Extendable planar diversity antenna
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use with an electronic device to enable wireless communication between the electronic device and a communications network, the apparatus comprising:
- an antenna assembly capable of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy in the form of radio waves, the antenna assembly configured to transmit the radio waves in a spatially diverse pattern; and
a retractable platform configured so as to substantially contain the antenna assembly, the retractable platform having an extended position and a retracted position, such that in the retracted position the antenna assembly is contained within the electronic device and in the extended position the antenna assembly extends outside of the electronic device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a retractable/extendable diversity antenna that provides the appropriate polarization in a horizontal orientation. The antenna structure is placed within a Type II PCMCIA PC card package and may be extended or retracted with one touch. The antenna structure is large enough to provide for the diversity antenna design and may optionally be housed within a PCMCIA Type II PC Card. At least one spring-loaded mechanism is used to extend the antenna structure beyond the PCMCIA PC Card package and to provide stability while the antenna structure is in the extended position. The diversity antenna configuration may consist of either two miniature, planar antenna modules or two etched printed circuit board contours that are spaced as far apart as possible with a minimum separation of a quarter wave length distance in order to provide mitigation to radio multipath fading effects. The antenna modules have orientations perpendicular to each other such that the polar nulls representative of their radiation patterns remain spatially orthogonal.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use with an electronic device to enable wireless communication between the electronic device and a communications network, the apparatus comprising:
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an antenna assembly capable of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy in the form of radio waves, the antenna assembly configured to transmit the radio waves in a spatially diverse pattern; and
a retractable platform configured so as to substantially contain the antenna assembly, the retractable platform having an extended position and a retracted position, such that in the retracted position the antenna assembly is contained within the electronic device and in the extended position the antenna assembly extends outside of the electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A communications card for use with an electronic device, the communications card comprising:
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a printed circuit board disposed within a housing;
communications circuitry disposed on the printed circuit board;
at least one antenna element electrically connected to the communications circuitry and operably supported by a retractable platform that is capable of being positioned in at least an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the at least one antenna element and retractable platform are both disposed substantially within the housing in the retracted position;
at least one biasing mechanism operably connected to the retractable platform to urge the platform into an extended position, the at least one biasing mechanism being disposed between an interior portion of the housing and an outer periphery of the printed circuit board; and
a guide structure, at least partially formed within the retractable platform, that is configured to maintain a substantially constant lateral position of the retractable platform as it is maneuvered between the extended position and the retracted position. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A communications card for use with an electronic device, the communications card comprising:
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a printed circuit board disposed within a housing;
communications circuitry disposed on the printed circuit board; and
a retractable platform that is capable of being positioned in at least an extended position and a retracted position relative to the housing, wherein the retractable platform forms an antenna bridge that is in the form of a curved arch that contains at least one antenna element that is electrically connected to the communications circuitry, and wherein the at least one antenna element is substantially disposed within the housing when the platform is in the retracted position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A wireless network interface card for use with a portable electronic device, the wireless card comprising:
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a housing for mechanically interfacing with the portable electronic device and being received therein;
a printed circuit board located within the housing; and
first and second antenna elements disposed in a spaced apart relationship on a retractable platform that is capable of being positioned in at least an extended position and a retracted position, the first and second antenna elements being disposed substantially within the housing of the wireless network interface card when the retractable platform is in the retracted position, and wherein a longitudinal linear portion of the first antenna element is perpendicularly positioned on the retractable platform with respect to a longitudinal linear portion of the second antenna element. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A wireless network interface card for use with a portable electronic device, the wireless card comprising:
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a housing for mechanically interfacing with the portable electronic device and being received therein;
a printed circuit board located within the housing;
a first retractable platform that is capable of being positioned in an extended position substantially outside the housing and a retracted position substantially within the housing, the first retractable platform including a first antenna element; and
a second retractable platform that is capable of being positioned in an extended position substantially outside the housing and a retracted position substantially within the housing, the second retractable platform including a second antenna element. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification