KR20240030903A - Electronic device including antenna and method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic device including a first antenna, a second antenna, a first communication circuit, a second communication circuit, a transceiver, and a processor is disclosed. The processor may identify a difference in received signal power associated with the second antenna and the first antenna when, during communication using the first antenna, the received signal quality is below a threshold and a timer is running. If the difference in received signal power is within a specified range, the processor may be set to perform antenna hopping (HOPPING), which attempts communication with the base station by alternately using the first antenna and the second antenna within a specified number of times.

Description

Electronic device including an antenna and method thereof {ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING ANTENNA AND METHOD FOR THE SAME}

Embodiments disclosed in this document relate to an electronic device including an antenna and a method thereof.

Various electronic devices that utilize wireless communication, such as mobile phones, may be used. For example, an electronic device may utilize cellular communications. In cellular communication, an electronic device is connected to at least one cell and can transmit and receive wireless signals to and from a base station of at least one cell.

The quality of communication between an electronic device and a base station can vary. For example, as the electronic device moves, it may move out of the coverage of the cell. The communication quality of the electronic device may deteriorate due to the user's grip on the antenna of the electronic device. The communication quality of the electronic device may deteriorate due to objects located on the Line of Sight (LoS) between the electronic device and the base station.

If communication quality falls below a certain level, the electronic device may fail to communicate with the base station. For example, the electronic device may not receive a response signal from the base station. To improve communication quality, electronic devices can increase transmission power. However, due to power limitations of the electronic device, the transmission power of signals that the electronic device can transmit may be limited. Additionally, if the transmission power of an electronic device increases excessively, interference with surrounding devices may occur.

Accordingly, the electronic device may stop communication through the corresponding cell as communication quality deteriorates. For example, the electronic device may determine Radio Link Failure (RLF). After determining the RLF, the electronic device may attempt to resume communication by re-searching the cell or performing handover.

An electronic device according to an example of the present disclosure includes a first antenna, a second antenna disposed to be spaced apart from the first antenna, a first communication circuit electrically connected to the first antenna, and a second antenna electrically connected to the second antenna. It may include two communication circuits, a transceiver electrically connected to the first communication circuit and the second communication circuit, and a processor. The processor may communicate with a base station through the first antenna. If the quality of the signal received from the base station through the first antenna is less than a threshold, the processor may identify whether to operate a timer for disconnecting from the base station. When the timer is running, the processor identifies a first received signal power of a signal received from the base station through the first antenna and a second received signal power of a signal received from the base station through the second antenna. can do. The processor may change the antenna for communication with the base station from the first antenna to the second antenna when the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power exceeds a specified range. The processor, if the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is within the specified range, communicates with the base station by alternately using the first antenna and the second antenna within a specified number of times. Antenna hopping can be attempted.

A method for communication of an electronic device including a first antenna and a second antenna according to an example of the present disclosure may include communicating with a base station through the first antenna. The method may include an operation of identifying whether a timer for disconnecting from the base station is operating when the quality of a signal received from the base station through the first antenna is less than a threshold. The method identifies, when the timer is running, a first received signal power of a signal received from the base station through the first antenna and a second received signal power of a signal received from the base station through the second antenna. It may include actions such as: Identification of the received signal power may be identified prior to operation of the timer. The method includes changing an antenna for communication with the base station from the first antenna to the second antenna when the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power exceeds a specified range. can do. The method includes, if the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is within the specified range, communication with the base station is performed by alternately using the first antenna and the second antenna within a specified number of times. It may include an operation of performing antenna hopping (HOPPING).

1 illustrates a communication environment of an electronic device according to an example.
Figure 2 shows a block diagram of an electronic device according to an example.
Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a communication circuit of an electronic device according to an example.
Figure 4 shows an antenna of an electronic device according to an example.
Figure 5 illustrates a communication method of an electronic device according to an example.
FIG. 6 illustrates a method of changing an antenna of an electronic device according to an example.
FIG. 7 illustrates an antenna hopping method of an electronic device according to an example.
8 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment, according to one embodiment.
In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used for similar components.

Hereinafter, various embodiments of this document are described with reference to the attached drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the technology described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and/or alternatives to the embodiments of this document. . In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used for similar components.

1 illustrates a communication environment of a mobile device according to an example.

Referring to FIG. 1 , in one example, the electronic device 100 may support wireless communication of various protocols. In the example of FIG. 1 , the electronic device 100 may be connected to a network (eg, a wireless local area network or a cellular network) based on any wireless communication protocol.

For example, electronic device 100 may be any handheld device. The electronic device 100 may include, for example, at least one of a mobile phone, a smart watch, smart glasses, or an IoT device. The electronic device 100 may correspond to the electronic device 801, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 8 .

Electronic device 100 can communicate with station 201. For example, station 201 may include a mobile station, an access point, or a base station. Electronic device 100 may be associated with cell 299 of station 201 . The electronic device 100 may be connected to the cell 299 or camped on the cell 299. The electronic device 100 may be in a radio resource control connected (RRC) state. By being connected to the station 201, the electronic device 100 can communicate with other external electronic devices. For example, the electronic device 100 may make a call (eg, a voice call and/or a video call) with an external electronic device through the station 201.

