Multilevel antennae

• US 9,000,985 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2013
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fractus SA
• Original Assignee: Fractus SA
• Inventors: Puente Baliarda, Carles, Borja Borau, Carmen, Anguera Pros, Jaume, Soler Castany, Jordi
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US13/732,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20130187827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/829, 343/846
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• 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 1/38 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 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/10 Resonant antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/20 characterised by the operating wavebands
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/307 Individual or coupled radiating elements, each element being fed in an unspecified way
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/357 using a single feed point
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/50 Feeding or matching arrangements for broad-band or multi-band operation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/04 Resonant antennas
• 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 9/065 Microstrip dipole antennas patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface

Abstract

An apparatus includes a multi-band antenna element that operates in at least three frequency bands and includes geometric elements arranged to define empty spaces in the antenna element to provide at least three winding current paths through the antenna element which circumvent the empty spaces, the at least three winding current paths respectively corresponding to the at least three frequency bands, wherein each of two or more of the geometric elements is traversed by more than one of the at least three respective winding current paths. The antenna element provides a substantially similar impedance level and radiation pattern in the at least three frequency bands. The geometric elements are arranged such that the antenna element does not comprise substantially non-overlapping portions that serve as respective single band antennas, and a geometry of the antenna element is not substantially self-repeating.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a multi-band antenna element configured to operate in at least three frequency bands and comprising a plurality of geometric elements arranged to define empty spaces in the antenna element to provide at least three winding current paths through the antenna element which circumvent the empty spaces, the at least three winding current paths respectively corresponding to the at least three frequency bands, wherein each of two or more of the geometric elements is traversed by a plurality of the at least three respective winding current paths;

wherein the antenna element provides a substantially similar impedance level and radiation pattern in the at least three frequency bands;

wherein the geometric elements are arranged such that the antenna element does not comprise substantially non-overlapping portions that serve as respective single band antennas; and

wherein a geometry of the antenna element is not substantially self-repeating.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a ground plane, the antenna element being electrically coupled to the ground plane, the antenna element further comprising a feeding point, wherein the feeding point and a point on the ground plane define an input/output port for the antenna element.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the apparatus further comprising:

an input/output connector, the input/output port being coupled to the input/output connector; and

a matching network coupled to the input/output connector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two of the at least three frequency bands are non-overlapping frequency bands.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus provides at least one cellular service across a 1850-1990 MHz frequency range.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one of the at least three frequency bands is in a 800-960 MHz frequency range.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a portable communication device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the portable communication device is a handset.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the antenna element is concealed within the handset.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein all of the geometric elements have four sides and a perimeter of the antenna element has a different number of sides than each of the geometric elements.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a multi-band antenna element configured to operate in at least three frequency bands and comprising a plurality of geometric elements arranged to provide at least three winding current paths that circumvent empty spaces in the antenna element, the at least three winding current paths respectively corresponding to the at least three frequency bands, wherein portions of the at least three winding current paths extend along a plurality of common geometric elements;

wherein the antenna element provides a substantially similar impedance level and radiation pattern in the at least three frequency bands;

wherein the geometric elements are arranged such that the antenna element does not comprise a group of single band antennas that respectively operate in the at least three frequency bands; and

wherein the antenna element is not a fractal type antenna element.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a ground plane, the antenna element being electrically coupled to the ground plane, the antenna element further comprising a feeding point, wherein the feeding point and a point on the ground plane define an input/output port for the antenna element.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, the apparatus further comprising:

an input/output connector, the input/output port being coupled to the input/output connector; and

a matching network coupled to the input/output connector.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least two of the at least three frequency bands are non-overlapping frequency bands.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus provides at least one cellular service across a 1850-1990 MHz frequency range.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one of the at least three frequency bands is in a 800-960 MHz frequency range.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a portable communication device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the portable communication device is a handset.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the antenna element is concealed within a handset.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein all of the geometric elements have four sides and a perimeter of the antenna element has a different number of sides than each of the geometric elements.