Dual-resonant antenna

• US 7,242,364 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ranta, Tero
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V.
• Application Number:
  US11/238,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20070069957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 343/860, 343/861, 343/702
• US Class Current: 343/860
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in 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 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/36 with top loading
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

A wide-band antenna comprises a series-resonant antenna and a resonant circuit. The antenna has a radiative element and a feed pin. The resonant circuit comprises an inductive element connected to the feed pin and a capacitor connected in parallel to the inductive element, which has a center tap for adjusting the impedance of the resonant circuit relative to the antenna impedance. The antenna can be a low-impedance PILA, a helix, monopole, whip, stub or loop antenna. The wide-band antenna can be used for the low (1 GHz range) or high (2 GHz range) band. The antenna can be made to simultaneously cover both 850 & 900 bands with the ground plane small enough to be implemented in a mobile phone or the like. The center tap is either connected to the feed of the antenna or connected to an RF front-end dependent upon the impedance level of the antenna element.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a radiative element;

a feed pin electrically connected to the radiative element; and

a matching network electrically connected to a ground plane, wherein the matching network comprises;

an inductive element electrically connected to the feed pin; and

a capacitor connected in parallel to the inductive element, wherein the inductive element has a center tap for determining impedance of the matching network relative to impedance of the antenna.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the feed pin has a first end and a second end, the first end electrically connected to the radiative element, the second end electrically connected to the center tap of the inductive element.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna is operatively connected to a front-end, and wherein the matching network is connected in series to the feed pin and the center tap of the inductive element is connected to the front-end.

4. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna has a center frequency and the radiative element comprises a planar strip of electrically conductive material, the strip having a surface substantially parallel to the ground plane.

5. The antenna of claim 4, wherein the strip has a length substantially equal to one quarter of a wavelength associated with the center frequency.

6. The antenna of claim 4, wherein the strip has a length smaller than one quarter of a wavelength associated with the center frequency, said antenna further comprising:

a further inductive element disposed between the center tap and the second end of the feed pin.

7. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the radiative element comprises a triangular strip of electrically conductive material, the strip having a surface substantially parallel to the ground plane.

8. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the matching network is disposed on a circuit board, and wherein the radiative element comprises a strip of electrically conductive material and part of the strip is disposed on the circuit board.

9. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the radiative element comprises a planar strip having a first end and an opposing second end, and wherein the feed pin is electrically connected to the first end of the planar strip, said antenna further comprising a grounding strip connecting the second end of the planar strip to the ground.

10. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna impedance is smaller than 50 ohms.

11. An antenna system comprising:

a circuit board with a ground plane;

an antenna having an antenna impedance disposed in relation to the circuit board, the antenna comprising;

a radiative element;

a feed pin electrically connected to the radiative element; and

a matching network electrically connected to the ground plane, wherein the matching network comprises;

an inductive element electrically connected to the feed pin; and

a capacitor connected in parallel to the inductive element, wherein the inductive element has a center tap for determining impedance of the matching network relative to the antenna impedance; and

an RF front-end operatively connected to the antenna.

12. The antenna system of claim 11, wherein the feed pin has a first end and a second end, the first end electrically connected to the radiative element, the second end electrically connected to the center tap of the inductive element.

13. The antenna system of claim 11, wherein the matching network is connected in series to the feed pin and the center tap of the inductive element is connected to the front-end.

14. The antenna system of claim 11, wherein the matching network is integrated in a substrate different from the circuit board.

15. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the substrate is made substantially of a low-temperature co-fire ceramic material.

16. The antenna system of claim 15, wherein the substrate forms a module, and the inductive element comprises a strip of electrically conductive material disposed on the module.

17. The antenna system of claim 16, wherein the capacitor is also disposed on the module.

18. The antenna system of claim 11, wherein the antenna has a center frequency and the radiative element comprises a planar strip of electrically conductive material, the strip having a surface substantially parallel to the ground plane.

19. The antenna system of claim 18, wherein the strip has a length smaller than one quarter of a wavelength associated with the center frequency, said antenna further comprising:

a further inductive element disposed between the center tap and the second end of the feed pin.

20. The antenna system of claim 19, wherein the matching network and the further inductive element are integrated in a substrate made substantially of a low-temperature co-fired ceramic material.

21. A mobile phone having a wide-band antenna system of claim 11.

22. A method to increase a bandwidth of an antenna having an antenna impedance for use with a ground plane and electrically connected to an RF front-end, the RF front-end having a load impedance, the antenna having

a radiative element disposed in relationship with the ground plane;

a feed pin electrically connected to the radiative element, said method comprising;

providing a matching network between the antenna and the RF front-end, the network having an inductive element and a capacitor connected in series, the inductive element having a center tap; and

electrically connecting the center tap to the feed pin or the RF front-end for adjusting the matching network relative to the antenna impedance.