Connector antenna apparatus and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrical connector assembly, the electrical connector assembly comprising:
- a connector housing comprising a planar face and having an associated conductive component; and
an antenna, said antenna being adapted to transmit and/or receive a plurality of data wirelessly;
wherein said antenna comprises at least a portion of said conductive component, and is disposed substantially on said planar face and co-planar therewith.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Improved electrical connector apparatus including a wireless antenna acting as a transceiver in conjunction with a wireless integrated circuit is disclosed. In one embodiment, the modular connector comprises an RJ45 modular jack, and the wireless transceiver comprises a Bluetooth transceiver transmitting via an integrated antenna disposed on the front face of the Faraday shield at least partly surrounding the modular connector. In another embodiment, an 802.11 transceiver is used. In yet another embodiment, an ultra-wideband (UWB) interface is used.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electrical connector assembly, the electrical connector assembly comprising:
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a connector housing comprising a planar face and having an associated conductive component; and an antenna, said antenna being adapted to transmit and/or receive a plurality of data wirelessly; wherein said antenna comprises at least a portion of said conductive component, and is disposed substantially on said planar face and co-planar therewith. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of manufacturing an electrical connector assembly, said method comprising:
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forming an antenna, said forming comprising forming a shaped aperture within at least one face of a noise shield associated with said connector; providing a connector having circuitry; electrically coupling said antenna to said circuitry; and disposing said shield on said connector. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A shield antenna for use on an electrical connector, said shield antenna comprising
a noise shield having a plurality of substantially planar faces; -
an antenna feed point; and an aperture formed substantially within one of said planar faces; wherein said feed point is disposed partway along the length of said aperture. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. An electronic device comprising:
at least one electrical connector assembly, said electrical connector assembly comprising; a connector housing; a plurality of first terminals adapted to interface with a printed circuit board; a plurality of second terminals adapted to interface with a connector plug; a noise shield, said shield substantially enclosing at least portions of said connector assembly; an antenna, said antenna being formed substantially within said shield and adapted to at least transmit or receive a plurality of data wirelessly; and a transceiver circuit in signal communication with said antenna and at least one terminal of said plurality of first or second terminals; and a printed circuit board, said electrical connector assembly being disposed on said board an electrically interconnected therewith.
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20. A method for transmitting data from an electronic device comprising an electronic connector assembly having an antenna, and a radio transmitter circuit, said method comprising:
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receiving signals at said transmitter circuit; processing said signals for transmission to produce processed signals; providing said processed signals to said antenna of said connector assembly via a feed point of said antenna; and radiating at least portions of said processed signals as electromagnetic energy from said antenna; wherein said connector assembly comprises a noise shield, said antenna being formed substantially within said noise shield, and said act of providing comprises providing said processed signals to said feed point via an electrical connection to said noise shield.
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21. An electronic device comprising:
at least one electrical connector assembly, said electrical connector assembly comprising; a noise shield having a plurality of substantially planar faces; an antenna, said antenna being formed substantially along at least two adjacent edges of said planar face; an aperture formed substantially within one of said planar faces; and an antenna feed point; wherein said feed point is disposed partway along the length of said aperture.
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22. An electrical connector assembly, the electrical connector assembly comprising:
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a connector housing; noise shield substantially enclosing said connector housing; and an antenna, said antenna being adapted to transmit and/or receive a plurality of data wirelessly; wherein said antenna is disposed substantially on and co-planar with the surface of said noise shield.
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Specification