ANTENNAS FOR SHIELDED DEVICES

• US 20100289703A1
• Filed: 08/28/2007
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Huang, Tao
• Application Number:
  US12/377,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289703A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/04 Resonant antennas
• 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 9/30 with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A device comprises a conductive casing and a radio device located inside the casing. A pair of wires run from the radio device to an opening in the casing, wherein at least one of the wires carries a signal from or to the radio device. The pair of wires pass through the opening and are configured such that inside the casing they function as a transmission line and outside the casing, they are formed into an antenna. In one embodiment, one of the wires is a ground wire and the other is a live wire and, outside the casing the ground wire terminates and the live wire extends to form a monopole antenna. In another embodiment, both wires carry the signal and function as a balanced transmission line, and outside the casing the wires are separated and form a dipole antenna.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a conductive casing;

a radio device located inside the casing; and

a pair of wires running from the radio device to an opening in the casing, wherein at least one of the wires carries a radio signal from or to the radio device, wherein the pair of wires pass through the opening and are configured such that inside the casing they function as an RF transmission line for the radio signal and outside the casing, they are formed into an antenna for transmitting or receiving the radio signal.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of wires comprise insulated wires, each having a conducting wire core and surrounding insulation, wherein the insulation of the two wires is joined to maintain the wires at a substantially constant separation.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein one of the wires is a live wire which carries the radio signal, and the other is connected to ground.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the ground wire terminates outside the casing, and the live wire forms a monopole antenna.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the live wire extends for a quarter wavelength beyond the end of the ground wire.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein both of the wires carry the radio signal and function as a balanced transmission line, and outside the casing, the wires are separated to form a dipole antenna.

7. A device according to claim 6, comprising a balun between the radio device and the wires.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the casing comprises part of a light fitting.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the casing is metal.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the radio device is a radio device configured for use in a wireless personal area network (WPAN).

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the radio device is a ZigBee device.