Multi-band antenna apparatus disposed on a three-dimensional substrate, and associated methodology, for a radio device

• US 7,714,795 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Rao, Qinjiang, Pecen, Mark, Wen, Geyi
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens; Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, CHUC
• Application Number:
  US11/843,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20090051615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 343/745, 343/749, 343/791, 343/860, 343/895, 343/900, 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/750, 343/793, 343/795, 343/806, 343/850, 343/852
• US Class Current: 343/860
• 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 5/357 using a single feed point

Abstract

Antenna apparatus, and an associated methodology, for a multi-frequency-band-capable radio device, such as a quad-band mobile station. The antenna apparatus is formed from a three-dimensional rectilinear non-conductive dielectric antenna substrate, such as cube. An elongated radiation element is disposed over multiple surfaces of the antenna substrate. A T-shaped impedance matching element located at the end of the radiation element permits the antenna input impedance to be matched to a communications device. The length of the radiation element is selected to be substantially equal to a quarter wavelength of the lowest frequency band at which the antenna operates.

Claims

1. A multi-band strip antenna for a communication device, the antenna comprising:

a three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate having a plurality of substantially planar faces; and

a radiation element formed of a plurality of elongated planar conductive segments, each of which is disposed upon at least one face of the three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate, a first segment disposed at least on a first face of said substrate, a second segment disposed at least on a second face of said substrate, said second face in orthogonal orientation to said first face, and a third segment disposed at least on a third face of said substrate, said third face in orthogonal orientation to said first face and said second face, such that the plurality of segments are electrically coupled one to another in series, the combined lengths of the segments being selected to be substantially equal to a one-quarter wavelength at a lowest frequency band of two different frequency bands in which the strip antenna is capable of operating and of a length that a zero electrical current point is created at substantially the geometric center of said combined length series coupled segments at a highest frequency band of said two different frequency bands.

2. The strip antenna of claim 1, further comprising a T-shaped impedance matching element coupled with a terminus end of the radiation element, said T-shaped impedance matching element disposed on at least one surface of the antenna substrate.

3. The strip antenna of claim 2, farther comprising an insulative layer deposited over at least one of:

the radiation element and the T-shaped an impedance matching element.

4. The strip antenna of claim 1, wherein at least two faces of the three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate are substantially rectangular.

5. The strip antenna of claim 1, wherein at least two faces of the three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate are parallelograms.

6. The strip antenna of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate is in the shape of a cube.

7. The strip antenna of claim 1, wherein the radiation element is sized, shaped and arranged to transduce signal energy in a plurality of different frequency bands.

8. The strip antenna of claim 7, wherein the plurality of different bands include at least two of:

the 800 Mhz band;

the 900 Mhz band;

the 1800 Mhz band; and

the 1900 Mhz band.

9. The strip antenna of claim 7, wherein the plurality of different bands include at least:

the 800 Mhz band;

the 900 Mhz band;

the 1800 Mhz band; and

the 1900 Mhz band.

10. The strip antenna of claim 8, wherein the pattern of radiation emitted from the antenna in the 900 MHz band is substantially circular, in at least one direction.

11. The strip antenna of claim 1 wherein said plurality of elongated planar conductive segments disposed on said three dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate in a configuration that is substantially a mirror image about a plane parallel to at least one face and bisecting said substrate.

12. The strip antenna of claim 11 wherein electric currents at a highest frequency band of said two different frequency bands flow in said conductive segments in mirror image directions referenced to said plane.

13. The strip antenna of claim 1 wherein said electrical coupling of one segment to another further comprises a physically orthogonal connection between two coupled segments, said physically orthogonal connection and at least a portion of said coupled two segments disposed on one face of said substrate.

