Multi-mode wideband antenna

• US 8,754,817 B1
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuo, Jerry W., Dron, Anuj
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V
• Application Number:
  US13/314,095
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 Branching current paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/378 Combination of fed elements with parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

Methods and systems for extending a bandwidth of a multi-mode wideband antenna of a user device are described. A multi-mode wideband antenna includes a single radio frequency (RF) input coupled to a first antenna structure to provide a first resonant mode and a second resonant mode and to operate as a feeding structure to an antenna circuit that is not conductively coupled to the first antenna structure. The antenna circuit is configured to provide additional resonant modes of the multi-mode wideband antenna.

Claims

1. A apparatus comprising:

a single radio frequency (RF) input;

a dual-mode monopole antenna coupled to the single RF input, wherein the dual-mode monopole antenna is configured to provide a first resonant mode and a second resonant mode and to operate as a feeding structure to an antenna circuit that is not conductively connected to the dual-mode monopole antenna; and

the antenna circuit configured to provide a plurality of resonant modes, wherein the antenna circuit comprises;

a line structure coupled to ground;

a strip coupled to the line structure; and

a second folded arm extending back towards the line structure from a distal end of the strip, wherein the strip is disposed in parallel with a first arm of the dual-mode monopole antenna and farther away from the single RF input than the first arm, and wherein the strip is disposed to form a gap between a portion of the first arm and a portion of the strip.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dual-mode monopole antenna is a first monopole with folded arms.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first monopole with folded arms comprises:

a base coupled to the single RF input;

the first arm extending out from a first side of the base; and

a first folded arm extending back towards the first side of the base from a distal end of the first arm.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first arm is configured to provide the first resonant mode and the first folded arm is configured to provide the second resonant mode.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the strip is configured to operate as at least a portion of a capacitor of the antenna circuit, and wherein the line structure is configured to operate as at least a portion of an inductor of the antenna circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more portions of the dual-mode monopole antenna and antenna circuit are disposed on a three-dimensional antenna carrier to reduce an overall effective height of the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first monopole with folded arms is configured to provide the first resonant mode and the first folded arm is configured to provide the second resonant mode, and wherein the strip is configured to provide a third resonant mode of the plurality of resonant modes and the second folded arm is configured to provide a fourth resonant mode of the plurality of resonant modes.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first resonant mode is in a range between 680 MHz and 1240 MHz, the second resonant mode is in a range between 1.6 GHz and 2.0 GHz, the third resonant mode is in a range between 715 MHz and 845 MHz, and the fourth resonant mode is in a range between 1.91 GHz and 2.43 GHz.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an order of frequencies of the first, second, third, and fourth resonant modes from lowest frequency to highest frequency is the third resonant mode, the first resonant mode, the second resonant mode, and the fourth resonant mode.

10. A apparatus, comprising:

a single radio frequency (RF) input;

a first antenna structure coupled to the single RF input, wherein the first antenna structure is configured to provide a first resonant mode and a second resonant mode and to operate as a feeding structure to a passive antenna structure that is not conductively connected to the first antenna structure; and

the passive antenna structure coupled to ground, wherein the passive antenna structure is configured to create a third resonant mode that is less than the first resonant mode and to create one or more additional resonant modes.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the passive antenna structure comprises a first element to form a capacitor between the passive antenna structure and the first antenna structure and a second element to form an inductor between the passive antenna structure and the first antenna structure.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the passive antenna structure is configured to form series inductance capacitance (LC) resonances in a circuit mode.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a ground plane coupled to the passive antenna structure; and

an antenna carrier upon which the first antenna structure and the passive antenna structure are disposed, wherein the antenna carrier, the first antenna structure, and the passive antenna structure are three dimensional.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first antenna structure and the passive antenna structure are disposed to wrap around at least two sides of the antenna carrier.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first antenna structure and the passive antenna structure are disposed to wrap around all six sides of the antenna carrier.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an excitation portion to electrically couple the first antenna structure and the passive antenna structure.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the excitation portion comprises one or more elements coupled to the first antenna structure and one or more elements coupled to the passive antenna structure, wherein the one or more elements of the first antenna structure and the one or more elements of the passive structure are interdigitated.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a single radio frequency (RF) input;

