Apparatus with partitioned radio frequency antenna and matching network and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11757189-B2
Application number	US-202217705254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2022
Priority date	Aug 29, 2016
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus includes a radio frequency (RF) circuit to transmit or receive RF signals. The apparatus further includes a loop antenna to transmit or receive the RF signals. The apparatus further includes an impedance matching circuit coupled to the RF circuit and to the loop antenna. The impedance matching circuit includes lumped reactive components.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a module comprising:
an RF circuit to transmit or receive RF signals; and
a first portion of a loop antenna to transmit or receive the RF signals; and

a first substrate coupled to the module, the first substrate comprising a second portion of the loop antenna.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the loop antenna comprises a conductive loop of the substrate.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a side of the conductive loop is disposed along an edge of the first substrate.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the module further comprises an impedance matching circuit coupled to the RF circuit and to the first portion of the loop antenna.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the module further comprises a second substrate, and wherein the impedance matching circuit and the first portion of the loop antenna are coupled to the second substrate.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the impedance matching network comprises.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the impedance matching network comprises a resonant network coupled to a reactive network.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the RF circuit comprises an RF receiver.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the RF circuit comprises an RF transmitter.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein conductive traces of the module are used to implement the first portion of the loop antenna.

11. A method comprising:
providing a module, wherein the module comprises an RF circuit to transmit or receive RF signals, and a first portion of a loop antenna to transmit or receive the RF signals; and
providing a first substrate coupled to the module, wherein the first substrate comprises a second portion of the loop antenna.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the second portion of the loop antenna comprises a conductive loop of the substrate.

13. The method according to claim 12 , comprising disposing a side of the conductive loop along an edge of the first substrate.

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the module further comprises an impedance matching circuit coupled to the RF circuit and to the first portion of the loop antenna.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the module further comprises a second substrate, and wherein the impedance matching circuit and the first portion of the loop antenna are coupled to the second substrate.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the impedance matching network comprises first and second reactive networks.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the impedance matching network comprises a resonant network coupled to a reactive network.

18. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the RF circuit comprises an RF receiver.

19. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the RF circuit comprises an RF transmitter.

20. The method according to claim 11 , wherein conductive traces of the module are used to implement the first portion of the loop antenna.

Assignees

• Silicon Lab Inc

Inventors

• Zolomy Attila
• Rahikkala Pasi
• Voor Thomas E

Classifications

• H01Q7/00 Primary

  Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop · CPC title

• H01Q9/14

  Length of element or elements adjustable (telescopic elements H01Q1/10) · CPC title

• H01Q1/2225

  used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal · CPC title

• H01Q23/00

  Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them · CPC title

• H01Q1/50

  Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors · CPC title