Antenna means for hand-held data terminals

• US 5,555,459 A
• Filed: 02/18/1993
• Issued: 09/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koloskev PREM BV LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Norand Corporation (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Eckley, Bradley E., Arensdorf, Richard C., Dias, Daniel R., Kraus, Robert J., West, Guy J., Gibbs, William T., Davis, Patrick H., Hutton, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US08/019,481
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/895, 343/872, 343/873, 455/89, 455/90, 455/347, 455/354
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/088 Quick-releasable antenna elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas

Abstract

An antenna for a hand held RF transceiver terminals includes an antenna element which is encapsulated by material which does not detrimentally effect its antenna performance, but which closely conforms the antenna to the general shape of the terminal without having the antenna extend directly from the terminal.

Claims

1. An improved antenna system for a hand-held data terminal comprising a terminal housing including processing components, data input and output devices, and a radio transceiver circuit comprising:

a radiating element comprising an antenna, and having a connection member for connection to the radio transceiver circuit;

a second housing enclosing the antenna at least partially, the second housing and antenna substantially conforming to the shape of each other; and

the second housing substantially immovably mounted to and closely conforming to the shape of the terminal housing.

2. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the second housing comprises a portion of the terminal.

3. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the second housing comprises a separate portion from the terminal.

4. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the antenna is placed in the terminal at or near walls of the terminal.

5. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein the second housing is placed to conform substantially to the exterior of the terminal.

6. An antenna for use with a portable data terminal, the terminal having an interior and exterior and being of a size compatible with hand-held carrying and use comprising:

a terminal housing having operational components in said interior, said operational components including a microprocessor for processing data and a radio transceiver, and having other operational components associated with said exterior, said other operational components including a user interface and display;

an antenna assembly of a size and shape that is substantially smaller than any exterior dimensions of the terminal housing and having at least one radiating element adopted for radio frequency transmission and reception appropriate for the terminal enclosed independently from the terminal housing from direct exposure to the environment around the terminal by material which is substantially radio-energy permeable, the radiating element of the antenna assembly conforming substantially to a portion of outer perimeter dimensions of the material, said material being coupled to the terminal housing and being substantially immovable relative to the housing.

7. The antenna of claim 6 wherein the material which is substantially radio-energy permeable further comprises a casing closely surrounding the radiating element.

8. The antenna of claim 7 wherein the casing is positioned in the interior of the terminal housing.

9. A method of eliminating an outwardly extending linear antenna for a hand-size portable data terminal with a radio transceiver circuit comprising the steps of:

encasing in a radio frequency permeable material a substantial portion of a radiating element which, including the material, is of a size and shape substantially smaller than the dimensions of the terminal;

designing and placing the radiating element in a position relative to the terminal where the encased radiating element does not extend substantially from any outer perimeter dimensions of the terminal and the encased radiating element closely conforms to the shape of a portion of the terminal, while the radiating element is operating, said radiating element being substantially immovable relative to the terminal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the radiating element is placed externally of the terminal.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the radiating element is placed internally of the terminal.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the radiating element is partially external and partially internal of the terminal.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the radiating element is configured to perform substantially equivalently to an outwardly extending linear antenna.

14. An antenna assembly for a portable data terminal having a palm-size, generally rectangular-in-cross-section housing comprising:

an antenna casing having an interior and with all portions relatively closely conforming to at least one surface of the housing of the terminal, said antenna casing being substantially immovable relative to the housing;

a radiating element inside the casing having first and second ends electrically isolated from one another other than by the radiating element itself;

a mounting component connecting the casing to the housing and allowing electrical connection of the radiating element to a transceiver device in the housing.

15. The antenna assembly of claim 14 further comprising a tuning means associated with the radiating element.

16. A module including a radio frequency transceiver for removable inter-connection to a hand-held data terminal comprising:

a module housing having an interior and an external portion having walls and adjacent surfaces and including at least one operational component in the interior;

a transceiver in the interior of the module housing;

an antenna assembly including a radiating element mounted to the external portion of the module housing and connected to the transceiver, the radiating element conforming closely to at least some of the walls and adjacent surfaces of the external portion of the module housing; and

a cover member over the portion of the module housing and the radiating element, the cover comprising a substantially radio frequency permeable material.

17. The module of claim 16 wherein the cover member is made of a material which is substantially rigid yet resilient enough to deter damage if abutted with other objects without damage to the RF module or terminal, and at the same time allowing radio frequency energy to permeate the material.

18. A hand-held terminal having an interior and exterior and being of a size compatible with hand-held carrying and use, comprising:

terminal housing having a portion substantially open to its interior and including at least one operational component in the interior;

a module device removably insertable over the substantially open portion of the terminal housing;

cooperating connection members in the terminal housing and module to allow releasable connection of the module to the terminal housing; and

a cover member separate from the module device positioned over the substantially open portion in the terminal housing to cover the operational component in the interior of the terminal housing, said cover being located between the open portion of the terminal and the module device.

19. The terminal of claim 18 wherein the cover member is made of a thin but relatively rigid material.

20. The terminal of claim 18 wherein the cover member is connectable to the terminal by releasable fasteners.

21. The terminal of claim 18 wherein the cover member includes locator holes at predetermined positions which matingly fit over locator pins extending from the terminal housing.

