Compound loop antenna system with isolation frequency agility

• US 10,270,170 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DockOn AG
• Original Assignee: QuantalRF AG
• Inventors: Foster, Matthew Robert, Bringuier, Jonathan Neil, Orsi, Ryan James, Brown, Forrest James, Dupuy, Alexandre
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US15/351,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20170062932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 343700 MS, 343702, 343729, 343867
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/525 between emitting and receiving antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

An antenna system is provided, including a first antenna, a second antenna, a ground plane, and a resonant isolator located proximate to the first antenna and the second antenna. The resonant isolator is coupled to the ground plane at or proximate to one current null point created by a first antenna and at or proximate to a second current null point created by a second antenna, and is configured to isolate the first antenna from the second antenna at a resonance. In some cases, the resonant isolator may include at least two conductive portions that may be substantially parallel to one another. The resonant isolator may also include an active tuning element that may change the resonance at which the resonant isolator de-couples the two antennas. In some cases, each of the antennas may be a capacitively-coupled compound loop antenna.

Claims

1. An antenna system, the system comprising:

a ground plane;

a first antenna coupled to the ground plane;

a second antenna coupled to the ground plane; and

a resonant isolator located between the first antenna and the second antenna, wherein the resonant isolator is coupled to the ground plane at or proximate to a first current null point created by the first antenna and at or proximate to a second current null point created by the second antenna, the first current null point and the second current null point each being an area on the ground plane where high current density occurs, and wherein the resonant isolator comprises at least two substantially parallel conductive portions and is configured to isolate the first antenna from the second antenna at a resonance.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the at least two conductive portions comprise a first conductive portion having a first length and a second conductive portion having a second length, wherein changing the first length, the second length, or both the first length and the second length changes the resonance at which the resonant isolator isolates the first antenna from the second antenna.

3. The antenna system of claim 2, wherein the first length corresponds to a first electrical length and the second length corresponds to a second electrical length.

4. The antenna system of claim 3, further comprising:

an active tuning element coupled to the resonant isolator, wherein the active tuning element, upon activation, is configured to change the first electrical length, the second electrical length, or both the first electrical length and the second length to change the resonance at which the resonant isolator isolates the first antenna from the second antenna.

5. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the resonant isolator comprises a passive artwork on a printed circuit board (PCB).

6. The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising:

an active tuning element coupled to the resonant isolator.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the resonant isolator is further configured to generate at least one current trap to reduce current flowing from an active one of the first antenna and the second antenna to the other one of the first antenna and the second antenna.

8. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first antenna or the second antenna comprises a compound loop (CPL) antenna.

9. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are coplanar with the resonant isolator.

10. An antenna system, the system comprising:

a ground plane;

a first compound loop antenna coupled to the ground plane;

a second compound loop antenna coupled to the ground plane; and

a resonant isolator comprising two substantially parallel conductive portions, the resonant isolator located proximate to the first compound loop antenna and the second compound loop antenna, wherein the resonant isolator is coupled to the ground plane at or proximate to at least one current null point created by at least one of the first compound loop antenna or the second compound loop antenna, the at least one current null point being an area on the ground plane where high current density occurs, and is configured to isolate the first compound loop antenna from the second compound loop antenna at a resonance.

11. The antenna system of claim 10, wherein the two substantially parallel conductive portions comprise a first conductive portion having a first length and a second conductive portion having a second length, wherein changing the first length, the second length, or both the first length and the second length changes the resonance at which the resonant isolator isolates the first compound loop antenna from the second compound loop antenna.

12. The antenna system of claim 11, wherein the first length corresponds to a first electrical length and the second length corresponds to a second electrical length.

13. The antenna system of claim 12, further comprising:

an active tuning element coupled to the resonant isolator, wherein the active tuning element, upon activation, is configured to change the first electrical length, the second electrical length, or both the first electrical length and the second length to change the resonance at which the resonant isolator isolates the first compound loop antenna from the second compound loop antenna.

14. The antenna system of claim 10, wherein the resonant isolator comprises a passive artwork on a printed circuit board (PCB).

15. The antenna system of claim 10, further comprising:

an active tuning element coupled to the resonant isolator.

16. The antenna system of claim 10, wherein the resonant isolator is further configured to generate at least one current trap to reduce current flowing from an active one of the first compound loop antenna and the second compound loop antenna to the other one of the first compound loop antenna and the second compound loop antenna.

17. The antenna system of claim 10, wherein the first compound loop antenna and the second compound loop antenna are coplanar with the resonant isolator.