Wireless antenna for emitting conical radiation

• US 8,279,137 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: DeJean, Gerald Reuben II
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Amal
• Application Number:
  US12/269,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 343/912, 343/700.MS, 343/795, 455/562.1, 455/418, 455/456.2
• US Class Current: 343/912
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/10 using reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/28 using a secondary device in the form of two or more substantially straight conductive elements log- periodic antennas H01Q11/10; constituting a reflecting surface H01Q19/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

An antenna described herein includes a driven patch that is configured to emit radiation in a broadside direction in response to receiving excitation current, wherein the driven patch has a first radiating edge and a second radiating edge that are approximately parallel to one another. The antenna also includes a reflector element that is configured to reflect radiation emitted from the first radiating edge in a quasi-endfire direction. The antenna can also include two director elements that are configured to direct radiation emitted from the second radiating edge of the driven patch in a quasi-endfire direction.

Claims

1. A wireless router, comprising:

a plurality of antennas selectively arranged with respect to one another such that, when each antenna in the plurality of antennas is excited, the wireless router is configured to emit radiation maximally in the form of a cone, wherein an area of radiation coverage emitted from the plurality of antennas is a function of a frequency of the radiation emitted by the wireless router, wherein each antenna in the plurality of antennas is symmetric about a respective axis of symmetry, each antenna in the plurality of antennas comprising;

a driven patch that is bisected by the axis of symmetry, the driven patch being configured to emit radiation in a broadside direction in response to receiving excitation current, the driven patch comprising a first radiating edge and a second radiating edge that are approximately parallel to one another;

a reflector element that is bisected by the axis of symmetry, the reflector element being configured to reflect radiation emitted from the first radiating edge in a quasi-endfire direction;

a first director element that is configured to direct radiation emitted from the second radiating edge of the driven patch in the quasi-endfire direction; and

a second director element that is configured to direct radiation emitted from the second radiating edge of the driven patch in the quasi-endfire direction, the first and second director elements positioned on opposing sides of the axis of symmetry such that the axis of symmetry is between the first director element and the second director element;

a processor; and

a memory that comprises components that are executed by the processor, the components comprising;

a receiver component that is configured to determine a location of a plurality of wireless computing devices relative to the wireless router, wherein a first number of wireless computing devices are located in a first region primarily covered by a first antenna in the plurality of antennas, and wherein a second number of wireless computing devices are located in a second region primarily covered by a second antenna in the plurality of antennas, wherein the first number is greater than the second number; and

a control component that is configured to;

receive the locations of the wireless computing devices; and

selectively provide first excitation current of a first magnitude to the first antenna and selectively provide second excitation current of a second magnitude to the second antenna based upon the first number of wireless computing devices being located in the first region and the second number of wireless computing devices being located in the second region, respectively, wherein the first magnitude is greater than the second magnitude.

2. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein the driven patch is a broadside radiator.

3. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein the driven patch is configured to emit radiation maximally along a first axis and the reflector element is configured to reflect radiation along a second axis that is approximately perpendicular to the first axis.

4. The wireless router of claim 3, wherein the first director element and the second director element are configured to direct radiation along the second axis.

5. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein the wireless router is configured to be positioned on a ceiling.

6. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the antennas are configured in a cross-like configuration.

7. The wireless router of claim 6, wherein the control component is configured to selectively remove excitation current from at least one of the antennas of the wireless router based upon a location of a wireless computing device relative to the wireless router.

8. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein each of the antennas is built on a substrate that has a dielectric constant below six.

9. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein a width of the reflector element is greater than a width of the first radiating edge of the driven patch.

10. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein the reflector element is separated from the first radiating edge by a first gap, and wherein the first director element and the second director element are separated from one another by a second gap, wherein the size of the first gap and the second gap is equivalent.

11. The wireless router of claim 1, wherein the first director element and the second director element are positioned on opposing sides of the axis of symmetry to facilitate increasing gain of the antenna by way of constructive interference.

12. A wireless router, comprising:

a plurality of antennas that are selectively arranged relative to one another to generate radiation maximally in the form of a cone, wherein each antenna in the plurality of antennas, when provided with excitation current, is configured to output a respective portion of the cone, and wherein a region of radiation coverage of an antenna is a function of frequency of the excitation current provided to the antenna, wherein each antenna in the plurality of antennas comprises;

a driven patch that is configured to emit radiation in a broadside direction in response to receiving the excitation current, the driven patch comprising a first radiating edge and a second radiating edge that are approximately parallel to one another;

a reflector element that is configured to reflect radiation emitted from the first radiating edge in a quasi-endfire direction;

a first director element that is configured to direct radiation emitted from the second radiating edge of the driven patch in the quasi-endfire direction; and

a second director element that is configured to direct radiation emitted from the second radiating edge of the driven patch in the quasi-endfire direction;

a processor; and

a memory that comprises a plurality of components that are executed by the processor, the components comprising;

a receiver component that is configured to receive indications of locations of a plurality of wireless computing devices in range of the wireless router, wherein a first number of wireless computing devices in the plurality of computing devices are located in a first coverage area of a first antenna in the plurality of antennas, and wherein a second number of wireless computing devices are located in a second coverage area of a second antenna in the plurality of antennas, wherein the first number is greater than the second number; and

a control component that is configured to cause first excitation current to excite the first antenna in the plurality of antennas at a first magnitude based upon the first number of wireless computing devices being located in the first coverage area, wherein the control component is further configured to cause second excitation current to excite the second antenna at a second magnitude based upon the second number of wireless computing devices being located in the second region, wherein the first magnitude is greater than the second magnitude.

13. The wireless router of claim 12, the plurality of antennas arranged in a cross-like configuration.

14. The wireless router of claim 12, wherein the control component is configured to cause the first excitation current to have a first frequency based upon locations of the first number of wireless computing devices relative to the wireless router.

15. The wireless router of claim 12, wherein the wireless router comprises eight antennas.

16. The wireless router of claim 12, wherein at least one indication of location received by the receiver component comprises GPS coordinates of at least one wireless computing device.