U.S. patent application number 14/284130 was filed with the patent office on 2014-11-27 for electronic device components as antennas.
The applicant listed for this patent is Nil Apaydin, Javier R. De Luis, Rod G. Fleck, Alireza Mahanfar, Benjamin Shewan. Invention is credited to Nil Apaydin, Javier R. De Luis, Rod G. Fleck, Alireza Mahanfar, Benjamin Shewan.
Application Number | 20140347232 14/284130 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51935032 |
Filed Date | 2014-11-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140347232 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mahanfar; Alireza ; et
al. |
November 27, 2014 |
ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPONENTS AS ANTENNAS
Abstract
Antennas, antenna systems, and electronic devices containing
antennas are described herein. Non-antenna components of electronic
devices can be used as an antenna, as a portion of an antenna, or
as part of a feed path from a transceiver output to an antenna. An
output of a transceiver can be coupled to a conductive portion of a
non-antenna component through a feed point. Conductive portions of
the non-antenna component can serve as an antenna for the
transceiver. An additional conductor can also be coupled to the
output of the transceiver. The additional conductor, the conductive
portions of the non-antenna component, or the combination of the
additional conductor and the conductive portions of the non-antenna
component can act as an antenna for the transceiver.
Inventors: |
Mahanfar; Alireza;
(Bellevue, WA) ; Apaydin; Nil; (Redmond, WA)
; De Luis; Javier R.; (Kirkland, WA) ; Fleck; Rod
G.; (Bellevue, WA) ; Shewan; Benjamin;
(Redmond, WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Mahanfar; Alireza
Apaydin; Nil
De Luis; Javier R.
Fleck; Rod G.
Shewan; Benjamin |
Bellevue
Redmond
Kirkland
Bellevue
Redmond |
WA
WA
WA
WA
WA |
US
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51935032 |
Appl. No.: |
14/284130 |
Filed: |
May 21, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61825946 |
May 21, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
343/720 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01Q 1/46 20130101; H01Q
1/521 20130101; H01Q 1/44 20130101; H01Q 1/243 20130101; H01Q 1/241
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
343/720 |
International
Class: |
H01Q 1/24 20060101
H01Q001/24 |
Claims
1. A system comprising: a transceiver; and a non-antenna component
coupled to the transceiver through a feed point, wherein one or
more conductive portions of the non-antenna component serve as an
antenna when provided a signal by the transceiver through the feed
point.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-antenna component is one
of: a button, a headphone jack, a data connector, a charging
connector, a microphone, a speaker, a vibration mechanism, a
camera, a screw, a structural support, a rocker switch, a toggle
switch, a thumbstick, or a capacitive touch sensor.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the feed point is on the
non-antenna component.
4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an additional
conductor that is connected to at least one of the one or more
conductive portions of the non-antenna component, wherein the
additional conductor and the one or more conductive portions of the
non-antenna component together serve as an antenna when provided
the signal by the transceiver through the feed point.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the feed point is on the
additional conductor.
6. The system of claim 4, wherein a length and size of the
additional conductor are selected such that the additional
conductor and the one or more conductive portions of the
non-antenna component together radiate over a target frequency
range.
7. The system of claim 4, wherein the additional conductor and the
one or more conductive portions of the non-antenna component
together serve as one of: a planar inverted L antenna (PILA), a
planar inverted F antenna (PIFA), a dipole antenna, a monopole
antenna, a slot antenna, or a loop antenna.
8. The method of claim 4, wherein the non-antenna component is a
data connector, and wherein the additional conductor and the one or
more conductive portions of the data connector together serve as a
monopole antenna.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is part of a game
controller or a mobile device.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more conductive
portions of the non-antenna component radiate as an antenna in one
or more communication frequency bands including at least one of the
following frequencies: 1.2 GHz, 1.5 GHz, 2.4 GHz, 3.6 GHz, and 5
GHz.
11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an impedance matching
network that provides an impedance match between an output of the
transceiver and the non-antenna component at the feed point.