The electronic device 100 may include a plurality of antennas. For example, the electronic device 100 may include a first antenna 171 and a second antenna 172. The first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 may be set to support wireless communication of the same type (eg, protocol). In one example, the electronic device 100 may perform diversity communication or MIMO communication using a plurality of antennas. In one example, the electronic device 100 may communicate with the station 201 by selectively using one of a plurality of antennas. The first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 of the electronic device 100 may be set to transmit or receive signals in frequency bands that at least partially overlap.

Communication environments for multiple antennas may be different. For example, the communication environment for the antenna may change depending on the antenna's shielding or wireless path. In order to reduce the occurrence of RLF, the electronic device 100 may communicate with the station 201 using an antenna with a strong electric field among a plurality of antennas. For example, when the electric fields of both the first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 are weak, the electronic device 100 may perform antenna hopping based on specified conditions. Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 8 , the structure of the electronic device 100 and the communication method of the electronic device 100 according to an embodiment of the present document may be described.

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of an electronic device according to an example.

According to one embodiment, the electronic device 100 may include a processor 120, a memory 130, a communication circuit 140, and an antenna module 170. The structure of the electronic device 100 shown in FIG. 2 is illustrative, and the embodiments of this document are not limited thereto. For example, the electronic device 100 may further include a configuration not shown in FIG. 2 (eg, a configuration of the electronic device 801 in FIG. 8 ).

For example, the processor 120 (eg, processor 820 in FIG. 8) may control various components of the electronic device 100 so that the electronic device 100 performs various operations. For example, operations of the electronic device 100, which will be described later, may be referred to as being performed by the processor 120. Processor 120 may include a baseband processor that processes baseband signals received from communication circuitry 140 or delivers baseband signals to communication circuitry 140 . The processor 120 may perform various operations of the electronic device 100 by executing one or more instructions stored in the memory 130. For example, the memory 130 and the processor 120 may be implemented as a single chip or chipset. For example, the memory 130 may be implemented as a separate chip from the processor 120.

For example, the antenna module 170 may include a plurality of antennas. The antenna module 170 may correspond to the antenna module 897 in FIG. 8. . Each of the plurality of antennas may be formed of at least one radiator. For example, at least some of the plurality of antennas may include a portion of the housing of the electronic device 100 (eg, a portion of a side member), a metallic pattern, a metallic radiator, and/or a conductive member. For example, the antenna module 170 may include a first antenna 171 and a second antenna 172. The first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 may be set to transmit and receive signals in a designated frequency band. For example, the first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 may be physically spaced apart from each other or may be electrically isolated.

For example, the communication circuit 140 may receive a signal using the antenna module 170. The communication circuit 140 may convert the received signal into a baseband signal using the antenna module 170 and transmit it to the processor 120. For example, the communication circuit 140 may transmit a signal using the antenna module 170. The communication circuit 140 may convert the baseband signal received from the processor 120 into a radio frequency signal and transmit the converted radio frequency signal through the antenna module 170. The processor 120 can transmit and receive wireless signals by controlling the communication circuit 140. For example, the communication circuit 140 may correspond to the communication module 890 of FIG. 8 .

Communication circuitry 140 may include a transceiver 150 and radio frequency circuitry 190. The configuration of the communication circuit 140 shown in FIG. 2 is illustrative, and the embodiments of this document are not limited thereto. For example, between the radio frequency circuit 190 and the transceiver 150, at least one switch or at least one duplexer configured to change the connection between the radio frequency circuit 190 and the transceiver 150 may be located.

The radio frequency circuit 190 may include at least one radio frequency circuit for processing a received signal or a transmitted signal through an antenna. In the example of FIG. 2 , the radio frequency circuit 190 may include a first radio frequency front end (RFFE) 191 and a second RFFE 192. The first RFFE 191 may be electrically connected to the first antenna 171. The second RFFE 192 may be electrically connected to the second antenna 172. The first RFFE 191 may perform processing (eg, amplification, filtering, and/or phase shift) on a signal to be transmitted through the first antenna 171. The second RFFE 192 may perform processing (eg, amplification, filtering, and/or phase shift) on a signal to be transmitted through the second antenna 172. Each of the first RFFE 191 and the second RFFE 192 may include at least one of an amplifier, a low noise amplifier (LNA), at least one filter, a duplexer, a phase shifter, and/or a switch. In this document, each RFFE may be referred to as a communication circuit.

The transceiver 150 may, for example, perform post-processing on a signal received from the radio frequency circuit 190. For example, the transceiver 150 may perform downconversion, amplification, and/or filtering on the received signal. The transceiver 150 may convert the received signal into a baseband signal and transmit it to the processor 120. For example, the transceiver 150 may perform post-processing on the signal received from the processor 120. For example, the transceiver 150 may perform up-conversion, amplification, and/or filtering on the transmission signal. The transceiver 150 may convert the transmission signal into a radio frequency signal and transmit it to the radio frequency circuit 190. The transceiver 150 may process signals based on control signals from the processor 120.

