Optimized conformal-to-meter antennas

• US 9,525,202 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• 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): Levi, Dameon E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holecek, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US14/212,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20140197999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 method of optimizing performance of an asymmetrical conformal antenna in a utility meter having a meter housing and distributed electrical components, including:

vertically positioning the antenna including a low-band portion with left and right low-band arms and a high-band portion having left and right high-band arms inside the utility meter having the meter housing and the distributed electrical components forming a high component density area and a low component density area, such that at least a portion of the low-band portion is located above a plane formed by a top surface of the meter housing, and a portion of the high-band portion is located below the plane and adjacent the distributed electrical components, 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 an antenna trace, and the high-band portion 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, and wherein a left-side conductive area of the antenna trace is substantially equal to a right-side conductive area of the antenna trace;

radially positioning the antenna about the meter housing and electrical components such that the left high-band arm is adjacent the low electrical component density area and the right high-band arm is adjacent the high electrical component density area; and

causing the antenna to radiate the energy at either a low-band frequency or a high-band frequency.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein vertically positioning the antenna further includes positioning the antenna such that the portion of the low-band portion located above the plane comprises the entire low-band portion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plane formed by the top surface of the meter housing is above the distributed electrical components.

4. A method of optimizing performance of an asymmetrical conformal antenna in a utility meter having a meter housing and distributed electrical components, including:

vertically positioning the antenna including a low-band portion with left and right low-band arms and a high-band portion having left and right high-band arms inside the utility meter having the meter housing and the distributed electrical components forming a high component density area and a low component density area, such that at least a portion of the low-band portion is located above a plane above the distributed electrical components, and a portion of the high-band portion is located below the plane and adjacent the distributed electrical components; and

causing the antenna to radiate the energy at either a low-band frequency or a high-band frequency,

wherein the left low-band arm is substantially the same as the right low-band arm such that the low-band portion is substantially symmetrical about a central axis of an antenna trace,

wherein the high-band portion includes 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, and

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

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising radially positioning the antenna about the meter housing and electrical components such that the left high-band arm is adjacent the low electrical component density area and the right high-band arm is adjacent the high electrical component density area.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the left low-band arm and the right low-band arm are substantially the same such that the low-band portion is substantially symmetrical about a central axis of the antenna trace.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein vertically positioning the antenna further includes positioning the antenna such that the portion of the low-band portion located above the plane comprises the entire low-band portion.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein vertically positioning the antenna further includes positioning the antenna such that the portion of the high-band portion located below the plane formed comprises the entire high-band portion.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein a top of the meter housing is coplanar with the plane above the distributed electrical components.