12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit
board (PCB) on which the non-antenna component is mounted, the PCB
having a keep-out area surrounding the non-antenna component, the
keep-out area being clear of conductive elements other than those
connected to the non-antenna component.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-antenna component is a
thumbstick component, and wherein a target frequency band over
which the one or more conductive portions of the thumbstick serve
as an antenna includes at least one of 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.
14. A method for transmitting a wireless communication signal from
an electronic device, the method comprising: by a transceiver,
providing a communication signal to a feed path; coupling the
communication signal from the feed path to a non-antenna component
of the electronic device via a feed point; and by one or more
conductive portions of the non-antenna component, radiating the
wireless communication signal based on the coupled communication
signal, wherein the non-antenna component performs a function in
the electronic device in addition to radiating.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-antenna component is
one of: a button, a headphone jack, a data connector, a charging
connector, a microphone, a speaker, a vibration mechanism, a
camera, a screw, a structural support, a rocker switch, a toggle
switch, a thumbstick, or a capacitive touch sensor.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the one or more
conductive portions of the non-antenna component is connected to an
additional conductor, and wherein the radiating of the wireless
communication signal is performed by the additional conductor and
the one or more conductive portions of the non-antenna component
together acting as an antenna.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the additional conductor is
configured such that the non-antenna component and the additional
conductor together radiate with a radiation pattern approximating a
known antenna type.
18. An electronic device, comprising: a transceiver; a conductive
element; and a non-antenna component having a conductive portion,
wherein the conductive portion of the non-antenna component is
coupled to the conductive elements, and at least one of the
conductive element or the conductive portion of the non-antenna
component is coupled to the output of the transceiver, wherein at
least one of the conductive element or the conductive portion of
the non-antenna component acts as an antenna for the
transceiver.
19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the non-antenna
component is part of a feed path between the transceiver and the
conductive element, and wherein the conductive element acts as an
antenna for the transceiver.
20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein both the conductive
portion of the non-antenna component and the conductive element act
as the antenna for the transceiver.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/825,946, filed on May 21, 2013 and titled
"ANTENNA SYSTEMS," which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
FIELD
[0002] The present application relates generally to radio frequency
(RF) antennas and antenna systems.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Mobile computing devices and other devices that communicate
wirelessly have become common in recent years. Consumers are
increasingly demanding greater functionality in a smaller
footprint. As the number of functions a device performs continues
to expand, devices must be able to communicate over a
correspondingly expanding number of frequency bands used by various
communication standards. This typically requires additional
antennas, which must be somehow incorporated into a device while at
the same time reducing or maintaining device size.
SUMMARY
[0004] Examples described herein relate to use of non-antenna
components of electronic devices as antennas or parts of antennas.
Using the systems and methods described herein, a non-antenna
electronic device component can be used as an antenna, as a portion
of an antenna, or as part of a feed path from a transceiver to an
antenna. An example system can include a transceiver and a
non-antenna component coupled to the transceiver through a feed
point. One or more conductive portions of the non-antenna component
can serve as an antenna when provided a signal by the transceiver
through the feed point or deliver a signal to the transceiver.
[0005] In some examples, an electronic device can include a
transceiver as well as a conductive element and a non-antenna
component having a conductive portion that are both coupled to an
output of the transceiver. Either the conductive element, the
conductive portion of the non-antenna component, or the combination
of the conductive element and conductive portion of the non-antenna
component can act as an antenna for the transceiver. The conductive
element can be connected to the conductive portion of the
non-antenna component and shaped such that the combination of the
conductive element and the conductive portion of the non-antenna
component together radiate with a radiation pattern approximating a
known antenna type.
[0006] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed
subject matter.
