Antenna module

• US 7,088,291 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Shuichiro, Eguchi, Kazuhiro, Maruyama, Keisuke, Tokunaga, Hiromi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cao, Huedung X.
• Application Number:
  US11/061,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20050184910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/895, 343/702, 343/873, 343/772
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/362 for broadside radiating helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

This invention provides an antenna module comprising: a helical antenna 1 including a base 2 and a pair of terminals 4, 5 and a helical area formed on the base 2; a power supply 7 for supplying power to one of the pair of terminals 4, 5 of the helical antenna 1; an opening connected to the other of the pair of terminals; an antenna substrate 9 on which the antenna 7 is mounted; a grounding area 10 formed in the vicinity of the power supply 7; and a peripheral conductor 16 formed at least a portion on the periphery of the antenna substrate 9, wherein the peripheral length of the peripheral conductor 16 formed on the periphery of the antenna substrate 9 is nearly integer times as long as ¼ wavelength of a resonance frequency.

Claims

1. An antenna module comprising:

an antenna having a base, and a pair of terminals and a conductor formed on the base;

a power supply, supplying power to one of the pair of terminals;

an opening, connected to the other of the pair of terminals;

an antenna substrate, on which the antenna is mounted;

a grounding area, formed in the vicinity of the power supply; and

a peripheral conductor, formed at least a portion on the periphery of the antenna substrate, wherein

the peripheral length of the peripheral conductor formed on the periphery of the antenna substrate is nearly integer times as long as 0.2 wavelength to 0.3 wavelength of a resonance frequency.

2. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein

the peripheral length of the peripheral conductor formed on the periphery of the antenna is nearly integer times as long as 0.2 wavelength to 0.3 wavelength of the resonance frequency from an origin of the power supply.

3. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein

an additive conductor is provided at a partial area on the antenna substrate other than the periphery thereof.

4. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the additive conductor is electrically connected to the peripheral conductor.

5. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral length of a conductive portion composed of the additive conductor and the peripheral conductor and formed on the periphery of the antenna is nearly integer times as long as 0.2 wavelength to 0.3 wavelength of the resonance frequency.

6. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the length or area of at least one of the additive conductor and the peripheral conductor is changeable.

7. The antenna module according to claim 6, wherein the area is changed by trimming.

8. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the additive conductor is formed on the side opposite to the grounding area.

9. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein a pattern antenna is connected to the power supply, commonly to the antenna.

10. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein

a top-cup conductor is formed at the opening of the antenna.

11. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein a bottom conductor connected to the opening is formed at an area opposite to the conductor of the antenna on the antenna substrate.

12. An antenna module comprising:

a mounting dent, formed at any portion of a box and having a periphery covered with a conductor;

an antenna substrate, fit in the mounting dent;

an antenna, having a pair of terminals and a conductor formed on a base, the antenna being mounted on the antenna substrate;

a power supply, supplying power to one of the pair of terminals, the power supply being provided on the antenna substrate;

an opening, formed on the antenna substrate and connected to the other of the pair of terminals, wherein

the peripheral length of the conductor surrounding the mounting dent is integer times as long as 0.2 wavelength to 0.3 wavelength of a resonance frequency, and

the power supply is formed at the one end of the mounting dent.

13. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the peripheral length of the conductor surrounding the mounting dent is integer times as long as 0.2 wavelength to 0.3 wavelength of the resonance frequency from an origin of the power supply.

14. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the conductor is formed at least a portion of the side which is not opposite to a grounding area and in nearly parallel to the longitudinal direction of the antenna.

15. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein a grounding area is formed in the vicinity of the power supply and at a position opposite to the opening.

16. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein an additive conductor is formed at an end of the mounting dent opposite to the power supply.

17. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the length or area of the additive conductor is changeable.

18. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the length or area of the additive conductor is changeable so that the peripheral length of the conductor from an origin of the power supply on the antenna substrate can be adjusted.

19. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein a pattern antenna is connected to the power supply, commonly to the antenna.

20. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein on the antenna substrate, a top-cup conductor is formed at the opening of the antenna, and/or a bottom conductor is formed on the surface opposite to the conductor connected to the opening.

21. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the mounting dent is a recess formed in any position of the end surface of the box.

22. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the periphery of the mounting dent is covered with a protective member.

23. The antenna module according to claim 22, wherein the protective member has transparency.

24. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the mounting dent is ⊃

-shaped.

25. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the longitudinal direction of the antenna is in nearly parallel to that of the mounting dent.

26. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the grounding area and the additive conductor is formed on the antenna substrate, at least one of the grounding area and the additive conductor has a connecting segment to the box, and the antenna substrate is connected to the box at the connecting segment through a dielectric member.

27. The antenna module according to claim 13, wherein on the antenna substrate, a top-cup conductor is formed at the opening of the antenna, and/or a bottom conductor is formed on the surface opposite to the conductor connected to the opening.

28. The antenna module according to claim 14, wherein on the antenna substrate, a top-cup conductor is formed at the opening of the antenna, and/or a bottom conductor is formed on the surface opposite to the conductor connected to the opening.

29. The antenna module according to claim 15, wherein on the antenna substrate, a top-cup conductor is formed at the opening of the antenna, and/or a bottom conductor is formed on the surface opposite to the conductor connected to the opening.

30. The antenna module according to claim 16, wherein on the antenna substrate, a top-cup conductor is formed at the opening of the antenna, and/or a bottom conductor is formed on the surface opposite to the conductor connected to the opening.

31. The antenna module according to claim 17, wherein on the antenna substrate, a top-cup conductor is formed at the opening of the antenna, and/or a bottom conductor is formed on the surface opposite to the conductor connected to the opening.

32. The antenna module according to claim 18, wherein on the antenna substrate, a top-cup conductor is formed at the opening of the antenna, and/or a bottom conductor is formed on the surface opposite to the conductor connected to the opening.

33. The antenna module according to claim 19, wherein on the antenna substrate, a top-cup conductor is formed at the opening of the antenna, and/or a bottom conductor is formed on the surface opposite to the conductor connected to the opening.