Tunable antenna for wireless communication terminals

A radio antenna for use in a hand-held telecommunications device, said antenna including a radiating element having a resonant frequency, a grounding point and a feed point, said antenna comprising:

• a transmission line having a length between a first end and an opposing second end, the second end coupled to the radiating element for providing a frequency shift from the resonant frequency, and
• an adjustment means, disposed adjacent to the first end of the transmission line, for adjusting the frequency shift by effectively changing the length of the transmission line, wherein the adjustment means comprises:
• a plurality of extension lines each having a different extension length, and
• a switching mechanism, operable in a first position and a second position, wherein
• when the switching mechanism is operated in the first position, one of the extension lines is electrically coupled to the first end of the transmission line for changing the frequency shift by a shift amount commensurable with the extension length of the coupled extension line, and
• when the switching mechanism is operated in the second position, the transmission line and said plurality of extension lines are electrically uncoupled.

A radio antenna for use in a hand-held telecommunications device, said antenna including a radiating element having a resonant frequency, a grounding point and a feed point, said antenna comprising:

• a transmission line having a length between a first end and an opposing second end, the second end coupled to the radiating element for providing a frequency shift from the resonant frequency,
• an adjustment means, disposed adjacent to the first end of the transmission line, for adjusting the frequency shift by effectively changing the length of the transmission line,
• a further radiating element having a further resonant frequency, and
• a further transmission line having a length between a first end and an opposing second end, the second end coupled to the radiating element for providing a further frequency shift from the further resonance frequency, wherein the adjustment means is further adapted to adjusting the further frequency shift by effectively changing the length of the further transmission line, wherein the adjustment means further comprises:
• a plurality of further extension lines, each having a different extension length, and
• a further switching mechanism, operable in a first position and a second position, wherein
• when the further switching mechanism is operated in the first position, one of the further extension lines is electrically coupled to the first end of the further transmission line for changing the further frequency shift by a shift amount commensurable with the extension length of the coupled further extension line, and
• when the switching mechanism is operated in the second position, the further transmission line and said plurality of further extension lines are electrically uncoupled.

A hand-held telecommunications device comprising:

• a radio antenna having a resonant frequency for communicating with other communication devices, and
• a chassis having a chassis ground for disposing the radio antenna, wherein the antenna comprises:
• a radiating element,
• a feed point,
• a grounding point connected to the chassis ground,
• a transmission line having a length between a first end and an opposing second end, the second end coupled to the radiating element for providing a frequency shift from the resonant frequency, and
• an adjustment means, disposed adjacent to the first end of the transmission line, for adjusting the frequency shift by effectively changing the length of the transmission line.

A hand-held telecommunications device comprising:

• a radio antenna having a resonant frequency for communicating with other communication devices, and
• a chassis having a chassis ground for disposing the radio antenna, wherein the antenna comprises:
• a radiating element,
• a feed point,
• a grounding point connected to the chassis ground,
• a transmission line having a length between a first end and an opposing second end, the second end coupled to the radiating element for providing a frequency shift from the resonant frequency, and
• an adjustment means, disposed adjacent to the first end of the transmission line, for adjusting the frequency shift by effectively changing the length of the transmission line, wherein the adjustment means comprises:
• a plurality of extension lines each having a different extension length, and
• a switching mechanism operable in a first position and a second position, wherein
• when the switching mechanism is operated in the first position, one of the extension lines is electrically coupled to the first end of the transmission line for changing the frequency shift by a shift amount commensurable with the extension length of the coupled extension line, and when the switching mechanism is operated in the second position, the transmission line and said plurality of extension lines are electrically uncoupled.

