Switchable omni-directional antennas for wireless device

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device having wireless communication functions via a pair of antennas. The device can function under two operating states, both with an omni-directional radiation pattern in the horizontal plane. This is accomplished by an antenna pair mounted separately thereon, the first antenna thereof being omni-directional in the horizontal plane when the device is operative under the first operating state, and the second antenna thereof being omni-directional in the horizontal plane when the device is operative under the second operating state. Also included in the device are a wireless communication module for encoding and decoding signals that are transmitted and received, respectively, during wireless communication through the antenna pair; a RF switch coupling the wireless communication module to the first antenna and second antenna for switching between the first antenna and second antenna; and a trigger switch for detecting the transition of the electronic device between the first operating state and second operating state that causes rotation in space of the antenna pair, and for triggering the RF switch in responsive thereto. The RF switch switches to the first antenna as the electronic device transitions to the first operating state, and the RF switch switches to the second antenna as the electronic device transitions to the second operating state.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.