Communications system and method utilizing integrated chip antenna

• US 6,922,575 B1
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Vu, Robert, Epstein, Norman
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phu, Sanh
• Application Number:
  US10/079,318
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/873, 343/895, 343/718, 455/575.7, 455/333, 455/129
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers

Abstract

A portable communications system and method is provided in accordance with the present invention. The system includes a chip antenna for transmitting and receiving RF signals and a communications module case for mounting the chip antenna and providing a chip antenna ground plane. A communications subsystem is associated with the communications module case and is operatively coupled to the chip antenna for processing the RF signal.

Claims

1. A portable communications system, comprising:

a chip antenna that transmits and receives RF signals;

a communications module case that mounts the chip antenna and provides a chip antenna ground plane, the communications module case having a cavity that houses a connector; and

a communications subsystem that associates with the communications module case and communicates to the chip antenna via the connector to process the RF signals.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising circuit material that couples the chip antenna to the communications subsystem.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the circuit material is at least one of a printed circuit board and a flexible circuit material.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the circuit material is adhesively coupled to the communications module case.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the circuit material is mechanically coupled the communications module case.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the connectors are utilized to couple the circuit material to the communications subsystem.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the flexible circuit material is utilized to couple the chip antenna to the communications subsystem.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications module case is at least one of electrically conductive and electrically conductive via a conductive coating applied to the case.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications subsystem includes at least one of an RF transmitter and receiver.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the communications subsystem is at least one of a cell-phone, pager, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) scanner, hand-held computer, and portable computer.

11. A method providing portable communications, comprising:

utilizing a chip antenna that interfaces with RF signals;

attaching the chip antenna to a case that creates a ground plane; and

coupling the chip antenna to a communications subsystem that associated with the case to process the RF signals, the chip antenna couples to the communications subsystem via a connection within a cavity of the case.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, utilizing circuit material to couples the chip antenna to the communications subsystem.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the circuit material is at least one of a printed circuit board and a flexible circuit material.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the circuit material is adhesively coupled to the communications module case.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the circuit material is mechanically coupled to the communications module case.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein connectors are utilized to couple the circuit material to the communications subsystems.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the flexible circuit material is utilized to couple the chip antenna to the communications subsystem.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the communications module case is at least one of electrically conductive and electrically conductive via a conductive coating applied to the case.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the communications subsystem includes at least one of an RF transmitter and receiver.

20. A portable communications system, comprising:

a chip antenna that transmits and receives RF signals;

means for mounting the chip antennas to a communications module case that provides a chip antenna a ground plane, the communications module case having a cavity; and

means for coupling the chip antenna to a communications subsystem that is associated with the communicates module case that processes the RF signals, the means for coupling is within the cavity.

21. A portable communications system, comprising:

a chip antenna that at least one of transmits and receives an RF signal;

a transceiver operatively coupled to the chip antenna that processes the RF signal; and

a transceiver case providing a chip antenna ground plane that enables the RF signal processing and encloses a connection in a cavity that links the transceiver to the chip antenna.