DUAL ANTENNA WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE IN A LOAD CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20170125884A1
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Bard, Benjamin F., Mosebrook, Donald R., Zaharchuk, Walter S., Bollinger, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 11,005,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• 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 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/08 Helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/30 Arrangements for providing operation on different wavebands
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/392 the parasitic elements having dual-band or multi-band characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/38 with counterpoise with counterpoise comprising elongated elements coplanar with the active element H01Q9/44
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames

Abstract

A wireless communication device for use in a load control system for controlling one or more electrical loads may comprise a counterpoise, a first and second antennas, a RF communication circuit and a control circuit. The two antennas may be oriented differently and spaced apart from each other. For example, the first antenna may extend perpendicularly from the counterpoise while the second antenna extends in a plane substantially parallel to the counterpoise. The first antenna may extend from the counterpoise at a point substantially central to the counterpoise while the second antenna may extend along a perimeter of the counterpoise. The RF communication circuit may transmit wireless signals via the first and second antennas. The control circuit may cause the RF communication circuit to transmit a first wireless signal in a first time slot and a second wireless signal in a second time slot.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device for use in a load control system for controlling one or more electrical loads, the wireless communication device comprising:

a counterpoise;

a first antenna having a longitudinal axis extending substantially perpendicular to the counterpoise;

a second antenna extending in a plane that is substantially parallel to the counterpoise, the first and second antennas sharing the counterpoise; and

an radio-frequency communication circuit coupled to the first and second antennas for transmitting a first wireless signal via the first antenna at a transmission frequency and a second wireless signal via the second antenna at the transmission frequency.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the second antenna extends along a perimeter of the counterpoise in an area outside the area of the counterpoise.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the counterpoise comprises a substantially circular perimeter.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the second antenna extends along the perimeter of the counterpoise in a substantially circular manner.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the second antenna extends along a portion of the perimeter of the counterpoise.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the second antenna has a contour substantially different than a contour of the counterpoise.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the counterpoise comprises a plurality of layers of conductive material, each of the plurality of layers of conductive material defining a plane.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 7, wherein the second antenna is substantially co-planar with one of the planes of the counterpoise.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the first and second antennas are spaced apart by less than a quarter of a wavelength of the transmission frequency.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a control circuit coupled to the radio-frequency communication circuit for causing the radio-frequency communication circuit to transmit the first wireless signal in a first time slot and the second wireless signal in a second time slot.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the counterpoise is configured to operate as a ground plane.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a printed circuit board that comprises the counterpoise;

wherein the second antenna is located on the printed circuit board and the second antenna extends along at least a portion of a perimeter of the printed circuit board.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the first antenna comprises a helical antenna.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to be mounted on a ceiling and wherein the first antenna is configured to extend perpendicularly from the ceiling.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein an RF isolation between the first and second antennas is greater than approximately 15 dB.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein an RF isolation between the first and second antennas is greater than approximately 24 dB.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the transmission frequency is less than 1 GHz.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 1, further comprising a jumper for changing the transmission frequency of the first and second antennas.

19. A wireless communication device comprising:

a counterpoise;

a first antenna having a longitudinal axis extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the counterpoise;

a second antenna extending in a plane that is substantially parallel to the counterpoise, the first and second antennas sharing the counterpoise; and

a radio-frequency communication circuit coupled to the first and second antennas for transmitting a first wireless signal via the first antenna at a transmission frequency and a second wireless signal via the second antenna at the transmission frequency;

wherein the first and second antennas are spaced apart by less than a quarter of a wavelength of the transmission frequency.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 19, further comprising:

a control circuit coupled to the radio-frequency communication circuit for causing the radio-frequency communication circuit to transmit the first wireless signal in a first time slot and the second wireless signal in a second time slot.

21. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein the second antenna is substantially co-planar with a plane of the counterpoise.

22. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein the counterpoise is configured to operate as a ground plane.

23. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein the second antenna extends along a perimeter of the counterpoise in an area outside the area of the counterpoise.

24. The wireless communication device of claim 19, further comprising:

a printed circuit board that comprises the counterpoise;

wherein the second antenna is located on the printed circuit board and the second antenna extends along at least a portion of a perimeter of the PCB.

25. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to be mounted on a ceiling and wherein the first antenna is configured to extend perpendicularly from the ceiling.

26. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein the first antenna extends from the counterpoise at a point substantially central to the counterpoise.

27. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein a length of the first antenna is approximately equal to a quarter of a wavelength of the transmission frequency.

28. The wireless communication device of claim 19, wherein the transmission frequency is less than 1 GHz.

29. A wireless communication device for use in a load control system for controlling one or more electrical loads, the wireless communication device comprising:

a counterpoise defining a substantially circular area;

a first antenna having a longitudinal axis extending from the area of the counterpoise in a direction substantially perpendicular to the counterpoise;

a second antenna extending in a substantially circular manner in an area that is outside the area of the counterpoise and substantially parallel to the counterpoise;

a radio-frequency communication circuit coupled to the first and second antennas for transmitting a first wireless signal via the first antenna at a transmission frequency and a second wireless signal via the second antenna at the transmission frequency; and

a control circuit coupled to the radio-frequency communication circuit for causing the radio-frequency communication circuit to transmit the first wireless signal in a first time slot and the second wireless signal in a second time slot.

30. The wireless communication device of claim 29, wherein the second antenna is substantially co-planar with a plane of the counterpoise.

31. The wireless communication device of claim 29, wherein the counterpoise is configured to operate as a ground plane.

32. The wireless communication device of claim 29, wherein the second antenna extends along a portion of a perimeter of the counterpoise.

33. The wireless communication device of claim 29, further comprising:

a printed circuit board that comprises the counterpoise;

wherein the second antenna is located on the printed circuit board and the second antenna extends along at least a portion of a perimeter of the printed circuit board.

34. The wireless communication device of claim 29, wherein a distance between the first and second antennas is less than a quarter of a wavelength of the transmission frequency.