Transparent Antenna Stack With Mesh Layers for Low-Visibility Deployment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antennas deployed for network communication have a high visual impact, leading to regulatory restrictions on their deployment due to aesthetic concerns.
Innovation Solution
Development of optically transparent antenna stacks and assemblies featuring stacked antennas with electrically conductive metal meshes that operate over non-overlapping frequency bands, allowing for reduced visual impact and ease of deployment on various surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If traditional antennas are used in retail store systems, then wireless communication functionality is achieved, but the antennas are visible and create an unattractive appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna elements are constructed from transparent or translucent materials that allow light to pass through, making them visually imperceptible or significantly less noticeable. This transforms the antenna from a visible, unattractive component into an aesthetically acceptable element that blends with the retail environment while maintaining full wireless communication functionality.
2Reliability
If multiple antenna elements are stacked to achieve desired performance, then communication reliability is improved, but the physical size and complexity of the assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple antenna elements are stacked vertically in a compact arrangement where each element is positioned within or adjacent to the others, creating a space-efficient assembly. The transparent materials allow the stacked structure to maintain visual simplicity while achieving the desired communication reliability through multiple elements working in concert.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna elements utilize thin, transparent structures that reduce the overall physical footprint of the stacked assembly. The thin-film construction allows multiple elements to be closely spaced vertically without significantly increasing the horizontal space required, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Illumination intensity
If transparent materials are used for antenna elements, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material structures that combine transparent substrates with conductive elements, achieving both aesthetic transparency and functional performance. These composite constructions are designed to be more tolerant of manufacturing variations, reducing the precision requirements compared to purely transparent conductive materials while maintaining the visual transparency effect.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An optically transparent antenna stack includes at least two stacked optically transparent antennas. Each antenna includes an electrically conductive metal mesh including a plurality of interconnected electrically conductive metal traces defining a plurality of enclosed open areas. The metal mesh of each antenna and each lead has a percent open area greater than about 50%. The at least two stacked optically transparent antennas includes a first antenna configured to operate over a first, but not a second, frequency band and a second antenna configured to operate over the second, but not the first, frequency band. The optically transparent antenna stack has an optical transmission of at least about 50% for at least one wavelength in a wavelength range from about 450 nm to about 600 nm.