Wave antenna wireless communication device and method

• US 7,375,699 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian James, Horrell, Peter Robert George, King, Patrick F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Tho
• Application Number:
  US10/637,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20040041739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 343/713, 343/742, 343/795, 343/806, 343/828, 343/843, 343/867, 343/895, 343/741, 343/866, 340/572.1, 340/572.7, 340/572.8
• US Class Current: 343/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/04 mounted on the wheel or tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0452 Antenna structure, control or arrangement vehicle tyre mounted antennas H01Q1/2241
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07764 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier attachable to a tire tire temperature or pressur control arrangements, see B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2241 used in or for vehicle tyres
• 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
• 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 5/378 Combination of fed elements with parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/26 with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 : Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49179 : by metal fusion bonding

Abstract

A wireless communication device coupled to a wave antenna that provides greater increased durability and impedance matching. The wave antenna is a conductor that is bent in alternating sections to form peaks and valleys. The wireless communication device is coupled to the wave antenna to provide wireless communication with other communication devices, such as an interrogation reader. The wireless communication device and wave antenna may be placed on objects, goods, or other articles of manufacture that are subject to forces such that the wave antenna may be stretched or compressed during the manufacture and/or use of such object, good or article of manufacture. The wave antenna, because of its bent structure, is capable of stretching and compressing more easily than other structures, reducing the wireless communication device'"'"'s susceptibility to damage or breaks that might render the wireless communication device coupled to the wave antenna unable to properly communicate information wirelessly.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless communication device coupled to a wave antenna that operates at a first operating frequency and is comprised of at least one conductor that is bent in at least one position at an angle less than 180 degrees to form at least two different sections; and

a tire wherein said wireless communication device is mounted to the inside of said tire and wherein said wireless communication device is adapted to wirelessly communicate information relating to said tire;

wherein said tire comprises

an outer surface, comprising a circular-shaped tread surface having a left outer side and a right outer side and an orifice, said left outer side and said right outer side each folding down at an angle to said tread surface to respectively form a left outer wall and a right outer wall and to respectively form a left inner wall and a right inner wall attached to an internal wall on the opposite side of said tread surface; and

wherein said wireless communication device is attached to a wall inside said tire comprised from the group consisting of said left inner wall, said right inner wall, and said internal wall; and

wherein said at least two different sections comprise a first section having a first length to form a first antenna designed to operate at a first operating frequency and a second section having a second length to form a second antenna designed to operate at a second operating frequency.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tread surface is comprised of rubber, and wherein said wave antenna is contained inside said rubber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tread surface is comprised of rubber, and wherein said wireless communication device is contained inside said rubber.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said wave antenna is contained inside said rubber.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said tread surface contains an inner steel belt inside said rubber, and wherein said wave antenna is coupled to said inner steel belt.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said coupling of said wave antenna to said inner steel belt is comprised from the group consisting of direct coupling, capacitive coupling, and reactive coupling.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said wave antenna is contained inside said tread surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said wireless communication device is contained inside said tread surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said wave antenna is contained inside said tread surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first section is coupled to said wireless communication device, and said second section is coupled to said first section.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second section is bent into a plurality of subsections each having the same length to form said second antenna.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first section is bent into a plurality of subsections each having the same length to form said first antenna.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said second section is bent into a plurality of subsections each having the same length to form said second antenna.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless communication device coupled to a wave antenna that operates at a first operating frequency and is comprised of at least one conductor that is bent in at least one position at an angle less than 180 degrees to form at least two different sections;

a tire wherein said wireless communication device is mounted to the inside of said tire and wherein said wireless communication device is adapted to wirelessly communicate information relating to said tire; and

a resonating ring coupled to said wave antenna wherein said resonating ring forms a second antenna that operates at a second operating frequency.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said resonating ring is capacitively coupled to said wave antenna.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said resonating ring is additionally coupled to said wireless communication device so that the pressure placed on said wave antenna when inside said tire will be placed in whole or in part on said resonating ring to relieve mechanical stress on said wireless communication device.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said at least two different sections comprise a first section having a first length to form a first antenna designed to operate at a first operating frequency and a second section having a second length to form a second antenna designed to operate at a second operating frequency.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first section is coupled to said wireless communication device, and said second section is coupled to said first section.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said second section is bent into a plurality of subsections each having the same length to form said second antenna.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first section is bent into a plurality of subsections each having the same length to form said first antenna.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said second section is bent into a plurality of subsections each having the same length to form said second antenna.

22. A system for wirelessly communicating information about a tire, comprising:

an interrogation reader;

a wireless communication device coupled to a wave antenna that operates at a first frequency and is comprised of at least one conductor that is bent in at least one position at an angle less than 180 degrees to form at least two different sections;

a tire wherein said wireless communication device is mounted to the inside of said tire and wherein said wireless communication device is adapted to wirelessly communicate information relating to said tire to said interrogation reader; and

a resonating ring coupled to said wave antenna wherein said resonating ring forms a second antenna that operates at a second operating frequency.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said resonating ring is capacitively coupled to said wave antenna.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said resonating ring is additionally coupled to said wireless communication device so that pressure placed on said wave antenna when inside said tire will be placed in whole or in part on said resonating ring to relieve mechanical stress on said wireless communication device.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein said at least two different sections comprise a first section having a first length to form a first antenna designed to operate at a first operating frequency and a second section having a second length to form a second antenna designed to operate at a second operating frequency.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said first section is coupled to said wireless communication device, and said second section is coupled to said first section.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said second section is bent into a plurality of subsections each having the same length to form said second antenna.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein said first section is bent into a plurality of subsections each having the same length to form said first antenna.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said second section is bent into a plurality of subsections each having the same length to form said second antenna.