ENHANCING ANTENNA PERFORMANCE IN RF DEVICES

• US 20100159857A1
• Filed: 12/24/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Crossbow Technology Incorporated (Moog Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miller, Matthew, Grimmer, MIchael J., Kling, Ralph M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,078,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/127.100
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/00 Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic combination of horns with slotted waveguide array H01Q13/0233

Abstract

Method and apparatus for improving RF signal performance of a battery-operated handheld device includes RF isolating the battery from DC-powered circuitry and actively incorporating the battery in RF signal transfers with respect to an RF antenna.

Claims

1. Electronic apparatus including circuits operating at radio frequencies (RF) and powered by a DC source, comprising:

an antenna;

a plane of reference potential for the antenna, circuits and DC source; and

an RF isolator connecting the DC source to circuits connected to the plane.

2. Electronic apparatus according to claim 1 in which the DC source includes capacitance to the plane;

and

including an inductive loop connected with the DC source for forming an RF resonant circuit therewith.

3. Electronic apparatus according to claim 2 in which the RF resonant circuit is positioned relative to the plane and the antenna for resonant RF coupling between the antenna and RF resonant circuit.

4. Electronic apparatus according to claim 3 in which the DC source as a component of the RF resonant circuit re-radiates RF signal between the DC source and the antenna.

5. A method of improving RF signal performance of a portable device having RF circuits that include an antenna and that are battery powered, the method comprising:

RF isolating DC connections between the battery and the RF circuits;

incorporating an inductive loop with the battery to form an RF resonant circuit; and

positioning the battery and antenna in RF resonant interaction for re-transmitting RF signals between antenna and the RF resonant circuit.