Antenna arrangement

• US 6,624,795 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Boyle, Kevin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US10/015,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.138, H01/Q.136, 343/702, 343/895, 343/893
• US Class Current: 343/895
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/04 with parts bent, folded, shaped, screened or electrically loaded to obtain desired phase relation of radiation from selected sections of the antenna H01Q11/06 – H01Q11/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/35 using two or more simultaneously fed points
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/14 Length of element or elements adjustable telescopic elements H01Q1/10

Abstract

An antenna arrangement comprises a folded structure (100) comprising first and second sections (102, 104) defining a transmission line. The sections may be meander-line elements or other physically-shortened electric elements, for example a helical element. Respective feed points (103, 105) are provided at the free ends of the sections (102, 104), thereby enabling independent connections to be made for different modes, such as transmit and receive. Top-loading and additional short-circuit elements may be provided to improve performance and reduce antenna volume. The impedances of the sections (102, 104) may be arranged to differ by adjusting conductor width or by fabricating one of the sections as a plurality of conductors connected in parallel. Discrete components may be included within the antenna structure, to provide enhanced design possibilities, while multi-band operation is enabled by fabrication of additional folded structures within the same volume.

Claims

1. An antenna arrangement, comprising:

a first folded structure including a first section and a second section defining a first transmission line, wherein said first section includes a first physically-shortened electric element having a first free end and said second section includes a second physically-shortened electric element having a second free end;

a first feed point provided at said first free end of said first section to receive a first signal; and

a second feed point provided at said second free end of said second section to a second signal.

2. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first section and said second section are parallel.

3. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first section and said second section are meander-line elements.

4. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1, a switch for connecting a said first feed point to a ground.

5. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1, said first folded structure further includes a top load between said first section and said second section.

6. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a short circuit between said first section and said second section.

7. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein said short circuit includes a switch.

8. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first section includes a first conductor of a first width, said second section includes a second conductor of a second width, and the first width and the second width are dissimilar.

9. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first section includes a plurality of conductors in parallel.

10. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first section includes at least on discrete component.

11. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first section includes a switch.

12. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a second folded structure including a third section and a fourth section defining a second transmission line, wherein said third section includes a third physically-shortened electric element having a third free end and said fourth section includes a fourth physically-shortened electric element having a fourth free end;

a third feed point provided at said third free end of said third section to receive a third signal; and

a fourth feed point provided at said fourth free end of said fourth section to a fourth signal.

13. A radio communication apparatus including an antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1.

14. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a first signal source for feeding the first signal to said first free end;

a second signal source for feeding the second signal to said second free end.

15. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 14,

wherein said first signal source is connected to a ground whenever said second signal source is actively feeding the second signal to said second free end.

16. The antenna arrangement as claimed in claim 15,

wherein said second signal source is connected to the ground whenever said first signal source is actively feeding the first signal to said first free end.