Anntena configurations for wireless devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10122090-B2
Application number	US-201514977062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2015
Priority date	Dec 21, 2015
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A wireless device can include an antenna element, a printed circuit board, an antenna feed, a conductive surface, and a conductive connector. The printed circuit board can have a ground plane. The antenna feed can be connected, at a first point, to the antenna element and to the ground plane. The conductive surface can be disposed substantially parallel to the ground plane. The conductive connector can be connected, at a second point, to the ground plane and to the conductive surface. A distance between the first point and the second point can be substantially equal to one quarter of a wavelength of an electromagnetic wave to be exploited by the wireless device. At all other points, the ground plane and the conductive surface can lack a conductive connection between the ground plane and the conductive surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wireless device, comprising:
a printed circuit board having a ground plane;
a power cord having a connector configured to connect, at a first point, the power cord to the ground plane of the printed circuit board, a function of the power cord being to provide electrical supply power to the wireless device;
a ground extension disposed on or within a housing of the wireless device and connected, at a second point, to the ground plane of the printed circuit board, the second point substantially opposite the first point, wherein a ground plane of an antenna of the wireless device comprises the ground plane of the printed circuit board, the power cord, the connector, and the ground extension; and
an antenna feed connected, at a third point, to an antenna element and to the ground plane of the printed circuit board, a distance between the third point and the first point substantially equal to a distance between the third point and the second point.

2. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device is a wireless hub.

3. The wireless device of claim 2 , wherein the wireless hub is a component of a premises management system.

4. The wireless device of claim 3 , wherein the premises management system includes a security system.

5. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the power cord is a Universal Serial Bus™ cable.

6. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the ground extension comprises a conductive sheet.

7. The wireless device of claim 6 , wherein the conductive sheet has a length, a width, and a thickness, the width being substantially equal to a diameter of the power cord.

8. The wireless device of claim 7 , wherein the conductive sheet includes a first portion disposed along a top of the wireless device and a second portion disposed along a side of the wireless device.

9. The wireless device of claim 8 , wherein the length of the conductive sheet is equal to a sum of a length of the first portion added to a length of the second portion.

10. The wireless device of claim 1 , further comprising a holder configured to hold a battery such that, when the battery is held in the holder, a length of the battery is substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to a line formed by the first point and the second point.

11. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is configured to radiate electromagnetic power at a greater efficiency than an antenna having a ground plane that excludes the ground extension.

12. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is configured to radiate electromagnetic power over a bandwidth that is larger than a bandwidth of an antenna having a ground plane that excludes the ground extension.

13. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device is a wireless access point.

14. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device is a wireless gateway.

15. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the ground extension is configured to provide a conductive path opposite of a conductive path provided by the power cord.

16. The wireless device of claim 15 , wherein the conductive path provided by the ground extension is configured to act to undo a bias, toward the power cord, in a current in the ground plane of the antenna.

17. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device has a substantially cylindrical shape.

18. A wireless device, comprising:
a power cord having a connector configured to connect, at a first point, the power cord to a ground plane, a function of the power cord being to provide electrical supply power to the wireless device;
a ground extension disposed on or within a housing of the wireless device and connected, at a second point, to the ground plane, the second point substantially opposite the first point; and
an antenna feed connected, at a third point, to an antenna element and to the ground plane, a distance between the third point and the first point substantially equal to a distance between the third point and the second point.

19. A wireless device, comprising:
a power cord having a connector configured to connect, at a first point, the power cord to a ground plane, a function of the power cord being to provide electrical supply power to the wireless device;
a ground extension disposed on or within a housing of the wireless device and connected, at a second point, to the ground plane, the second point substantially opposite the first point;
a holder configured to hold a battery such that, when the battery is held in the holder, a length of the battery is substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to a line formed by the first point and the second point; and
an antenna feed connected, at a third point, to an antenna element and to the ground plane, a distance between the third point and the first point substantially equal to a distance between the third point and the second point.

Assignees

• Google Inc
• Google Llc

Inventors

• Bevelacqua Peter
• Biggins Paul

Classifications

• H01Q1/38

  formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support {(patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface  H01Q15/142)} · CPC title

• H01Q9/0407 Primary

  Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna (dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40) · CPC title

• H01Q1/48

  Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises · CPC title

• H01Q1/243 Primary

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q1/005

  Damping of vibrations; Means for reducing wind-induced forces · CPC title