Mobile wireless communications device with diversity wireless local area network (LAN) antenna and related methods

• US 8,503,959 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2011
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Qi, Yihong, Man, Ying Tong, Jarmuszewski, Perry, Cooke, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Blane J
• Application Number:
  US13/038,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20110149935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 455/269, 455/272, 455/273, 455/274, 455/277.1, 455/442, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 343/702, 343/741, 343/742, 343/743, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 455/272
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/28 Arrangements for establishing polarisation or beam width over two or more different wavebands
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

A mobile wireless LAN communications device may include a portable, handheld housing, and a wireless LAN transceiver carried by the housing. A polarization diversity wireless LAN antenna may be included for cooperating with the wireless LAN transceiver to communicate over a wireless LAN. The polarization diversity wireless LAN antenna may include a first antenna element coupled to the wireless LAN transceiver having a first shape and a first polarization, and a second antenna element coupled to the wireless LAN transceiver having a second shape different from the first shape. The second antenna element may also have a second polarization different from the first polarization.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a wireless LAN transceiver carried by said housing; and

a wireless LAN antenna coupled to said wireless LAN transceiver and comprising

a first antenna element and a second antenna element each comprising a respective feed branch and a respective loop branch having a first end coupled to said feed branch, a second end adjacent said feed branch and separated therefrom by a respective gap, and a respective loop-back section extending between the first and second ends,

at least respective loop-back sections of said first and second antenna elements having different shapes providing different polarizations for said first and second antenna elements.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said first and second antenna elements have different gain patterns, and wherein the different gain patterns have a substantially equal main lobe gain.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said loop-back section of said second antenna element comprises at least one arcuate portion.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

a cellular transceiver carried by said housing; and

a cellular antenna coupled to said cellular transceiver.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a circuit board carried by said housing and having first and second opposing major surfaces;

and wherein said first and second antenna elements comprise planar conductive elements on the first major surface of said circuit board.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a matching network coupled between said wireless LAN transceiver and at least one of said first and second antenna elements.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a circuit board;

a wireless LAN transceiver carried by said circuit board; and

a wireless LAN antenna coupled to said wireless LAN transceiver and comprising

electrically conductive traces on said circuit board defining a first antenna element and a second antenna element each comprising a respective feed branch and a respective loop branch having a first end coupled to said feed branch, a second end adjacent said feed branch and separated therefrom by a respective gap, and a respective loop-back section extending between the first and second ends,

at least respective loop-back sections of said first and second antenna elements having different shapes providing different polarizations for said first and second antenna elements.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein said first and second antenna elements have different gain patterns, and wherein the different gain patterns have a substantially equal main lobe gain.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein said loop-back section of said second antenna element comprises at least one arcuate portion.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 further comprising:

a cellular transceiver carried by said circuit board; and

a cellular antenna coupled to said cellular transceiver.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 further comprising a matching network coupled between said wireless LAN transceiver and at least one of said first and second antenna elements.

12. A wireless LAN antenna for a wireless LAN transceiver comprising:

a first antenna element and a second antenna element each comprising a respective feed branch and a respective loop branch having a first end coupled to said feed branch, a second end adjacent said feed branch and separated therefrom by a respective gap, and a respective loop-back section extending between the first and second ends;

at least respective loop-back sections of said first and second antenna elements having different shapes providing different polarizations for said first and second antenna elements.

13. The wireless LAN antenna of claim 12 wherein said first and second antenna elements have different gain patterns, and wherein the different gain patterns have a substantially equal main lobe gain.

14. The wireless LAN antenna of claim 12 wherein said loop-back section of said second antenna element comprises at least one arcuate portion.

15. A method making a wireless LAN antenna for a wireless LAN transceiver comprising:

forming a first antenna element and a second antenna element each comprising a respective feed branch and a respective loop branch having a first end coupled to the feed branch, a second end adjacent the feed branch and separated therefrom by a respective gap, and a respective loop-back section extending between the first and second ends; and

forming at least respective loop-back sections of the first and second antenna elements having different shapes providing different polarizations for the first and second antenna elements.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said first and second antenna elements have different gain patterns, and wherein the different gain patterns have a substantially equal main lobe gain.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said loop-back section of the second antenna element comprises at least one arcuate portion.