Balanced microstrip folded dipole antennas and matching networks

An apparatus to transmit or receive wireless signals, comprising:

• a printed circuit board including:
• a first dielectric layer;
• a second dielectric layer;
• and
• an intermediate layer located between the first layer and the second layer, wherein a first portion of the intermediate layer comprises a ground plane and a second portion of the intermediate layer comprises a dielectric material;
• a balanced folded dipole antenna, comprising a first conductive trace portion located on the first dielectric layer coupled to a second conductive trace portion located on the second dielectric layer, wherein the first and second conductive trace portions are electrically coupled via the intermediate layer and are adjacent the second portion of the intermediate layer, the first conductive trace portion comprising:
• a first microstrip section coupled to the second folded dipole portion, the first microstrip having a length to width ratio of substantially 24.1 to substantially 2.0;
• a second microstrip section coupled substantially orthogonally to the first microstrip and having a length to width ratio of substantially 2.0 to substantially 0.5 millimeters;
• and
• a third microstrip section coupled to the second microstrip and the first portion of the transmission line and substantially parallel to the first microstrip, the third microstrip having a length to width ratio of substantially 24.1 to substantially 1.0;
• a balanced matching network to provide impedance matching between the folded dipole antenna and an integrated circuit, comprising third and fourth conductive traces, at least one of the third or fourth conductive traces comprising:
• a tapered first microstrip, comprising a narrow end electrically coupled to a respective transmission line and having a width ratio of substantially 1.17 to substantially 1.34;
• a second microstrip electrically coupled to the first microstrip and having a width to height ratio of substantially 1.34 to substantially 7.65;
• and
• a third microstrip coupled substantially orthogonally to the second microstrip via a mitered bend and having a width to height ratio of substantially 1.0 to substantially 2.0;
• and
• a balanced transmission line, comprising:
• a fifth conductive trace located on the first dielectric layer to couple the first and third conductive traces;
• and
• a sixth conductive trace located on the second dielectric layer to couple the second and fourth conductive traces.