Antenna configurations for compact device wireless communication

• US 8,049,671 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2008
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NETGEAR, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Nysen, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US12/203,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20090115672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/725, 343/727, 343/729, 343/730
• US Class Current: 343/730
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2275 associated to expansion card or bus, e.g. in PCMCIA, PC cards, Wireless USB
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/364 Creating multiple current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/36 with top loading
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/48 Networks for connecting several sources or loads, working on the same frequency or frequency band, to a common load or source phase shifters providing two or more output signals H03H7/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity

Abstract

A diversity antenna for use with a portable host device such as a laptop computer, for example as part of a PCMCIA card pluggable into the laptop computer to enable wireless computer by the laptop computer, includes a main antenna and a diversity antenna. Various configurations for these antennas are possible, including the use of a balanced dipole as the main antenna element and a split diversity antenna for the diversity antenna element. The diversity antenna provides high isolation between the antenna elements and isolation from interfering self-noise generated by the host device.

Claims

1. A diversity antenna system for use with a host device and configured to provide isolation from radiated self-noise by the host device and to minimize interactions between antenna elements of the diversity antenna system, the diversity antenna system comprising:

a ground plane;

a main antenna coupled to the ground plane and having a common mode feed; and

a diversity antenna having first and second arms extending from the common-mode feed of the main antenna.

2. The diversity antenna system of claim 1, wherein the main antenna is a balanced dipole antenna.

3. The diversity antenna system of claim 1, wherein the main antenna is coupled to the ground plane by way of a balun.

4. The diversity antenna system of claim 1, wherein the polarization of the main antenna is orthogonal to polarization of a common mode of the diversity antenna.

5. The diversity antenna system of claim 1, wherein the diversity antenna includes a gap between the first and second arms, said gap configured to substantially reduce odd mode excitation from the main antenna.

6. The diversity antenna system of claim 5, further comprising a power splitter configured to drive the first and second arms.

7. The diversity antenna system of claim 6, wherein the power splitter is a Wilkinson power splitter.

8. The diversity antenna system of claim 5, further comprising a matching circuit coupled across the gap between the first and second arms.

9. The diversity antenna system of claim 1, wherein the diversity antenna is a top loaded monopole.

10. The diversity antenna system of claim 1, wherein the host device is a laptop computer having a top face and having a side face to which the diversity antenna system is coupled, the main antenna being configured to extend substantially in parallel to said top face and said side face.