Wireless networking adapter and variable beam width antenna

• US 7,696,940 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hfield Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hfield Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: MacDonald, Curtis
• Primary Examiner(s): Wimer; Michael C
• Application Number:
  US11/381,686
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 343/795, 343819-822, 343/833, 343/834, 343/839, 343/724, 343/761, 455/575.7
• US Class Current: 343/724
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/30 the primary active element being centre-fed and substantially straight, e.g. Yagi antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/002 providing at least two patterns of different beamwidth; Variable beamwidth antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/18 wherein the primary active element is movable and the reflecting device is fixed

Abstract

A wireless networking adapter that incorporates a Yagi-style directional antenna preferably includes at least one driver element positioned between a reflector element and at least two director elements. Another embodiment of the invention comprises a wireless access point having Yagi-style antenna that includes a driver that is adapted to rotate between a first position, in which the driver is in phase with the reflector an at least two directors, and a second position, in which the driver out of phase with a reflector and at least two directors.

Claims

1. A wireless access point comprising:

a decoder circuit; and

an antenna comprising a driver, a reflector and at least one director, the driver being adapted to move between a first position, in which the driver is in phase with the reflector and the at least one director, and a second position, in which the driver is out of phase with the reflector and the at least one director.

2. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the antenna functions as a directional antenna when the driver is oriented in the first position and functions as an omni-directional antenna when the driver is oriented in the second position.

3. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the driver is adapted to rotate from the first position to the second position.

4. The wireless access point of claim 3, wherein the first position is orthogonal to the second position.

5. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the antenna has a central axis that bisects the reflector and at least one director and the driver rotates about a first axis that is offset from the central axis.

6. The wireless access point of claim 5, wherein the first axis is parallel to the central axis.

7. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the at least one director comprises at least two directors.