Rotatable contactless antenna coupler and antenna

• US 5,014,346 A
• Filed: 01/04/1988
• Issued: 05/07/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Phillips, James P., Johnson, Robert M. Jr., Zurek, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Ralph
• Application Number:
  US07/140,523
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 455/89, 455/90, 455/83, 455/347, 455/348, 455/349, 455/351, 455/269, 455/280, 379/428, 379/433, 379/440, 343/702, 343/869, 343/873, 343/872, 343/882
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals

Abstract

A rotatable contactless RF signal coupler, which couples RF signals between an antenna and an RF signal processor in a portable radio, along with an antenna capable of operating in two modes is described herein. Specifically, the signal coupler includes a transformer that is primarily located within the hinge formed by the housing of the radio and a rotatable flip portion. Substantially constant inductive coupling is maintained in the coupler regardless of rotation. The antenna is capable of operating in a narrow band and a wide band mode to afford antenna operation through varied conditions.

Claims

1. A portable radio comprising:

a housing;

a hinged flip portion attached to said housing by hinge means for permitting rotation about an axis formed by said hinge means and said housing;

signal processing means for processing RF signals disposed within said housing;

a first antenna disposed within said hinged flip portion; and

coupling means for coupling R.F. signal between said first antenna and said signal processing means partially disposed coaxially within said hinge means, said coupling means comprising a first transformer having a primary coil means and secondary coil means, said primary coil means coupled to said signal processing means, said secondary coil means coupled to said first antenna, said primary coil means and said secondary coil means being positioned coaixally with said hinge means such that substantially constant inductive coupling there between is maintain over a range of rotation and substantially constant signal coupling between said fist antenna and said signal processing means occurs regardless of rotation.

2. The portable radio according to claim 1 wherein said primary coil means is disposed on a first circuit board, said first circuit board located within said housing and attached at said hinge means.

3. The portable radio according to claim 1 wherein said secondary coil means and said first antenna are disposed on a second circuit board, said second circuit board located within said flip portion and attached at said hinge means.

4. The portable radio according to claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises a second transformer, said second transformer having a primary and a secondary coil means.

5. The portable radio according to claim 4 wherein said R.F. signal processing means includes a transmitter and a receiver, the transmitter is coupled through said hinge means to said first antenna by said first transformer and the receiver is coupled through said hinge means to a second antenna by said second transformer, said first and second antenna being disposed within said flip portion.

6. The portable radio according to claim 4 wherein said R.F. signal processing means includes a plurality of receivers, said first transformer coupling a first receiver through said hinge means to said first antenna and said second transformer coupling a second receiver to a second antenna.

7. The portable radio according to claim 1 wherein said coupling means further includes a set of first circuit boards and a set of second circuit boards, said first circuits boards partially disposed within said housing and having said primary coil means disposed thereon, said second circuit boards partially disposed within said flip portion and having said secondary coil means disposed thereon.

8. An antenna system for a portable radio comprising antenna means and rotatable contactless coupling means for coupling RF signals between said antenna means and an RF signal processor in the portable radio, said antenna system disposed substantially within a flip portion of the portable radio that is rotatable with respect to radio housing containing the RF signal processor and attached by hinged means to said radio housing, wherein the rotatable contactless coupling means comprises;

primary substrate means, operably associated with the RF signal processor, having at least a primary coil disposed on at least one major surface of the primary substrate means for creating magnetic fields of RF signals;

secondary substrate means having at least a secondary coil disposed on at least one major surface of the secondary substrate means, operably associated with the antenna means and the primary substrate means, for establishing proportional representations of the RF signals on the secondary coil, wherein the at least one major surface of the secondary

substrate means is substantially parallel to and physically separate from the at least one major surface of the primary substrate means; and

rotation means, operably associated with the primary substrate means, the secondary substrate means and the hinged means, for allowing the primary substrate means to rotate with respect to the secondary substrate while substantially maintaining a constant inductive coupling between the primary coil and the secondary coil.

9. The antenna system according to claim 8 wherein said rotatable contactless coupling means is comprised of a second transformer, said second transformer having primary and secondary coil means.

10. The antenna system according to claim 8 wherein said antenna means is comprised of transmission line means.

11. The antenna system according to claim 10 wherein said transmission line means has an effective electrical length greater than a quarter wavelength of the RF signals.

12. The antenna system according to claim 11 wherein capacitors of unequal value are connected to the conductors of said transmission line means.

13. A rotatable contactless coupling apparatus comprising:

primary substrate means having at least a primary coil disposed on at least one major surface of the primary substrate means for creating a magnetic field of a radio frequency signal coupled to the primary coil;

secondary substrate means having at least a secondary coil disposed on at least one major surface of the secondary substrate means, operably associated with, and physical separated from, the primary substrate means, for establishing a proportional representation of the radio frequency signal on the secondary coil, wherein the at least one major surface of the secondary substrate means is substantially parallel to the at least one major surface of the primary substrate means; and

hinging means, operably associated wit the primary substrate means and the secondary substrate means, for allowing the primary substrate means to rotate with respect to the secondary substrate means while substantially maintaining a constant inductive coupling between the primary coil and the secondary coil.

14. The rotatable contactless coupling apparatus of claim 13 wherein the primary substrate means further comprises primary capacitance means, operably associated with the primary coil, for allowing impedance matching between the primary coil and a radio frequency signal processor that, at least, provides the radio frequency signal.

15. The rotatable contactless coupling apparatus of claim 13 wherein the secondary substrate means further comprises secondary capacitance means, operably associated with the secondary coil, for allowing impedance variations of the secondary substrate means.

16. The rotatable contactless coupling apparatus of claim 15 wherein the secondary substrate means further functions as a transmission line having a length of approximately one quarter wavelength of the radio frequency signal, such that the secondary substrate performs as an antenna.