2, the transmission paths of various wireless signals of the electronic device 100 have been described. For convenience of explanation, two transmission paths are described, but those skilled in the art will understand that the electronic device 100 may include a plurality of transmission paths and a plurality of reception paths.

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a communication circuit of an electronic device according to an example.

2 and 3, according to one embodiment, the electronic device 100 includes a processor 120, a transceiver 150, a first RFFE 191, a second RFFE 192, and a first antenna 171. ), and may include a second antenna 172. The configuration of FIG. 2 is illustrative, and the embodiments of this document are not limited thereto.

The first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 may have frequency characteristics corresponding to signals in a designated band. The first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 may be set to transmit or receive signals in a designated band, for example. The designated band may include, for example, any frequency band supported by the cellular network. The first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 may be physically spaced apart. For example, the first antenna 171 may correspond to the top antenna 411 of FIG. 4, and the second antenna 172 may correspond to the bottom antenna 415 of FIG. 4.

For example, the transceiver 150 may be electrically connected to the processor 120. The transceiver 150 may include a first transmission port 151a, a first reception port 152a, a second transmission port 151b, and a second reception port 152b. The first RFFE 191 may be electrically connected to the first transmission port 151a and the first reception port 152a. The transceiver 150 may transmit a radio frequency signal to the first RFFE 191 through the first transmission port 151a. The transceiver 150 may receive a signal (eg, a signal received through the first antenna 171) from the first RFFE 191 through the first reception port 152a. The second RFFE 192 may be electrically connected to the second transmission port 151b and the second reception port 152b. The transceiver 150 may transmit a radio frequency signal to the second RFFE 192 through the second transmission port 151b. The transceiver 150 may receive a signal (eg, a signal received through the second antenna 172) from the second RFFE 192 through the second reception port 152b.

In one example, the transceiver 150 may transmit and receive signals using the first antenna 171 or the second antenna 172. The transceiver 150 may selectively use the first antenna 171 or the second antenna 172 according to the control of the processor 120.

The electronic device 100 may include a plurality of antennas. Even though the electric field associated with one of the antennas of the electronic device 100 is weak, the electric field associated with the other antenna may be strong. When a user grips one of a plurality of antennas, the electric field of the corresponding antenna may decrease. In this case, the electronic device 100 may attempt communication using an antenna with a strong electric field. To change the antenna during communication, the electronic device 100 may reset the related wireless communication circuit. Accordingly, the electronic device can only perform antenna changes when the difference in the electric fields associated with the two antennas is large. The information described in this paragraph may be provided as related art for the purpose of aiding understanding of the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the material described in this paragraph can be applied as prior art with respect to the present disclosure.

According to one embodiment, the processor 120 may communicate with a base station (eg, station 201 in FIG. 2) through the first antenna 171. For example, the processor 120 may be connected to at least one cell of the base station. In one example, processor 120 can be coupled to and communicate with a base station. For example, the processor 120 may be in a state of performing a call (eg, a voice call and/or a video call) through a base station. For communication with a base station (eg, transmission and/or reception of a wireless signal), the processor 120 may use the first antenna 171 and the first RFFE 191 connected to the first antenna 171.

For example, the processor 120 may monitor the quality of a signal received through the first antenna 171 during communication using the first antenna 171. The processor 120 may identify that the quality of the signal received from the base station through the first antenna 171 is less than a threshold. In one example, the quality of the signal may include at least one of received signal strength (e.g., Reference Signal Received Power, RSRP), Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), or error rate (e.g., Block Error Rate, BLER). there is. For example, if the signal strength (e.g., RSRP) of the signal received through the first antenna 171 is less than the threshold strength (e.g., -100 dBm), the processor 120 determines that the quality of the signal is less than the threshold. You can. For example, if the signal strength (e.g., RSRP) of the signal received from the base station through the first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 is less than or equal to the threshold strength, the signal quality is set to the threshold. It can be determined that it is less than. For example, if the SNR of the signal received from the base station through the first antenna 171 is less than or equal to the threshold ratio, the processor 120 may determine that the quality of the signal is less than the threshold. For example, if the error rate (e.g., BLER) of the signal received from the base station through the first antenna 171 exceeds the threshold error rate (e.g., 30%), the processor 120 determines that the quality of the signal is less than the threshold. You can decide. In one example, processor 120 may determine that the quality of the signal is below a threshold based on a combination of the conditions described above. For example, if the signal strength (e.g., RSRP) of the received signal is less than or equal to the threshold strength, and the error rate (e.g., BLER) of the received signal exceeds the threshold error rate, the processor 120 determines that the quality of the received signal is less than the threshold. It can be decided that

If the signal quality is less than a threshold, the processor 120 can identify whether a timer for disconnecting from the base station is running. For example, the timer may be a timer for determining RLF (e.g., T310 timer). In one example, the processor 120 may operate a timer when a specified condition is satisfied. In this case, the operating state of the timer may change from a first value (eg, 0) to a second value (eg, 1). By identifying a flag value (eg, first value or second value) indicating the operating state of the timer, the processor 120 can identify whether the timer is operating. If the flag value indicates a second value, the processor 120 may determine that the timer is running.

