Dual band WLAN antenna

• US 7,423,599 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Li, James, Jiang, Jing
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; HoangAnh T
• Application Number:
  US11/581,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20070182646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/700.MS, 343/725, 343/729, 343/846, 343/848
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• 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 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 Branching current paths
• 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 9/0464 Annular ring patch
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/36 with top loading

Abstract

An antenna system comprises a first antenna that is arranged on a printed circuit board (PCB) and that includes an arc-shaped element having a concave side and a convex side. A conducting element extends substantially radially from a center of the concave side. A U-shaped element has a base portion with a center that communicates with the conducting element and two side portions that extend from ends of the base portion towards the concave side. Second and third antennas are arranged on the PCB and include an inner ring and an outer ring that is concentric to the inner ring.

Claims

1. An antenna system, comprising:

a first antenna that is arranged on a printed circuit board (PCB) and that includes;

an arc-shaped element having a concave side and a convex side;

a conducting element that extends substantially radially from a center of said concave side; and

a U-shaped element having a base portion with a center that communicates with said conducting element and two side portions that extend from ends of said base portion towards said concave side; and

second and third antennas that are arranged on said PCB and that include an inner ring and an outer ring that is concentric to said inner ring.

2. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said two side portions and said conducting element are substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to said base portion.

3. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said inner ring has a greater ring width than said outer ring, and wherein said ring width is a radial distance between an inner circumference and an outer circumference of each of said inner ring and said outer ring.

4. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said inner ring communicates with said outer ring.

5. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein:

said concave side faces said second and third antennas;

said center of said concave side and centers of said inner and outer rings of said second and third antennas constitute vertices of a triangle;

said conducting element is substantially perpendicular to a line joining said centers; and

said conducting element extends towards a mid-point of said line.

6. The antenna system of claim 5 wherein said triangle is one of an isosceles triangle and an equilateral triangle.

7. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said convex side radiates electromagnetic radiation and said U-shaped element directs said electromagnetic radiation.

8. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said first, second, and third antennas communicate in a dual frequency band in a 3×

3 multiple input multiple output (MIMO) configuration.

9. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said first, second, and third antennas communicate in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands in a 3×

3 multiple input multiple output (MIMO) configuration.

10. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said arc-shaped element communicates in a 2.4 GHz frequency band and said U-shaped element communicates in a 5 GHz frequency band.

11. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said inner ring communicates in a 5 GHz frequency band and said outer ring communicates in a 2.4 GHz frequency band.

12. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said first antenna is printed on said PCB.

13. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said second and third antennas are mounted on said PCB.

14. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said conducting element of said first antenna communicates with a radio frequency (RF) transceiver.

15. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said second and third antennas communicate with respective radio frequency (RF) transceivers.

16. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said PCB comprises a first electrically conducting layer that is adjacent to a first surface of said PCB and a second electrically conducting layer that is adjacent to a second surface of said PCB, and wherein said first surface is opposite to said second surface.

17. The antenna system of claim 16 wherein said first electrically conducting layer and said first antenna are printed on said first surface, and wherein said first electrically conducting layer is not joined to said first antenna.

18. The antenna system of claim 16 wherein said second and third antennas are mounted on said first electrically conducting layer, and wherein said inner rings of said second and third antennas communicate with said first electrically conducting layer.

19. The antenna system of claim 16 wherein said first electrically conducting layer communicates with said second electrically conducting layer via through-holes.

20. The antenna system of claim 16 wherein said first and second electrically conducting layers include copper.

21. A wireless network device comprising the antenna system of claim 1.

22. A device comprising the antenna system of claim 1 wherein the device is compliant with Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) standard.

23. A wireless network device comprising the antenna system of claim 1 wherein the wireless network device operates in a wireless fidelity local area network and complies with at least one of IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, and 802.16 standards.

24. A cellular phone comprising the antenna system of claim 1.

25. A method, comprising:

arranging an arc-shaped element of a first antenna on a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein said arc-shaped element has a concave side and a convex side;

extending a conducting element of said first antenna substantially radially from a center of said concave side on said PCB;

arranging a base portion of a U-shaped element of said first antenna on said PCB;

communicating between a center of said base portion and said conducting element;

extending two side portions of said U-shaped element from ends of said base portion towards said concave side; and

arranging an inner ring of each of second and third antennas concentrically with an outer ring of each of said second and third antennas on said PCB, respectively.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising arranging said two side portions and said conducting element substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to said base portion on said PCB.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising communicating between said inner and outer rings, wherein said inner ring has a greater ring width than said outer ring, and wherein said ring width is a radial distance between an inner circumference and an outer circumference of each of said inner ring and said outer ring.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

arranging said concave side facing said second and third antennas;

arranging said center of said concave side and centers of said inner and outer rings of said second and third antennas at vertices of a triangle, wherein said triangle is one of an isosceles triangle and an equilateral triangle;

arranging said conducting element substantially perpendicular to a line joining said centers; and

extending said conducting element towards a mid-point of said line.

29. The method of claim 25 further comprising radiating electromagnetic radiation from said convex side of said arc-shaped element and directing said electromagnetic radiation with said U-shaped element.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising configuring said first, second, and third antennas in a 3×

3 multiple input multiple output (MIMO) configuration and communicating in a dual frequency band.

31. The method of claim 25 further comprising configuring said first, second, and third antennas in a 3×

3 multiple input multiple output (MIMO) configuration and communicating in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands.

32. The method of claim 25 further comprising communicating in a 2.4 GHz frequency band with said arc-shaped element and communicating in a 5 GHz frequency band with said U-shaped element.

33. The method of claim 25 further comprising communicating in a 2.4 GHz frequency band with said outer ring and communicating in a 5 GHz frequency band with said inner ring.

34. The method of claim 25 further comprising printing said first antenna on said PCB.

35. The method of claim 25 further comprising mounting said second and third antennas on said PCB.

36. The method of claim 25 further comprising communicating between said conducting element of said first antenna and a radio frequency (RF) transceivers.

37. The method of claim 25 further comprising communicating between said second and third antennas and respective radio frequency (RF) transceivers.

38. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

arranging a first electrically conducting layer adjacent to a first surface of said PCB;

arranging a second surface of said PCB opposite to said first surface; and

arranging a second electrically conducting layer adjacent to a second surface of said PCB.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising printing said first electrically conducting layer and said first antenna on said first surface, and not joining said first electrically conducting layer to said first antenna.

40. The method of claim 38 further comprising mounting said second and third antennas on said first electrically conducting layer, and communicating between said first electrically conducting layer and said inner rings of said second and third antennas.

41. The method of claim 38 further comprising communicating between said first and second electrically conducting layers.

42. The method of claim 38 further comprising providing copper in said first and second electrically conducting layers.