A hand-held telecommunications device comprising:

• a radio antenna having a resonant frequency for communicating with other communication devices, and
• a chassis having a chassis ground for disposing the radio antenna, wherein the antenna comprises:
• a radiating element,
• a feed point,
• a grounding point connected to the chassis ground,
• a transmission line having a length between a first end and an opposing second end, the second end coupled to the radiating element for providing a frequency shift from the resonant frequency,
• an adjustment means, disposed adjacent to the first end of the transmission line, for adjusting the frequency shift by effectively changing the length of the transmission line,
• a further radiating element having a further resonant frequency, and a further transmission line having a length between a first end and an opposing second end, the second end coupled to the radiating element for providing a further frequency shift from the further resonant frequency, wherein the adjustment means is further adapted to adjusting the further frequency shift by effectively changing the length of the further transmission line, wherein the adjustment means further comprises:
• a plurality of further extension lines, each having a different extension length, and
• a further switching mechanism operable in a first position and a second position, wherein
• when the further switching mechanism is operated in the first position, one of the further extension lines is electrically coupled to the first end of the further transmission line for changing the further frequency shift by a shifting amount commensurable with the extension length of the coupled further extension line, and
• when the switching mechanism is operated in the second position, the further transmission line and said plurality of further extension lines are electrically uncoupled.

A method of tuning a radio antenna for use in a hand-held telecommunications device having a chassis ground, wherein the antenna has a radiating element having a resonant frequency, a grounding point coupled to the chassis ground, and a feed point, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a transmission line having a length coupled to the radiating element for providing a frequency shift from the resonant frequency, and
• providing an adjustment means for adjusting the frequency shift by effectively changing the length of the transmission line, wherein the adjustment means comprises:
• a plurality of extension lines, each having a different extension length, and
• a switching mechanism operable in a first position and a second position, wherein
• when the switching mechanism is operated in the first position, one of the extension lines is electrically coupled to the transmission line for changing the frequency shift by a shift amount commensurable with the extension length of the coupled extension line, and when the switching mechanism is operated in the second position, the transmission line and said plurality of extension lines are electrically uncoupled.

A radio antenna for use in a hand-held telecommunications device, said antenna including a radiating element having a resonant frequency, a grounding point and a feed point, said antenna comprising:

• a tuning component having a first end and an opposing second end, the second end coupled to the radiating element for providing a frequency shift from the resonant frequency, and
• an adjustment means, disposed adjacent to the first end of the tuning component, for adjusting the frequency shift, wherein the adjustment means comprises:
• a plurality of extension lines each having a different extension length, and
• a switching mechanism operable in a first position and a second position, wherein
• when the switching mechanism is operated in the first position, one of the extension lines is electrically coupled to the first end of the tuning component for changing the frequency shift by a shift amount commensurable with the extension length of the coupled extension line, and when the switching mechanism is operated in the second position, the tuning component and said plurality of extension lines are electrically uncoupled.

A radio antenna for use in a hand-held telecommunications device, said antenna including a radiating element having a resonant frequency, a grounding point and a feed point, said antenna comprising:

• a tuning component having a first end and an opposing second end, the second end coupled to the radiating element for providing a frequency shift from the resonant frequency, and
• an adjustment means, disposed adjacent to the first end of the tuning component, for adjusting the frequency shift, wherein the adjustment means comprises:
• a tuning element, and
• a switching mechanism operable in a first position and a second position, wherein
• when the switching mechanism is operated in the first position, the tuning element is electrically coupled to the first end of the tuning component for changing the frequency shift, and
• when the switching mechanism is operated in the second position, the tuning element and the tuning component are electrically uncoupled, and the radio antenna further comprises:
• a further radiating element having a further resonant frequency, and
• a further tuning component having a first end and an opposing second end, the second end coupled to the radiating element for providing a further frequency shift from the further resonance frequency, wherein the adjustment means is further adapted to adjusting the further frequency shift, wherein the tuning component comprises a lumped reactive element and the further tuning component comprises a further lumped reactive element and, wherein the adjustment means further comprises:
• a plurality of further extension lines, each having a different extension length, and
• a further switching mechanism, operable in a first position and a second position, wherein
• when the further switching mechanism is operated in the first position, one of the further extension lines is electrically coupled to the first end of the further lumped reactive element for changing the further frequency shift by a shift amount commensurable with the extension length of the coupled further extension line, and
• when the switching mechanism is operated in the second position, the further lumped reactive element and said plurality of further extension lines are electrically uncoupled.