Optimized conformal-to-meter antennas

• US 8,723,750 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: World Products Inc. (eVance Processing, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: World Products Inc. (eVance Processing, Inc.)
• Inventors: Podduturi, Bharadvaj R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wimer, Michael C
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLECEK, PATRICK R
• Application Number:
  US12/881,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20110063172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 343/795, 343/702, 343/720, 343/797, 343/798, 343/799, 343/800, 343/810, 343/893
• US Class Current: 343/795
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2233 used in consumption-meter devices, e.g. electricity, gas or water meters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407

Abstract

A dual-dipole, multi-band conformal antenna for facilitating optimized wireless communications of a utility meter. The antenna includes an antenna backing, the backing adapted to conform to an inside surface of a utility meter and an antenna trace affixed to the antenna backing. The antenna trace is made of a conductive material and includes a symmetric low-band portion and an asymmetric high-band portion.

Claims

1. A dual-dipole, multi-band conformal antenna for facilitating optimized wireless communications of a utility meter, the antenna comprising:

an antenna backing, the backing adapted to conform to an inside surface of a utility meter; and

an antenna trace affixed to the antenna backing, the antenna trace comprising a conductive material and including;

a low-band portion for radiating in a low-band frequency range and having a left low-band arm and a right low-band arm, the left low-band arm being substantially the same as the right low-band arm such that the low-band portion is substantially symmetrical about a central axis of the antenna trace; and

a high-band portion for radiating in a high-band frequency range and having a left high-band arm having a left length and a right high-band arm having a right length, the left high-band arm and the right high-band arm being asymmetrical about the central axis of the antenna trace such that the right length of the right high-band arm is not substantially equal to the left length of the left high-band arm, the left length being the sum of lengths of all segments of the left high-band arm, and the right length being the sum of lengths of all segments of the right high-band arm;

wherein a left-side conductive area of the antenna trace is substantially equal to a right-side conductive area of the antenna trace.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the right low-band arm and the left low-band arm each consist of a single, rectangular trace segment.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the right high-band arm and the left high band arm each consist of a single, rectangular trace segment.

4. The antenna of claim 1, wherein a vertical distance between the right high-band arm and the right low-band arm is substantially the same as a vertical distance between the left high-band arm and the left low-band arm.

5. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the left high-band arm includes a first horizontal segment and a first vertical segment, and the right high band arm includes a first horizontal segment and a first vertical segment.

6. The antenna of claim 5, wherein the first horizontal segment of the left high-band arm is transverse to the first vertical segment of the left high-band arm, and the first horizontal segment of the right high-band arm is transverse to the first vertical segment of the right high-band arm.

7. The antenna of claim 5, wherein the left high-band arm further includes a second horizontal segment and a second vertical segment, and the right high-band arm includes a second horizontal segment and a second vertical segment.