[0007] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of
the claimed subject matter will become more apparent from the
following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to
the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example system
including a transceiver, a feed point, and a non-antenna component
serving as an antenna.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example system
including an additional conductor and a non-antenna component
together serving as an antenna.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example system
including an additional conductor and a non-antenna component
together serving as an antenna, where the feed point is on the
additional conductor.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example system in
which a non-antenna component forms part of the feed path from a
transceiver to a feed point on an additional conductor.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for
transmitting a wireless communication signal from an electronic
device using a non-antenna component.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a simplified circuit board
of an example game controller, the circuit board including a
thumbstick component serving as an antenna.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the simplified circuit board of
FIG. 6 illustrating the thumbstick component connected to a
transceiver.
[0015] FIG. 8 illustrates an example mobile device and example
locations for non-antenna components used as antennas.
[0016] FIG. 9 illustrates an example mobile device suitable for
implementing examples described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Using the systems and methods described herein, a
non-antenna electronic device component can be used as an antenna
or as part of antenna. Electronic devices that communicate
wirelessly are often small devices that perform a variety of
functions and communicate over a large number of communication
frequency bands. Mobile devices, for example, contain multiple
antennas in a small package. Antenna efficiency increases with
increased separation from other conductive structures (sometimes
referred to as a keep-out volume). Antennas are therefore typically
separated from other components to provide better performance, but
this separation between antennas and other conductive structures
consumes valuable space and limits the potential for device
miniaturization.
[0018] In addition to antennas, a number of non-antenna components
having a conductive portion are typically included in electronic
devices. These non-antenna components are typically designed to
perform a function other than serving as an antenna and include,
for example, buttons, connectors, structural supports, etc. A
non-antenna component can be coupled to a transceiver and used as
an antenna, as part of an antenna, or in the feed path of an
antenna, thus allowing a more compact device design. A non-antenna
component can also be coupled to an antenna component to act
together as a different antenna. Examples are described in detail
below with reference to FIGS. 1-9.
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system 100 in which
a non-antenna component 102 is used as an antenna. Non-antenna
component 102 can be, for example: a button, a headphone jack, a
data connector, a charging connector, a microphone, a speaker, a
vibration mechanism, a camera, a screw, a structural support, a
rocker switch, a toggle switch, a thumbstick, or a capacitive touch
sensor.
[0020] Non-antenna component 102 is coupled to a transceiver 104
through a feed point 106. One or more conductive portions (not
shown) of non-antenna component 102 serve as an antenna when
provided a signal by transceiver 104 through feed point 106.
Non-antenna component 102 can also act as an antenna to receive
signals and provide the received signals to transceiver 104.
"Coupled" includes an electrical connection (e.g. connection
through a conductor) as well as, in some examples, capacitive or
inductive coupling.
[0021] System 100 is a simplified system for clarity. System 100
(and other example systems) can also include an impedance matching
network (not shown) between transceiver 104 and feed point 106. An
impedance matching network increases the amount of power that
reaches non-antenna component 102 and reduces the amount of power
that is reflected. System 100 can be part of an electronic device
such as, for example, a mobile device or a game controller. In some
examples, a variety of other components and connections may also be
included.
[0022] Example systems can include a non-antenna component having a
conductive portion and an additional conductor that are both
coupled to an output of a transceiver, where at least one of the
additional conductor or the conductive portion of the non-antenna
component acts as an antenna or a portion thereof for the
transceiver. Example configurations of such systems are shown in
FIGS. 2-4.
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates a system 200 in which an additional
conductor 202 and one or more conductive portions of the
non-antenna component 102 together serve as an antenna when
provided a signal by transceiver 104 through feed point 106.
Additional conductor 202 is electrically connected to a conductive
portion of non-antenna component 102. Feed point 106 is on
non-antenna component 102.
[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates a system 300 in which an additional
conductor 302 and one or more conductive portions of the
non-antenna component 102 are electrically connected and together
serve as an antenna when provided a signal by transceiver 104
through feed point 106. In contrast to FIG. 2, in FIG. 3, feed
point 106 is on additional conductor 302.
[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates a system 400 in which non-antenna
component 102 is part of a feed path 402 between transceiver 104
and additional conductor 404. For example, non-antenna component
102 can serve as an impedance matching network or part of an
impedance matching network between an output of transceiver 104 and
feed point 406. In system 400, additional conductor 404 acts as an
antenna for the transceiver. Although non-antenna component 102
does not act as an antenna in system 400, space is still saved by
using non-antenna component 102 for its designed purpose (e.g.,
button, connector, switch, etc.) and also as part of feed path
402.