22. The terminal of claim 21 further comprising a relatively rigid piece having apertures lining up with the locator holes in the cover member, the piece being positionable between the cover member and the terminal housing.

23. A module including a radio frequency transceiver for removable inter-connection to a hand-held data terminal comprising:

a module housing having a portion substantially open to its interior, the module having existing walls and surfaces in its interior, and including at least one operational component in the interior;

a transceiver in one of the hand-held data terminal and module; and

an antenna assembly including a radiating element contained within the module housing and connected to the transceiver, the radiating element conforming closely to and wrapping around the existing walls and surfaces of the module housing.

24. The module of claim 23 wherein the walls and surfaces in which the radiating element conforms to are disposed in at least three distinct planes.

25. A method of eliminating an outwardly extending linear antenna for a hand-size portable data terminal with a radio transceiver circuit comprising the steps of:

encasing in a radio frequency permeable material a substantial portion of a radiating element which, including the material, is of a size and shape substantially smaller than the dimensions of the terminal;

designing and placing the radiating element in a position relative to the terminal where the encased radiating element does not extend substantially from any outer perimeter dimensions of the terminal and the encased radiating element closely conforms to the outside surface of a portion of the outer perimeter dimensions of the terminal, while the radio transceiver circuit is operating, said radiating element being substantially immovable relative to the terminal.

26. A method of eliminating an outwardly extending linear antenna for a hand-size portable data terminal with a radio transceiver circuit comprising the step of:

designing and placing a radiating element on the terminal where the radiating element does not extend substantially from any outer perimeter dimensions of the terminal and the radiating element closely to a portion of the walls and surface of the terminal, and where the radiating element is substantially immovable relative to the remainder of the terminal.

27. An antenna for use with a portable data terminal, the terminal having an interior and exterior and being of a size compatible with hand-held carrying and use comprising:

a terminal housing having operational components in said interior, said operational components including a microprocessor for processing data and a radio transceiver, and having other operational components associated with said exterior, said other operational components including a user interface and display; and

an antenna assembly of a size and shape that is substantially smaller than any exterior dimensions of the terminal housing and having at least one radiating element adopted for radio frequency transmission and reception appropriate for the terminal enclosed independently from the terminal housing from direct exposure to the environment around the terminal by material which is substantially radio-energy permeable, the material further comprising a casing closely surrounding the radiating element and rigidly attachable to the exterior of the terminal housing, said casing being substantially immovable relative to the housing when the casing is attached to the terminal housing, the radiating element of the antenna assembly conforming substantially to a portion of outer perimeter dimensions of the material.

28. An antenna for use with a portable data terminal, the terminal having an interior and exterior and being of a size compatible with hand-held carrying and use comprising:

a terminal housing having operational components in said interior, said operational components including a microprocessor for processing data and a radio transceiver, and having other operational components associated with said exterior, said other operational components including a user interface and display; and

an antenna assembly of a size and shape that is substantially smaller than any exterior dimensions of the terminal housing and having two separate radiating elements adopted for radio frequency transmission and reception appropriate for the terminal enclosed independently from the terminal housing from direct exposure to the environment around the terminal by material which is substantially radio-energy permeable, the material further comprising a casing closely surrounding each of the radiating elements, the radiating elements of the antenna assembly each conforming substantially to a portion of outer perimeter dimensions of the material, the material being substantially immovably coupled to the terminal housing.

29. The antenna of claim 28 wherein the casing closely surrounds each radiating element.

30. An antenna for use with a portable data terminal, the terminal having an interior and exterior and being of a size compatible with hand-held carrying and use comprising:

a terminal housing having operational components in said interior, said operational components including a microprocessor for processing data and a radio transceiver, and having other operational components associated with said exterior, said other operational components including a user interface and display, said terminal housing includes a detachable modules, said module being substantially immovable relative to the terminal housing when the module is attached to the terminal housing;

an antenna assembly contained in the module, the antenna assembly being of a size and shape that is substantially smaller than any exterior dimensions of the terminal housing and having at least one radiating element adopted for radio frequency transmission and reception appropriate for the terminal enclosed independently from the terminal housing from direct exposure to the environment around the terminal by material which is substantially radio-energy permeable, the material further comprising a casing closely surrounding the radiating element, the radiating element of the antenna assembly conforming substantially to a portion of outer perimeter dimensions of the material.

31. The antenna of claim 30 wherein the module includes a frame of substantially rigid material, and a cover plate of substantially flexible, resilient material covering an opening into the interior of the module, the cover plate comprising a substantially radio-energy permeable material.

32. The antenna of claim 31 wherein the module includes operating components and the radiating element.

33. In a hand-held terminal comprising a terminal housing including processing components, data input and output devices, and a radio transceiver circuit, characterized further by a general absence of non-operational space in the terminal, the terminal including walls and adjacent surfaces, and an improved antenna system comprising:

a radiating element comprising an antenna, having a connection means for connection to the radio transceiver circuit;

said radiating element being at least partially contained within the terminal housing, such that the outer dimensions of the terminal housing are not expanded, and such that the radiating element conforms closely to at least some of the walls and adjacent surfaces, said radiating element being substantially immovable relative to said terminal housing; and

whereby said radiating element is incorporated into said terminal housing so as to provide a functional antenna system without interfering operationally or spatially in the data terminal characterized by a general absence of non-operational space.

34. The antenna system of claim 33 wherein a majority of said radiating element is contained within the terminal housing.