Expandable In-Wall Antenna for Security Control Units
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Designing antennas for security system control units is challenging due to the need to protect them from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and fit them within a compact casing, while also considering efficiency, bandwidth, and gain, and there is a desire for an external antenna solution that avoids exposure risks.
Innovation Solution
An expandable antenna system that can be installed within a wall, connecting to an RF communication module in the control unit, allowing it to expand from a compact state to an enlarged size within the wall gap, providing improved performance and protection from EMI while being hidden from view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If antennas are kept within the control unit casing, then they are protected from physical damage and elements, but they are exposed to electromagnetic interference (EMI) from electronic components and have limited size affecting performance
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is extracted from the control unit casing and relocated to the wall cavity behind the control unit. This separation removes the antenna from the EMI-prone environment inside the casing while maintaining physical protection through the wall structure and concealment.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If antennas are made external to the control unit, then EMI interference is reduced, but the antennas become exposed to physical damage and environmental elements
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is nested within the wall cavity structure, which provides both physical protection from environmental elements and concealment. The wall acts as a protective enclosure while allowing the antenna to extend externally for optimal RF positioning.
3Volume of moving object
If antenna size is reduced to fit within the control unit casing, then the antenna fits within the enclosure, but efficiency, bandwidth, and gain are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is relocated to the wall cavity dimension, utilizing the three-dimensional space behind the control unit. This allows the antenna to achieve its full operational size without being constrained by the limited volume of the control unit casing, thereby improving RF performance.
4Reliability
If an external antenna is used, then RF communication performance is improved, but the antenna becomes unsightly and visible
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is extracted from the visible front face of the control unit and relocated to the concealed wall cavity behind it. This allows the antenna to maintain its external positioning for optimal RF performance while being hidden from view, eliminating the aesthetic concern.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an expandable antenna for a security system that is installed within a wall. The security system may include a control unit. The control unit may include a casing that houses one or more internal components of the control unit and a radio-frequency (RF) communication module that is situated within the casing. The RF communication module includes an antenna connected that is exposed to the exterior of the casing. An expandable antenna connects to the antenna connector. The expandable antenna is fit through an aperture in a wall and is then expanded to an enlarged size within the gap of the wall.