PC card retractable antenna

• US 6,522,299 B2
• Filed: 04/08/1999
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Beard, Paul, Mitchell, Eric P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/288,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20030011524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 709/250, 455/90, 455/121, 455/557, 342/74, 343/702, 343/872
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/08 Means for collapsing antennas or parts thereof collapsible loop antennas H01Q7/02; means for collapsing H-antennas or Yagi antennas H01Q19/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/103 Latching means; ensuring extension or retraction thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2275 associated to expansion card or bus, e.g. in PCMCIA, PC cards, Wireless USB
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices

Abstract

A PC card with a retractable antenna for use in interfacing between a communications device and a wireless network includes an interface card portion and an antenna portion, the interface card portion having a first end, and an opposite second end, the first end having an electrical interface compatible with the communications device, the second end having an opening for slidably receiving the antenna portion, the interface card portion being dimensioned to be inserted into the PC card slot of the communications device, the antenna portion being in electrical communication with the interface card portion and dimensioned to fit inside the interface card portion, the antenna portion being accessible through the opening in the interface card portion by a user, the antenna portion being configured to extend out of the cavity and retract into the cavity of the interface card portion such that when the antenna portion is retracted into the cavity the antenna portion is substantially contained inside the interface card portion.

Claims

1. A PCMCIA card for use in interfacing between a communications device and a wireless network, comprising:

an interface card portion having a first end, an opposite second end, and a cover disposed between the first end and the second end, the first end having an electrical interface compatible with the communications device, the cover having an indentation forming a recess accessible by a user away from the second end, the interface card portion being dimensioned to be inserted into a PCMCIA slot of the communications device;

an antenna portion being in electrical communication with the interface card portion and dimensioned to fit inside the interface card portion, the antenna portion being accessible through the recess by the user, the antenna portion being configured to extend out of and retract into the interface card portion such that when the antenna portion is retracted the antenna portion is between the first end and the second end inclusive;

a locking mechanism located in the interface card portion, the locking mechanism being configured to selectably lock the antenna portion when the antenna portion is retracted and release the antenna portion to be extended in response to a movement of the antenna portion toward the first end; and

a spring disposed between the interface card portion and the antenna portion to bias the antenna away from a retracted position, wherein all of the antenna portion is within the PCMCIA slot of the communications device when the locking mechanism releases.

2. The PCMCIA card of claim 1, wherein the PCMCIA slot has a depth no greater than 5 millimeters.

3. The PCMCIA card of claim 1, wherein the interface card portion has internal rails and the antenna portion has rail guides that are compatible with the rails such that during retraction or extension of the antenna portion the rail guides slide on the rails.

4. The PCMCIA card of claim 1, further comprising a circuit card coupled to said electrical interface and said antenna portion, wherein said antenna portion has a recess configured to accommodate said circuit card while said antenna portion is retracted.

5. A communications device for use in communicating with a wireless network, comprising:

a PCMCIA slot having an electrical connector; and

a PCMCIA card sized to be insertable into the PCMCIA slot, the PCMCIA card having a retractable antenna in electrical communication with the electrical connector, in an extended position a majority of the antenna being located outside of the PCMCIA slot, in a retracted position all of the antenna being located inside the PCMCIA slot, the PCMCIA card having a locking mechanism configured to selectably lock the antenna in the retracted position and release the antenna to be extended in response to a movement of the antenna toward the electrical connector, a spring configured to bias the antenna away from the retracted position, an open end opposite the electrical connector, and a cover disposed between the open end and the electrical connector, wherein an indentation in the cover forms a recess configured to allow a user to move the antenna away from the open end of the PCMCIA card while the antenna is in the retracted position to operate the locking mechanism, wherein all of the antenna is within the PCMCIA slot when the locking mechanism releases.

6. The communications device of claim 5, wherein the PCMCIA slot has a depth no greater than 5 millimeters.

7. The communications device of claim 5, wherein the PCMCIA card with retractable antenna further comprises:

an interface card portion, the interface card portion having a first end and an opposite second end, the first end having an electrical interface compatible with the communications device, the second end having the open end of the PCMCIA card, the interface card portion being dimensioned to be inserted into the PCMCIA slot of the communications device; and

the antenna portion having the antenna and being in electrical communication with the interface card portion and dimensioned to fit inside the interface card portion, the antenna portion being accessible through the recess by the user, the antenna portion being configured to extend out of and retract into the interface card portion such that when the antenna portion is retracted the antenna portion is between the first end and the second end inclusive.

8. The communications device of claim 7, wherein the interface card portion has rails and the antenna portion has rail guides that are compatible with the rails such that during retraction or extension of the antenna portion the rail guides slide on the rails.

9. A method of using a communications device in conjunction with a PCMCIA card having a retractable antenna for communicating with a wireless network, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a communications device having a PCMCIA slot;

providing an indentation that forms a recess in a cover of the PCMCIA card, the recess being configured to allow a user access to the removable antenna away from an open end of the PCMCIA card;

inserting the PCMCIA card into the PCMCIA slot, the PCMCIA card being in electrical contact with the communications device;

pressing the retractable antenna toward an inside of the PCMCIA card at the recess to release a locking mechanism for the removable antenna, wherein all of the antenna is within the PCMCIA slot when the locking mechanism releases;

biasing the retractable antenna out of the PCMCIA card by pressing the retractable antenna outward with a spring;

extending the retractable antenna from the PCMCIA card, the retractable antenna extending out of the PCMCIA slot; and

communicating between the communications device and the wireless network.

10. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the PCMCIA slot has a depth no greater than 5 millimeters.

11. The method as defined in claim 9, wherein the PCMCIA card includes an interface card portion and an antenna portion, the antenna portion being selectably extendible and retractable from a cavity in the interface card portion.