[0026] In some examples, coupling of a transmitter portion of a
transceiver to one or more of a non-antenna component, an antenna
component, or additional conductors is described with reference to
wireless signal radiation. The same or similar arrangements of
conductors can be coupled to a receiver portion of a transceiver
for detection of wireless signals. Some representative connections
of non-antenna components, antenna components, and additional
conductors are shown for purposes of illustration, but any
particular arrangement or ordering of connections is generally
selected as convenient for a particular application. For ease of
illustration, connections of non-antenna components for non-antenna
functions are not shown. For example, connections of audio jacks to
audio circuitry, charging connector connections to charging
circuits, and corresponding connections and circuitry associated
with other non-antenna components are omitted from the figures.
[0027] In FIGS. 2-4, the additional conductor can be made, for
example, of conductive tape, a portion/trace of a conductive layer
on a printed circuit board (PCB), or an electrical transmission
line and can be arranged as part of a waveguide such as microstrip,
stripline, coaxial cable, or other waveguide. Different non-antenna
components have different amounts and arrangements of conductive
material and will therefore radiate differently. Different shapes,
sizes, and orientations of additional conductive material can be
connected to a non-antenna component to create a combined structure
that radiates in a desired manner or approximates a known antenna
type. For example, the additional conductor and conductive portions
of the non-antenna component together can serve as one of: a planar
inverted L antenna (PILA), a planar inverted F antenna (PIFA), a
dipole antenna, a monopole antenna, a slot antenna, or a loop
antenna.
[0028] In some examples, systems such as systems 100, 200, 300, and
400 of FIGS. 1-4, include a printed circuit board (PCB) on which
the non-antenna component is mounted. The PCB can have a keep-out
area surrounding the non-antenna component. The keep-out area is
clear of conductive elements other than those connected to the
non-antenna component. In some examples, the keep-out area is
completely clear of other conductors. The size of the keep-out area
and how limiting the keep-out is on the number of other conductive
elements allowed within the keep-out area can be adjusted depending
upon the application.
[0029] Non-antenna components, whether used alone as antennas or in
conjunction with additional conductors as antennas, can be used
over a variety of communication frequency bands. The communication
frequency bands can include, for example, typical Bluetooth.RTM.
(e.g. 2.4 GHz), GPS (e.g. 1.2 GHz, 1.5 GHz), Wi-FI.RTM. (2.4 GHz, 5
GHz), and cellular (700 MHz-1 GHz and 1.7 GHz-2.2 GHz)
communication frequencies (listed frequencies are approximate).
Other frequencies and wireless communications protocols are also
contemplated.
[0030] Non-antenna components used as antennas or as parts of
antennas are subject to many of the same design guidelines,
constraints, and considerations that apply to conventional
antennas. The frequency band over which an antenna operates is a
function of the antenna size and shape. For example, an antenna can
be designed to be one-quarter or one-half of the wavelength of a
target frequency or frequency band. Wavelength in a dielectric such
as a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate and free space differ.
The actual length of an antenna implemented in a device is
therefore typically different than a free-space wavelength
fraction. Additionally, antennas often meander to accommodate board
design and space constraints. For meandered designs, the length of
the antenna may need to be shortened or lengthened to account for
the interactions between meandering portions. In many cases,
conductor orientation and dimensions that provide adequate
performance are determined empirically.
[0031] Thus, the size, shape, and orientation of additional
conductors, for example, that are used with non-antenna components
to act as an antenna can be selected to form a combined structure
(non-antenna component and additional conductor) having a shape or
length that radiates at a desired frequency. The characteristics of
the additional conductor can be determined, for example, through
simulation or by adding an amount of conductive material to form a
structure having a length that is a fraction of a desired
wavelength, for example one-fourth or one-half of a wavelength. The
characteristics of an additional conductor can be adjusted and
experimentally verified to account for the shape, size, meander, or
other characteristics of the conductive portions of a non-antenna
component.
