Reconfigurable Antenna Ground Plane for Miniaturized Wireless Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The miniaturization of electronic radio communication devices poses challenges in achieving optimal antenna performance due to the reduced size of printed wiring boards, which can result in electrical lengths that are too short for desired operational frequency bands, leading to worsened antenna performance.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a radiator with a ground plane and interconnectors that can change electrical lengths by switching configurations, allowing the ground plane to be connected or disconnected from different conductive elements, thereby optimizing electrical lengths and resonant frequencies to match operating frequencies and improve antenna performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the size of printed wiring board is reduced, then device size is reduced, but antenna performance deteriorates due to insufficient electrical length
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a reconfigurable ground plane with switchable connections that can dynamically change its electrical length and resonant characteristics. The ground plane includes multiple conductive regions that can be selectively connected or disconnected through switches, allowing the electrical length to be adjusted between different states (e.g., connected and disconnected states) to match different operating frequencies, thereby maintaining antenna performance in miniaturized devices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical length parameter of the ground plane by selectively connecting or disconnecting conductive regions. This parameter change allows the ground plane to support resonant modes at different frequencies, enabling the antenna to maintain optimal performance across multiple frequency bands despite the reduced physical size of the printed wiring board
2Length of stationary object
If ground plane size is reduced, then device size is reduced, but resonant frequency matching becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The reconfigurable ground plane with switchable connections enables dynamic adjustment of electrical length to match different resonant frequencies. The switches allow the ground plane to transition between different connection states, each corresponding to a specific electrical length that matches a desired operating frequency, thereby maintaining adaptability despite reduced physical size
Solution Approach 2:
The ground plane is divided into multiple conductive regions that can be independently connected or disconnected. This segmentation allows selective activation of different portions of the ground plane to achieve different electrical lengths and resonant frequencies, providing versatility in frequency matching while keeping the overall ground plane size reduced
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables the optimization of antenna performance across various frequency bands and positions, reducing near fields, increasing isolation, and controlling radiation patterns, while also allowing for the reduction in size of printed wiring boards.
Implementation Method 1
resonant frequencies of the resonant modes of the antenna and the ground plane should be substantially equal and there should be relatively strong coupling between the resonant modes
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus comprising: a radiator (30) having an electrical length; a first conductive element (24); an interconnector (32e), connected to the radiator (30) and to the first conductive element (24), having a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the radiator (30) has a first electrical length when the interconnector (32e) is in the first configuration and a second electrical length, different to the first electrical length, when the interconnector (32e) is in the second configuration.