a first antenna structure coupled to the single RF input, wherein the first antenna structure is configured to provide a first resonant mode and a second resonant mode and to operate as a feeding structure to a passive antenna structure that is not conductively connected to the first antenna structure; and

the passive antenna structure coupled to ground, wherein the passive antenna structure is configured to create a third resonant mode that is less than the first resonant mode and to create one or more additional resonant modes, wherein the first antenna structure comprises a first monopole with folded arms coupled to the single RF input at a first end and coupled to a ground plane at a second end.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first monopole with folded arms comprises:

a first base coupled to the single RF input, the first base extending from the single RF input towards a top side of an antenna carrier;

a first arm extending out from a first side of the first base on a front side of the antenna carrier towards a first side of the antenna carrier and wrapping around the first side of the antenna carrier to the top side of the antenna carrier;

a first folded arm, coupled to the first arm, extending back towards the first side of the first base on the top side of the antenna carrier;

a second base coupled to the ground plane, the second base extending from the ground plane towards the top side of the antenna carrier, wherein the second base is disposed parallel with the first base and closer to the first side of the antenna carrier than the first base;

a second arm extending from a first side of the second base on the front side of the antenna carrier towards the first side of the antenna carrier, and wrapping around the first side of the antenna carrier to the top side of the antenna carrier;

a second folded arm, coupled to the second arm, extending back towards the first side of the second base on the top side of the antenna carrier, wherein the first folded arm at the top side of the antenna carrier is disposed closer to the front side of the antenna carrier than the second folded arm; and

a first coupling portion disposed at the top side of the antenna carrier to couple a distal end of the first folded arm to a distal end of the second folded arm.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first arm is configured to provide the first resonant mode and the second arm is configured to provide the second resonant mode.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first resonant mode is in a range between 680 MHz and 1.240 GHz and the second resonant mode is in a range between 1.6 GHz and 2.0 GHz.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a second coupling portion disposed at the front side of the antenna carrier to couple a portion of the first arm that extends from the first side of the first base to the first side of the antenna carrier and a portion of the second arm that extends from the first side of the second base to the first side of the antenna carrier.

23. A apparatus comprising:

a single radio frequency (RF) input;

a first antenna structure coupled to the single RF input, wherein the first antenna structure is configured to provide a first resonant mode and a second resonant mode and to operate as a feeding structure to a passive antenna structure that is not conductively connected to the first antenna structure; and

the passive antenna structure coupled to ground, wherein the passive antenna structure is configured to create a third resonant mode that is less than the first resonant mode and to create one or more additional resonant modes, wherein the passive antenna structure comprises a three-dimensional (3D) closed loop structure coupled to a ground plane at a first end.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the 3D closed loop structure comprises:

a first base coupled to the ground plane, the first base extending from the ground plane towards a top side of an antenna carrier;

a first arm extending out from a first side of the first base on a front side of the antenna carrier towards a second side of the antenna carrier, and wrapping around the second side of the antenna carrier to a back side of the antenna carrier; and

a first folded arm extending back towards the first side of the first base on the back side of the antenna carrier.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the 3D closed loop structure further comprises a second arm wrapping around the second side of the antenna carrier from a portion of first folded arm disposed on the back side of the antenna carrier, extending towards the front side of the antenna carrier, and extending back towards the first side of the first base on the front side of the antenna carrier.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first base and the first arm are configured to provide the third resonant mode and a fourth resonant mode of the one or more additional resonant modes, and wherein the second arm is configured to provide a fifth resonant mode of the one or more additional resonant modes.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first resonant mode is in a range between 680 MHz and 1240 MHz, the second resonant mode is in a range between 1.6 GHz and 2.0 GHz, the third resonant mode is in a range between 715 MHz and 845 MHz, the fourth resonant mode is in a range between 1.91 GHz and 2.43 GHz, and the fifth resonant mode is in a range between 1.81 GHz and 2.13 GHz.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first base, first arm, and first folded arm are configured to provide the third resonant mode and a fourth resonant mode of the one or more additional resonant modes.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the first resonant mode is in a range between 680 MHz and 1240 MHz, the second resonant mode is in a range between 1.6 GHz and 2.0 GHz, the third resonant mode is in a range between 715 MHz and 845 MHz, and the fourth resonant mode is in a range between 1.91 GHz and 2.43 GHz.

