JP2004128976A - Radio communication apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a radio communication apparatus sufficiently demonstrating a diversity function. <P>SOLUTION: The radio communication apparatus with an integrated diversity function includes: antennae 1A, 1B; an antennae 1A, 1B changing switch; a radio unit having a function for measuring received field strength of electric wave which is received; a control unit for controlling switching operation of the antenna changing switch based on the received field strength measured by the wireless unit; and a display unit 7 for displaying the received field strength at each antenna. On the display unit 7, levels 10A, 10B of received field conditions at each antenna and a field variance indication 13 for indicating a degree of change in received field strength are displayed. Which antenna is chosen is indicated in lighting or putting-out of LED 11A and 11B. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a wireless communication device with a built-in diversity function used in a communication system including a mobile station such as a PHS or a mobile phone and a base station.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a wireless communication device with a built-in diversity function does not display information on the reception state of an unselected antenna.
[0003]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional wireless communication device having a built-in diversity function. As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional wireless communication apparatus includes antennas 91A and 91B, an antenna changeover switch 92 for switching between the antennas, and a reception device for measuring a received electric field strength (RSSI) of a radio wave received by the antenna 91A or the antenna 91B. A wireless unit 93 having an electric field intensity measuring circuit 94 and a display control unit 96 for controlling display of received electric field intensity performed by the display unit 97 are provided. A control unit 95 for controlling the switching operation of the antenna changeover switch 92, a display unit 97 for displaying the received electric field intensity measured by the received electric field intensity measuring circuit 94, and inputting an instruction when the user makes a call or the like. And an operation unit 98 having a plurality of operation buttons.
[0004]
Hereinafter, the operation of the conventional wireless communication device shown in FIG. 5 will be described.
The antennas 91A and 91B receive a radio wave from the base station when communication is started by operating the operation unit 98 and making a call at the time of standby, at the time of an off-hook when a call is received, and so on. However, since the reception electric field strengths of the antennas 91A and 91B cannot be measured simultaneously, the control unit 95 controls the antenna changeover switch 92 to switch between the antennas 91A and 91B.
[0005]
The received electric field strength of the radio waves received by the antennas 91A and 91B is measured by a received electric field strength measuring circuit 94 included in the radio section 93. Then, the control unit 95 compares the reception electric field strength of each antenna measured by the reception electric field strength measurement circuit 94, and selects an antenna for actually performing communication. The reception electric field intensity of the selected antenna measured by the reception electric field intensity measurement circuit 94 is displayed on the display unit 97 by the display control unit 96 of the control unit 95.
[0006]
FIG. 6 shows an external front view of a conventional wireless communication device. As shown in the figure, the display section 97 displays the received electric field strength 10 of the currently selected antenna by the number of received electric field strength bars. That is, the reception field strength bar displayed on the display unit 97 indicates the reception field strength of the currently selected antenna, but does not indicate the reception field strength of the non-selected antenna. Thus, the display section 97 displays the received electric field strength of only the selected antenna.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The diversity function of the conventional wireless communication device described above is exerted when the device is present near the boundary between the communication area and the outside of the communication area, or when the received electric field strength greatly changes due to fading or the like. However, the display unit 97 does not display information such as the reception electric field strength of the non-selected antenna and whether the diversity function is operating. Therefore, there is a problem that the user of the device cannot fully utilize the advantage of the diversity function, particularly during communication or in a standby state.
[0008]
That is, since the user of the device cannot know how to hold or place the device capable of sufficiently exhibiting the diversity function, the position where communication can be performed in an optimal state, and the like, the call disconnection and data communication can be performed. There is a problem in that effective measures for avoiding an increase in the data error rate cannot be taken.
[0009]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and has as its object to provide a wireless communication device capable of sufficiently exhibiting a diversity function.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a wireless communication device according to the present invention includes a plurality of antennas, and is a wireless communication device that switches an antenna for actually performing communication according to the reception state of each antenna, Receiving electric field intensity measuring means for measuring each received electric field intensity of a radio wave received by each of the antennas; display means for displaying information on the received electric field intensity measured by the received electric field intensity measuring means for each antenna; Display information generating means for generating, for each antenna, information on the received electric field strength in a form displayed by the display means, based on the received electric field strength measured by the electric field strength measuring means.
