Dual-band antenna with grounded patch and coupled feed

• US 9,647,337 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuo, Jerry Weiming
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Linh
• Application Number:
  US14/577,585
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 343702, 343700 MS, 343846, 343848, 343876
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/328 between a radiating element and ground
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/335 at the feed, e.g. for impedance matching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/364 Creating multiple current paths

Abstract

Methods and systems for radiating electromagnetic energy with a patch antenna structure are described. A device may include a radio frequency (RF) feed and an antenna structure coupled to the RF feed. The antenna structure may include a ground plane, first and second conductors, and first and second impedance matching components. The first conductor may include an inner surface defining and at least partially surrounding a slot. The first and second impedance matching components may be coupled between the RF feed and the ground plane.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a single radio frequency (RF) feed; and

a dual-band antenna comprising;

a ground plane; and

a patch coupled to the RF feed, wherein the patch comprises;

a grounding strip coupling the patch to the ground plane;

a first arm coupled to the RF feed and extending in a first direction from the RF feed, the first arm comprising a first portion that extends in the first direction from the RF feed to a first bend, a second portion that extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction from the first bend to a second bend, and a third portion that extends in a third direction opposite the first direction from the second bend to a connector coupled to the grounding strip, wherein the first portion, second portion, and third portion define an inner surface that surrounds a slot;

an inductor with a first end coupled to the RF feed and a second end coupled to the grounding strip; and

a second arm coupled to the RF feed and extending from the RF feed in the third direction; and

an extension coupled to the grounding strip and extending in the third direction, wherein a first surface of the second arm and a second surface of the extension form a capacitor,

wherein the dual-band antenna operates as a folded monopole antenna at a first band of frequencies using the first arm as a conductor and operates as a planar inverted-F antenna at a second band of frequencies using the second arm as a conductor.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first band of frequencies comprises a first frequency range between approximately 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) and 2.5 GHz and the second band of frequencies comprises a second frequency range between approximately 4.3 GHz and 10.0 GHz.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises at least one of a resistor, inductor, or capacitor.

4. An apparatus comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) feed; and

an antenna structure coupled to the RF feed, wherein the antenna structure comprises;

a ground plane;

a first conductor coupled to the RF feed, the first conductor having a first portion extending in a first direction from the RF feed to define a first section of an inner surface that at least partially surrounds a slot, a second portion extending from the first portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to define a second section of the inner surface, and a third portion extending from the second portion in a third direction opposite the first direction to a connector to the ground plane to define a third section of the inner surface;

a second conductor coupled to the RF feed;

a first impedance matching component with a first end coupled to the RF feed and a second end coupled to the ground plane; and

a second impedance matching component with a first end coupled to the RF feed and a second end coupled to the ground plane.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first impedance matching component comprises an inductor and the second impedance matching component comprises a capacitor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the inductor comprises a shorting pin having a first end coupled to the first conductor and a second end coupled to the ground plane.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the capacitor comprises a first surface of the second conductor and a second surface of an extension coupled to the ground plane.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the antenna structure operates as a folded monopole antenna for a first band of frequencies using the first conductor and operates as a planar invented-F antenna for a second band of frequencies using the second conductor.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the antenna structure is to operate at a first band of frequencies comprises approximately 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz and at a second band of frequencies comprising approximately 4.3 GHz to 10.0 GHz.

10. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the antenna structure comprises a patch comprising the first conductor and the second conductor, wherein the patch is a planar piece of metal generally spanning a first plane, the ground plane generally spans a second plane, and the first plane and second plane are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the first plane and the second plane.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the patch further comprises at least a portion of the first impedance matching component and at least a portion of the second impedance matching component.

12. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first conductor comprises a first portion extending in a first direction from the RF feed to a first bend, a second portion extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction from the first bend to a second bend, and a third portion extending in a third direction opposite the first direction from the second bend to a connector coupled to the ground plane, wherein the first portion, second portion, and third portion define and at least partially surround the slot.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the connector comprises a third impedance matching component, the third impedance matching component comprising at least one of a resistor, capacitor, or inductor.

14. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first conductor extends a first distance from the ground plane, the second conductor extends a second distance from the ground plane, and the second distance is greater than the first distance.

15. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first conductor extends from the RF feed in a first direction and the second conductor extends from the RF feed in a second direction opposite the first direction.

16. A device comprising:

a planar piece of metal comprising;

a first arm extending from a reference point in a first direction, wherein the first arm comprises a first portion extending in the first direction from the reference point to a first bend, a second portion extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction from the first bend to a second bend, and a third portion extending in a third direction opposite the first direction from the second bend;

a second arm extending from the reference point in the third direction;

a strip extending in the first direction and spaced apart from the first arm and the second arm in the second direction;

a shorting pin extending in the second direction from the first arm to the strip; and

an extension extending in the third direction and spaced apart from the second arm in the second direction.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the shorting pin introduces an inductance between the first arm and the strip of approximately 4 to 6 nanohenries.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the extension introduces a capacitance between the second arm and the strip of approximately 0.5 to 2.0 picofarads.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the planar piece of metal further comprises:

a first connector extending in the second direction from the third portion to the strip; and

a second connector extending in the second direction from the extension to the strip.

20. The device of claim 16, further comprising a radio frequency (RF) feed coupled to the reference point.