EP-4742764-A1 - ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SEARCHING FOR SIGNAL OF COMMUNICATION NETWORK

EP4742764A1EP 4742764 A1EP4742764 A1EP 4742764A1EP-4742764-A1

Abstract

Provided are an electronic device and a method for searching for a signal of a communication network. The electronic device comprises: a satellite communication module 1100 for satellite communication; a first communication module 1110 for first cellular communication; a second communication module 1120 for second cellular communication; a first power supply unit 1210 that supplies first power to the satellite communication module; a second power supply unit 1220 that supplies second power to one of the satellite communication module and the first communication module; a third power supply unit 1230 that supplies third power to the second communication module; a first antenna 1310 connected to the satellite communication module and the first communication module from among the satellite communication module, the first communication module, and the second communication module; a second antenna 1320 connected to the second communication module from among the satellite communication module, the first communication module, and the second communication module; and a communication processor 1600 connected to the satellite communication module, the first communication module, and the second communication module.

Inventors

OH, Shinyoung
KANG, Sangook
KIM, KYOUNGHO
SEO, HYUNMIN

Assignees

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20240719

Claims (15)

An electronic device comprising: a satellite communication module 1100 for satellite communication; a first communication module 1110 for first cellular communication; a second communication module 1120 for second cellular communication; a first power supply unit 1210 that supplies first power to the satellite communication module; a second power supply unit 1220 that supplies second power to one of the satellite communication module and the first communication module; a third power supply unit 1230 that supplies third power to the second communication module; a first antenna 1310 connected to the satellite communication module and the first communication module from among the satellite communication module, the first communication module, and the second communication module; a second antenna 1320 connected to the second communication module from among the satellite communication module, the first communication module, and the second communication module; and a communication processor 1600 connected to the satellite communication module, the first communication module, and the second communication module, wherein the communication processor controls the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit to supply the first power and the second power to the satellite communication module in order to transmit and/or receive a signal of the satellite communication through the first antenna, and while the first power and the second power are being supplied to the satellite communication module, the communication processor searches for a signal of the second cellular communication received through the second antenna by supplying the third power to the second communication module.
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna is shared by the satellite communication module and the first communication module, and is connected to the satellite communication module or the first communication module through a switch.
The electronic device of any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein while the first power and the second power are being supplied to the satellite communication module, the first communication module is disabled.
The electronic device of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a third communication module 1130 that receives the third power from the third power supply unit and is connected to the first antenna, wherein while the first power and the second power are being supplied to the satellite communication module, the third communication module is disabled.
The electronic device of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a fourth communication module 1140 that receives the second power from the second power supply unit and is connected to the second antenna, wherein while the first power and the second power are being supplied to the satellite communication module, the fourth communication module is disabled.
The electronic device of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second communication module is a reception (RX) module for receiving a signal of the second cellular communication through the second antenna.
The electronic device of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit comprise a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) for supplying power to a power amplifier (PA) for signal transmission, and the third power supply unit comprises a PMIC for supplying power for operations, other than the signal transmission, of other electronic components within the electronic device.
The electronic device of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein as an emergency call mode of the electronic device is executed, the communication processor enables the satellite communication module and the second communication module and disables the first communication module.
The electronic device of claim 8, wherein as the signal of the second cellular communication received from the second antenna through the second communication module is searched, the communication processor disables the satellite communication module and enables the first communication module.
The electronic device of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the satellite communication module comprises at least one of a transmission module for transmitting a signal for the satellite communication and a reception module for receiving a signal for the satellite communication.
A method for searching for a signal of a cellular communication network in an electronic device that is using a satellite communication network, the method comprising: operation 830 of providing first power from a first power supply unit 1210 and second power from a second power supply unit 1220 to a satellite communication module 1100 for satellite communication, from among the satellite communication module and a first communication module 1110 for first cellular communication, wherein the second power supply unit is configured to provide the second power to one of the satellite communication module and the first communication module, and wherein the satellite communication module and the first communication module are connected to a first antenna; operation 840 of, while the first power and the second power are being supplied to the satellite communication module, supplying third power from a third power supply unit 1230 to a second communication module 1120 for second cellular communication, wherein the second communication module is connected to a second antenna different from the first antenna; and operation 840 of searching for a signal of the second cellular communication received through the second antenna.
The method of claim 11, wherein as an emergency call function of the electronic device is executed, the first power and the second power are supplied to the satellite communication module, thereby enabling the satellite communication module, the method further comprises operation of transmitting and receiving a signal for an emergency call through the first antenna connected to the enabled satellite communication module, and while the first power and the second power are being supplied to the satellite communication module, the third power is supplied to the second communication module, thereby enabling the second communication module.
The method of claim 12, wherein the operation of searching for the signal of the second cellular communication comprises operation of while being transmitting and receiving the signal for the emergency call, searching for the signal of the second cellular communication through the second antenna connected to the enabled second communication module.
An electronic device of any one of claims 11 and 12, wherein the first antenna is shared by the satellite communication module and the first communication module, and is connected to the satellite communication module or the first communication module through a switch.
The method of any one of claims 11, 12, and 14, wherein while the first power and the second power are being supplied to the satellite communication module, the first communication module is disabled, and the method further comprises operation of disabling a third communication module 1130 that receives the third power from the third power supply unit and is connected to the first antenna, while the first power and the second power are being supplied to the satellite communication module.