14. A multi-band strip antenna for a communication device, said strip antenna comprising:

a dielectric antenna substrate in the shape of a cube having a plurality of faces;

a radiation element formed of a plurality of N elongated planar and conductive segments of conductive material disposed on surfaces of the cube such that they are electrically coupled one to another other in series, the series-coupled segments defining a feed point for the antenna and a terminus end that is opposite the feed point; and

an impedance matching element comprised of a length of conductive material electrically coupled with the radiation element, each segment of the plurality of segments extending at least part way across a face of the substrate, the radiation element having a physical length equal to the combined length of the N segments such that the radiation element is folded over and disposed on a plurality of the faces of the substrate, a first segment disposed at least on a first face of said substrate, a second segment disposed at least on a second face of said substrate, said second face in orthogonal orientation to said first face, and a third segment disposed at least on a third face of said substrate, said third face in orthogonal orientation to said first face and said second face.

15. The strip antenna of claim 14, wherein the combined lengths of the N segments is substantially equal to a quarter wavelength of a first operating band of the antenna.

16. The strip antenna of claim 14 wherein said plurality of N elongated planar conductive segments are disposed on said dielectric antenna substrate in a configuration that is substantially a mirror image about a plane parallel to at least one face and bisecting said substrate and wherein electric currents at a highest frequency band of said two different frequency bands flow in said conductive segments in mirror image directions referenced to said plane.

17. The strip antenna of claim 14 wherein said combined lengths of said N segments are of a length that a zero electrical current point is created at substantially the geometric center of said combined lengths at a highest frequency band of said two different frequency bands in which the strip antenna is capable of operating.

18. A method of transducing radio frequency energy from a multi-band communication device comprising the steps of:

forming a three-dimensional rectilinear substrate, said substrate having a plurality of external surfaces; and

depositing an elongated, thin strip of conductive material, having a predetermined length, onto a plurality of the external surfaces of the three-dimensional rectilinear substrate in a configuration that is substantially a mirror image about a plane parallel to at least one face and bisecting said substrate, and further comprising the steps of;

depositing a first segment of said strip of conductive material on at least a first face of said substrate,

depositing a second segment of said strip of conductive material on at least a second face of said substrate, said second face oriented orthogonally to said first face, and

depositing a third segment of said strip of conductive material on at least a third face of said substrate, said third face oriented orthogonally to said first face and said second face, the strip of conductive material defining a feed point for the antenna.

19. The method of claim 18 further including the step of:

transducing radio frequency signal energy at the feed point, the radio frequency energy being in at least one of four different frequency bands at which the radiation element is resonant.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of forming includes the step of forming a cube.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising a step of over coating at least a portion of the conductive material.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of depositing includes the step of depositing a strip having a length substantially equal to one-quarter the wavelength of a lowest frequency band at which the antenna will operate.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of depositing includes at least one of:

electro-plating;

chemical vapor deposition; and

adhesion.

24. The method of claim 18 further including the step of transducing radio frequency energy within at least one of at least first and second frequency bands at which the radiation element is resonant.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of depositing includes the step of depositing a strip having a length such that a zero electrical current point is created at substantially the geometric center of said length at a highest frequency band of said two different frequency bands in which the strip antenna is capable of operating.

26. A multi-band strip antenna for a communication device, the antenna comprising:

a dielectric substrate in the shape of a cube having a plurality of faces;

a radiation element formed of a plurality of electrically and physically contiguous elongated planar conductive segments connected one to another in series and extending from a feed point to a terminus end,

said feed point coupled to a first segment having a first portion thereof disposed on a first face of said substrate and a second portion disposed on an adjacent second face of said substrate and orthogonally coupled to a first portion of a second segment on said second face of said substrate,

a second portion of said second segment disposed on a third face of said substrate and coupled to a first portion of a third segment on said third face of said substrate,

a second portion of said third segment disposed on said second face of said substrate and orthogonally coupled to a first portion of a fourth segment disposed on said second face of said substrate,

a second portion of said fourth segment disposed on a fourth face of said substrate and coupled to a first portion of a fifth segment on said fourth face of said substrate,

a second portion of said fifth segment disposed on said second face of said substrate and orthogonally coupled to a first portion of a sixth segment disposed on said second face of said substrate,

a second portion of said sixth segment disposed on a fifth face of said substrate and coupled to a first portion of a seventh segment on said fifth face of said substrate,

a second portion of said seventh segment disposed on said second face of said substrate and orthogonally coupled to a first portion of an eighth segment disposed on said second face of said substrate; and

an impedance matching element, comprising a length of conductive material disposed on a face of said substrate and electrically coupled to said radiation element.

