US 9,960,488 B2Granted

Antenna selection

AssigneeSonos, Inc.

InventorsNiels van Erven, Carlo van Niekerk, Michael Frey

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A network device communicates with one or another set of antennas depending on an orientation of the network device. The network device includes a first set of one or more antennas, a second set of one or more antennas, a processor, and memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the processor to cause the device to perform functions. The functions include (1) determining that an orientation of the network device is one of a first orientation and a second orientation; (2) if the determined orientation is the first orientation, then causing the network device to communicate using the first set of one or more antennas; and (3) if the determined the orientation is the second orientation, then causing the network device to communicate using the second set of one or more antennas.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A network device, the network device comprising a housing carrying:

a first set of antennas comprising a first antenna, a second antenna, and a third antenna, wherein respective longitudinal axes of the first, second, and third antennas are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing, and wherein the longitudinal axis is the longest axis of the housing;
a second of set antennas comprising a fourth antenna, a fifth antenna, and a sixth antenna, wherein respective longitudinal axes of the fourth, fifth, and sixth antennas are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing;
a processor;
and
a tangible non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform functions comprising:
determining that an orientation of the network device is one of a first orientation and a second orientation;
if the determined orientation is the first orientation, then causing the network device to communicate using the first set of antennas;
and
if the determined the orientation is the second orientation, then causing the network device to communicate using the second set of antennas.

6 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a processor of a network device to cause the processor to perform functions comprising:

determine that an orientation of the network device is one of a first orientation and a second orientation;
if the determined orientation is the first orientation, then causing the network device to communicate using a first set of antennas comprising a first antenna, a second antenna, and a third antenna, wherein respective longitudinal axes of the first, second, and third antennas are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of a housing carrying the first set of antennas and a second set of antennas, wherein the longitudinal axis is the longest axis of the housing;
and
if the determined orientation is the second orientation, then causing the network device to communicate using the second set of antennas, the second set of antennas comprising a fourth antenna, a fifth antenna, and a sixth antenna, wherein respective longitudinal axes of the fourth, fifth, and sixth antennas are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

1 more element

A method comprising:

determining, via a network device, that an orientation of the network device is one of a first orientation and a second orientation;
if the determined orientation is the first orientation, then causing the network device to communicate using a first set of antennas comprising a first antenna, a second antenna, and a third antenna, wherein respective longitudinal axes of the first, second, and third antennas are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of a housing carrying the first set of antennas and a second set of antennas, wherein the longitudinal axis is the longest axis of the housing;
and
if the determined orientation is the second orientation, then causing the network device to communicate using the second set of antennas, the second set of antennas comprising a fourth antenna, a fifth antenna, and a sixth antenna, wherein respective longitudinal axes of the fourth, fifth, and sixth antennas are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/341,688Filed 2 Nov 2016 · continuation
Priority: 24 Apr 2015
Published: US 2017/0054209 A123 Feb 2017
Granted: 1 May 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

H01Q 3/24
Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna…
G06F 3/162
Sound input; Sound output: interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
G06F 3/165
Sound input; Sound output: management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
H03G 5/165
Automatic control: equalizers; Volume or gain control in limited frequency bands

Family

Application14/696,041Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Apr 2015
US 2017/0054209 A1Pre-grant publication · published 23 Feb 2017
US 2016/0315384 A1Published application
US 9,537,213 B2Related patent
US 9,917,364 B2Related patent
US 9,960,488 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.