Description

[Technical Field] The disclosure relates to an electronic device and a method for searching for a signal of a communication network. [Background Art] Satellite communication technology is a technology for communicating via a satellite network that consists of satellites, ground stations, and terminals. Compared to communication that uses existing terrestrial networks such as long term evolution (LTE) and new radio (NR), satellite communication networks can have much wider coverage. Satellite orbits can be divided into low earth orbit (LEO), medium earth orbit (MEO), and geostationary earth orbit (GEO) depending on altitude. The satellite communication network has characteristics in which the higher the altitude, the wider the coverage of a satellite communication network and the longer a communication delay. Based on these characteristics, communication services of complementing the coverage limitations of cellular communication that uses the terrestrial networks are possible. [Disclosure of Invention] [Solution to Problem] An embodiment of the disclosure may provide an electronic device including a satellite communication module 1100 for satellite communication, a first communication module 1110 for first cellular communication, a second communication module 1120 for second cellular communication, a first power supply unit 1210 that supplies first power to the satellite communication module, a second power supply unit 1220 that supplies second power to one of the satellite communication module and the first communication module, a third power supply unit 1230 that supplies third power to the second communication module, a first antenna 1310 connected to the satellite communication module and the first communication module from among the satellite communication module, the first communication module, and the second communication module, a second antenna 1320 connected to the second communication module from among the satellite communication module, the first communication module, and the second communication module, and a communication processor 1600 connected to the satellite communication module, the first communication module, and the second communication module. In addition, the communication processor may control the first power supply unit and the second power supply unit to supply the first power and the second power to the satellite communication module in order to transmit and/or receive a signal of the satellite communication through the first antenna. In addition, while the first power and the second power are being supplied to the satellite communication module, the communication processor may search for a signal of the second cellular communication received through the second antenna by supplying the third power to the second communication module. In addition, an embodiment of the disclosure may provide a method for searching for a signal of a cellular communication network in an electronic device that is using a satellite communication network including operation of providing first power from a first power supply unit 1210 and second power from a second power supply unit 1220 to a satellite communication module 1100 for satellite communication, from among the satellite communication module and a first communication module 1110 for first cellular communication, wherein the second power supply unit is configured to provide the second power to one of the satellite communication module and the first communication module, and wherein the satellite communication module and the first communication module are connected to a first antenna, operation of, while the first power and the second power are being supplied to the satellite communication module, supplying third power from a third power supply unit 1230 to a second communication module 1120 for second cellular communication, wherein the second communication module is connected to a second antenna different from the first antenna, and operation of searching for a signal of the second cellular communication received through the second antenna. [Brief Description of Drawings] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device 101 within a network environment 100, according to various embodiments.FIG. 2 is a block diagram 200 of an electronic device 101 for supporting legacy network communication and 5G network communication, according to various embodiments.FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device located within satellite communication coverage and/or cellular communication coverage according to an embodiment of the disclosure.FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating an example of an electronic device including various communication modules and various antennas for searching for a cellular communication signal during satellite communication, according to an