output (GPIO) signal, a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI) signal, or other similar control signals, and this invention is not limited thereto. The second control signal is a high-speed peripheral component interoperability (PCIe) signal, a quadrature signal (IQ signal), or other similar communication signal, and this invention is not limited thereto. Based on this, the modem 16 controls the operation of the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143 through the general-purpose input / output signal, the mobile industry processor interface signal, or other similar control signals, and enables the processing device 18 to control the operation of the modem 16 through the high-speed peripheral component interoperability (GPIO) signal, the quadrature signal, or other similar communication signal.

[0014] Referring simultaneously to Figures 1, 2, and 3, the complete judgment process of the electronic device 10 in executing a specific absorption rate mode includes the following steps: As shown in step S10, the processing device 18 determines whether the sensor (not shown) is triggered. If it is triggered, as shown in step S12, the process of determining the specific absorption rate mode is entered; if it is not triggered, as shown in step S14, the process enters the free space scenario and maintains the output power of the modem 16 in a preset power mode without reducing the output power. This preset power mode has a maximum power value (i.e., the maximum power value of the electronic device), and this maximum power value is usually the legally prescribed value specified by SAR regulations. After entering the process of determining the specific absorption rate mode as shown in step S12, the status judgments of steps S16, S20, and S24 are performed simultaneously. As shown in step S16, the processing device 18 determines whether there is audio routing. If so, as shown in step S18, the processing device 18 determines that the output power should use Head Specific SAR (Head SAR) mode and sets the output power of the modem 16 to Head Specific SAR mode. As shown in step S20, the processing device 18 determines whether there is hotspot sharing. If so, as shown in step S22, the processing device 18 determines that the output power should use Co-SAR (Hot Spot SAR) mode and sets the output power of the modem 16 to Co-SAR mode. As shown in step S24, the processing device 18 determines whether the status information of the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142 and the third tuner 143 has changed. If so, as shown in steps S26 and S28, the processing device 18 determines whether the output power should use the Body SAR mode or the Extremity SAR (Limb SAR) mode. The detailed process of distinguishing the Body SAR mode or the Limb SAR mode through the change of status information will be explained later.

[0015] Referring simultaneously to Figures 1, 2, and 4, the process flow of the electronic device 10 in performing the adaptive adjustment of antenna power includes the following steps: As shown in step S30, the processing device 18 determines the operation of the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143 based on changes in state information, to determine whether changes have occurred in the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143. If changes have occurred in the state information, the process continues to the next step S32; if no changes have occurred, as shown in step S34, the process enters the free space scenario, maintaining the output power of the modem 16 at the preset power mode without needing to reduce the output power. As shown in step S32, the processing device 18 determines how many of the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143 have changed, in order to proceed to subsequent steps S36 and S40. As shown in step S36, the processing device 18 determines whether only one of the first tuner group 141, the second tuner group 142, and the third tuner group 143 is operating or whether adjacent groups are operating simultaneously. If so, only one group is operating or adjacent groups are operating simultaneously. For example, the first tuner group 141, the second tuner group 142, or the third tuner group 143 operates alone, or the adjacent groups of the first tuner group 141 and the second tuner group 142 operate simultaneously. As shown in step S38, the output power of the modem 16 is set to the limb-specific absorption rate mode. Alternatively, as shown in step S40, the processing device 18 determines whether all groups of the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143 are operating or whether the relatively longer groups are operating simultaneously. If so, all groups are operating or the relatively longer groups are operating simultaneously. For example, all groups of the first tuner 141, the second tuner 142, and the third tuner 143 are operating simultaneously, or the relatively longer groups of the first tuner 141 and the third tuner 143 or the second tuner 142 and the third tuner 143 are operating simultaneously. As shown in step S42, the output power of the modem 16 is set to the whole-body specific absorption rate mode.

[0016] Furthermore, since objects made of metal, such as tables, can also affect antenna performance, this can cause changes in the tuner 14 of antenna 12. However, this scenario does not require power reduction but can be mistaken for a human approaching. Since the scenario of a human approaching is often an unstable state, that is, there will be some slight shaking, this case can utilize this characteristic to increase a detection threshold, such as detecting the range of change of tuner 14 over a period of time, whether it is fixed at a certain value to determine whether to change a specific absorption mode. Please refer to Figures 1, 2, and 5 simultaneously. As shown in steps S38 and S42, after the processing device 18 sets the output power of the modem 16 to a limb-specific absorption rate mode or a whole-body specific absorption rate mode, as shown in step S44, the processing device 18 further determines whether the status information remains stable for a preset time. If so, as shown in step S34, when the status information remains stable for the preset time, it indicates that the electronic device 10 should be in a placement scenario (not on the human body) and enter a free space scenario, and the processing device 18 restores the output power setting of the modem 16 to the preset power mode; otherwise, it continues to maintain the original limb-specific absorption rate mode or whole-body specific absorption rate mode to maintain the most appropriate communication power. In one embodiment, this preset time is 30 seconds. The remaining steps are the same as in the embodiment of Figure 4 above, so please refer to the foregoing description, and will not be repeated here.