[0011]
As described above, information on the reception electric field strength measured by the reception electric field strength measurement means is displayed on the display means for each antenna, and the user of the apparatus can check the reception electric field strength of each antenna. Therefore, the user can know how to hold and place the device, a position where communication can be performed in a better state, and the like, and can take effective measures for performing communication in a better communication state. Therefore, it is possible to provide a wireless communication device capable of sufficiently exhibiting the diversity function.
[0012]
Further, the wireless communication apparatus according to the present invention compares the reception electric field strengths of the respective antennas measured by the reception electric field strength measurement means, and selects an antenna for actual communication from the plurality of antennas. A selection unit is provided, and the display unit performs display for distinguishing information on the reception electric field intensity corresponding to the antenna selected by the antenna selection unit from information on the reception electric field intensity corresponding to another antenna.
[0013]
As described above, which of the antennas is selected is displayed on the display unit, so that the user of the device can take effective measures for performing communication in a better communication state. Therefore, it is possible to provide a wireless communication device capable of sufficiently exhibiting the diversity function.
[0014]
Further, the wireless communication apparatus according to the present invention further comprises a storage unit for storing, for each antenna, a past reception electric field strength measured by the reception electric field strength measurement unit, and a latest reception electric field measured by the reception electric field strength measurement unit. Electric field change calculating means for calculating a change rate of the received electric field strength from the intensity and the received electric field strength measured last time, wherein the display information generating means is based on the change rate calculated by the electric field change calculating means. Thus, information relating to the change rate of the received electric field intensity in the form displayed by the display means is generated.
[0015]
Therefore, effective measures can be taken from the viewpoint of the stability of the received electric field strength. As a result, it is possible to provide a wireless communication device capable of sufficiently exhibiting the diversity function.
[0016]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a wireless communication device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The wireless communication device according to the present invention described below is a PHS, a mobile phone, or the like, and has a built-in 2-branch diversity function.
[0017]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a wireless communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the wireless communication apparatus according to the present embodiment includes antennas 1A and 1B, an antenna changeover switch 2, a wireless unit 3, and a control corresponding to an antenna selecting unit and an electric field change calculating unit according to the claims. It comprises a unit 5, a display unit 7 corresponding to display means, an operation unit 8, and a storage unit 9 corresponding to storage means.
[0018]
Hereinafter, each component of the wireless communication device of the present embodiment will be described.
The antennas 1A and 1B receive radio waves from a base station or the like, and are switched to one of them by an antenna switch 2. The antenna changeover switch 2 switches between the antennas 1A and 1B according to an instruction from the control unit 5. The radio section 3 demodulates radio waves received by the antennas 1A and 1B, and has a reception electric field strength measurement circuit 4 corresponding to the reception electric field strength measurement means in the claims. . The reception electric field strength measurement circuit 4 measures a reception electric field strength (RSSI) of a radio wave received by the antenna 1A or the antenna 1B.
[0019]
Further, the control unit 5 determines which antenna is to be selected by comparing the electric field intensity received by the antenna 1A and the electric field intensity received by the antenna 1B, and controls the switching operation of the antenna changeover switch 2, The received electric field intensity measured by the intensity measuring circuit 4 is stored in the storage unit 9. Further, the control unit 5 includes a display control unit 6 corresponding to a display information generating unit described in the claims. The display control section 6 controls the display of the received electric field intensity performed by the display section 97.
[0020]
The display unit 7 displays the received electric field intensity and the like measured by the received electric field intensity measurement circuit 4, and is configured by an LCD, an LED, and the like. The operation unit 8 is operated when a user inputs an instruction. Further, the storage unit 9 stores the reception electric field strength of each antenna measured by the reception electric field strength measurement circuit 4.
