ANTENNA STRUCTURES

• US 20110227795A1
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Services GmbH (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Rayspan Corporation
• Inventors: Xu, Nan, Lopez, Norberto, Achour, Maha, Gummalla, Ajay, Pathak, Vaneet
• Granted Patent: US 8,686,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0086 said selective devices having materials with a synthesized negative refractive index, e.g. metamaterials or left-handed materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

Antenna structures and configurations which incorporate alignment keys and support structures which mate Composite Right and Left Handed (CRLH) metamaterial (MTM) structures formed on two or more substrates.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a first substrate comprising;

a first conductive structure; and

at least one alignment key structure formed on a lateral edge of the first substrate and positioned in proximity to the first conductive structure;

a second substrate substantially perpendicular to the first substrate, the second substrate comprising;

a second conductive structure; and

a slot formed in the second substrate, wherein the alignment key structure and the slot are structured to provide an alignment between the first conductive structure and the second conductive structure and provide support to secure the first substrate to the second substrate;

wherein, the first and second conductive structures form a composite right and left handed metamaterial antenna.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein

the key is in the form of a pin, a rectangle, a square, a semi-circle, a triangle, or an asymmetric polygon.

3. The device as in claim 1, wherein

the slot is in the shape of a circle, a rectangle, or an asymmetric polygon.

4. The device as in claim 1, wherein

the slot is formed substantially along a center longitudinal axis of the second substrate.

5. The device as in claim 4, wherein

the slot is formed substantially above or below the center longitudinal axis of the second substrate.

6. The device as in claim 1, wherein

the slot is formed substantially along a lateral edge of the second substrate.

7. The device as in claim 1, wherein, the first conductive structure comprises a radiating cell patch capacitively coupled to a feed line.

8. The device as in claim 7, wherein the second conductive structure comprises a truncated ground component.

9. The device as in claim 8, wherein the truncated ground component is coupled to the radiating cell patch when the first substrate is aligned with the second substrate.

10. A device, comprising:

one or more support structures;

a plurality of align key structures;

a first substrate comprising;

a first plurality of conductive elements; and

a first plurality of slots formed in the first substrate and positioned in proximity to the first plurality of conductive elements;

a second substrate projecting above the first substrate, the second substrate comprising;

a second plurality of conductive elements; and

a second plurality of slots formed in the second substrate, wherein the first plurality of slots, the second plurality of slots, and the plurality of align key structures are structured to provide an alignment between the first plurality of conductive elements and the second plurality of conductive elements, and the one or more support structures separates the first substrate from the second substrate at a predetermined distance;

wherein, the first and second plurality of conductive elements form a composite right and left handed metamaterial antenna.

11. The device as in claim 10, wherein

each align key structure is in the form of a pin, a rectangle, a square, a semi-circle, a triangle, or an asymmetric polygon.

12. The device as in claim 10, wherein

each slot is the shape of a circle, a rectangle, or an asymmetric polygon.

13. A device, comprising:

a first substrate element;

a flexible substrate element configured non-planar with the first substrate element, wherein a Composite Right/Left Handed (CRLH)-based antenna structure is patterned on the flexible substrate element.

14. The device as in claim 13, wherein the flexible substrate element is a glass element.

15. The device as in claim 13, wherein portions of the CRLH-based antenna structure are patterned on the first substrate element.

16. The device as in claim 13, wherein the CRLH-based antenna structure is a continuous film.

17. The device as in claim 13, further comprising:

a first alignment means on the first substrate element; and

a second alignment means on the flexible substrate element,

wherein the connector is configured to align the first and second CRLH structures.

18. The device as in claim 13, further comprising a feed line, wherein a portion of the feed line is positioned on the first substrate element, and a second portion of the feed line is positioned on the flexible substrate element.

19. The device as in claim 13, wherein the flexible substrate element is made of an FR-4 material.

20. The device as in claim 13, wherein the flexible substrate element is made of a glass material.