Apparatus including housing incorporating a radiating element of an antenna

• US 20100134350A1
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Mohammadian, Alireza Hormoz
• Granted Patent: US 8,538,345 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 1/244 extendable from a housing along a given path
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus including an antenna for wireless communications is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an antenna including first and second radiating elements, a circuit adapted to process a signal received from or to be provided to the antenna, and a housing enclosing at least a portion of the circuit, wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises the second radiating element. The second radiating element may forms a base of the housing. Additionally, the second radiating element may be electrically coupled to ground potential. Further, the first radiating element may be situated entirely within the housing, partially within the housing, or entirely external to the housing.

Claims

1. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

an antenna comprising first and second radiating elements;

a circuit adapted to process a signal received from or to be provided to the antenna; and

a housing enclosing at least a portion of the circuit, wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises the second radiating element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second radiating element is electrically coupled to a ground potential.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first radiating element is situated entirely within the housing, partially within the housing or entirely external to the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first radiating element comprises a metallization trace disposed on a dielectric substrate.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a length of the metallization trace is approximately a quarter wavelength at a center frequency of a defined bandwidth.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first radiating element comprises a monopole.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the monopole comprises a substantially planar metallization layer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit is adapted to transmit or receive the signal within a defined ultra-wide band channel that has a fractional bandwidth on the order of 20% or more, has a bandwidth on the order of 500 MHz or more, or has a fractional bandwidth on the order of 20% or more and has a bandwidth on the order of 500 MHz or more.

9. A method for wireless communications, comprising:

electromagnetically coupling a first radiating element to a second radiating element;

electrically coupling a circuit to the first radiating element;

situating at least a portion of the circuit within a housing; and

configuring at least a portion of the housing to comprise the second radiating element.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising electrically coupling the second radiating element to a ground potential.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring the first radiating element to be situated entirely within the housing, partially within the housing, and entirely external to the housing.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring the first radiating element as a metallization trace disposed on a dielectric substrate.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising configuring a length of the metallization trace to be approximately a quarter wavelength at a center frequency of a defined bandwidth.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring the first radiating element as a monopole.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising configuring the monopole as a substantially planar metallization layer.

16. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

a first means for radiating an electromagnetic signal;

a second means for radiating the electromagnetic signal;

a means for processing the electromagnetic signal received from or to be provided to the first radiating means; and

a means for enclosing at least a portion of the processing means, wherein at least a portion of the enclosing means comprises the second radiating means.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second radiating means is electrically coupled to a ground potential.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first radiating means is situated entirely within the housing, partially within the housing, and entirely external to the housing

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first radiating means comprises a metallization trace disposed on a dielectric substrate.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a length of the metallization trace is approximately a quarter wavelength at a center frequency of a defined bandwidth.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first radiating means comprises a monopole.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the monopole comprises a substantially planar metallization layer.

23. A headset, comprising:

an antenna comprising first and second radiating elements;

a receiver adapted to receive an incoming signal including audio data from a remote apparatus via the antenna;

a transducer adapted to generate an audio output from the audio data; and

a housing enclosing at least a portion of the receiver, wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises the second radiating element.

24. A watch, comprising:

an antenna comprising first and second radiating elements;

a receiver adapted to receive an incoming signal including data from a remote apparatus via the antenna;

a user interface adapted to produce an indication based on the received data; and

a housing enclosing at least a portion of the receiver, wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises the second radiating element.

25. The watch of claim 24, further comprising a wrist band connected to the housing, wherein the first radiating element is at least partially disposed on a non- electrically conductive portion of the wrist band.

26. A position location device, comprising:

an antenna comprising first and second radiating elements;

a receiver adapted to receive signals from a satellite via the antenna; and

a housing enclosing at least a portion of the receiver, wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises the second radiating element.