[0021]
FIG. 2 shows an external front view of the wireless communication device of the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the display unit 7 displays the electric field change display 13 indicating the degree of change of the received electric field intensity per unit time, the received electric field intensity by the antenna 1A, in addition to the remaining battery power and the telephone number. The reception field strength bar 10A, the reception field strength bar 10B indicating the reception field strength by the antenna 1B, and the like are displayed. Note that the reception field strength bar indicating the reception field strength of the selected antenna is surrounded by a square. The electric field change display 13 is based on the result calculated by the control unit 5 using the received electric field strength stored in the storage unit 9.
[0022]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the wireless communication device of the present embodiment is provided with LEDs 11A and 11B corresponding to the reception field strength bar 10A and the reception field strength bar 10B, respectively. The LEDs 11A and 11B indicate which of the antennas is selected by the antenna changeover switch 2 depending on whether or not the antenna is turned on. The lighting of the LEDs 11A and 11B is controlled by the control unit 5.
[0023]
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing states of the display unit 7 and the LEDs 11A and 11B when (a) the antenna 1A is selected, (b) when the antenna 1B is selected, (c) when the electric field change is stable, and (d) when the electric field change is unstable. is there. As shown in FIG. 7A, when the LED 11A is turned on and the LED 11B is turned off, it indicates that the antenna 11A is selected. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the LED 11A is turned off and the LED 11B is turned on, it indicates that the antenna 11B is selected.
[0024]
Also, as shown in FIG. 3C, when the electric field change is stable with little change in the electric field strength received by the antennas 11A and 11B, a smiley face mark is displayed as the electric field change display 13. Also, as shown in FIG. 3D, when the electric field change is unstable when the received electric field strengths of the antennas 11A and 11B are largely changed, a troubled face mark is displayed as the electric field change display 13 or selected at that time. The LED corresponding to the present antenna flashes.
[0025]
Next, the operation of the wireless communication device according to the present embodiment will be described.
The antennas 11A and 11B receive a radio wave from the base station when communication is started by operating the operation unit 8 and making a call when the mobile phone is on standby, when an incoming call is off-hook, and when a call is received. However, since the received electric field strengths of the antennas 1A and 1B cannot be measured simultaneously, the control unit 95 controls the antenna changeover switch 92 to switch between the antennas 91A and 91B.
[0026]
The reception electric field strength of the radio waves received by the antennas 1A and 1B is measured by a reception electric field strength measurement circuit 4 included in the radio unit 3. Then, the control unit 5 compares the reception electric field strengths of the respective antennas measured by the reception electric field strength measurement circuit 4, and selects an antenna for actually performing communication. Further, the reception electric field intensity of each antenna measured by the reception electric field intensity measurement circuit 4 is stored in the storage unit 9 in time series. The reception electric field intensity of each antenna measured by the reception electric field intensity measurement circuit 4 is subjected to predetermined processing by a display control unit 6 included in the control unit 5, and is displayed on the display unit 7 in the form of a reception electric field intensity bar. Further, the control unit 5 reads the received electric field strength from the storage unit 9 and performs a predetermined process necessary for performing the electric field change display 13, and the display control unit 6 displays the result obtained by the process in the display unit 7. Is displayed as the electric field change display 13.
[0027]
The number of the reception field strength bars displayed on the display unit 7 indicates the magnitude of the reception field strength. Hereinafter, a flow for determining the display content of the reception field strength bar displayed by the display unit 7 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 4, the received electric field strength is RSSI, the received electric field strength bar is set to A, the received electric field bar is set to B, and the received electric field bar is set to 1. C, D is the set value of 0 reception field strength bars (only display of reception field strength antenna).
[0028]
If the received field strength (RSSI) measured by the received field strength measurement circuit 4 is equal to or larger than A, the display control unit 6 causes the display unit 7 to display three received field strength bars (step S1, display H2), When the RSSI is B or more and less than A, two reception field strength bars are displayed on the display unit 7 (step S3, display H4). When the RSSI is C or more and less than B, the reception field strength bar is displayed on the display unit 7. One is displayed (step S5, display H6), and when the RSSI is not less than D and less than C, only the antenna display of the received electric field strength is displayed on the display unit 7 (step S7, display H8), and when the RSSI is less than D Is displayed on the display unit 7 (step S9, display H10).