[0017] As the number of antenna and antenna tuner groups increases in the future, the placement of electronic devices (mobile communication products) can be determined by analyzing the changes in parameters of pre-calibrated state information. For example, whether the screen is facing up or down when placed on a table. This is because the radiation pattern of the side of the antenna that is covered will be obstructed. At this time, the antenna tuner can be used to change the direction of the antenna radiation pattern and rotate it to concentrate it as much as possible on the unobstructed side, thereby improving the current antenna efficiency. Therefore, the more antenna tuner groups there are and the more evenly they are distributed, the more possible usage scenarios can be determined. In order to adjust the antenna phase in a specific environment so that the radiation direction can be more concentrated in the unobstructed direction, thereby improving the overall performance of the antenna.

[0018] In summary, this invention relates to an electronic device and method for adaptively adjusting antenna power. It directly determines the current usage scenario of the electronic device by real-time detection of changes in components such as the antenna tuner used to enhance antenna performance, thereby adjusting the output power to achieve better communication quality in specific scenarios and comply with SAR regulations. Therefore, this invention improves the accuracy and timeliness of determining specific absorption rate modes without generating additional power consumption from components during the determination process. Furthermore, after confirming the usage scenario, this invention can adjust the antenna phase through the antenna tuner, making the antenna radiation pattern more concentrated on the target terminal, effectively improving antenna performance.

[0019] The above-described embodiments are only for illustrating the technical ideas and features of this case. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this case and implement it accordingly. They should not be used to limit the scope of the patent in this case. That is, all equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit disclosed in this case should still be covered within the scope of the patent application in this case. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0020] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device equipped with an antenna according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a complete method for determining a specific absorption rate mode using an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for adaptively adjusting antenna power according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for adaptively adjusting antenna power according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power, comprising: a plurality of antennas; a plurality of tuners electrically connected to the antennas, such that each tuner corresponds to one antenna; a modem electrically connected to the plurality of tuners to control the plurality of tuners and acquire state information of each of the plurality of tuners; and a processing device electrically connected to the modem, the processing device determining the operation of the plurality of tuners based on changes in the state information; when only one group of tuners is operating or adjacent groups are operating simultaneously, the processing device sets one output power of the modem to a limb-specific absorption rate mode; when all groups of tuners are operating or relatively long-side groups are operating simultaneously, the processing device sets the output power of the modem to a whole-body-specific absorption rate mode.

2. The electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 1, wherein the tuner is an antenna impedance tuner, an antenna aperture tuner, a phase tuner, or any combination thereof.

3. The electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 1, wherein the status information is a configuration change of the complex array tuner.

4. The electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 1, wherein the modem generates a first control signal to control the complex array tuner.

5. The electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 4, wherein the first control signal is a general-purpose input / output signal or a mobile industrial processor interface signal.

6. The electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 1, wherein when only one group of the complex array tuners is active or adjacent groups are active simultaneously, the processing device generates a second control signal to the modem to set the output power of the modem to a specific absorption rate mode for that limb according to the second control signal; and when all groups of the complex array tuners are active or relatively long side groups are active simultaneously, the processing device generates the second control signal to the modem to set the output power of the modem to a specific absorption rate mode for the whole body according to the second control signal.

7. The electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 6, wherein the second control signal is a high-speed peripheral component interconnection device signal or a co-orthogonal signal.

8. The electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas are respectively uniformly disposed on a housing of the electronic device.

9. The electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 1, wherein after the processing device sets the output power of the modem to a limb-specific absorption rate mode or a whole-body specific absorption rate mode, the processing device further determines whether the state information remains stable for a preset time. If so, the processing device restores the output power setting of the modem to a preset power mode; if not, it maintains the limb-specific absorption rate mode or the whole-body specific absorption rate mode.

10. An electronic device for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 9, wherein the preset power mode has a maximum power value.

11. A method for adaptively adjusting antenna power, applicable to an electronic device including multiple antennas, multiple array tuners, and a modem, the method comprising: acquiring state information of each of the multiple array tuners; determining the operation of the multiple array tuners based on changes in the state information, and determining how many array tuners have changed when the state information changes; setting one output power of the modem to a limb-specific absorptivity mode when only one array tuner is operating or adjacent array tuners are operating simultaneously; and setting the output power of the modem to a whole-body-specific absorptivity mode when all array tuners are operating or relatively long-side array tuners are operating simultaneously.

12. The method for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 11, wherein the tuner is an antenna impedance tuner, an antenna aperture tuner, a phase tuner, or any combination thereof.

13. The method for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 11, wherein the state information is a configuration change of the complex array tuner.

14. The method for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 11, wherein when only one group of the complex array tuners is active or adjacent groups are active simultaneously, the modem is controlled by a second control signal to set the output power of the modem to a specific absorption rate mode for that limb according to the second control signal; and when all groups of the complex array tuners are active or relatively long side groups are active simultaneously, the modem is controlled by the second control signal to set the output power of the modem to a specific absorption rate mode for the whole body according to the second control signal.

15. The method for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 14, wherein the second control signal is a high-speed peripheral component interconnection device signal or a co-orthogonal signal.

16. The method for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 11, wherein the plurality of antennas are respectively uniformly disposed on a housing of the electronic device.

17. The method for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 11, wherein after setting the output power of the modem to a limb-specific absorption rate mode or a whole-body-specific absorption rate mode, it is further determined whether the state information remains stable for a preset time. If so, the output power setting of the modem is restored to a preset power mode; otherwise, the limb-specific absorption rate mode or the whole-body-specific absorption rate mode is maintained.

18. The method for adaptively adjusting antenna power as described in claim 17, wherein the preset power mode has a maximum power value.

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