Rf radiation redirection away from portable communication device user

Abstract

A case for a wireless device includes a number of RF coupling elements mounted in the case and configured such that RF radiation is coupled from an internal antenna of the wireless device out of the device to a first RF coupling element, and from the first RF coupling element to a RF redirector coupling element that redirects the RF radiation in a direction outward from said wireless device that is opposite to a user side of the wireless device. A corrugated metallic shield is optionally provided on an opposite side of the case, facing a user of the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an external case configured to be coupled to a wireless device having a housing separate from the external case and being elongate along a first axis, the external case having a plurality of antenna elements;   a first antenna element from the plurality of antenna elements defining a strip structure elongate along a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis, the first antenna element configured to be operatively coupled to a first antenna of the wireless device to receive radiation from the first antenna of the wireless device and redirect the radiation away from a user of the wireless device when the external case is coupled to the wireless device and when the wireless device is operational; and   a second antenna element from the plurality of antenna elements defining a strip structure elongate along a third axis substantially parallel to the first axis, the second antenna element configured to be operatively coupled to a second antenna of the wireless device to receive radiation from the second antenna of the wireless device and redirect the radiation away from a user of the wireless device when the external case is coupled to the wireless device and when the wireless device is operational.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first antenna element is located at an upper portion of the external case, the second antenna element is located at a lower portion of the external case. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first antenna element is located at an upper portion of the external case,   the second antenna element is located at a lower portion of the external case, and   when the external case is coupled to the wireless device, at least a portion of the second antenna overlays at least a portion of the second antenna of the wireless device, the second antenna of the wireless device has a loop structure.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first antenna element is located at an upper portion of the external case,   the second antenna element is located at a lower portion of the external case,   when the external case is coupled to the wireless device, at least a portion of the first antenna element overlays at least a portion of the first antenna of the wireless device, and   when the external case is coupled to the wireless device, at least a portion of the second antenna element overlays at least a portion of the second antenna of the wireless device.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first antenna element is configured to be operatively coupled to the first antenna of the wireless device that operates at a first frequency band when the wireless device is operative, and   the second antenna element is configured to be operatively coupled to the second antenna of the wireless device that operates at a second frequency band when the wireless device is operative, the first frequency band being different from the second frequency band.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first antenna element is located at an upper portion of the external case,   the second antenna element is located at a lower portion of the external case,   the first antenna of the wireless device is a global positioning system (GPS) antenna of the wireless device, and   the second antenna of the wireless device is a multiband antenna of the wireless device.   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an external case configured to be coupled to a wireless device having a housing separate from the external case, the external case having a plurality of antenna elements;   a first antenna element from the plurality of antenna elements configured to receive radiation from the wireless device when the external case is coupled to the wireless device and when the wireless device is operational; and   a second antenna element from the plurality of antenna elements configured receive radiation from the wireless device when the external case is coupled to the wireless device and when the wireless device is operational,   a relative phase between the first antenna element and the second antenna element being adjustable such that radiation generated by the wireless device is directed away from a user of the wireless device via the first antenna element and the second antenna element during operation of the wireless device and after the relative phase is adjusted.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a relative phase at a first time between the first antenna element and the second antenna element is associated with a first frequency band of a multiband antenna of the wireless device at the first time and during operation of the wireless device,   a relative phase at a second time between the first antenna element and the second antenna element is associated with a second frequency band of the multiband antenna of the wireless device at the second time and during operation of the wireless device,   the first frequency band of the multiband antenna at the first time being different from the second frequency band of the multiband antenna at the second time, the relative phase at the second time being adjusted to be different than the relative phase at the first time.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first antenna element is configured to receive radiation from a first antenna of the wireless device when the external case is coupled to the wireless device and when the wireless device is operational; and   the second antenna element is configured to receive radiation from a second antenna the wireless device when the external case is coupled to the wireless device and when the wireless device is operational.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first antenna element is configured to receive radiation at a first frequency band from a first antenna of the wireless device when the external case is coupled to the wireless device and when the wireless device is operational; and   the second antenna element is configured to receive radiation at a second frequency band from a second antenna the wireless device when the external case is coupled to the wireless device and when the wireless device is operational,   the first frequency band is different from the second frequency band.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first antenna element is configured to receive radiation from a global positioning system (GPS) antenna of the wireless device when the external case is coupled to the wireless device and when the wireless device is operational; and   the second antenna element is configured to receive radiation from a multiband antenna of the wireless device when the external case is coupled to the wireless device and when the wireless device is operational.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a microprocessor configured to adjust the relative phase between the first antenna element and the second antenna element.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first antenna element is configured to receive radiation from a first antenna of the wireless device, the first antenna element is located at an upper portion of the external case,   the second antenna element is configured to receive radiation from a first second of the wireless device, the second antenna element is located at a lower portion of the external case,   when the external case is coupled to the wireless device, at least a portion of the first antenna element overlays at least a portion of the first antenna of the wireless device, and   when the external case is coupled to the wireless device, at least a portion of the second antenna element overlays at least a portion of the second antenna of the wireless device.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first antenna element is configured to receive radiation from a global positioning system (GPS) antenna of the wireless device, the first antenna element is located at an upper portion of the external case, and   the second antenna element is configured to receive radiation from a multiband antenna of the wireless device, the second antenna element is located at a lower portion of the external case.   
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 detecting a frequency band of a wireless device having a housing and coupled to an external case having a first antenna element and a second antenna element each operatively coupled to at least one antenna of the wireless device during operation of the wireless device; and   adjusting a relative phase between the first antenna element and the second antenna element such that radiation generated by the at least one antenna of the wireless device is directed away from a user of the wireless device via the first antenna element and the second antenna element during operation of the wireless device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the frequency band is a first frequency band, the detecting and the adjusting is performed during a first time period, the method further comprising:
 detecting a second frequency band of a wireless device during a second time period; and   adjusting, during the second time period, a relative phase between the first antenna element and the second antenna element such that radiation generated by the at least one antenna of the wireless device during the second time period is directed away from the user of the wireless device via the first antenna element and the second antenna element during operation of the wireless device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one antenna of the wireless device includes a first antenna and a second antenna, the method further comprising:
 receiving, at the first antenna element, radiation from the first antenna of the wireless device; and   receiving, at the second antenna element, radiation from the second antenna the wireless device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one antenna of the wireless device includes a first antenna and a second antenna, the method further comprising:
 receiving, at the first antenna element, radiation at a first frequency band from the first antenna of the wireless device; and   receiving, at the second antenna element, radiation at a second frequency band from the second antenna of the wireless device,   the first frequency band is different from the second frequency band.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one antenna of the wireless device includes a global positioning system (GPS) antenna and a multiband antenna, the method further comprising:
 receiving, at the first antenna element, radiation from the global positioning system (GPS) antenna of the wireless device; and   receiving, at the second antenna element, radiation from the multiband antenna of the wireless device.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the detecting is performed by a detector that receives radiation from the wireless device,   the adjusting is performed by a microprocessor operatively coupled to the detector, the first antenna element and the second antenna element.