# US 2014/0197999 A1 · Optimized conformal-to-meter antennas

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- Number: US 2014/0197999 A1
- Document ID: US20140197999A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/212,536
- Filed: 2014-03-14
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2009-09-14
- Assignees: World Products, Inc.
- Applicants: World Products, Inc.
- Inventors: Bharadvaj R. Podduturi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197999A1

## CPC

- H01Q 1/2233: {used in consumption-meter devices, e.g. electricity, gas or water meters}
- H01Q 1/38: 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)}
- H01Q 5/371: Branching current paths
- H01Q 9/285: {Planar dipole (H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407)}
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)

## Abstract

A dual-dipole, multi-band conformal antenna for facilitating optimized wireless communications of a utility meter. The antenna includes an antenna backing, the backing adapted to conform to an inside surface of a utility meter and an antenna trace affixed to the antenna backing. The antenna trace is made of a conductive material and includes a symmetric low-band portion and an asymmetric high-band portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of optimizing performance of an asymmetrical conformal antenna in a utility meter having a meter housing and distributed electrical components, including:
vertically positioning the antenna including a low-band portion with left and right low-band arms and a high-band portion having left and right high-band arms inside the utility meter having the meter housing and the distributed electrical components forming a high component density area and a low component density area, such that at least a portion of the low-band portion is located above a plane formed by a top surface of the meter housing, and a portion of the high-band portion is located below the plane and adjacent the distributed electrical components;
radially positioning the antenna about the meter housing and electrical components such that the left high-band arm is adjacent the low electrical component density area and the right high-band arm is adjacent the high electrical component density area; and
causing the antenna to radiate the energy at either a low-band frequency or a high-band frequency.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein vertically positioning the antenna further includes positioning the antenna such that the portion of the low-band portion located above the plane comprises the entire low-band portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plane formed by the top surface of the meter housing is above the distributed electrical components.

### Claim 4

A method of optimizing performance of an asymmetrical conformal antenna in a utility meter having a meter housing and distributed electrical components, including:
vertically positioning the antenna including a low-band portion with left and right low-band arms and a high-band portion having left and right high-band arms inside the utility meter having the meter housing and the distributed electrical components forming a high component density area and a low component density area, such that at least a portion of the low-band portion is located above a plane above the distributed electrical components, and a portion of the high-band portion is located below the plane and adjacent the distributed electrical components; and
causing the antenna to radiate the energy at either a low-band frequency or a high-band frequency.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising radially positioning the antenna about the meter housing and electrical components such that the left high-band arm is adjacent the low electrical component density area and the right high-band arm is adjacent the high electrical component density area.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the left low-band arm and the right low-band arm are substantially the same such that the low-band portion is substantially symmetrical about a central axis of the antenna trace.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein vertically positioning the antenna further includes positioning the antenna such that the portion of the low-band portion located above the plane comprises the entire low-band portion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein vertically positioning the antenna further includes positioning the antenna such that the portion of the high-band portion located below the plane formed comprises the entire high-band portion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein a top of the meter housing is coplanar with the plane above the distributed electrical components.