While the timer is running, processor 120 may attempt to communicate with the base station. When the timer expires, processor 120 may determine the RLF for the current connection with the base station. The expiration of the timer is independent of the determination of the RLF, which will be described later, and when the timer expires, the processor 120 can determine the RLF independently of performing antenna hopping.

If the timer is not running, the electronic device 100 may be in a weak electric field situation, but has not yet entered the procedure for determining the RLF. In this case, the processor 100 and the processor 120 provide the first received signal power (e.g., RSRP) of the signal received from the base station through the first antenna 171 and the power received from the base station through the second antenna 172. A second received signal power (eg, RSRP) of the signal may be identified. If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is within a specified range (e.g., greater than 0 dB and less than 5 dB), the processor 120 may maintain the first antenna 171 as the antenna for communication with the base station. there is. Although the second received signal power of the second antenna 172 is relatively high, changing the antenna to the second antenna 172 may be disadvantageous in terms of communication quality compared to using the first antenna 171. If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power exceeds a specified range, the processor 120 may change the antenna for communication with the base station from the first antenna 171 to the second antenna 172. . This is because the electric field of the second antenna 172 is relatively higher than the electric field of the first antenna 171. If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is less than a specified range, the processor 120 may maintain the first antenna 171 as the antenna for communication with the base station. This is because the electric field of the first antenna 171 is relatively higher than the electric field of the second antenna 172.

The fact that the timer is running may mean that the electronic device 100 is preparing to determine the RLF. According to one embodiment, when the timer is running, the electronic device 100 may attempt to communicate with the base station by changing the antenna even if the difference in the electric field between the two antennas is small. When the timer is running, the processor 120 determines the first received signal power (e.g., RSRP) of the signal received from the base station through the first antenna 171 and the power of the signal received from the base station through the second antenna 172. The second received signal power (eg, RSRP) may be identified. If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power exceeds a specified range (e.g., greater than 0 dB and less than 5 dB), the processor 100 removes the antenna for communication with the base station from the first antenna 171. 2 Can be changed to antenna 172. If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is within a specified range, the processor 120 alternates the first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 within a specified number of times (e.g., 3 times). It can be set to perform antenna hopping to attempt communication with the base station. Although it is a relatively small difference, this is because the electric field of the second antenna 172 is relatively higher than the electric field of the first antenna 171. If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is less than a specified range, the processor 120 may maintain the first antenna 171 as the antenna for communication with the base station.

While performing antenna hopping, the processor 120 may attempt to receive a signal from the base station for a specified time using one of the first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172. If reception of the signal fails, the processor 120 may attempt to receive the signal from the base station for a specified time using the remaining one of the first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172. The designated time may include, for example, the reception time (eg, 6.4 seconds) of a designated number (eg, 10) of reference signals. When receiving a signal from a base station while performing antenna hopping, the processor 120 may be set to communicate with the base station using the antenna used to receive the signal. For example, reception of a signal may mean successful reception of a signal. Successful reception of a signal may include reception of a response signal from the base station (a response signal to a signal transmitted from the electronic device 100) and/or successful decoding of the received signal.

If a signal is not received from the base station within the specified number of times as antenna hopping is performed, the processor 120 may determine radio link failure (RLF). In this case, the processor 120 can determine the RLF regardless of whether the timer expires. That is, the processor 120 may determine the RLF before expiration of the timer and perform early termination. Through early termination, the processor 120 can reduce power consumption of the electronic device 100. As described above, even during the antenna hopping procedure, the processor 120 can determine the RLF when the timer expires.

When the timer is running in a weak electric field situation, the processor 120 can perform antenna hopping even if the electric field difference between the two antennas is small. Through antenna hopping, the RLF ratio of the electronic device 100 may be reduced. Since RLF causes communication interruption (e.g., call drop), the electronic device 100 can improve communication quality through antenna hopping. For example, the call drop rate in a weak electric field situation may be reduced. For example, unnecessary connection attempts can be reduced through antenna hopping a specified number of times. For example, power consumption of electronic devices can be reduced through RLF based on antenna hopping. The effects described above are intended to aid understanding, and the effects of the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects described above.

Figure 4 shows an antenna of an electronic device according to an example.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the electronic device 100 may include a plurality of antennas. The plurality of antennas shown in FIG. 4 may correspond to at least one of the first antenna 171 or the second antenna 172 of FIG. 3.

For example, the electronic device 100 may include a housing 410 . Housing 410 may include a side housing surrounding a space between the front (eg, display surface) and rear of electronic device 100. At least a portion of the housing 410 may be used as an antenna radiator. For example, the housing 410 may include a metallic member, and the metallic member may be electrically separated by a dielectric slit (eg, slit 440 in FIG. 4 ). An electrically isolated metallic member can be used as an antenna. For example, at least one of the parts 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, and 418 of the housing 410 separated by a slit may be used as an antenna radiator.

For example, the electronic device 100 may include a substrate 420 . A conductive pattern 430 may be located within or on the substrate 420 . The conductive pattern 430 can be used as an antenna. The substrate 420 may include, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB), a flexible PCB (FPCB), or any substrate structure within the housing 410 .

