Optimum Utilization of Slot Gap in PIFA Design

An antenna comprising:

• a metal ground plane;
• a metal radiating element spaced from said ground plane;
• a slot having side walls formed in said radiating element;
• and
• a metal element located within said slot and out of physical contact with said side walls.

A planar antenna comprising:

• a ground plane;
• a radiating element having an edge;
• a shorting post connecting said radiating element to said ground plane;
• a first slot having side walls, an open end that is located on said edge, and a closed end that is located within said radiating element;
• a second slot having side walls, an open end that is located on said edge at a position that is spaced from said open end of said first slot, and a closed end that is located within said radiating element;
• a first extension of said radiating element entering said first slot at said open end thereof and extending generally along a length of said second slot from said open end to generally said closed end thereof without physically contacting said side walls of said first slot;
• and
• a second extension of said radiating element entering said second slot at said open end thereof and extending generally along a length of said second slot from said open end to generally said closed end thereof without physically contacting said side walls of said second slot.

A method of controlling the operating parameters of a planar antenna comprising the steps of:

• providing a generally planar metal radiating element having an edge;
• providing a slot within said radiating element;
• providing that said slot include side walls, an open slot-end that lies on said edge of said radiating element, and a closed slot-end the lies within said radiating element;
• and
• providing a generally planar metal segment;
• providing that at least a portion of said metal segment is coplanar with said radiating element;
• and
• providing that said metal segment extends generally from said open slot-end to said closed slot-end without physically engaging said side walls.