Multi-band wireless communication device and method

• US 20060293014A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,623,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/274
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07767 the first and second communication means being two different antennas types, e.g. dipole and coil type, or two antennas of the same kind but operating at different frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/22 Capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/45 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wireless communication device, such as a transponder, that has a plurality of antennas for multi-frequency usage. The wireless communication device comprises a control system, communication electronics, memory, and the aforementioned antennas. A wireless communication device having a pole antenna may be used with one or more loop conductor antennas to achieve the desired operating frequencies. A wireless communication device having a dipole antenna may be coupled across a loop conductor antenna to provide different loop conductor configurations depending on the frequency.

Claims

1-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A wireless communication device comprising:

communication electronics;

a first loop conductor antenna operating at a first frequency, said first loop conductor antenna being operatively connected to said communications electronics;

a second loop conductor antenna operating at a second frequency, said second loop conductor antenna being operatively connected to said communications electronics; and

a pole antenna operating at a third frequency, said pole antenna being operatively connected to said communications electronics;

said communications electronics adapted to selectively communicate at first frequency using said first loop conductor antenna, at a second frequency using said second loop conductor antenna, and at a third frequency using said pole antenna.

44. The wireless communication device of claim 43, wherein said first loop conductor antenna and said second loop conductor antenna are capacitively coupled to said pole antenna to operate respectively at said first and second operating frequencies.

45. A wireless communication device comprising:

wireless communication electronics;

a pole antenna operatively connected to said wireless communications electronics, said pole antenna operative at a first operating frequency; and

at least one loop antenna capacitively coupled to said pole antenna to operate at a second operating frequency;

said wireless communication electronics adapted to receive a signal through any one of said antennas.

46. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein said pole antenna is a dipole antenna.

47. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein said at least one loop antenna is capacitively coupled to said pole antenna to form at least one resonant circuit between said wireless communication electronics to provide said second operating frequency.

48. The wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein said at least one loop antenna is capacitively coupled to said pole antenna to form a first effective loop antenna operative at a second operating frequency and a second effective loop antenna at a third operating frequency;

and wherein said wireless communication electronics is additionally adapted to receive a signal through any one of said pole antenna, said first effective loop antenna, and said second effective loop antenna.