[0032] FIG. 5 illustrates a method 500 for transmitting a wireless
communication signal from an electronic device. In process block
502, a communication signal is provided to a feed path by a
transceiver. In process block 504, the communication signal is
coupled from the feed path to a non-antenna component of the
electronic device via a feed point. The wireless communication
signal, based on the coupled communication signal, is radiated by
one or more conductive portions of the non-antenna component (in
some cases, along with other conductive elements) in process block
506. The non-antenna component performs a function in the
electronic device in addition to radiating (e.g. as a connector,
button, camera, speaker, etc.). Example non-antenna components are
discussed with reference to FIG. 1.
[0033] In some examples, at least one of the one or more conductive
portions of the non-antenna component is connected to an additional
conductor, and the radiating of the wireless communication signal
in process block 506 is performed by the additional conductor and
the one or more conductive portions of the non-antenna component
together acting as an antenna. The additional conductor can be
configured such that the non-antenna component and the additional
conductor together radiate with a radiation pattern approximating a
known antenna type.
[0034] The feed point through which the communication signal is
coupled from the feed path to the non-antenna component in process
block 504 can be in a variety of locations, for example as is
illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. The location of feed points can be
determined by analyzing a non-antenna component to identify
available modes and corresponding resonant frequencies and then
selecting candidate feed point locations and grounding location(s)
based on the available modes. Modeling software or experimentation
can be used to assess performance using the candidate feed point
and grounding locations, and adjustments can be made as needed. A
"mode" refers to the formation of voltage and current across a
structure. The "fundamental mode" is the mode of the lowest
resonant frequency of a structure. Available modes can be
identified using modeling software or experimentation. In some
examples, return loss, as represented by the S.sub.11 scattering
parameter, can be used as a metric to assess candidate feed point
locations and grounding location(s). For example, a return loss of
<-6 dB can be considered acceptable.
[0035] Although method 500 illustrates transmission of a wireless
signal, complementary methods for receiving a wireless signal are
also contemplated.
[0036] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate an example in which a non-antenna
component is of a size and includes an amount of conductive
material appropriate for use as an antenna without additional
conductive material.
[0037] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a simplified circuit board
600 of an example game controller. Circuit board 600 includes a
thumbstick component 602 (also referred to as a joystick) serving
as an antenna. Thumbstick component 602 has a largely metal outer
base and has a number of contact pads that can be grounded to
reduce electrostatic discharge (ESD) and noise. Game controller 600
communicates wirelessly with a game console (not shown) at, for
example, Wi-FI.RTM. frequencies such as 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
[0038] FIG. 7 is a plan view of circuit board 600 and thumbstick
component 602. FIG. 7 also shows a transceiver 700 coupled to
thumbstick component 602 at feed point 702. Thumbstick component
602 is grounded at grounding point 704. Thumbstick component 602 is
used in FIG. 7 as an antenna over a communication frequency band
that includes 2.4 GHz. The free space wavelength at 2.4 GHz is 124
mm. When loaded by an FR4 dielectric (e.g., a PCB), the wavelength
is approximately two-thirds of the free-space value, or about 80
mm. The footprint of thumbstick component 602 is approximately a 13
mm square. Thumbstick component 602 can be used as a
half-wavelength antenna (for example, as a folded monopole) by
separating a feed point and grounding point by approximately half
of 80 mm, or about 40 mm. The distance around three sides of the
perimeter of thumbstick component 602 is approximately 39 mm, so
locating feed point 702 and grounding point 704 approximately as
shown in FIG. 7 allows thumbstick component 602 to be used as a 2.4
GHz antenna. This is shown by current flow pattern 706. In some
examples, grounding point 704 or other grounding points can serve
as the shorting pins for a PIFA.
