Foldable mobile terminal with antennas and a selector selecting a diversity transceiving system based on folding-out or folding-in terminal

Abstract

A foldable mobile terminal comprises a pair of housings which are coupled through a hinge to make the terminal foldable, at least one antenna arranged on each of the housings, a switch connected to the antenna, at least one radio unit mounted on one of the housing and connected selectively to the antenna through the switch, and a selector to select a diversity transceiving system according to folding-out or folding-in of the terminal.

1 . A method for changing a diversity transceiving system, comprising:
 arranging at least two antennas on a pair of housings of a terminal coupled through a hinge to make the terminal foldable, respectively, in diagonal relationship to fail to overlap with each other in a state that the terminal is folded-in;   connecting selectively at least two radio units, mounted on one of the housings corresponding with the antennas, to the antennas through a switch;   selecting, only on the basis of whether the terminal is folded-out or folded-in, a synthesis diversity transceiving system for synthesizing detection signals of the radio units when the terminal is folded-out and selecting a selective diversity transceiving system for selecting one of the antennas that provides a receiving level higher than other of the antennas, when the terminal is folded-in.   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the selecting comprises detecting folding-in or folding-out of the terminal, and switching between the synthesis diversity transceiving system and the selective diversity transceiving system according to a detection result of folding-in/folding-out of the terminal. 
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further including selecting one of the antennas after switching to the selective diversity transceiving system. 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further installing another antenna in the other of the housings. 
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the antennas installed in the housings respectively comprises an inverse F antenna. 
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein one of the antennas which is installed in one of the housings comprises a whip antenna, and the other of the antennas which is installed in the other of the housings comprises a reverse F antenna. 
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein one of the antennas which is installed in one of the housings comprises a helical antenna, and the other of the antennas which is installed in the other of the housings comprises a reverse F antenna. 
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising detecting a receiving level of the radio unit, and selecting one of the antennas that provides a higher receiving level than other of the antennas according to a detected result. 
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the selecting includes synthesizing the detection signals of the radio units in the synthesis diversity transceiving system. 
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the synthesizing includes synthesizing the detection signals with their phases being matched. 
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising controlling power-supplying to the radio unit according to the detection result of the folding-in/folding-out. 
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein when the synthesis diversity transceiving system is selected, the antennas are respectively connected to the radio units, and when the selective diversity transceiving system is selected, only one of the antennas is connected to one of the radio units. 
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein when the selective diversity transceiving system is selected, the antenna having a highest receiving level is connected to the one radio unit. 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 12 , further including cutting off power to one of the radio units when the selective diversity transceiving system is selected. 
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 1 , further including cutting off power to one of the radio units when the selective diversity transceiving system is selected. 
   
   
       16 . A method for changing a diversity transceiving system, comprising:
 connecting at least two radio units selectively to at least two antennas arranged on a pair of housings of a terminal coupled through a hinge to make the terminal foldable through a switch; and   controlling the switch to respectively connect the antennas to the radio units in a synthesis diversity transceiving mode for synthesizing detection signals of the radio units when the terminal is folded-out, and connect only one of the antennas to only one of the radio units in a selective diversity transceiving mode when the terminal is folded-in.   
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , comprising arranging the antennas in a non-overlapping diagonal relationship with each other in a state that the terminal is folded-in. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein when the terminal is folded-in, the antenna having a highest receiving level is connected to the one radio unit. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 16 , further including cutting off power to one of the radio units when the terminal is folded-in.