Antenna structure with distributed strip

• US 7,345,647 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions Of Sandia LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Rodenbeck, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancuso; Huedung
• Application Number:
  US11/243,860
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 343/895, 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/846, 343/767
• US Class Current: 343/895
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• 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

Abstract

An antenna comprises electrical conductors arranged to form a radiating element including a folded line configuration and a distributed strip configuration, where the radiating element is in proximity to a ground conductor. The folded line and the distributed strip can be electrically interconnected and substantially coplanar. The ground conductor can be spaced from, and coplanar to, the radiating element, or can alternatively lie in a plane set at an angle to the radiating element. Embodiments of the antenna include conductor patterns formed on a printed wiring board, having a ground plane, spacedly adjacent to and coplanar with the radiating element. Other embodiments of the antenna comprise a ground plane and radiating element on opposed sides of a printed wiring board. Other embodiments of the antenna comprise conductors that can be arranged as free standing “foils”. Other embodiments include antennas that are encapsulated into a package containing the antenna.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a radiating element comprising,

a first electrical conductor having a first width, the first electrical conductor arranged in a folded line configuration, the folded line configuration having a second width;

a second electrical conductor having a third width, the second electrical conductor electrically connected to, and coplanar with, the first electrical conductor, the second electrical conductor arranged in a distributed strip configuration, the distributed strip configuration having a fourth width and, the third width of the second electrical conductor greater than the first width of the first electrical conductor; and

,

a ground comprising a third electrical conductor laterally separated from the first and second electrical conductors, the third electrical conductor not directly contacting the first and second electrical conductors wherein the first and second electrical conductors lie within a first plane and the third electrical conductor lies within a second plane, the first plane being parallel to, and spaced from, the second plane.

2. An antenna comprising:

a radiating element comprising,

a first electrical conductor having a first width, the first electrical conductor arranged in a folded line configuration, the folded line configuration having a second width;

a second electrical conductor having a third width, the second electrical conductor electrically connected to, and coplanar with, the first electrical conductor, the second electrical conductor arranged in a distributed strip configuration, the distributed strip configuration having a fourth width and, the third width of the second electrical conductor greater than the first width of the first electrical conductor, and,

a ground comprising a third electrical conductor laterally separated from the first and second electrical conductors, the third electrical conductor not directly contacting the first and second electrical conductors, wherein the first, second and third electrical conductors lie within a plane; and

,

the folded line configuration comprises a first edge;

the distributed strip configuration comprises a second edge and an opposed third edge, the first edge of the folded line configuration disposed adjacent to the second edge of the distributed strip configuration; and

,

the ground comprises the third electrical conductor arranged in a ground plane configuration, the ground plane configuration having a fourth edge, the fourth edge of the ground plane configuration disposed spacedly adjacent to the third edge of the distributed line configuration, thereby forming a gap between the distributed line configuration and the ground plane configuration.

3. The antenna of claim 2 comprising a signal feed, the signal feed being disposed within the gap between the distributed line configuration and the ground plane configuration.

4. The antenna of claim 2 wherein the ground plane configuration comprises a fifth width, the fifth width of the ground plane configuration and the second width of the folded line configuration and the fourth width of the distributed strip configuration being equal and, the ground plane configuration and the folded line configuration and the distributed strip configuration being aligned along a common axis.

6. The antenna of claim 2 wherein the ground plane configuration comprises a grid pattern.

5. An antenna comprising:

a radiating element comprising,

a first electrical conductor having a first width, the first electrical conductor arranged in a folded line configuration, the folded line configuration having a second width;

a second electrical conductor having a third width, the second electrical conductor electrically connected to, and coplanar with, the first electrical conductor, the second electrical conductor arranged in a distributed strip configuration, the distributed strip configuration having a fourth width and, the third width of the second electrical conductor greater than the first width of the first electrical conductor; and

,

a ground comprising a third electrical conductor laterally separated from the first and second electrical conductors, the third electrical conductor not directly contacting the first and second electrical conductors wherein the third width of the second electrical conductor is at least ten times greater than the first width of the first electrical conductor.

7. An antenna comprising:

a dielectric having a first surface and a second surface, and a body there between;

a radiating element comprising,

a first electrical conductor having a first width, disposed on the first surface of the dielectric substrate, the first electrical conductor arranged in a folded line configuration, the folded line configuration having a second width;

a second electrical conductor having a third width, disposed on the first surface of the dielectric substrate, the second electrical conductor electrically connected to the first electrical conductor, the second electrical conductor arranged in a distributed strip configuration adjacent to the folded line configuration, the distributed strip configuration having a fourth width and, the third width of the second electrical conductor greater than the first width of the first electrical conductor; and

,

a ground comprising a third electrical conductor including one or more selected from the group consisting of an electrical conductor disposed on the first surface of the dielectric, an electrical conductor disposed on the second surface of the dielectric, and an electrical conductor disposed within the body of the dielectric, the third electrical conductor laterally separated from the first and second electrical conductors, and the third electrical conductor not directly contacting the first and second electrical conductors wherein the third width of the second electrical conductor is at least ten times greater than the first width of the first electrical conductor.

8. An antenna comprising:

a first portion comprising,

a first electrical conductor having a first width, the first electrical conductor arranged in a first folded line configuration, the first folded line configuration having a second width;

a second electrical conductor having a third width, the second electrical conductor electrically connected to, and coplanar with, the first electrical conductor, the second electrical conductor being arranged in a first distributed strip configuration, the first distributed strip configuration having a fourth width, the third width of the second electrical conductor being greater than the first width of the first electrical conductor and, the first distributed strip configuration being disposed adjacent to the first folded line configuration;

a second portion comprising,

a third electrical conductor having a fifth width, the third electrical conductor arranged in a second folded line configuration, the second folded line configuration having a sixth width;

a fourth electrical conductor having a seventh width, the fourth electrical conductor electrically connected to, and coplanar with, the third electrical conductor, the fourth electrical conductor being arranged in a second distributed strip configuration, the second distributed strip configuration having an eighth width, the seventh width of the fourth electrical conductor being greater than the fifth width of the third electrical conductor and, the second distributed strip configuration being disposed adjacent to the second folded line portion wherein the third width of the second electrical conductor is at least ten times greater than the first width of the first electrical conductor and, the seventh width of the fourth electrical conductor is at least ten times greater than the fifth width of the third electrical conductor.