The present invention relates to a portable terminal device for use in mobile communications, especially satellite communications.
Portable terminal devices for mobile communications generally use a rod-shaped antenna, which is of a structure convenient for portability, such that it is folded in a device housing in a state of on-hook. Many antennas for satellite communications are in the form of a rod-shaped four-wire helical antenna. (For example, see Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 10-135733.)
A four-wire helical antenna shown in
The four-wire helical antenna is required to have a directivity pattern for radiating a radio wave uniformly to the direction above semispherical surface of the device for use in satellite communications.
Helical antennas also include an N-wire helical antenna having N helical conductors, other than the four-wire helical antenna. Therefore, other rod-shaped antennas can be used insofar as they can form a radiation pattern similar to the radiation pattern shown in
The rod-shaped antenna for satellite communications which has the radiation pattern shown in
Generally, if a portable terminal device is capable of recognizing a call when it is in the state of on-hook, waiting for calls, then the antenna may be arranged its posture and adjusted the direction to start communications. If only a call needs to be recognized, then the probability of the recognition of a call is greatly increased by slightly improving reception conditions when the antenna is in the state of folded in the housing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable terminal device which allows a rod-shaped antenna for satellite communications to be folded in the housing and held downwardly when the portable terminal device is in the state of on-hook, waiting for calls, by improving reception conditions to receive radio waves propagating through the air with the rod-shaped antenna that is held downwardly.
To achieve the above object, a portable terminal device has a reflecting plate disposed below a rod-shaped antenna held downwardly when folded in the housing, in facing relation to the tip end of the antenna.
The rod-shaped antenna may comprise a satellite communication antenna having a directivity for radiating a uniform radio wave to the direction above a semispherical surface from the terminal.
The reflecting plate may project horizontally from a housing of the portable terminal device below the antenna.
The reflecting plate may take shape of rectangular or semicircular in top view.
The reflecting plate may have a reflecting surface made of a conductor.
The reflecting plate may have a reflecting surface comprising a linear conductor disposed on a surface of a dielectric material.
The reflecting plate may have a reflecting surface having a diameter or a side whose size is 0.1 times a wavelength in use.
The reflecting plate, which is of a small size and faces upwardly, disposed in facing relation to the stored rod-shaped antenna is effective to reflect a radio wave propagating through the air toward the antenna, blocks thermal noise from the ground, and makes easy to receive a radio wave propagating through the air while the portable terminal device is waiting for calls.
FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are perspective views showing shapes of the reflecting plate; and
FIGS. 9(a), 9(b), and 9(c) are perspective views showing reflecting plates with reflecting conductors disposed on reflecting surfaces thereof.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
As shown in
It is ideal that satellite communication antenna 7 has a radiation pattern as shown in FIG. 3 and be used with its tip end facing the zenith. When the antenna is directed and folded and held downwardly, the beam of the antenna is oriented downwardly, and it becomes difficult for the antenna to receive the radio wave from the satellite. According to the present invention, as shown in
The reflecting plate is highly effective from the standpoint of an antenna noise temperature. Specifically, the antenna noise temperature when the antenna is folded to waiting in a reception mode in satellite communications is smaller the better. If antenna 7 with the directivity shown in
FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) show shapes of reflecting plate 9. FIG. 8(a) shows a rectangular shape, and FIG. 8(b) shows a semicircular shape. Because reflecting plate 9 serves the purpose of reflecting radio waves, reflecting plate 9 needs to be made of a conductor or at least reflecting surface 10 needs to be made of a conductor. At any rate, the wider the surface 10 of reflecting plate 9 is, the greater the effectiveness to raise the receiving level. However, reflecting plate 9 is effective if the diameter of semicircular reflecting plate 9 or one side of rectangular reflecting plate 9 is about 0.1 wavelength (about 2 cm at 1.6 GHz) or more long.
Reflecting surface 10 of the conductor may be replaced with a reflecting conductor on the surface of a dielectric material, as shown in FIGS. 9(a)-9(b). In FIG. 9(a), a plurality of conductors 11 each having a certain width are disposed only transversely, and are effective to reflect only an electric field component parallel to conductors 11. In FIGS. 9(b) and 9(c), reflecting plates have longitudinal conductors 11 and grid-like conductors 11, respectively.
Industrial Applicability
As described above, the terminal device with the small-size reflecting plate in the shape of a saucer being disposed below the rod-shaped antenna folded and held downwardly in facing relation to the tip end of the antenna is capable of waiting for calls from the satellite while the rod-shaped antenna is in the state of on-hook. Therefore, the terminal device can easily wait for calls while it is in moving. The terminal device can also easily wait for radio waves propagating through the air in addition to radio waves from the satellite.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10/326838 | Nov 1998 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP99/06249 | 11/10/1999 | WO | 00 | 5/17/2001 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO00/30207 | 5/25/2000 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5940041 | Koyama et al. | Aug 1999 | A |
5963853 | Berg et al. | Oct 1999 | A |
6005521 | Suguro et al. | Dec 1999 | A |
6025816 | Dent et al. | Feb 2000 | A |
6150983 | Massey | Nov 2000 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
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0 415 703 | Mar 1991 | EP |
0 895 299 | Feb 1999 | EP |
0 896 385 | Feb 1999 | EP |
A 64-54407 | Mar 1989 | JP |
8-65021 | Mar 1996 | JP |
A 8-293719 | Nov 1996 | JP |
A 9-18227 | Jan 1997 | JP |
9-107238 | Apr 1997 | JP |
A 9-284022 | Oct 1997 | JP |
10-135733 | May 1998 | JP |
10-224134 | Aug 1998 | JP |
WO 9740548 | Oct 1997 | WO |