Antenna isolation using grounded microwave elements

• US 20060044195A1
• Filed: 07/11/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ollikainen, Jani, Pang, Hawk Yin, Arkko, Aimo, Sato, Shunya
• Granted Patent: US 7,330,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/521 reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/523 between antennas of an array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/385 Two or more parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

This invention describes a method for improving antenna isolation in an electronic communication device using grounded RF microwave elements and patterns (structures). According to embodiments of the present invention, the RF microwave element can be implemented as a short-circuited section of a quarter-wavelength long transmission line (such as a stripline), or the RF microwave element can contain a metallic coupler and two thin striplines with different lengths, or the RF microwave element can be implemented using a balun concept.

Claims

1. An electronic communication device comprising:

at least one antenna; and

an RF microwave element in a ground plane of said at least one antenna for providing an isolation from electro-magnetically coupled currents between said at least one antenna and other RF components of said electronic communication device in said ground plane.

2. The electronic communication device of claim 1, wherein said electronic communication device is a portable communication device, a mobile electronic device, a mobile phone, a terminal or a handset.

3. The electronic communication device of claim 1, wherein said other RF components include at least one further antenna.

4. The electronic communication device of claim 3, wherein said electronic communication device contains more than one of said at least one further antenna.

5. The electronic communication device of claim 3, wherein said at least one further antenna is a whip-type antenna.

6. The electronic communication device of claim 1, wherein said at least one antenna is a planar inverted-F antenna.

7. The electronic communication device of claim 1, wherein said RF microwave element is a short-circuited section of a quarter-wavelength long transmission line.

8. The electronic communication device of claim 7, wherein said quarter-wavelength long transmission line is a stripline.

9. The electronic communication device of claim 1, wherein said RF microwave element contains a metallic coupler and two striplines.

10. The electronic communication device of claim 9, wherein said two striplines have different lengths.

11. The electronic communication device of claim 1, wherein said electronic communication device has at least two blocks which can fold or slide relative to each other to facilitate different modes of operation of said electronic communication device.

12. The electronic communication device of claim 11, wherein said RF microwave element is a balun structure attached to at least one of said at least two blocks.

13. The electronic communication device of claim 12, wherein said balun structure is implemented as a rod made of a conducting material parallel to said at least one of said at least two blocks and attached to said at least one of said at least two blocks at one end of said rod, wherein another end of said rod is left open and said rod has a length of substantially a quarter wavelength which said electronic communication device operates on.

14. A method for isolating from electro-magnetically coupled currents in a ground plane between at least one antenna and other RF elements in an electronic communication device, comprising the step of:

placing an RF microwave element in a ground plane of said at least one antenna for providing an isolation from electro-magnetically coupled currents between said at least one antenna and other RF elements of said electronic communication device in said ground plane.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said electronic communication device is a portable communication device, a mobile electronic device, a mobile phone, a terminal or a handset.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said other RF components include at least one further antenna.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said electronic communication device contains more than one of said at least one further antenna.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least one further antenna is a whip-type antenna.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said at least one antenna is a planar inverted-F antenna.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said RF microwave element is a short-circuited section of a quarter-wavelength long transmission line.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said quarter-wavelength long transmission line is a stripline.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein said RF microwave element contains a metallic coupler and two striplines.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said two striplines have different lengths.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein said electronic communication device has at least two blocks which can fold or slide relative to each other to facilitate different modes of operation of said electronic communication device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said RF microwave element is a balun structure attached to at least one of said at least two blocks.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said balun structure is implemented as a rod made of a conducting material parallel to said at least one of said at least two blocks and attached to said at least one of said at least two blocks at one end of said rod, wherein another end of said rod is left open and said rod has a length of substantially a quarter wavelength which said electronic communication device operates on.