[0039] For thumbstick component 602, simulation indicates a second
mode (one-and-a-half times the wavelength) and resonance at
approximately 6 GHz. This allows thumbstick component 602 to also
be used for 5 GHz Wi-FI.RTM. communication. FIG. 7 also shows
keep-out area 708. Keep-out area 708 is clear or substantially
clear of conductive materials other than connections associated
with thumbstick component 602. Keep-out area 708 increases antenna
volume and allows more of the power radiated by thumbstick
component 602 to be transmitted as a signal rather than coupled to
other conductive materials nearby.
[0040] In one example using a particular thumbstick component
having 9 conductive contacts that are typically grounded when the
component is used only as a thumbstick, one contact served as the
feed point, three contacts were isolated (not connected to ground),
and five contacts were connected to ground. Determination of which
contacts to ground and/or isolate can be done empirically.
[0041] FIG. 8 illustrates a mobile device 800 in which various
non-antenna components have are used as antennas. The design of
mobile device 800 takes advantage of an existing opening used for a
device speaker 802 to form a slot antenna 804 that surrounds the
opening. In FIG. 8, the dimensions of slot antenna 804 are greater
than the opening used for speaker 802. In other examples, the
dimensions of slot antenna 804 can be substantially the same as the
opening used for speaker 802. Headset jack 806 is modified to form
an antenna. Typically, the metal portion of a headset jack is not
large enough to be an effective antenna. Additional conductor 808
is connected to headset jack 806 to form an antenna. In this way,
the total amount of conductor used for headset jack 806 and the
additional conductor 808 that, in conjunction with headset jack 806
acts as an antenna, is less than if an antenna and headset jack 806
were implemented separately.
[0042] The vibration mechanism (not shown) and metal support for
the charging connector 810 can be modified to be a folded monopole
or other monopole, a dipole, or a patch antenna. A charging
connector can be used as an antenna for 2.4-2.6 GHz, for example.
In FIG. 8, charging connector 810 and a conductive element 812
together act as a monopole antenna that can be used at GPS
frequencies. The terms "conductive element," "additional
conductor," and "conductive material" are used interchangeably
herein. Charging connector 810 can be, for example, a universal
serial bus (USB) connector.
[0043] Metal screws in the housing or case of the device can be
modified to serve as high-band antennas. Larger screws can radiate
at lower frequencies. In some cases, screws include a
non-conductive portion that provides electrical isolation. Screws
can also be inserted into a threaded insulator. Because bandwidth
is inversely proportional to dielectric constant, a higher
bandwidth can be achieved by using material with a low dielectric
constant (for example less than 4).
[0044] In some examples, a plurality of non-antenna components
having conductive portions can be switched between and combined
with one or more additional conductors to form different antennas.
Multiple additional conductive portions can also be switchably
connectable to a single non-antenna component such that the
structure can be modified to form a plurality of different antennas
depending upon which additional portion or portions are
connected.
[0045] In the figures, connections between non-antenna components
and other components (e.g. connections between input components and
connectors and a processor) are not shown for clarity.
Example Mobile Device
[0046] FIG. 9 is a system diagram depicting an exemplary mobile
device 900 including a variety of optional hardware and software
components, shown generally at 902. Any components 902 in the
mobile device can communicate with any other component, although
not all connections are shown, for ease of illustration. The mobile
device can be any of a variety of computing devices (e.g., cell
phone, smartphone, handheld computer, Personal Digital Assistant
(PDA), etc.) and can allow wireless two-way communications with one
or more mobile communications networks 904, such as a cellular or
satellite network.
[0047] The illustrated mobile device 900 can include a controller
or processor 910 (e.g., signal processor, microprocessor,
application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable
gate array (FPGA), or other control and processing logic circuitry)
for performing such tasks as signal coding, data processing,
input/output processing, power control, and/or other functions. An
operating system 912 can control the allocation and usage of the
components 902 and support for one or more application programs
914. The application programs can include common mobile computing
applications (e.g., email applications, calendars, contact
managers, web browsers, messaging applications or any other
computing application.
[0048] The illustrated mobile device 900 can include memory 920.