27. A multi-band strip antenna of claim 26 wherein said impedance matching element further comprises an electrical coupling to said radiation element at said terminus end and a deposition location on said second face of said substrate.

28. A multi-band strip antenna for a communication device, the antenna comprising:

a three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate having a plurality of substantially planar faces; and

a radiation element formed of a plurality of elongated planar conductive segments, each of which is disposed upon at least one face of the three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate in a configuration that is substantially a mirror image about a plane parallel to at least one face and bisecting said substrate, a first segment disposed at least on a first face of said substrate, a second segment disposed at least on a second face of said substrate, said second face in orthogonal orientation to said first face, and a third segment disposed at least on a third face of said substrate, said third face in orthogonal orientation to said first face and said second face, such that the plurality of segments are electrically coupled one to another in series, the combined lengths of the segments being selected to be substantially equal to a one-quarter wavelength at a lowest frequency band of two different frequency bands in which the strip antenna is capable of operating.

29. The strip antenna of claim 28, further comprising a T-shaped impedance matching element coupled with a terminus end of the radiation element, said T-shaped impedance matching element disposed on at least one surface of the antenna substrate.

30. The strip antenna of claim 29, further comprising an insulative layer deposited over at least one of:

the radiation element and the T-shaped an impedance matching element.

31. The strip antenna of claim 28, wherein the three-dimensional rectilinear antenna substrate is in the shape of a cube.

32. The strip antenna of claim 28, wherein the radiation element is sized, shaped and arranged to transduce signal energy in a plurality of different frequency bands.

33. The strip antenna of claim 32, wherein the plurality of different bands include at least two of:

the 800 Mhz band;

the 900 Mhz band;

the 1800 Mhz band; and

the 1900 Mhz band.

34. The strip antenna of claim 33, wherein the pattern of radiation emitted from the antenna in the 900 MHz band is substantially circular, in at least one direction.

35. The strip antenna of claim 28 wherein said combined lengths of said series coupled segments are of a length that a zero electrical current point is created at substantially the geometric center of said combined length series coupled segments at a highest frequency band of said two different frequency bands in which the strip antenna is capable of operating.

36. The strip antenna of claim 28 wherein electric currents at a highest frequency band of said two different frequency bands flow in said conductive segments in mirror image directions referenced to said plane.

37. The strip antenna of claim 28 wherein said electrical coupling of one segment to another further comprises a physically orthogonal connection between two coupled segments, said physically orthogonal connection and at least a portion of said coupled two segments disposed on one face of said substrate.

38. A method of transducing radio frequency energy from a multi-band communication device comprising the steps of:

forming a three-dimensional rectilinear substrate, said substrate having a plurality of external surfaces; and

depositing an elongated, thin strip of conductive material, having a length such that a zero electrical current point is created at substantially the geometric center of said length at a highest frequency band of said two different frequency bands in which the strip antenna is capable of operating, onto a plurality of the external surfaces of the three-dimensional rectilinear substrate, and further comprising the steps of;

depositing a first segment of said strip of conductive material on at least a first face of said substrate,

depositing a second segment of said strip of conductive material on at least a second face of said substrate, said second face oriented orthogonally to said first face, and

depositing a third segment of said strip of conductive material on at least a third face of said substrate, said third face oriented orthogonally to said first face and said second face, the strip of conductive material defining a feed point for the antenna.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of forming includes the step of forming a cube.

40. The method of claim 38 further comprising a step of over coating at least a portion of the conductive material.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of depositing includes the step of depositing a strip having a length substantially equal to one-quarter the wavelength of a lowest frequency band at which the antenna will operate.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein the step of depositing includes at least one of:

electro-plating;

chemical vapor deposition; and

adhesion.

43. The method of claim 38 further including the step of disposing said elongated thin strip of conductive material on said substrate in a configuration that is substantially a mirror image about a plane parallel to at least one face and bisecting said substrate.