[0029]
As described above, according to the wireless communication apparatus of the present embodiment, the reception field strength bars of the antennas 11A and 11B are indicated by the reception field strength bars on the display unit 7 to indicate which antenna is selected. As indicated by the unit 7 and the LEDs 11A and 11B, the user of the device can check the reception electric field strength of each antenna. Therefore, since the user can know how to hold and place the device, a position where communication can be performed in a better state, and the like, it is effective to avoid a call disconnection or an increase in the data error rate during data communication. Measures can be taken. Also, by referring to the electric field change display 13 indicating the degree of change of the received electric field strength per unit time, an effective measure can be taken from the viewpoint of the stability of the received electric field strength. As a result, it is possible to provide a wireless communication device capable of sufficiently exhibiting the diversity function.
[0030]
In the present embodiment, the reception field strength of the radio waves received by the antennas 1A and 1B is displayed on the display unit 7 by the reception field strength bar, but the measured value of the reception field strength may be displayed. Also, the comparison result of each received electric field strength may be displayed on the display unit 7 to indicate which antenna is selected. Alternatively, it may be possible to identify which antenna is selected by marking the selected antenna or by color-coding if color display is possible. In addition, when the electric field change is unstable, other than the method of blinking the LED described above, the reception field strength bar may be blinked or the reception field strength bar may be displayed in another color.
[0031]
Further, in the present embodiment, the case of two-branch diversity (two antennas) has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to the case of n-branch (n ≧ 3) diversity (n antennas).
[0032]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the wireless communication apparatus according to the present invention, information on the reception electric field strength measured by the reception electric field strength measurement means is displayed for each antenna on the display means. Since the received electric field strength can be confirmed, effective measures for performing communication in a better communication state can be taken. Therefore, it is possible to provide a wireless communication device capable of sufficiently exhibiting the diversity function.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a wireless communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an external front view of the wireless communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing states of the display unit 7 and the LEDs 11A and 11B when the antenna is selected, (b) when the antenna 1B is selected, (c) when the electric field change is stable, and (d) when the electric field change is unstable. Flow chart for determining display contents of electric field strength bar FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional wireless communication device having a built-in diversity function. FIG. 6 is an external front view of a conventional wireless communication device.
1A, 1B Antenna 2 Antenna changeover switch 3 Radio section 4 Received electric field strength measurement circuit 5 Control section 6 Display control section 7 Display section 8 Operation section 9 Storage section F

Claims (3)

A wireless communication device that includes a plurality of antennas and switches an antenna for actually performing communication according to the reception state of each antenna,
Reception electric field intensity measurement means for measuring each reception electric field intensity of the radio wave received by each of the plurality of antennas,
Display means for displaying information on the reception electric field strength measured by the reception electric field strength measurement means for each antenna,
Display information generating means for generating, for each antenna, information on the received electric field strength in a form displayed by the display means, based on the received electric field strength measured by the received electric field strength measuring means,
A wireless communication device comprising: Comparing the reception electric field strength of each antenna measured by the reception electric field strength measurement means, respectively, comprising an antenna selection means for selecting an antenna that actually performs communication from among the plurality of antennas,
The display means,
2. The wireless communication according to claim 1, wherein a display for distinguishing information on a received electric field strength corresponding to the antenna selected by the antenna selecting means from information on a received electric field strength corresponding to another antenna is performed. apparatus. Storage means for storing for each antenna the past received electric field strength measured by the received electric field strength measuring means,
From the latest reception electric field strength measured by the reception electric field strength measurement means and the reception electric field strength measured last time, an electric field change calculation means for calculating a change rate of the reception electric field strength,
The display information generating unit generates information on a change rate of the received electric field intensity in a form displayed by the display unit, based on the change rate calculated by the electric field change calculating unit. 3. The wireless communication device according to 2.

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