30. A user device comprising:

a wireless modem; and

a multi-mode antenna configured to radiate electromagnetic energy to communicate data to and from the wireless modem via a single radio frequency (RF) input coupled to the wireless modem, wherein the multi-mode antenna comprises;

a first antenna structure coupled to the single RF input, wherein the first antenna structure is configured to provide a first resonant mode and a second resonant mode and to operate as a feeding structure to a passive antenna structure that is not conductively connected to the first antenna structure; and

the passive antenna structure configured to create a third resonant mode, a fourth resonant mode, and a fifth resonant mode.

31. The user device of claim 30, further comprising a transceiver coupled to the wireless modem and the single RF input.

32. The user device of claim 30, wherein the first resonant mode is in a range between 680 MHz and 1240 MHz, the second resonant mode is in a range between 1.6 GHz and 2.0 GHz, the third resonant mode is in a range between 715 MHz and 845 MHz, and wherein the one or more additional resonant modes comprises a fourth resonant mode that is in a range between 1.91 GHz and 2.43 GHz.

33. The user device of claim 30, wherein the first resonant mode is in a range between 680 MHz and 1240 MHz, the second resonant mode is in a range between 1.6 GHz and 2.0 GHz, the third resonant mode is in a range between 715 MHz and 845 MHz, and wherein the fourth resonant mode is in a range between 1.91 GHz and 2.43 GHz, and the fifth resonant mode is in a range between 1.81 GHz and 2.13 GHz.

34. The user device of claim 30, wherein an order of frequencies of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth resonant modes from lowest frequency to highest frequency is the third resonant mode, the first resonant mode, the second resonant mode, the fifth resonant mode, and the fourth resonant mode.

35. The use device of claim 30, wherein the multi-mode antenna is disposed on a dielectric carrier in two dimensions.

36. The use device of claim 30, wherein the multi-mode antenna is disposed on a dielectric carrier in three dimensions.

37. A user device comprising:

a wireless modem; and

a multi-mode antenna configured to radiate electromagnetic energy to communicate data to and from the wireless modem via a single radio frequency (RF) input coupled to the wireless modem, wherein the multi-mode antenna comprises;

a first antenna structure coupled to the single RF input, wherein the first antenna structure is configured to provide a first resonant mode and a second resonant mode and to operate as a feeding structure to a passive antenna structure that is not conductively connected to the first antenna structure; and

the passive antenna structure configured to create a third resonant mode and one or more additional resonant modes, wherein the multi-mode antenna further comprises an excitation portion that electrically couples the first antenna structure and the passive antenna structure, wherein the first antenna structure and the passive antenna structure are not conductively connected.

38. The user device of claim 37, wherein the excitation portion comprises one or more elements coupled to the first antenna structure and one or more elements coupled to the passive antenna structure, wherein the elements of the first antenna structure and the passive structure are interdigitated.

39. A method of operating a user device, the method comprising:

inducing a first current at a single radio frequency (RF) input coupled to a first antenna structure of a multi-mode antenna to provide a first resonant mode and a second resonant mode;

in response, parasitically inducing a second current at a passive antenna structure of the multi-mode antenna to provide a third resonant mode that is less than the first resonant mode and one or more additional resonant modes; and

radiating electromagnetic energy from the first antenna structure and the passive antenna structure to communicate information to another device in response to the first and second currents.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the first resonant mode is in a range between 680 MHz and 1240 MHz, the second resonant mode is in a range between 1.6 GHz and 2.0 GHz, the third resonant mode is in a range between 715 MHz and 845 MHz, and wherein the one or more additional resonant modes comprises a fourth resonant mode that is in a range between 1.91 GHz and 2.43 GHz.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the first resonant mode is in a range between 680 MHz and 1240 MHz, the second resonant mode is in a range between 1.6 GHz and 2.0 GHz, the third resonant mode is in a range between 715 MHz and 845 MHz, and wherein the one or more additional resonant modes comprise a fourth resonant mode that is in a range between 1.91 GHz and 2.43 GHz, and a fifth resonant mode is in a range between 1.81 GHz and 2.13 GHz.