Multi-Port Conductive Patch Antenna for Compact High-Gain Layouts

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Solution Overview

Problem

As electronic devices shrink in size, it becomes challenging to mount antenna structures with multiple elements while maintaining gain, as reducing the number of elements decreases performance.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device with a housing containing a conductive patch and wireless communication circuit that uses multiple feeding ports to connect to a single antenna element, allowing for high-frequency communication performance through a printed circuit board and conductive patches arranged in a specific configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the number of antenna elements is increased to maintain gain, then the gain of the antenna structure is improved, but the size of the antenna structure increases making it difficult to mount on the electronic device

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantenna gainVSAvoidantenna structure size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple feeding ports (first, second, third, and fourth feeding ports) to feed a single antenna element (first antenna element). This combining approach allows the system to maintain the performance benefits of multiple feeding ports while reducing the total number of antenna elements required, thereby decreasing the overall antenna structure size while preserving gain

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single antenna element serves multiple functions by being fed through multiple different feeding ports, each potentially providing different signal paths or polarizations. This multi-functionality allows the antenna element to achieve the performance characteristics of multiple antenna elements without requiring multiple physical elements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Volume of moving object

If the number of antenna elements is decreased to reduce the size of the antenna structure, then the size of the antenna structure is reduced for easier mounting, but the gain of the antenna structure decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantenna structure sizeVSAvoidantenna gain
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple feeding ports to feed fewer antenna elements, specifically using four feeding ports to feed only two antenna elements. This merging of feeding resources compensates for the reduced number of antenna elements, maintaining the total feeding port count and thereby preserving the gain and performance characteristics that would otherwise require more antenna elements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Power

If the total number of feeding ports is increased to increase the output power of the antenna array, then the output power of the antenna array is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoutput power of antenna arrayVSAvoidnumber of feeding ports
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the functionality of multiple feeding ports onto fewer antenna elements, creating a configuration where four feeding ports feed only two antenna elements. This reduces the overall system complexity compared to a traditional array where each antenna element would require its own dedicated feeding port, while still maintaining high output power through the multiple feeding paths

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3878050B1Antenna structure including conductive patch fed using multiple electrical paths and electronic device including the antenna structure
Publication Date: 2025.10.15 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3878050B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3878050B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3878050B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~4

AI summary

An electronic device is provided that includes, an antenna structure including a printed circuit board including first and second surfaces, at least one conductive patch interposed between the first second surfaces or is disposed on the first surface, the conductive patch including first to fourth areas placed in a clockwise direction with respect to a first imaginary axis extended in a first direction on the conductive patch and a second imaginary axis intersecting the first imaginary axis and perpendicular to the first imaginary axis, and at least one wireless communication circuit that transmits and/or receives a first signal having a frequency between 3 and 100 GHz. The wireless communication circuit includes a first port electrically connected to a first position of the first area, and a second port electrically connected to a second position placed on an opposite side to the first position with respect to the first imaginary axis.