Antennae attachable to an electronic device enclosure or other structure

• US 20050285800A1
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ransdell, Clinton R., Reece, John K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,834,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1207 for fastening a rigid aerial element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2275 associated to expansion card or bus, e.g. in PCMCIA, PC cards, Wireless USB

Abstract

Attachable/detachable antennae for use with electronic systems.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an antenna element; and

an antenna enclosure that encloses the antenna element, the antenna enclosure having a clamping mechanism to attach the antenna enclosure to an external structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cable coupled with the antenna element and extending beyond the antenna enclosure.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the cable comprises a radio frequency cable.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises a coaxial cable.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises a twisted pair cable.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises an optical fiber.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a connector at an end of the cable opposite the antenna element to connect with an interface of an electronic system.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the interface comprises a removable card.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the removable card comprises a Type II PCMCIA card.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the antenna element communicates cellular telephone signals.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the cellular telephone signals are transmitted in a range of 824 MHz to 960 MHz.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the cellular telephone signals are transmitted in a range of 1710 MHz to 1990 MHz.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the antenna element communicates local area network signals.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the local area network signals conform to IEEE Std. 802.11b and/or IEEE Std. 802.11g.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the antenna element communicates personal area network signals.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the personal area network protocol comprises a Bluetooth protocol.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the antenna enclosure completely encloses the antenna element.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the clamping mechanism comprises:

a clamping element; and

a spring configured to cause the clamping element to be forced toward the antenna enclosure to cause a clamping force against the antenna enclosure.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the external structure comprises a display of a laptop computer.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the antenna element is configured to attach to the external structure in a substantially vertical position.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the antenna element is configured to attach to the external structure in a substantially horizontal position.

22. An apparatus comprising:

an antenna element;

an antenna enclosure that encloses the antenna element; and

clamping means to attach the antenna enclosure to an external structure.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a cable coupled with the antenna element and extending beyond the antenna enclosure.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the cable comprises a radio frequency cable.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises a coaxial cable.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises a twisted pair cable.

27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises an optical fiber.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the antenna element communicates cellular telephone signals.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the cellular telephone signals are transmitted in a range of 824 MHz to 960 MHz.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the cellular telephone signals are transmitted in a range of 1710 MHz to 1990 MHz.

31. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the antenna element communicates local area network signals.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the local area network signals conform to IEEE Std. 802.11b and/or IEEE Std. 802.11g.

33. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the antenna element communicates personal area network signals.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the personal area network protocol comprises a Bluetooth protocol.

35. A system comprising:

a bus;

a digital signal processor coupled with the bus;

an antenna element coupled with the bus; and

an antenna enclosure that encloses the antenna element, the antenna enclosure having a clamping mechanism to attach the antenna enclosure to an external structure.

36. The system of claim 35 further comprising a cable coupled with the antenna element and extending beyond the antenna enclosure.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the cable comprises a radio frequency cable.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises a coaxial cable.

39. The system of claim 37 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises a twisted pair cable.

40. The system of claim 37 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises an optical fiber.

41. The system of claim 35 wherein the antenna element communicates cellular telephone signals.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the cellular telephone signals are transmitted in a range of 824 MHz to 960 MHz.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the cellular telephone signals are transmitted in a range of 1710 MHz to 1990 MHz.

44. The system of claim 35 wherein the antenna element communicates local area network signals.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the local area network signals conform to IEEE Std. 802.11b and/or IEEE Std. 802.11g.

46. The system of claim 35 wherein the antenna element communicates personal area network signals.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein the personal area network protocol comprises a Bluetooth protocol.

48. The system of claim 35 wherein the antenna element is configured to attach to the external structure in a substantially vertical position.

49. The system of claim 35 wherein the antenna element is configured to attach to the external structure in a substantially horizontal position.

50. An apparatus comprising:

an antenna element;

an antenna enclosure that encloses the antenna element, the antenna enclosure having a clamping mechanism to attach the antenna enclosure to a display device of a laptop computer system with opposing forces asserted by the clamping mechanism;

a radio frequency cable coupled with the antenna element and extending beyond the antenna enclosure to carry signals received by the antenna element and to carry signals to be transmitted by the antenna element; and

a connector at an end of the cable opposite the antenna element to connect with an interface of the laptop computer system.

51. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises a coaxial cable.

52. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises a twisted pair cable.

53. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the radio frequency cable comprises an optical fiber.

54. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the antenna element communicates cellular telephone signals.

55. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the antenna element communicates local area network signals.

56. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the antenna element communicates personal area network signals.