The antennas described in relation to FIG. 4 are illustrative, and embodiments of this document are not limited thereto. For example, a metal plate on the back of the display, a metallic pattern imprinted on the housing 410, or any metal structure can be used as an antenna.

Figure 5 illustrates a communication method of an electronic device according to an example.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5 , in operation 505, the electronic device 100 may communicate with a base station (eg, station 201 in FIG. 2) through the first antenna 171. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the electronic device 100 may be connected to a base station and/or a cell of the base station for communication with the base station.

The electronic device 100 may communicate with the base station using the first antenna 171 among the first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172. The electronic device 100 may receive a signal from the base station through the first antenna 171. The received signal may be preprocessed (eg, amplified, filtered, and/or phase shifted) by the first RFFE 191. The transceiver 150 may receive a signal from the first RFFE 191 through the first reception port 152a. The transceiver 150 may downconvert the received signal into a baseband signal and transmit it to the processor 120. The electronic device 100 may transmit a signal to the base station through the first antenna 171. The transceiver 150 may receive a baseband signal from the processor 120 and upconvert the baseband signal to a radio frequency signal. The transceiver 150 may transmit a radio frequency signal to the first RFFE 191 through the first transmission port 151a. The first RFFE 191 may perform post-processing (eg, amplification, filtering, and/or phase shift) on the wireless signal and radiate the post-processed signal through the first antenna 171.

In operation 510, the electronic device 100 may determine whether the quality of the signal is less than a threshold. For example, the electronic device 100 may identify signal quality during communication with a base station, periodically or based on a request from the base station. As described above with reference to FIG. 3, the electronic device 100 is configured to measure the received signal strength (e.g., RSRP), SNR, and Alternatively, the quality of the received signal may be identified based on at least one of error rates (e.g., BLER). If the identified signal quality is greater than or equal to the threshold (e.g., operation 510-No), the electronic device 100 may continue to communicate with the base station through the first antenna 171.

If the identified signal quality is less than the threshold (e.g., operation 510 - Yes), in operation 515, the electronic device 100 may determine whether the timer is running. The timer may be, for example, a timer (eg, T310 timer) for determining the RLF of the electronic device 100. For example, the electronic device 100 may identify whether the timer is operating based on a flag value indicating the operating state of the timer. When the timer is not in operation (e.g., operation 515-No), the electronic device 100 may perform operations according to reference point A (operations described later with reference to FIG. 6).

If the timer is running (e.g., operation 515 - Yes), in operation 520, the electronic device 100 may determine whether the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is within a specified range. The electronic device 100 may receive a reference signal from a base station through the first antenna 171 and identify the first received signal power from the received power of the reference signal. The electronic device 100 may receive a reference signal from the base station through the second antenna 172 and identify the second received signal power from the received power of the reference signal. The electronic device 100 may identify the difference in received signal power by subtracting the first received signal power from the second received signal power.

In one example, when considering the electric field difference between the first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172, the maximum transmission power level may also be considered. For example, the electronic device 100 may identify the difference in received signal power by considering the maximum transmission power. For example, the electronic device 100 may identify whether a third value obtained by adding a first value associated with the received signal power and a second value associated with the maximum transmission power level is within a specified range. For example, the third value may correspond to the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power in operation 520. For example, the first value may be a value obtained by subtracting the first received signal power from the second received signal power. The second value is calculated from the second maximum transmit power level set for the second antenna 172 (e.g., the second RFFE 192 or the second transmit port 151b) to the first antenna 171 (e.g., the first RFFE). (191) or may be a value obtained by subtracting the first maximum transmission power level set for the first transmission port (151a).

If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is less than a specified range (e.g., greater than 0 dB and less than 5 dB), in operation 530, the electronic device 100 may maintain the first antenna 171. . In this case, the electronic device 100 may monitor whether the signal quality is below the threshold during communication using the first antenna 171 (eg, operation 510).

If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power exceeds the specified range, in operation 535, the electronic device 100 may change the antenna for communication with the base station to the second antenna 172. In this case, the electronic device 100 may monitor (eg, operation 510) whether the signal quality is below the threshold during communication using the second antenna 172.

If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is within a specified range, the electronic device 100 may perform antenna hopping in operation 525. For example, the electronic device 100 may attempt to communicate with the base station by alternately using the first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 within a specified number of times (e.g., 3 times). Operation 525 can be described with respect to FIG. 7 .

As described above with reference to FIG. 3 , when the timer expires, the electronic device 100 may stop performing the operations of FIG. 5 and determine the RLF. Once the RLF is determined, for example, the electronic device 100 may perform a procedure for reconnection or handover.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method of changing an antenna of an electronic device according to an example.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6 , when the timer is not running (e.g., operation 515-No), in operation 605, the electronic device 100 determines that the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is within a specified range. You can decide within. For example, the electronic device 100 may determine whether the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is within a specified range according to operation 520 of FIG. 5 .

If the difference of the first received signal power to the second received signal power is less than a specified range (e.g., greater than 0 dB and less than 5 dB) or is within a specified range, in operation 610, the electronic device 100 uses the first antenna ( 171) can be maintained. Unlike when the timer is running, the electronic device 100 may not change the antenna if the power difference is within a specified range. That is, operation 525 of FIG. 5 may be referred to as an emergency algorithm for reducing RLF in a situation where RLF is expected.

