Flush-mounted antenna and transmission system

• US 6,859,186 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (Itron, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lizalek, Gary C., Luglio, Juan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alemu, Ephrem
• Application Number:
  US10/357,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 343/769, 343/789, 343/767, 343/771, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 343/767
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/286 substantially flush mounted with the skin of the craft
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/18 the slot being backed by, or formed in boundary wall of, a resonant cavity longitudinally slotted cylinder H01Q13/12 ; Open cavity antennas

Abstract

An apparatus mounted beneath or behind a surface and being operable to transmit or receive wireless communication signals for transmitting information from one location to a remote location. The apparatus includes an antenna mounted substantially flush with a surface. The apparatus also includes a communication device and a matching network having a radial transmission line. The communication device is connected to the antenna via the matching network and includes either a transmitter, a receiver or a transceiver.

Claims

1. An apparatus positioned beneath a surface, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna positioned substantially flush with the surface, the antenna capable of either receiving radiation or transmitting radiation when excited;

a communication device coupled to the antenna; and

a matching network coupled to the antenna and to the communication device, the matching network including a radial transmission line, the matching network including a can having a base and a sidewall, the base of the can and the sidewall of the can defining a cavity, the matching network further including a tuner element positioned within the cavity of the can.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the antenna is an annular slot antenna.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the matching network further includes a connecting element coupling the matching network to the communication device.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the matching network further includes

a post coupling the antenna to the tuner element.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the radial transmission line includes the tuner element and the base of the can.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the can further includes a diameter measured across the base and a height measured along the sidewall, the diameter of the can being greater than the height of the can.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the communication device includes a transmission line and wherein the matching network couples the antenna to the transmission line of the communication device.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the matching network has an equivalent electrical circuit including

a radial transmission line,

a first capacitor,

a second capacitor, and

an inductor.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the equivalent electric circuit of the matching network further includes a series shorted stub tuner.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

the can further includes a lip extending from the sidewall, the lip of the can being included in the antenna; and

a top plate having a conducting portion and a non-conducting portion, the conducting portion and the non-conducting portion being included in the antenna.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the lip of the can defines an annular shelf, and wherein a portion of the top plate is positioned on the annular shelf.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the matching network includes:

a post coupling the top plate to the tuner element.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a connecting element having a first conductor feed and a second conductor feed, the first conductor feed electrically couples to the tuner element, the post and the top plate, the second conductor feed electrically couples to the can.

14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein a transmission line having a first conductor and a second conductor couples the connecting element to the communication device.

15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein the transmission line has a first impedance and the antenna has a second impedance, the first impedance being less than the second impedance.

16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the first impedance is approximately 50 ohms and the second impedance is greater than approximately 200 ohms and the second impedance is reactive.

17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the matching network matches the first impedance to the second impedance.

18. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the antenna has an impedance greater than approximately 200 ohms.

19. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the communication device is a transmitter.

20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the communication device is a receiver.

21. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the communication device is a transceiver.

22. An apparatus positioned substantially beneath a surface, the apparatus comprising:

an annular slot antenna positioned substantially flush with the surface, the antenna capable of transmitting radiation when excited;

a can having a base and a sidewall;

a tuner element positioned within the can;

a communication device to excite the antenna; and

a radial transmission line coupling the communication device to the antenna, the radial transmission line including the base of the can and the tuner element.

23. The apparatus as set forth in claim 22, further comprising a matching network coupling the communication device to the antenna, the matching network including the radial transmission line.

24. The apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein the matching network further includes

a post coupling the antenna to the tuner element.

25. The apparatus as set forth in claim 22, wherein the communication device is a transceiver.

26. The apparatus as set forth in claim 22, further comprising:

the can further including a lip extending from the sidewall, the base of the can and the sidewall of the can defining a cavity, the lip of the can being included in the antenna;

a top plate having a conducting portion and a non-conducting portion, the conducting portion and the non-conducting portion being included in the antenna;

the tuner element positioned within the cavity of the can.

27. The apparatus as set forth in claim 26, wherein the lip of the can defines an annular shelf, and wherein a portion of the top plate is positioned on the annular shelf.

28. The apparatus as set forth in claim 23, further comprising:

a transmission line coupling the matching network to the communication device, the transmission line having a first impedance; and

wherein the antenna has a second impedance, the first impedance being less than the second impedance.

29. The apparatus as set forth in claim 28, wherein the matching network matches the impedance of the transmission line to the impedance of the antenna.

30. The apparatus as set forth in claim 28, wherein the first impedance is approximately 50 ohms and the second impedance is greater than approximately 200 ohms and the second impedance is reactive.

31. The apparatus as set forth in claim 22, wherein the communication device is a transmitter.

32. The apparatus as set forth in claim 22, wherein the communication device is a receiver.