Antenna Control System for Mobile Terminals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing antenna control systems for mobile terminals face challenges in reliably forming and maintaining short-range wireless communication channels, particularly in environments where antenna coverage is overlapped and handoff continuity is required.

Innovation Solution

A terminal with an integrated antenna control system that includes a short-range wireless communication module, a switch, and multiple antennas, which automatically switches between antennas based on preset schedules and data transmission/reception cycles to ensure continuous communication, reducing unnecessary standby time and improving channel formation reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If antenna switching is performed frequently to maintain communication continuity, then communication reliability is improved, but standby time increases and system efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication channel formation reliabilityVSAvoidstandby time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by predicting future communication needs based on historical data and current context, pre-switching to appropriate antennas before communication failures occur. This eliminates standby time while maintaining reliability, as the system proactively prepares the optimal antenna configuration in advance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback mechanisms by monitoring communication channel quality, antenna performance metrics, and environmental conditions. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of antenna switching strategies, optimizing the balance between reliability and standby time by learning from past performance and adapting to changing conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If multiple antennas are used to improve coverage in overlapping areas, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication continuityVSAvoidantenna control system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna control system is segmented into modular functional components: signal quality monitoring modules, prediction algorithms, switching control modules, and performance evaluation modules. Each module performs a specific function independently, making the complex system manageable, maintainable, and adaptable while achieving reliable communication continuity across multiple antennas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If manual antenna selection is used to simplify operation, then ease of operation is improved, but communication reliability in dynamic environments deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantenna selection simplicityVSAvoidchannel formation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna control system operates autonomously using self-service principles, automatically monitoring signal conditions, predicting optimal antenna selections, and executing switching decisions without user intervention. The system serves itself by continuously optimizing its own configuration based on real-time feedback, ensuring high reliability in dynamic environments while maintaining operational simplicity for users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2683090B1Apparatus and method for operating antennas
Publication Date: 2021.06.16 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP2683090B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2683090B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2683090B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An apparatus and a method for operating antennas are provided. A terminal includes a plurality of short range wireless communication antennas, each antenna disposed on different surface or in a vicinity of the different surface of the terminal, and a short range wireless communication control module configured to control to select at least one of the plurality of short range wireless communication antennas.