If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power exceeds the specified range, in operation 615, the electronic device 100 may change the antenna for communication with the base station to the second antenna 172.

FIG. 7 illustrates an antenna hopping method of an electronic device according to an example.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 7 , the electronic device 100 may perform antenna hopping. The operation described in relation to FIG. 7 may correspond to operation 525 of FIG. 5 .

In operation 705, the electronic device 100 may change the antenna for communication to another antenna. For example, when the electronic device 100 is communicating with a base station using the first antenna 171, the electronic device 100 may change the antenna for communication with the base station to the second antenna 172. For example, when the electronic device 100 is communicating with a base station using the second antenna 172, the electronic device 100 may change the antenna for communication with the base station to the first antenna 171. The electronic device 100 may set and/or tune an associated RFFE (eg, the first RFFE 191 or the second RFFE 192) to change the antenna.

In operation 710, the electronic device 100 may determine whether a signal has been successfully received within a specified time (eg, 6.4 seconds) using the changed antenna. Successful reception of a signal may include reception of a response signal from the base station (a response signal to a signal transmitted from the electronic device 100) and/or successful decoding of the received signal.

If a signal is successfully received within a specified time (e.g., operation 710 - Yes), in operation 725, the electronic device 100 may communicate using the changed antenna. In this case, the electronic device 100 may monitor the quality of the received signal (eg, operation 510 of FIG. 5) using the changed antenna.

If a signal is not successfully received within a specified time (e.g., operation 710-No), in operation 715, the electronic device 100 may determine whether antenna hopping is within a specified number of times. The electronic device 100 may compare the number of times the antenna has been changed according to the antenna hopping operation (e.g., operation 705) with the specified number of times (e.g., 3 times). If the antenna hopping is within a specified number of times (e.g., operation 715-Yes), the electronic device 100 may perform operation 705 again. The electronic device 100 may change the antenna again according to operation 705 and attempt to receive a signal.

If antenna hopping exceeds the specified number of times (e.g., operation 715-No), in operation 720, the electronic device 100 may determine the RLF. For example, the electronic device 100 may determine the RLF even before expiration of a timer (eg, T310 timer). By determining the RLF more quickly in a weak electric field situation, the electronic device 100 can reduce power consumption.

Meanwhile, as described above with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 , the electronic device 100 may determine the RLF when the timer expires even if antenna hopping is being performed.

Through antenna hopping, the RLF ratio of the electronic device 100 may be reduced. Since RLF causes communication interruption (e.g., call drop), the electronic device 100 can improve communication quality through antenna hopping. For example, the call drop rate in a weak electric field situation may be reduced. For example, unnecessary connection attempts can be reduced through antenna hopping a specified number of times. For example, power consumption of electronic devices can be reduced through RLF based on antenna hopping. The effects described above are intended to aid understanding, and the effects of the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects described above.

1-7, various examples have been described, but those skilled in the art will understand that some parameters may vary. For example, the specified number of times is 3 times, but the embodiments of this document are not limited thereto. For example, the designated time is illustrated as 6.4 seconds, but the embodiments of this document are not limited thereto.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an electronic device 801 in a network environment 800, according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 8, in the network environment 800, the electronic device 801 communicates with the electronic device 802 through a first network 898 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or a second network 899. It is possible to communicate with at least one of the electronic device 804 or the server 808 through (e.g., a long-distance wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device 801 may communicate with the electronic device 804 through the server 808. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 801 includes a processor 820, a memory 830, an input module 850, an audio output module 855, a display module 860, an audio module 870, and a sensor module ( 876), interface 877, connection terminal 878, haptic module 879, camera module 880, power management module 888, battery 889, communication module 890, subscriber identification module 896 , or may include an antenna module 897. In some embodiments, at least one of these components (eg, the connection terminal 878) may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 801. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., sensor module 876, camera module 880, or antenna module 897) are integrated into one component (e.g., display module 860). It can be.

The processor 820, for example, executes software (e.g., program 840) to operate at least one other component (e.g., hardware or software component) of the electronic device 801 connected to the processor 820. It can be controlled and various data processing or calculations can be performed. According to one embodiment, as at least part of data processing or computation, the processor 820 stores commands or data received from another component (e.g., sensor module 876 or communication module 890) in volatile memory 832. The commands or data stored in the volatile memory 832 can be processed, and the resulting data can be stored in the non-volatile memory 834. According to one embodiment, the processor 820 includes a main processor 821 (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor 823 that can operate independently or together (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural network processing unit ( It may include a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). For example, if the electronic device 801 includes a main processor 821 and a auxiliary processor 823, the auxiliary processor 823 may be set to use lower power than the main processor 821 or be specialized for a designated function. You can. The auxiliary processor 823 may be implemented separately from the main processor 821 or as part of it.

