Meter Antenna Perpendicular to Circuit Boards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing meter devices with communication functions often experience degraded antenna performance due to interference between the antenna and circuit boards, particularly when not carefully designed for installation locations and dimensions specified by power companies.
Innovation Solution
The meter incorporates an antenna system with a substrate, ground plane, and antenna trace arranged substantially perpendicular to the circuit boards, avoiding overlap with metal components and high-frequency noise sources, and utilizing multiband and single-band antennas to maintain performance across various communication frequency bands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the antenna is installed in the meter without careful design for installation locations and dimensions, then the meter can perform wireless communication, but the antenna performance is degraded due to interference with circuit boards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by arranging the antenna system substantially perpendicular to the circuit boards. This spatial reorientation separates the antenna from the plane of the circuit boards, reducing electromagnetic interference while maintaining wireless communication functionality within the constrained meter housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by creating a specific interference-free zone around the antenna. The antenna system is positioned and oriented to avoid overlap with metal components and high-frequency noise sources on the circuit boards, ensuring localized optimal performance while other areas of the meter can accommodate necessary electronic components.
2Volume of moving object
If the antenna is positioned close to circuit boards to save space, then the meter size can be reduced, but high-frequency noise interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the space versus interference contradiction by utilizing the third dimension. The antenna system is arranged perpendicular to the circuit board plane, allowing compact meter dimensions while maintaining adequate separation from high-frequency noise sources through vertical positioning rather than horizontal distancing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the antenna system's specific orientation and positioning as an intermediary element that mediates between the need for compact size and the requirement to avoid interference. By carefully designing the antenna's spatial relationship to circuit boards, the patent creates a configuration that satisfies both constraints.
3Ease of manufacture
If the antenna overlaps with metal components to simplify structure, then manufacturing is easier, but antenna performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designating specific regions within the meter housing as interference-free zones for the antenna. The antenna system is positioned to avoid overlap with metal components and high-frequency noise sources, ensuring optimal performance in the antenna's local environment while other areas of the meter can maintain structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent resolves the manufacturing simplicity versus performance contradiction by using vertical arrangement. The antenna system is positioned perpendicular to circuit boards in a way that naturally avoids metal component overlap without requiring complex structural modifications, maintaining ease of manufacture while ensuring performance.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a meter with a communication function includes a terminal block, boards and an antenna. The terminal block, to which a power line is connected, is disposed at a predetermined position of an installation portion. The boards are disposed to be stacked on the terminal block to keep a distance in a direction away from the installation portion. The antenna is formed on a plate substrate disposed in a direction intersecting with the boards.