Multi-level antennae

• US 7,505,007 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fractus SA
• Original Assignee: Fractus SA
• Inventors: Baliarda, Carles Puente, Castany, Jordi Soler, Borau, Carmen Borja, Pros, Jaume Anguera
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US11/550,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/700.MS, 343/798, 343/800
• US Class Current: 343/702
• 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

Antennae in which the corresponding radiative element contains at least one multilevel structure formed by a set of similar geometric elements (polygons or polyhedrons) electromagnetically coupled and grouped such that in the structure of the antenna can be identified each of the basic component elements. The design is such that it provides two important advantages: the antenna may operate simultaneously in several frequencies, and/or its size can be substantially reduced. Thus, a multiband radioelectric behavior is achieved, that is, a similar behavior for different frequency bands.

Claims

1. A multi-band antenna having similar impedance and radiation patterns in a plurality of different selected frequency bands and an overall physical size that is less than that of a rectangular single band antenna operating at a lowest selected frequency band of said plurality of different selected frequency bands, comprising:

a conductive radiating structure that includes at least two levels of detail in its geometric configuration,

a first level of detail being formed by a plurality of electromagnetically coupled geometric elements comprising the majority of the structure,

said geometric elements having empty spaces defined there between to

(a) provide a long and winding path for an electric current on the conductive radiating structure and cause it to travel a greater distance than over a solid structure to resonate at a lower frequency, and

(b) present to the electric current an edge-rich periphery to enhance the radiation process,

a second level of detail being formed by the overall geometric shape of the structure, and

the length of the perimeter of the free edges of the geometric elements comprising the structure being greater than the length of the common borders between adjacent geometric elements.

2. The multi-band antenna as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of geometric elements have perimeter regions comprising a curve.

3. The multi-band antenna as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of geometric elements have perimeter regions comprising both linear and non-linear portions.

4. The multi-band antenna set forth in claim 1, wherein the antenna has a small size compared to a circular, square or triangular antenna whose perimeter can be circumscribed in the multilevel structure and which operates at the lowest frequency band of the multi-band antenna.

5. The multi-band antenna set forth in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said at least one multilevel structure comprises a printed copper sheet on a printed circuit board.

6. The multi-band antenna set forth in claim 1, wherein said antenna is included in a portable communications device.

7. A multi-band antenna having similar impedance and radiation patterns in a plurality of different selected frequency bands and an overall physical size that is less than that of a rectangular single band antenna operating at a lowest selected frequency band of said plurality of different selected frequency bands, comprising:

a conductive radiating structure that includes at least two levels of detail in its geometric configuration,

a first level of detail being formed by a plurality of electromagnetically coupled geometric elements comprising the majority of the structure,

said geometric elements having empty spaces defined there between to

(a) provide a long and winding path for an electric current on the conductive radiating structure and cause it to travel a greater distance than over a solid structure to resonate at a lower frequency, and

(b) present to the electric current an edge-rich periphery to enhance the radiation process and increase the bandwidth of radiations in at least one frequency band of said plurality of different selected frequency bands, and

a second level of detail being formed by the overall geometric shape of the structure, and

the length of the perimeter of the free edges of the geometric elements comprising the structure being greater than the length of the common borders between adjacent geometric elements.

8. The multi-band antenna as set forth in claim 7, wherein at least some of the plurality of geometric elements have perimeter regions comprising a curve.

9. The multi-band antenna as set forth in claim 7, wherein at least some of the plurality of geometric elements have perimeter regions comprising both linear and non-linear portions.

10. The multi-band antenna set forth in claim 7, wherein the antenna has a small size compared to a circular, square or triangular antenna whose perimeter can be circumscribed in the multilevel structure and which operates at the lowest frequency band of the multi-band antenna.

11. The multi-band antenna set forth in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of said at least one multilevel structure comprises a printed copper sheet on a printed circuit board.

12. The multi-band antenna set forth in claim 7, wherein said antenna is included in a portable communications device.