WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE HAVING CONDUCTIVE ELEMENTS ANTENNA

• US 20080024384A1
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian
• Granted Patent: US 7,557,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/896
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0452 Antenna structure, control or arrangement vehicle tyre mounted antennas H01Q1/2241
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13613 the semiconductor element being formed on a first substrate and thereafter transferred to the final cell substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/041 Constructional details G06K19/06 takes precedence
• 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 19/07764 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier attachable to a tire tire temperature or pressur control arrangements, see B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2241 used in or for vehicle tyres
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407

Abstract

An antenna coupled to a wireless communication device that is comprised of a series of conductive elements that form a conductor when placed under a force. The conductor is coupled to a wireless communication device to provide an antenna so that the wireless communication device is capable of communicating at an operating frequency defined by the length and construction of the conductor. The wireless communication device, through its communication using the conductor as an antenna, acts as an indicator of force to an interrogation reader when the wireless communication device is capable of communicating to the interrogation reader using the conductor as an antenna.

Claims

1. A device capable of wirelessly communicating information, comprising:

a wireless communication component;

a series of conductive elements that couple together in a manner to operate at a first frequency when said series of conductive elements is under a threshold force; and

a support element coupled to said series of conductive elements and said wireless communication component.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said support element is coupled to said series of conductive elements via a first conductive element in said series of conductive elements.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said support element is coupled to said wireless communication component to operate at a second frequency when said series of conductive elements are not under said threshold force.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said support element is adapted to resonate at an operating frequency of around 2.45 GHz and wherein said series of conductive elements resonates at an operating frequency of around 915 MHz when under said threshold force.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said support element is an antenna adapted to resonate at said second operating frequency until said threshold force is applied to said series of conductive elements.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said support element comprises a tuning ring.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said series of conductive elements comprises two separate series of conductive elements and wherein each series of conductive elements is coupled to said support element.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein said series of conductive elements comprises a linked chain or a series of hollow conductive spheres.

9. A device capable of wirelessly communicating information, comprising:

a wireless communication component; and

a first conductive element coupled to said wireless communication component, a second conductive element and a moveable linking element coupled to said first and second conductive elements, wherein said wireless communication component is adapted to operate at a first frequency defined by said first conductive element and is adapted to operate at a second frequency defined by said first and second conductive elements when a threshold force is applied to the device.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said second operating frequency is further defined by said moveable linking element.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein said first conductive element comprises a linked chain or a series of hollow conductive spheres.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said second conductive element comprises a linked chain or a series of hollow conductive spheres.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein said wireless communication component is adapted to operate at said first frequency when a force less than said threshold force is applied to the device.

14. The device of claim 9 wherein said first operating frequency is around 2.45 GHz and said second operating frequency is around 915 MHz.

15. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a third conductive element coupled to said wireless communication component;

a fourth conductive element; and

a second moveable linking element coupled to said third and fourth conductive elements.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said first operating frequency is defined by said first and third conductive elements and said second operating frequency is defined by said second and fourth conductive elements when said threshold force is applied to the device.

17. A device capable of wirelessly communicating information, comprising:

a wireless communication component;

a first conductive element coupled to said wireless communication component so that said first conductive element is adapted to resonate at a first frequency when a first threshold force is applied to the device; and

a second conductive component coupled to said first conductive element so that said second conductive element is adapted to resonate at a second frequency when a second threshold force is applied to the device.

18. A wireless communication system for wirelessly communicating information, comprising:

an interrogation reader; and

a wireless communication device adapted to communicate with said interrogation reader, said wireless communication device comprising;

(a) a wireless communication component;

(b) a series of conductive elements coupled together in a manner to operate at a first frequency when said series of conductive elements are under a threshold force; and

(c) a support element coupled to said series of conductive elements and said wireless communication component.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said support element is coupled to said series of conductive elements via a first conductive element in said series of conductive elements.

20. The device of claim 18 wherein said support element is coupled to said wireless communication component to operate at a second frequency when said series of conductive elements are not under said threshold force.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein said support element is adapted to resonate at an operating frequency of around 2.45 GHz and wherein said series of conductive elements is adapted to resonate at an operating frequency of around 915 MHz when under said threshold force.

