Dual antenna arrangement for portable transceiver

• US 5,892,483 A
• Filed: 03/15/1996
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Hayes, Gerard James, Lampe, Ross Warren Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANKLIN, JAMARA ALZAIDA
• Application Number:
  US08/616,848
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/725, 343/729, 343/895, 343/906, 343/700 MS, 343/715, 343/900
• US Class Current: 343/729
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/244 extendable from a housing along a given path
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers

Abstract

An antenna arrangement for a portable transceiver is disclosed as including a printed circuit antenna mounted on the transceiver and coupled to be driven by circuitry of the transceiver. An extendable monopole antenna is also mounted on the transceiver and is adapted to be electrically coupled to the printed circuit antenna when in an extended position and to be electrically decoupled from the printed circuit antenna when in a retracted position. A connector is fixedly attached to the printed circuit antenna at a first end and maintains contact with the monopole antenna at a second end as the monopole antenna slides between the extended and retracted positions. The monopole antenna includes a conductive portion which is in contact with the connector in the extended position and a non-conductive portion which is in contact with the connector in the retracted position. A separate circuit may be provided for sensing the position of the monopole antenna, where the circuit permits the transceiver to transmit at full power when the monopole antenna is in the extended position and permits the transceiver to transmit at reduced power when the monopole antenna is in the retracted position.

Claims

1. An antenna arrangement for a portable transceiver, comprising:

(a) a printed circuit monopole antenna mounted on said transceiver and coupled to be driven by circuitry of said transceiver;

(b) an extendable monopole antenna mounted on said transceiver adapted to be electrically coupled to said printed circuit monopole antenna when in an extended position and to be electrically decoupled from said printed circuit monopole antenna when in a retracted position; and

(c) a connector having a first end fixedly attached to said printed circuit monopole antenna and a second end which maintains contact with said extended monopole antenna as it slides between said extended and retracted positions.

2. The antenna arrangement of claim 1, said extendable monopole antenna including a conductive portion and a non-conductive portion, wherein said extendable monopole antenna conductive portion is in contact with said connector in said extended position and said extendable monopole antenna non-conductive portion is in contact with said connector in said retracted position.

3. The antenna arrangement of claim 1, wherein said connector is attached to said printed circuit monopole antenna at a position which incorporates impedance matching circuitry between said printed circuit monopole antenna and said extendable monopole antenna.

4. The antenna arrangement of claim 1, wherein said extendable monopole antenna is a radiating element of said transceiver when said extendable monopole antenna is in said extended position and said printed circuit monopole antenna is a radiating element of said transceiver when said extendable monopole antenna is in said retracted position.

5. The antenna arrangement of claim 1, said printed circuit monopole antenna further comprising:

(a) a printed circuit board having a first side and a second side; and

(b) a radiating element comprising a first conductive trace formed on said printed circuit board first side having a physical length from a feed end to an opposite end.

6. The antenna arrangement of claim 5, said first conductive trace having an electrical length greater than said physical length.

7. The antenna arrangement of claim 5, said printed circuit monopole antenna further comprising a conductive element comprising a second conductive trace formed on said printed circuit board adjacent said first conductive trace, said second conductive trace having a physical length from a grounding end to an opposite end, wherein said second conductive trace defines an extended ground plane which effects a virtual feedpoint at that portion of said first conductive trace aligned with said second conductive trace.

8. The antenna arrangement of claim 7, wherein said second conductive trace is formed on said printed circuit board second side.

9. The antenna arrangement of claim 7, wherein said second conductive trace is formed on said printed circuit board first side.

10. The antenna arrangement of claim 7, wherein the physical length of said second conductive trace is sized to provide an impedance match with said first conductive trace.

11. The antenna arrangement of claim 7, wherein said connector is attached to said printed circuit monopole antenna at a height above said transceiver approximately equal to the physical length of said second conductive trace.

12. The antenna arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a circuit for sensing the position of said extendable monopole antenna, wherein said circuit permits said transceiver to transmit at full power when said extendable monopole antenna is in said extended position and permits said transceiver to transmit at reduced power when said extendable monopole antenna is in said retracted position.

13. The antenna arrangement of claim 12, said position sensing circuit further comprising:

(a) a secondary conductive trace formed on said printed circuit monopole antenna; and

(b) a connector fixedly attached to one end of said secondary conductive trace at a first end and slidingly attached to said extendable monopole antenna at a second end.

14. The antenna arrangement of claim 13, wherein the other end of said secondary conductive trace is connected to said transceiver circuitry.

15. The antenna arrangement of claim 13, wherein the other end of said secondary conductive trace is connected to ground.

16. The antenna arrangement of claim 13, said position sensing circuit further comprising a first inductor positioned in series with an input of said circuit and a second inductor positioned in series with an output of said circuit, wherein RF signals are prevented from entering said circuit.

17. The antenna arrangement of claim 13, said printed circuit monopole antenna further comprising:

(a) a first printed circuit board having a first side and a second side;

(b) a radiating element comprising a first conductive trace formed on said first printed circuit board first side having a physical length from a feed end to an opposite end; and

(c) a second printed circuit board having a first side and a second side;

wherein said secondary trace is formed on said first printed circuit board second side.

18. The antenna arrangement of claim 17, further comprising a conductive patch on said second printed circuit board second side.

19. The antenna arrangement of claim 13, said printed circuit monopole antenna further comprising:

(a) a first printed circuit board having a first side and a second side;

(b) a radiating element comprising a first conductive trace formed on said first printed circuit board first side having a physical length from a feed end to an opposite end; and

(c) a second printed circuit board having a first side and a second side;

wherein said secondary trace is formed on said second printed circuit board first side.

20. The antenna arrangement of claim 19, further comprising a conductive patch on said second printed circuit board second side.

21. The antenna arrangement of claim 1, wherein said monopole antenna exhibits approximately a half-wavelength resonance at a desired frequency for transceiver operation in said extended position.

22. The antenna arrangement of claim 1, wherein said printed circuit monopole antenna exhibits approximately a quarter-wavelength resonance at a desired center frequency for transceiver operation.

23. The antenna arrangement of claim 1, said printed circuit monopole antenna being positioned a distance from said extendable monopole antenna so that an optimal antenna efficiency for said extendable monopole antenna is obtained when in said extended position.

24. The antenna arrangement of claim 1, said printed circuit monopole antenna containing an impedance matching network to said extendable monopole antenna when said extendable monopole antenna is in said extended position.

25. A portable radio transceiver, comprising:

(a) transmitting and receiving circuitry;

(b) a housing enclosing said transmitting and receiving circuitry; and

(c) an antenna arrangement comprising;

(1) a printed circuit monopole antenna mounted on said transceiver housing coupled to and driven by said transmitting and receiving circuitry;

(2) an extendable monopole antenna mounted on said transceiver housing so as to be slidable from an extended position to a retracted position; and

(3) a connector having a first end fixedly attached to said printed circuit monopole antenna and a second end which maintains contact with said extendable monopole antenna as it slides between said extended and retracted positions;

wherein said printed circuit monopole antenna and said extendable monopole antenna are electrically coupled in said extended position so that said extendable monopole antenna is a radiating element of said radio transceiver and said printed circuit monopole antenna and said extendable monopole antenna are electrically decoupled in said retracted position so that said printed circuit monopole antenna is a radiating element of said radio transceiver.