Antenna coupler for near field wireless docking

• US 9,450,647 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Songnan, Xiao, Bin, Lin, Xintian E., Hiranandani, Manish A., Karacaoglu, Ulun
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): AGUREYEV, VLADISLAV Y
• Application Number:
  US13/913,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20140362837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/206 Microstrip transmission line antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0075 Stripline fed arrays H01Q21/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/045 with particular feeding means for circular polarisation H01Q9/0428
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication

Abstract

Described herein are techniques related to one or more systems, apparatuses, methods, etc. for a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) based wireless docking station arrangement.

Claims

1. A docking station comprising:

a docking surface;

a first antenna coupler placed on to the docking surface, wherein the antenna coupler overlaps with a second antenna coupler of another device during a wireless communication, said first antenna coupler placed on the docking surface comprises parallel microstrip lines that are perpendicular with said second antenna coupler of another device when said antenna couplers are offset with each other in a horizontal or a vertical (x-y) direction, wherein an electrical distance between the parallel microstrip lines is kept at an odd integer multiple of ninety degrees and the parallel microstrip lines are fed at opposite feeding locations.

2. The docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the microstrip lines are thinner in size than a wavelength, wherein the wavelength is defined by an operating frequency that is utilized in the wireless communication.

3. The docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the first antenna coupler includes a dielectric material that is positioned between a microstrip conductor and a ground plane.

4. The docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the second antenna coupler of the other device includes an array of parallel microstrip lines that are fed at the same location to facilitate transmission in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication.

5. The docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the first antenna coupler includes a maximum determinant value (H).

6. The docking station as recited in claim 5, wherein the first antenna coupler includes an array of parallel microstrip lines that are fed at opposite feeding point locations to facilitate receiving of signals using the maximum determinant value (H).

7. The docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the first antenna coupler includes an array of parallel microstrip lines, the parallel microstrip lines include a feeding point location that utilizes a ninety degree equal power divider to facilitate a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication.

8. The docking station as recited in claim 1, further comprising a low impedance transformer that is configured to match a high impedance section of the first antenna coupler.

9. An antenna coupler comprising:

parallel microstrip conductors that conduct a signal current;

a ground plane that is configured as a return path for the signal current;

a dielectric material that is positioned in between the ground plane and the parallel microstrip conductors, the dielectric material includes a thickness size that is lesser than a wavelength, the wavelength is defined by a frequency of the signal current, wherein an electrical distance between the parallel microstrip conductors is kept at an odd integer multiple of ninety degrees and the parallel microstrip lines are fed at opposite feeding locations.

10. The antenna coupler as recited in claim 9, wherein the microstrip conductor includes a width that is adjusted to increase or decrease a coupling coefficient when the microstrip conductor is positioned on top of another microstrip conductor during a wireless communication.

11. The antenna coupler as recited in claim 9, wherein the signal current in the microstrip conductor and the returning signal current through the ground plane are substantially close to each other.

12. The antenna coupler as recited in claim 9, wherein an array of parallel microstrip conductors are fed at the same input point location to facilitate transmission of the signal current in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication.

13. The antenna coupler as recited in claim 9, wherein an array of parallel microstrip conductors are fed at the opposite feeding point locations to facilitate receiving of the signal current in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication.

14. The antenna coupler as recited in claim 9 further comprising a matching load to terminate the microstrip conductor.

15. The antenna coupler as recited in claim 9 further comprising a ninety degree equal power divider that is positioned in a feeding point location of an array of parallel microstrip conductors.

16. The antenna coupler as recited in claim 9 further comprising a quarter wavelength impedance transformer that is positioned at both ends of the microstrip conductor to match a high impedance middle section in the microstrip conductor, wherein the high impedance middle section is utilized to increase a coupling coefficient during a wireless communication.

17. A method of facilitating a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) based docking station, the method comprising:

providing a first antenna coupler to a docking station, wherein the first antenna coupler comprises parallel microstrip lines;

aligning said first antenna coupler of the docking station to facilitate overlapping with a second antenna coupler during a wireless communication, wherein the first antenna coupler of the docking station is configured to be perpendicular with the second antenna coupler when both said antenna couplers are offset with each other in a horizontal or a vertical direction, wherein an electrical distance between the parallel microstrip lines of the docking station is kept at an odd integer multiple of ninety degrees and the parallel microstrip lines are fed at opposite feeding locations; and

generating docking traffic in the docking station.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the first antenna coupler includes a microstrip conductor width that is adjusted to increase or decrease a coupling coefficient when the first antenna coupler is positioned on top of the second antenna coupler during the wireless communication.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the first antenna coupler includes an array of parallel microstrip lines that are fed at the same feeding point location to facilitate transmission of a signal current in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the first antenna coupler includes an array of parallel microstrip lines that are fed at the opposite feeding point locations to support receiving of signals in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication.