Frequency-notching antenna

• US 20070069955A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: McCorkle, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,352,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/106 Microstrip slot antennas patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface

Abstract

An antenna (100) is provided. The antenna includes: a first ground element (105); a first driven element (110) formed from a planar piece of conductive material, the first driven element being configured to transmit and receive wireless signals, the first driven element including a physical slot (130); a conductive line (135) formed in the physical slot such that the conductive line is separated from the first driven element by a gap (G) filled with non-conductive material, the conductive line having a line impedance that is a function of an effective line width of the conductive line, and an effective gap width of a gap between the conductive line and the first driven element; and a signal line (120) configured to send and receive signals to and from the conductive line.

Claims

1. An antenna, comprising:

a first ground element;

a first driven element formed from a planar piece of conductive material, the first driven element being configured to transmit and receive wireless signals, the first driven element including a physical slot;

a conductive line formed in the physical slot such that the conductive line is separated from the first driven element by a gap filled with non-conductive material, the conductive line having a line impedance that is a function of an effective line width of the conductive line, and an effective gap width of a gap between the conductive line and the first driven element; and

a signal line configured to send and receive signals to and from the conductive line.

2. An antenna, as recited in claim 1, wherein the first driven element is one of:

triangular in shape, conical in shape, oval in shape, and reniform in shape.

3. An antenna, as recited in claim 1,

wherein the ground element has a cutout section with an inner circumference, the inner circumference having a first shape, and

wherein the driven element has an outer circumference having a second shape, the driven element being smaller in size than the cutout section and being situated within the cutout section to define a clearance area between the driven element and the ground element.

4. An antenna, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a second driven element formed parallel to the first driven element;

a first insulating layer placed between the first and second driven elements;

5. An antenna, as recited in claim 4, further comprising a plurality of first conductive connection elements connecting the first driven element and the second driven element through the first insulating layer

6. An antenna, as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

a second ground element formed parallel to the first ground element,

wherein the first insulating layer is also placed between the first and second ground elements;

7. An antenna, as recited in claim 6, further comprising a plurality of second conductive connection elements connecting the first ground element and the second ground element through the first insulating layer;

and

8. An antenna, as recited in claim 4, wherein the first insulating layer comprises a dielectric material with a changeable dielectric constant.

9. An antenna, as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

a third ground element formed parallel to the first ground element and on an opposite side of the first ground element as the second ground element;

a third driven element formed parallel to the first driven element and on an opposite side of the first driven element as the second driven element,

a second insulating layer placed between the first and third ground elements and between the first and third driven elements;

10. An antenna, as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of first conductive connection elements connecting the first ground element and the third ground element through the second insulating layer; and

a plurality of first conductive connection elements connecting the first driven element and the third driven element through the second insulating layer.

11. An antenna, as recited in claim 9, wherein the second insulating layer comprises a dielectric material with a changeable dielectric constant.

12. An antenna, as recited in claim 9,

wherein the first conductive connection elements connect the first ground element and the second ground element through the first insulating layer, and

wherein the second conductive connection elements connect the first driven element and the second driven element through the first insulating layer.

13. An antenna, as recited in claim 1, wherein the physical notch and the conductive line are substantially the same shape.

14. An antenna, as recited in claim 1, wherein the conductive line is one of:

rectangular in shape, or curved in shape.

15. An antenna, as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured to transmit and receive ultrawide bandwidth signals.

16. An antenna, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a varactor connected between the conductive line and the first driven element.

17. An antenna, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a varactor connected between the conductive line and a first intermediate node;

a connection line connected between the first driven element and the first intermediate node

a resistor connected between the first intermediate node and a second intermediate node; and

an inductor connected between the second intermediate node and the first ground element.

18. An antenna, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an electrical length adjustment circuit connected to the conductive line and the first driven element; and

a controller configured to provide a control signal to the electrical length adjustment circuit.

19. An antenna, as recited in claim 18, wherein the electrical length adjustment circuit comprises:

a first varactor connected between the conductive line and an intermediate node;

a second varactor connected between the first driven element and the intermediate node; and

a resistor connected between the ground element and the intermediate node,

wherein the controller is configured to provide the control signal to the intermediate node.

20. An antenna, as recited in claim 18, wherein the electrical length adjustment circuit comprises:

a varactor connected between the conductive line and an intermediate node;

a capacitor connected between the first driven element and the intermediate node; and

a resistor connected between the intermediate node and the controller.

21. An antenna, as recited in claim 1, wherein the non-conductive material comprises a dielectric material with a changeable dielectric constant.

22. An antenna, comprising:

a first ground element;

a first driven element configured to transmit and receive wireless signals;

a second ground element;

a second driven element configured to transmit and receive wireless signals;

an insulating layer placed between the first and second ground elements and between the first and second driven elements;

a conductive line formed in the insulating layer between the first and second driven elements such that the conductive line is separated from the first driven element by a first gap and is separated from the second driven element by a second gap; and

a signal line configured to send and receive signals to and from the conductive line.

23. An antenna, as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

a plurality of first conductive connection elements connecting the first ground element and the second ground element through the insulating layer; and

a plurality of second conductive connection elements connecting the first, second, and third driven elements through the first insulating layer.

24. An antenna, as recited in claim 22, wherein the first and second driven elements are both one of:

triangular in shape, oval in shape, and reniform in shape.

25. An antenna, as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

a varactor connected between the conductive line and one of the first and second driven elements.

26. An antenna, comprising:

a first ground element;

a first driven element formed from a planar piece of conductive material, the first driven element being configured to transmit and receive wireless signals, the first driven element including;

a first physical slot formed at a first location in the first driven element,

a second physical slot formed at a second location in the first driven element, and

a third physical slot formed at a third location in the first driven element;

a conductive line formed in the first physical slot such that the conductive line is separated from the first driven element by a gap filled with non-conductive material; and

a signal line configured to send and receive signals to and from the conductive line,

wherein the second and third physical slots are formed in the first driven element to be symmetrical around the first physical slot.

27. An antenna, as recited in claim 26, wherein the first driven element is one of:

triangular in shape, conical in shape, oval in shape, and reniform in shape.

28. An antenna, as recited in claim 26, wherein the non-conductive material is a dielectric material with a changeable dielectric constant.

29. An antenna, as recited in claim 26, wherein the antenna is configured to transmit and receive ultrawide bandwidth signals.

30. An antenna, as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

a varactor connected between the conductive line and the first driven element.