Wearable Device Metal Shell Patch Antenna Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microstrip patch antennas in wearable devices face challenges in aesthetics and performance due to their internal placement, which limits bandwidth and requires additional enclosures, compromising both design options and radiation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The wearable device features a metal shell with exposed patch and ground conductors separated by a dielectric, maximizing radiating surface area and eliminating the need for additional enclosures, allowing for a compact, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing design by using the metal shell as active antenna components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the antenna is placed inside the protective enclosure made of dielectric material, then the antenna is protected and hidden, but the antenna bandwidth is limited and additional metal-free zones are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the antenna conductors from the traditional enclosed position and places them on the exposed outer surfaces of the device. The patch conductor is positioned on the first exposed surface and the ground conductor on the second exposed surface, eliminating the need for dielectric enclosures and enabling wider bandwidth operation while maintaining aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions the antenna structure from a two-dimensional planar configuration enclosed within the device to a three-dimensional configuration utilizing both outer surfaces of the device. This dimensional expansion allows the antenna to achieve wider bandwidth without requiring additional enclosures or compromising aesthetic design.
2Reliability
If the antenna is exposed by creating dielectric gaps in the metallic shell body, then the antenna radiation performance is improved, but the aesthetic design options are limited and the device loses metallic look and feel
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the aesthetic metallic shell structure with the functional antenna components. The patch and ground conductors are integrated into the outer metallic surfaces, allowing the shell to serve both aesthetic and antenna functions simultaneously, eliminating the need for dielectric gaps while maintaining full metallic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer metallic shell of the device is given dual functionality: it maintains aesthetic appearance as a protective enclosure while simultaneously serving as the antenna structure. The patch and ground conductors on the exposed surfaces enable the shell to function as both structural/aesthetic element and radiating element.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the distance between patch conductor and ground conductor is increased to improve bandwidth, then the antenna bandwidth improves, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the third dimension by positioning the patch conductor on one outer surface and the ground conductor on the opposite outer surface of the device. This vertical separation across the device thickness enables increased conductor spacing and wider bandwidth without increasing the device's planar footprint or overall volume.
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 configuration enhances the operating bandwidth and efficiency of the antenna while providing a luxurious, metal-rich appearance, allowing for more design freedom and improved placement of internal components without the need for clearance zones.
Implementation Method 1
a patch antenna that is coupled to said wireless communication means to receive and/or transmit electromagnetic radiation
Implementation Method 2
a substantially planar patch conductor and a substantially planar ground conductor that are separated by a dielectric in between said patch conductor and said ground conductor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3A
Figure 3B~3C
AI summary
A wearable device comprises wireless communication means and a patch antenna that is coupled to said wireless communication means to receive and/or transmit electromagnetic radiation. Said patch antenna comprises a planar patch conductor and a planar ground conductor that are separated by a dielectric in between said patch conductor and said ground conductor while at least partially overlapping with one another. The device comprises a core inside a shell and comprises at least part of said communication means within said core. Said shell comprises a first shell part and a second shell part opposite said first shell part, wherein said first shell part and said second shell part are at least partially separated by said dielectric. Said first shell part comprises said patch conductor and said second shell part comprises said ground conductor. Said first shell part and said second shell part together form said patch antenna. The wearable device particularly is a piece of jewellery.