22. The device of claim 18 wherein said support element is an antenna adapted to resonate at a second operating frequency until said threshold force is applied to said series of conductive elements.

23. The device of claim 18 wherein said support member comprises a tuning ring.

24. The device of claim 18 wherein said series of conductive elements comprises two separate series of conductive elements and wherein each series of conductive elements is coupled to said support element.

25. The device of claim 18 wherein said series of conductive elements comprises a linked chain or a series of hollow conductive spheres.

26. A wireless communication system for wirelessly communicating information, comprising:

an interrogation reader; and

a wireless communication device adapted to communicate with said interrogation reader, said wireless communication device comprising;

(a) a wireless communication component; and

(b) a first conductive element coupled to said wireless communication component, a second conductive element and a moveable linking element coupled to said first and second conductive elements, wherein said wireless communication component is adapted to operate at a first frequency defined by said first conductive element and is adapted to operate at a second frequency defined by said first and second conductive elements when a threshold force is applied to the device.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said second operating frequency is further defined by said moveable linking element.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein said first conductive element comprises a linked chain or a series of hollow conductive spheres.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said second conductive element comprises a linked chain or a series of hollow conductive spheres.

30. The system of claim 26 wherein said wireless communication component is adapted to operate at said first frequency when a force less than said threshold force is applied to the device.

31. The system of claim 26 wherein said first operating frequency is around 2.45 GHz and said second operating frequency is around 915 MHz.

32. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

a third conductive element coupled to said wireless communication component;

a fourth conductive element; and

a second moveable linking element coupled to said third and fourth conductive elements.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein said first operating frequency is defined by said first and third conductive elements and wherein said second operating frequency is defined by said second and fourth conductive elements when said threshold force is applied to the device.

34. A wireless communication system for wirelessly communicating information, comprising:

an interrogation reader; and

a wireless communication device adapted to communicate with said interrogation reader, said wireless communication device comprising;

(a) a wireless communication component;

(b) a first conductive element coupled to said wireless communication component so that said first conductive element is adapted to resonate at a first frequency when a first threshold force is applied to the device; and

(c) a second conductive component coupled to said first conductive element so that said second conductive element is adapted to resonate at a second frequency when a second threshold force is applied to the device.

35. A method comprising:

coupling a series of conductive elements together in a manner to operate at a first frequency when said series of conductive elements are under a threshold force; and

coupling a support element to said series of conductive elements and a wireless communication component.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein coupling said support element to said series of conductive elements is via a first conductive element in said series of conductive elements.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein coupling said support element comprises coupling said support element to said wireless communication component so that said wireless communication component is adapted to operate at a second frequency when said series of conductive elements are not under said threshold force.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said second frequency is around 2.45 GHz and said first frequency is 915 MHz.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein said series of conductive elements comprises two separate series of conductive elements and wherein coupling said series of conductive elements to said support element comprises coupling each series of conductive elements to said support element.

40. The method of claim 35 wherein said series of conductive elements comprises a linked chain or a series of hollow conductive spheres.

41. A method comprising:

coupling a first conductive element to a wireless communication component such that said wireless communication component is adapted to operate at a first frequency defined by said first conductive element; and

coupling a moveable linking element to said first conductive element and to a second conductive element such that said wireless communication component is adapted to operate at a second frequency defined by said first and second conductive elements when a threshold force is applied to said first and second conductive elements.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein said second frequency is further defined by said moveable link.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein said first conductive element comprises a linked chain or a series of hollow conductive spheres.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein said second conductive element comprises a linked chain or a series of hollow conductive spheres.

45. The method of claim 41 wherein coupling said first conductive element to said wireless communication component comprises coupling said first conductive element to said wireless communication component such that said wireless communication component is adapted to operate at a first frequency defined by said first conductive element when under a force less than said threshold force.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein said first frequency is around 2.45 GHz and said second frequency is around 915 MHz.

47. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

coupling a third conductive element to said wireless communication component; and

coupling a second moveable linking element to said third conductive element and to a fourth conductive element.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein said first and third conductive elements are coupled to said wireless communication component so that said wireless communication component is adapted to operate at said first frequency as defined by said first and third conductive elements.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein said second moveable linking element is coupled to said third and fourth conductive elements such that said wireless communication component is adapted to operate at said second frequency defined by said second and fourth conductive elements when said threshold force is applied.

50. A method comprising:

coupling a first conductive element to a wireless communication component so that said first conductive element is adapted to resonate at a first frequency when under a first threshold force; and

coupling a second conductive element to said wireless communication component so that said second conductive element is adapted to resonate at a second frequency when under a second threshold force.

51. A method of wirelessly communicating information, comprising:

placing a series of conductive elements coupled together under a threshold force to form a conductor that is adapted to resonate at a first frequency; and

communicating said information using said series of conductive elements as an antenna when said series of conductive elements is placed under said threshold force to form said conductor.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein said placing of said series of conductive elements under said threshold force comprises stretching said series of conductive elements.

53. The method of claim 51 wherein said placing of said series of conductive elements under said threshold force comprises compressing said series of conductive elements.

54. The method of claim 51 wherein said placing of said series of conductive elements under said threshold force comprises rotating said series of conductive elements.

55. The method of claim 51, further comprising placing a force on a tuning ring coupled to said series of conductive elements and coupled to a wireless communication device to reduce said strain on said wireless communication device caused by said series of conductive elements, and wherein said method further comprises communicating said information at a first frequency using said tuning ring as a first antenna and communicating said information at a second frequency using said conductor formed by said series of conductive elements under said threshold force to form a second antenna.

56. The method of claim 51, further comprising communicating said information at a first frequency using said tuning ring as a first antenna and communicating said information at a second frequency using said conductor formed by said series of conductive elements under said threshold force as a second antenna.

57. The method of claim 51 wherein said placing of said series of conductive elements under said threshold force further comprises placing said series of conductive elements coupled together under a first force to form a first conductor length capable of operating at a first frequency in a first mode of operation and placing said series of conductive elements coupled together under a second force to form a second conductor length capable of operating at a second frequency in a second mode of operation.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein said placing of said series of conductive elements under said threshold force further comprises placing said first force on a first of said series of conductive elements and placing said second force on a second of said series of conductive elements that are located adjacent to said first of said series of conductive elements.

59. The method of claim 51, further comprising locking said series of conductive elements into a conducting position when placed under said threshold force.

60. The method of claim 51 wherein communicating said information further comprises communicating said information at a first frequency when said series of conductive elements are placed under said threshold force.

61. The method of claim 60, further comprising communicating said information at a second frequency using a conductor coupled between said series of conductive elements and a wireless communication device when said series of conductive elements are not under said threshold force.

62. The method of claim 51 wherein placing said series of conductive elements under said threshold force comprises changing an area of said series of conductive elements to expand or contract in relation to temperature.

63. The method of claim 51 wherein communicating said information comprises reporting threshold force information from a wireless communication device that is interrogated by an interrogation reader to a reporting system.

64. The method of claim 51, further comprising communicating said information at a second frequency using a support element coupled between a wireless communication device and said series of conductive elements when said series of conductive elements are not under said threshold force.

65. A method of wirelessly communicating information, comprising:

communicating said information at a first frequency using a first conductive element coupled to a wireless communication component;

placing a second conductive element under a threshold force so that said second conductive component is adapted to resonate at a second frequency, said second conductive element coupled to said first conductive element via a moveable linking element; and

communicating said information at said second frequency using said second conductive element when said threshold force is applied to said second conductive element.

66. A method of wirelessly communicating information, comprising:

placing a first conductive component coupled to a wireless communication component under a first threshold force so that said first conductive component is adapted to resonate at a first frequency;

communicating said information at said first frequency using said first conductive component as an antenna when said first threshold force is applied to said first conductive component;

placing a second conductive component coupled to said wireless communication component under a second threshold force so that said second conductive component is adapted to resonate at a second frequency; and

communicating said information at said second frequency using said second conductive component as an antenna when said second threshold force is applied to said second conductive component.