ANTENNA HAVING PLANAR CONDUCTING ELEMENTS, ONE OF WHICH HAS A SLOT

• US 20110241944A1
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirWire Technologies
• Original Assignee: Pinion Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Laurent, Claude Jean Michel, Wolf, Forrest D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,653,789 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 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 5/20 characterised by the operating wavebands
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407

Abstract

An antenna includes a dielectric material having i) a first side opposite a second side, and ii) a conductive via therein. A first planar conducting element is on the first side of the dielectric material and has i) at least one closed slot therein, and ii) an electrical connection to the conductive via. A second planar conducting element is on the first side of the dielectric material. Each of the first and second planar conducting elements is positioned adjacent a gap that electrically isolates the first planar conducting element from the second planar conducting element. An electrical microstrip feed line is on the second side of the dielectric material, is electrically connected to the conductive via, and has a route extending from the conductive via, to across the gap, to under the second planar conducting element. The second planar conducting element provides a reference plane for the electrical microstrip feed line.

Claims

1. An antenna, comprising:

a dielectric material having i) a first side opposite a second side, and ii) a conductive via therein;

a first planar conducting element on the first side of the dielectric material, the first planar conducting element having i) at least one closed slot therein, ii) an electrical connection to the conductive via, and iii) dimensions that cause it to resonate over a first range of frequencies centered about a first center frequency;

a second planar conducting element on the first side of the dielectric material, each of the first and second planar conducting elements positioned adjacent a gap that electrically isolates the first planar conducting element from the second planar conducting element, and the second planar conducting element having dimensions that cause it to resonate over a second range of frequencies centered about a second center frequency; and

an electrical microstrip feed line on the second side of the dielectric material, the electrical microstrip feed line electrically connected to the conductive via and having a route extending from the conductive via, to across the gap, to under the second planar conducting element, the second planar conducting element providing a reference plane for the electrical microstrip feed line.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the dielectric material comprises FR4.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the second planar conducting element has a hole therein, and the dielectric material has a hole therein, the hole in the second planar conducting element and the hole in the dielectric material being aligned.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein the hole in the second planar conducting element is larger than the hole in the dielectric material, thereby exposing the first side of the dielectric material adjacent the hole in the dielectric material.

5. The antenna of claim 3, further comprising a coax cable having a center conductor, a conductive sheath, and a dielectric separating the center conductor from the conductive sheath, wherein the center conductor extends through the hole in the second planar conducting element and the hole in the dielectric material, wherein the center conductor is electrically connected to the electrical microstrip feed line, and wherein the conductive sheath is electrically connected to the second planar conducting element.

6. The antenna of claim 5, wherein:

the antenna has a length extending from the first planar conducting element to the second planar conducting element, the length crossing the gap;

the antenna has a width perpendicular to the length; and

the coax cable follows a route that is parallel to the width of the antenna, the coax cable being urged along the route by the electrical connection of the conductive sheath to the second planar conducting element.

7. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the route of the electrical microstrip feed line changes direction under the second planar conducting element.

8. The antenna of claim 1, wherein:

the antenna has a length extending from the first planar conducting element to the second planar conducting element, the length crossing the gap;

the antenna has a width perpendicular to the length; and

the route of the electrical microstrip feed line crosses the gap parallel to said length, then changes direction and extends parallel to said width.

9. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the first planar conducting element and the second planar conducting element are metallic.

10. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one closed slot comprises at least two closed slots.

11. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one closed slot comprises a closed slot having a slot perimeter, the slot perimeter having more than four edges.

12. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the second planar conducting element has a perimeter having more than four edges.

13. The antenna of claim 1, wherein a portion of the second planar conducting element has a horn shape.

14. The antenna of claim 1, wherein:

the dielectric material has a plurality of conductive vias therein, of which the conductive via is one, and wherein each of the plurality of conductive vias is positioned proximate to others of the conductive vias at a connection site; and

each of the electrical microstrip feed line and the first planar conducting element is electrically connected to each of the plurality of conductive vias.

15. The antenna of claim 1, further comprising a radio on the dielectric material, wherein the electrical microstrip feed line is electrically connected to the radio.

16. The antenna of claim 15, wherein the radio is on the second side of the dielectric material.

17. The antenna of claim 15, wherein the radio comprises an integrated circuit.

18. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the first range of frequencies and the second range of frequencies do not overlap.

19. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the first range of frequencies and the second range of frequencies overlap.

20. An antenna, comprising:

a dielectric material having i) a first side opposite a second side, and ii) a conductive via therein;

a first planar conducting element on the first side of the dielectric material, the first planar conducting element having i) at least one closed slot therein, and ii) an electrical connection to the conductive via;

a second planar conducting element on the first side of the dielectric material, each of the first and second planar conducting elements positioned adjacent a gap that electrically isolates the first planar conducting element from the second planar conducting element; and

an electrical microstrip feed line on the second side of the dielectric material, the electrical microstrip feed line electrically connected to the conductive via and having a route extending from the conductive via, to across the gap, to under the second planar conducting element, the second planar conducting element providing a reference plane for the electrical microstrip feed line.

21. The antenna of claim 20, further comprising a radio on the dielectric material, wherein the electrical microstrip feed line is electrically connected to the radio.