The auxiliary processor 823 may, for example, act on behalf of the main processor 821 while the main processor 821 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or while the main processor 821 is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. ), together with the main processor 821, at least one of the components of the electronic device 801 (e.g., the display module 860, the sensor module 876, or the communication module 890) At least some of the functions or states related to can be controlled. According to one embodiment, co-processor 823 (e.g., image signal processor or communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (e.g., camera module 880 or communication module 890). there is. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor 823 (eg, neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. Artificial intelligence models can be created through machine learning. For example, such learning may be performed in the electronic device 801 itself on which the artificial intelligence model is performed, or may be performed through a separate server (e.g., server 808). Learning algorithms may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but It is not limited. An artificial intelligence model may include multiple artificial neural network layers. Artificial neural networks include deep neural network (DNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network (RNN), restricted boltzmann machine (RBM), belief deep network (DBN), bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), It may be one of deep Q-networks or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to hardware structures, artificial intelligence models may additionally or alternatively include software structures.

The memory 830 may store various data used by at least one component (eg, the processor 820 or the sensor module 876) of the electronic device 801. Data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (e.g., program 840) and instructions related thereto. Memory 830 may include volatile memory 832 or non-volatile memory 834.

The program 840 may be stored as software in the memory 830 and may include, for example, an operating system 842, middleware 844, or application 846.

The input module 850 may receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device 801 (e.g., the processor 820) from outside the electronic device 801 (e.g., a user). The input module 850 may include, for example, a microphone, mouse, keyboard, keys (eg, buttons), or digital pen (eg, stylus pen).

The sound output module 855 may output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device 801. The sound output module 855 may include, for example, a speaker or receiver. Speakers can be used for general purposes such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of it.

The display module 860 can visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 801 (eg, a user). The display module 860 may include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module 860 may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of force generated by the touch.

The audio module 870 can convert sound into an electrical signal or, conversely, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module 870 acquires sound through the input module 850, the sound output module 855, or an external electronic device (e.g., directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 801). Sound may be output through an electronic device 802 (e.g., speaker or headphone).

The sensor module 876 detects the operating state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 801 or the external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generates an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. can do. According to one embodiment, the sensor module 876 includes, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, It may include a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, or light sensor.

The interface 877 may support one or more designated protocols that can be used to connect the electronic device 801 directly or wirelessly with an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 802). According to one embodiment, the interface 877 may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

The connection terminal 878 may include a connector through which the electronic device 801 can be physically connected to an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 802). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal 878 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (eg, a headphone connector).

The haptic module 879 can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimulation (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimulation that the user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module 879 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

The camera module 880 can capture still images and moving images. According to one embodiment, the camera module 880 may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

The power management module 888 can manage power supplied to the electronic device 801. According to one embodiment, the power management module 888 may be implemented as at least a part of, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

Battery 889 may supply power to at least one component of electronic device 801. According to one embodiment, the battery 889 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary cell, a rechargeable secondary cell, or a fuel cell.

Communication module 890 is configured to provide a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or wireless communication channel between the electronic device 801 and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 802, electronic device 804, or server 808). It can support establishment and communication through established communication channels. Communication module 890 operates independently of processor 820 (e.g., an application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module 890 is a wireless communication module 892 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 894 (e.g., : LAN (local area network) communication module, or power line communication module) may be included. Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module is a first network 898 (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network 899 (e.g., legacy It may communicate with an external electronic device 804 through a telecommunication network such as a cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into one component (e.g., a single chip) or may be implemented as a plurality of separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module 892 uses subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 896 within a communication network such as the first network 898 or the second network 899. The electronic device 801 can be confirmed or authenticated.

The wireless communication module 892 may support 5G networks after 4G networks and next-generation communication technologies, for example, NR access technology (new radio access technology). NR access technology provides high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and access to multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low latency). -latency communications)) can be supported. The wireless communication module 892 may support high frequency bands (e.g., mmWave bands), for example, to achieve high data rates. The wireless communication module 892 uses various technologies to secure performance in high frequency bands, such as beamforming, massive MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output), and full-dimensional multiplexing. It can support technologies such as input/output (FD-MIMO: full dimensional MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module 892 may support various requirements specified in the electronic device 801, an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 804), or a network system (e.g., second network 899). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module 892 supports peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for realizing eMBB, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing mmTC, or U-plane latency (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing URLLC. Example: Downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each of 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less) can be supported.

The antenna module 897 may transmit or receive signals or power to or from the outside (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 897 may include an antenna including a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (eg, PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 897 may include a plurality of antennas (eg, an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for the communication method used in the communication network, such as the first network 898 or the second network 899, is connected to the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 890. can be selected. Signals or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 890 and an external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, other components (eg, radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module 897.

According to various embodiments, antenna module 897 may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, a mmWave antenna module includes: a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first side (e.g., bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band); And a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to the second side (e.g., top or side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high frequency band. can do.

At least some of the components are connected to each other through a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., bus, general purpose input and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and signal ( (e.g. commands or data) can be exchanged with each other.

