Antenna structure for a wireless device with a ground plane shaped as a loop

• US 8,077,110 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2010
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fractus SA
• Original Assignee: Fractus SA
• Inventors: Soler Castany, Jordi, Puente Baliarda, Carles
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US12/834,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20100302122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 343/846, 343/848, 343/702, 343/700.MS, 343/718
• US Class Current: 343/846
• 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 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

This invention refers to an antenna structure for a wireless device comprising a ground plane and an antenna element, wherein the ground plane has the shape of an open loop. The invention further refers to an antenna structure for a wireless device, such as alight switch or a wristsensor or wristwatch, comprising an open loop ground plane having a first end portion and a second end portion, the open loop ground plane defining an opening between the first end portion and the second end portion; and an antenna component positioned within the opening defined between the first end portion and the second end portion and overlapping at least one of the first end portion or the second end portion. Further the invention refers to a corresponding wireless device and to a method for integrating such an antenna structure in a wireless device.

Claims

1. An antenna structure for a wireless device comprising:

a ground plane having an elongated shape and having two end portions, wherein the ground plane is at least partially integrated in a flexible strap, and

an antenna element located in the proximity of one of the end portions,

wherein when the flexible strap is bent, the ground plane defines an open loop and the antenna element is located within an area defined by the open loop.

2. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the ground plane fits within a volume having a longest dimension smaller than a quarter of a free-space wavelength of operation of the antenna structure.

3. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the two end portions form an overlap portion.

4. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein the antenna element is located in an opening formed by the two end portions.

5. A wireless wearable device comprising:

at least one strap portion, the at least one flexible strap portion having a substantially planar elongated shape;

a housing portion attached to the at least one strap portion;

an antenna structure, the antenna structure comprising;

a ground plane, the ground plane having a substantially elongated shape and comprising a first end portion and a second end portion;

an antenna element;

wherein the antenna element is at least partially arranged within the housing portion;

wherein the at least one strap portion is bendable to define a substantially arc-shaped structure;

wherein the ground plane is at least partially arranged in the at least one strap portion;

wherein when the at least one strap portion is bent, the ground plane defines an open loop in which the first end portion and the second end portion define an opening therebetween; and

wherein the antenna element is located in the proximity of at least one of the first and second end portions of the ground plane.

6. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the at least one strap portion is flexible.

7. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the antenna element is located within the opening formed by said first and second end portions.

8. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the antenna element is located in the proximity of the first end portion and the second end portion.

9. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the antenna element is substantially flat and is arranged substantially parallel to a portion of the ground plane which is located closest to the antenna element.

10. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein there is an overlap between the first and second end portions.

11. The wireless wearable device of claim 10, wherein a width of the overlap is less than a width of at least one of the first and second end portion.

12. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the antenna element is either a monopole or an IFA.

13. The wireless wearable device of claim 12, wherein a projection of the antenna element onto the ground plane in a direction orthogonal to the ground plane in the proximity of the antenna element does not overlap with the ground plane in more than 50% of said projection.

14. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the antenna element is selected from the group comprising patch, microstrip antenna and PIFA.

15. The wireless wearable device of claim 14, wherein a projection of the antenna element onto the ground plane in a direction orthogonal to the ground plane in the proximity of the antenna element overlaps with the ground plane in at least 50% of said projection.

16. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the ground plane is provided as an at least partially flexible conducting material.

17. The wireless wearable device of claim 16, wherein the at least one foldable strap portion comprises a textile material, and wherein the ground plane is integrated into said textile material.

18. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the ground plane is provided as an at least partially rigid conductor.

19. The wireless wearable device of claim 18, wherein the at least one foldable strap portion comprises a dielectric material, and wherein the ground plane is at least partially integrated in said dielectric material.

20. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the antenna element comprises a structure shaped according to at least one of a multilevel geometry, a space filling curve, a grid dimension curve and a contour curve.

21. The wireless wearable device of claim 20, wherein the ground plane comprises a structure shaped according to at least one of a multilevel geometry, a space filling curve, a grid dimension curve and a contour curve.

22. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the ground plane fits within a volume having a longest dimension smaller than a quarter of a free-space wavelength of operation of the antenna structure.

23. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the wireless wearable device operates as a wireless wrist watch.

24. The wireless wearable device of claim 23, wherein the antenna structure operates in at least one mobile communication service.

25. The wireless wearable device of claim 24, wherein the at least one mobile communication service is one of a GSM and UMTS communication service.

26. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the wireless wearable device operates as a wireless communication tracker device.

27. The wireless wearable device of claim 26, wherein the antenna structure operates in at least one of GPS and Galileo systems.

28. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the wireless wearable device operates as a headset.

29. The wireless wearable device of claim 28, wherein the antenna structure operates in at least one of Bluetooth, UWB and WiFi standards.

30. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the wireless wearable device operates as a medical monitoring device.

31. The wireless wearable device of claim 30, wherein the antenna structure operates in at least one short-range wireless-connectivity service.

32. The wireless wearable device of claim 31, wherein the at least one short-range wireless-connectivity service is one of Bluetooth, ZigBee, UWB and WiFi.

33. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the wireless wearable device operates as a RFID tag.

34. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the wireless wearable device operates as a remote control of a radio-controlled toy.

35. The wireless wearable device of claim 5, wherein the wireless wearable device is operative at multiple frequency bands.

36. The wireless wearable device of claim 35, wherein the wireless wearable device is operative at least at four frequency bands.

37. The wireless wearable device of claim 35, wherein the wireless wearable device is operative at least at five frequency bands.

38. The wireless wearable device of claim 35, wherein at least one of the multiple frequency bands is used by a GSM or UMTS communication service.

39. The wireless wearable device of claim 35, wherein a first one of said multiple frequency bands is used by a GSM communication service and a second one of said multiple frequency bands is used by a UMTS communication service.

40. The wireless device of claim 35, wherein the antenna system is operative according to at least four of GSM850, GSM900, DCS1800, PCS1900 and UMTS.

41. The wireless device of claim 35, wherein the antenna system is operative according to at least GSM850, GSM900, DCS1800, PCS1900 and UMTS.

42. The wireless device of claim 35, wherein the antenna system is operative at least at four frequency bands selected within frequency ranges from 824-960 MHz and 1710-2170 MHz.