Memory 920 can include non-removable memory 922 and/or removable
memory 924. The non-removable memory 922 can include RAM, ROM,
flash memory, a hard disk, or other well-known memory storage
technologies. The removable memory 924 can include flash memory or
a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, which is well known in GSM
communication systems, or other well-known memory storage
technologies, such as "smart cards." The memory 920 can be used for
storing data and/or code for running the operating system 912 and
the applications 914. Example data can include web pages, text,
images, sound files, video data, or other data sets to be sent to
and/or received from one or more network servers or other devices
via one or more wired or wireless networks. The memory 920 can be
used to store a subscriber identifier, such as an International
Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), and an equipment identifier,
such as an International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI). Such
identifiers can be transmitted to a network server to identify
users and equipment.
[0049] The mobile device 900 can support one or more input devices
930, such as a touchscreen 932, microphone 934, camera 936,
physical keyboard 938 and/or trackball 1140 and one or more output
devices 950, such as a speaker 952 and a display 954. Other
possible output devices (not shown) can include piezoelectric or
other haptic output devices. Some devices can serve more than one
input/output function. For example, touchscreen 932 and display 954
can be combined in a single input/output device. The input devices
930 can include a Natural User Interface (NUI). An NUI is any
interface technology that enables a user to interact with a device
in a "natural" manner, free from artificial constraints imposed by
input devices such as mice, keyboards, remote controls, and the
like. Examples of NUI methods include those relying on speech
recognition, touch and stylus recognition, gesture recognition both
on screen and adjacent to the screen, air gestures, head and eye
tracking, voice and speech, vision, touch, gestures, and machine
intelligence. Other examples of a NUI include motion gesture
detection using accelerometers/gyroscopes, facial recognition, 3D
displays, head, eye, and gaze tracking, immersive augmented reality
and virtual reality systems, all of which provide a more natural
interface, as well as technologies for sensing brain activity using
electric field sensing electrodes (EEG and related methods). Thus,
in one specific example, the operating system 912 or applications
914 can comprise speech-recognition software as part of a voice
user interface that allows a user to operate the device 900 via
voice commands. Further, the device 900 can comprise input devices
and software that allows for user interaction via a user's spatial
gestures, such as detecting and interpreting gestures to provide
input to a gaming application.
[0050] A wireless modem 960 can be coupled to an antenna 992 and
can support two-way communications between the processor 910 and
external devices, as is well understood in the art. The modem 960
is shown generically and can include a cellular modem for
communicating with the mobile communication network 904 and/or
other radio-based modems (e.g., Bluetooth 964 or Wi-FI 912). The
wireless modem 960 is typically configured for communication with
one or more cellular networks, such as a GSM network for data and
voice communications within a single cellular network, between
cellular networks, or between the mobile device and a public
switched telephone network (PSTN).
[0051] The mobile device can further include at least one
input/output port 980, a power supply 982, a satellite navigation
system receiver 984, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS)
receiver, an accelerometer 986, and/or a physical connector 990,
which can be a USB port, IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port, and/or RS-232
port. The illustrated components 902 are not required or
all-inclusive, as any components can be deleted and other
components can be added. Antennas 992 can include non-antenna
electronic device components used as antennas. Possible couplings
of the one or more antennas to some non-antenna components are
indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 9.
[0052] The disclosed methods, apparatus, and systems should not be
construed as limiting in any way. Instead, the present disclosure
is directed toward all novel and nonobvious features and aspects of
the various disclosed embodiments, alone and in various
combinations and subcombinations with one another. The disclosed
methods, apparatus, and systems are not limited to any specific
aspect or feature or combination thereof, nor do the disclosed
embodiments require that any one or more specific advantages be
present or problems be solved.
[0053] In view of the many possible embodiments to which the
principles of the disclosed invention may be applied, it should be
recognized that the illustrated embodiments are only preferred
examples of the invention and should not be taken as limiting the
scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is
defined by the following claims. We therefore claim as our
invention all that comes within the scope of these claims.
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