MULTI-BAND ANTENNA APPARATUS DISPOSED ON A THREE-DIMENSIONAL SUBSTRATE, AND ASSOCIATED METHODOLOGY, FOR A RADIO DEVICE

• US 20090051615A1
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: RAO, QINJIANG, WEN, GEYI, PECEN, MARK
• Granted Patent: US 7,714,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/860
• 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 5/357 using a single feed point

Abstract

Antenna apparatus, and an associated methodology, for a multi-frequency-band-capable radio device, such as a quad-band mobile station. The antenna apparatus is formed from a three-dimensional rectilinear non-conductive dielectric antenna substrate, such as cube. An elongated radiation element is disposed over multiple surfaces of the antenna substrate. A T-shaped impedance matching element located at the end of the radiation element permits the antenna input impedance to be matched to a communications device. The length of the radiation element is selected to be substantially equal to a quarter wavelength of the lowest frequency band at which the antenna operates.

Claims

1. A multi-band strip antenna for a communication device, the antenna comprising:

a three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate having a plurality of faces; and

a radiation element formed of a plurality of N, elongated planar conductive segments, each of which is disposed upon at least one face of the three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate such that the segments are electrically connected to each other in series, the combined lengths of the segments being selected to be substantially equal to a one-quarter wavelength a lowest frequency band of two different frequency bands in which the strip antenna is capable of operating.

2. The strip antenna of claim 1, further comprising a T-shaped impedance matching element coupled with a terminus end of the radiation element, said T-shaped impedance matching element disposed on at least one surface of the antenna substrate.

3. The strip antenna of claim 2, further comprising an insulative layer deposited over at least one of:

the radiation element and the T-shaped an impedance matching element.

4. The strip antenna of claim 1, wherein at least two faces of the three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate are substantially rectangular.

5. The strip antenna of claim 1, wherein at least two faces of the three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate are parallelograms.

6. The strip antenna of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate is in the shape of a cube.

7. The strip antenna of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate is in the shape of truncated pyramid.

8. The strip antenna of claim 1, wherein the radiation element is sized, shaped and arranged to transduce signal energy in a plurality of different frequency bands.

9. The strip antenna of claim 8, wherein the plurality of different bands include at least two of:

the 800 Mhz band;

the 900 Mhz band;

the 1800 Mhz band; and

the 1900 Mhz band.

10. The strip antenna of claim 8, wherein the plurality of different bands include at least:

the 800 Mhz band;

the 900 Mhz band;

the 1800 Mhz band; and

the 1900 Mhz band.

11. The strip antenna of claim 9, wherein the pattern of radiation emitted from the antenna in the 900 MHz band is substantially circular, in at least one direction.

12. A multi-band strip antenna for a communication device, said strip antenna comprising:

a dielectric antenna substrate in the shape of a cube having a plurality of faces;

a radiation element formed of a plurality of N, elongated planar and conductive segments of conductive material disposed on surfaces of the cube such that they are connected to each other in series, the series-connected segments defining a feed point for the antenna and a terminus end that is opposite the feed point; and

an impedance matching element comprised of a length of conductive material electrically coupled with the radiation element, each segment of the plurality of segments extending at least part way across a face of the substrate, the radiation element having a physical length equal to the combined length of the N segments such that the radiation element is folded over and disposed on a plurality of the faces of the substrate.

13. The strip antenna of claim 12, wherein the combined lengths of the N segments is substantially equal to a quarter wavelength of a first operating band of the antenna.

14. A method of transducing radio frequency energy from a multi-band communication device comprising the steps of:

forming a three-dimensional rectilinear substrate, said substrate having a plurality of external surfaces; and

depositing an elongated, thin strip of conductive material, having a predetermined length, onto a plurality of the external surfaces of the three-dimensional rectilinear substrate, the strip of conductive material defining a feed point for the antenna.

15. The method of claim 14 further including the step of:

transducing radio frequency signal energy at the feed point, the radio frequency energy being in at least one of four different frequency bands at which the radiation element is resonant.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of forming includes the step of forming a cube.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising a step of over coating at least a portion of the conductive material.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of depositing includes the step of depositing a strip having a length substantially equal to one-quarter the wavelength of a lowest frequency band at which the antenna will operate.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of depositing includes at least one of:

electroplating;

chemical vapor deposition; and

adhesion.

20. The method of claim 14 further including the step of transducing radio frequency energy within at least one of at least first and second frequency bands at which the radiation element is resonant.