According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device 801 and the external electronic device 804 through the server 808 connected to the second network 899. Each of the external electronic devices 802 or 804 may be of the same or different type as the electronic device 801. According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations performed in the electronic device 801 may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices 802, 804, or 808. For example, when the electronic device 801 needs to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 801 may perform the function or service instead of executing the function or service on its own. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more external electronic devices may be requested to perform at least part of the function or service. One or more external electronic devices that have received the request may execute at least part of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device 801. The electronic device 801 may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least part of a response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology can be used. The electronic device 801 may provide an ultra-low latency service using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In another embodiment, the external electronic device 804 may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. Server 808 may be an intelligent server using machine learning and/or neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device 804 or server 808 may be included in the second network 899. The electronic device 801 may be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

Electronic devices according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be of various types. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to embodiments of this document are not limited to the above-described devices.

The various embodiments of this document and the terms used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various changes, equivalents, or replacements of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the above items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B or C”, “at least one of A, B and C”, and “A Each of phrases such as “at least one of , B, or C” may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or any possible combination thereof. Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one component from another, and to refer to that component in other respects (e.g., importance or order) is not limited. One (e.g., first) component is said to be “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., second) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively.” When mentioned, it means that any of the components can be connected to the other components directly (e.g. wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

The term “module” used in various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and is interchangeable with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. It can be used as A module may be an integrated part or a minimum unit of the parts or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, the module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Various embodiments of the present document are one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., built-in memory 836 or external memory 838) that can be read by a machine (e.g., electronic device 801). It may be implemented as software (e.g., program 840) including these. For example, a processor (e.g., processor 820) of a device (e.g., electronic device 801) may call at least one command among one or more commands stored from a storage medium and execute it. This allows the device to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. A storage medium that can be read by a device may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g. electromagnetic waves), and this term refers to cases where data is semi-permanently stored in the storage medium. There is no distinction between temporary storage cases.

According to one embodiment, methods according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be included and provided in a computer program product. Computer program products are commodities and can be traded between sellers and buyers. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g. compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)) or through an application store (e.g. Play Store™) or on two user devices (e.g. It can be distributed (e.g. downloaded or uploaded) directly between smart phones) or online. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., module or program) of the above-described components may include a single or plural entity, and some of the plurality of entities may be separately placed in other components. there is. According to various embodiments, one or more of the components or operations described above may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (eg, modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each component of the plurality of components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding component of the plurality of components prior to the integration. . According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, or omitted. Alternatively, one or more other operations may be added.

Claims (10)

In the electronic device 100,
first antenna 171;
a second antenna 172 arranged to be spaced apart from the first antenna 171;
A first communication circuit 191 electrically connected to the first antenna 171;
a second communication circuit 192 electrically connected to the second antenna 172;
A transceiver 150 electrically connected to the first communication circuit 191 and the second communication circuit 192; and
comprising a processor 120, wherein the processor:
Communicate with a base station through the first antenna 171,
If the quality of the signal received from the base station through the first antenna 171 is less than a threshold, identify whether a timer for disconnecting from the base station is operating,
When the timer is running, the first received signal power of the signal received from the base station through the first antenna 171 and the second received signal power of the signal received from the base station through the second antenna 172 identify,
If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power exceeds a specified range, changing the antenna for communication with the base station from the first antenna 171 to the second antenna 172,
If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is within the specified range, the first antenna 171 and the second antenna 172 are alternately used within a specified number of times to communicate with the base station. An electronic device configured to perform antenna hopping in an attempt to communicate. According to claim 1,
The processor, while performing the antenna hopping,
Attempting to receive a signal from the base station for a specified time using one of the first antenna and the second antenna,
If reception of the signal fails, the electronic device is set to attempt to receive a signal from the base station for the specified time using the remaining one of the first antenna and the second antenna. According to claim 2,
The processor is configured to communicate with the base station using an antenna used to receive the signal when receiving a signal from the base station while performing the antenna hopping. According to claim 3,
The processor is configured to communicate with the base station using an antenna used to receive the signal when the signal received from the base station is successfully decoded while performing the antenna hopping. According to claim 1,
The processor is configured to determine radio link failure (RLF) when a signal is not received from the base station within the specified number of times according to the antenna hopping. According to claim 1,
The processor is configured to determine the RLF before expiration of the timer if a signal is not received from the base station within the specified number of times according to performing the antenna hopping. According to claim 1,
The processor is configured to determine an RLF when the timer expires while performing the antenna hopping. According to claim 1,
The processor,
If the block error rate (BLER) of the signal received through the first antenna is greater than or equal to the first threshold and the reference signal received power is less than the second threshold, the quality of the signal received from the base station The electronic device is configured to determine that this is below the threshold. According to claim 1,
An electronic device, wherein the timer includes a T310 timer. In a method for communication of an electronic device including a first antenna and a second antenna,
An operation of communicating with a base station through the first antenna;
If the quality of the signal received from the base station through the first antenna is less than a threshold, identifying whether to operate a timer for disconnecting from the base station;
When the timer is running, identifying a first received signal power of a signal received from the base station through the first antenna and a second received signal power of a signal received from the base station through the second antenna;
changing an antenna for communication with the base station from the first antenna to the second antenna when the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power exceeds a specified range; and
If the difference between the first received signal power and the second received signal power is within the specified range, antenna hopping attempts to communicate with the base station by alternately using the first antenna and the second antenna within a specified number of times. A method comprising the operation of performing (HOPPING).

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