Multiple frequency inverted-F antennas having multiple switchable feed points and wireless communicators incorporating the same

A wireless communicator, comprising:

• a housing configured to enclose a transceiver that transmits and receives wireless communications signals;
• a ground plane disposed within the housing;
• and
• an inverted-F antenna, comprising:
• a linear conductive element having opposite first and second sides, wherein the linear conductive element extends along a longitudinal direction, and wherein the linear conductive element is in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship with the ground plane;
• a first feed electrically connected to the linear conductive element and to ground and that extends outwardly from the linear conductive element first side at a first location;
• a second feed electrically connected to the linear conductive element and extending outwardly from the linear conductive element first side at a second location, wherein the second location is spaced-apart from the first location along the longitudinal direction;
• a switch electrically connected to the second feed and configured to selectively connect the second feed to ground or the transceiver;
• a third feed electrically connected to the linear conductive element and extending outwardly from the linear conductive element first side at a third location, wherein the third location is spaced-apart from the first and second locations along the longitudinal direction;
• and
• a switch electrically connected to the third feed and configured to selectively connect the third feed to ground or the transceiver or to maintain the third feed in an open circuit;
• wherein the antenna radiates in a first frequency band when the first feed is electrically connected to ground, when the second feed is electrically connected to the transceiver, and when the third switch is open;
• and
• wherein the antenna radiates in a second frequency band different than the first frequency band when the first and second feeds are connected to ground, and when the third feed is electrically connected to the transceiver.

A multi-frequency planar inverted-F antenna, comprising:

• a planar, linear conductive element having opposite first and second sides, wherein the planar, linear conductive element extends along a longitudinal direction;
• first and second feeds electrically connected to the planar, linear conductive element and to ground, and that extend outwardly from the planar, linear conductive element first side in adjacent spaced-apart relationship at a first location along the longitudinal direction;
• third and fourth feeds electrically connected to the planar, linear conductive element and extending outwardly from the planar, linear conductive element first side in adjacent spaced-apart relationship at a second location along the longitudinal direction, wherein the second location is spaced-apart from the first location along the longitudinal direction;
• respective switches electrically connected to the respective third and fourth feeds and configured to selectively connect the third and fourth feeds to ground or to a receiver or to a transmitter or to maintain the respective third and fourth feeds in an open circuit;
• fifth and sixth feeds electrically connected to the planar, linear conductive element and extending outwardly from the planar, linear conductive element first side in adjacent spaced-apart relationship at a third location along the longitudinal direction, wherein the third location is spaced-apart from the first location along the longitudinal direction;
• respective switches electrically connected to the respective fifth and sixth feeds and configured to selectively connect the fifth and sixth feeds to ground or to the receiver or to the transmitter or to maintain the respective fifth and sixth feeds in an open circuit;
• wherein the antenna radiates in a first frequency band when the first and second feeds are electrically connected to ground, when the fourth feed is electrically connected to the receiver or to the transmitter, and when the third, fifth and sixth feed switches are open;
• and
• wherein the antenna radiates in a second frequency band greater than the first frequency band when the first, second, third, and fourth feeds are electrically connected to ground, when the fifth feed is electrically connected to the receiver or to the transmitter, and when the sixth feed switch is open.

A wireless communicator, comprising:

• a housing configured to enclose a transceiver that transmits and receives wireless communications signals;
• a ground plane disposed within the housing;
• and
• a multi-frequency planar inverted-F antenna, comprising:
• a planar, linear conductive element having opposite first and second sides, wherein the planar, linear conductive element extends along a longitudinal direction;
• first and second feeds electrically connected to the planar, linear conductive element and to ground, and that extend outwardly from the planar, linear conductive element first side in adjacent spaced-apart relationship at a first location along the longitudinal direction;
• third and fourth feeds electrically connected to the planar, linear conductive element and extending outwardly from the planar, linear conductive element first side in adjacent spaced-apart relationship at a second location along the longitudinal direction, wherein the second location is spaced-apart from the first location along the longitudinal direction;
• respective switches electrically connected to the respective third and fourth feeds and configured to selectively connect the third and fourth feeds to ground or to the transceiver or to maintain the respective third and fourth feeds in an open circuit;
• fifth and sixth feeds electrically connected to the planar, linear conductive element and extending outwardly from the planar, linear conductive element first side in adjacent spaced-apart relationship at a third location along the longitudinal direction, wherein the third location is spaced-apart from the first location along the longitudinal direction;
• respective switches electrically connected to the respective fifth and sixth feeds and configured to selectively connect the fifth and sixth feeds to ground or to the transceiver or to maintain the respective fifth and sixth feeds in an open circuit;
• wherein the antenna radiates in a first frequency band when the first and second feeds are electrically connected to ground, when the fourth feed is electrically connected to the transceiver, and when the third, fifth and sixth feed switches are open;
• and
• wherein the antenna radiates in a second frequency band greater than the first frequency band when the first, second, third, and fourth feeds are electrically connected to ground, when the fifth feed is electrically connected to the transceiver, and when the sixth feed switch is open.

A multi-frequency planar inverted-F antenna, comprising:

• a planar, linear conductive element having opposite first and second sides, wherein the planar, linear conductive element extends along a longitudinal direction;
• first and second feeds electrically connected to the planar, linear conductive element and extending outwardly from the planar, linear conductive element first side in adjacent spaced-apart relationship at a first location along the longitudinal direction;
• respective first and second switches electrically connected to the respective first and second feeds, wherein the first switch is configured to selectively connect the first feed to ground or to maintain the first feed in an open circuit, and wherein the second switch is configured to selectively connect the second feed to a receiver that receives wireless communications signals or to a transmitter that transmits wireless communications signals or to maintain the second feed in an open circuit;
• third and fourth feeds electrically connected to the planar, linear conductive element and extending outwardly from the planar, linear conductive element first side in adjacent spaced-apart relationship at a second location along the longitudinal direction, wherein the second location is spaced-apart from the first location along the longitudinal direction;
• respective third and fourth switches electrically connected to the respective third and fourth feeds, wherein the third switch is configured to selectively connect the third feed to ground or to maintain the third feed in an open circuit, and wherein the fourth switch is configured to selectively connect the fourth feed to a receiver that receives wireless communications signals or to a transmitter that transmits wireless communications signals or to maintain the fourth feed in an open circuit;
• wherein the antenna radiates in a first frequency band when the first switch electrically connects the first feed to ground, when the second switch electrically connects the second feed to a receiver or to a transmitter, and when the third and fourth switches are open;
• wherein the antenna radiates in a second frequency band different than the first frequency band when the first and second switches are open, when the third switch electrically connects the third feed to ground, and when the fourth switch electrically connects the fourth feed to a receiver or to a transmitter.

A wireless communicator, comprising:

• a housing configured to enclose a transceiver that transmits and receives wireless communications signals;
• a ground plane disposed within the housing;
• and
• a multi-frequency planar inverted-F antenna, comprising:
• a planar, linear conductive element having opposite first and second sides, wherein the planar, linear conductive element extends along a longitudinal direction, and wherein the planar, linear conductive element is in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship with the ground plane;
• first and second feeds electrically connected to the planar, linear conductive element and extending outwardly from the planar, linear conductive element first side in adjacent spaced-apart relationship at a first location along the longitudinal direction;
• respective first and second switches electrically connected to the respective first and second feeds, wherein the first switch is configured to selectively connect the first feed to ground or to maintain the first feed in an open circuit, and wherein the second switch is configured to selectively connect the second feed to a transceiver that sends and receives radiotelephone signals or to maintain the second feed in an open circuit;
• third and fourth feeds electrically connected to the planar, linear conductive element and extending outwardly from the planar, linear conductive element first side in adjacent spaced-apart relationship at a second location along the longitudinal direction, wherein the second location is spaced-apart from the first location along the longitudinal direction;
• respective third and fourth switches electrically connected to the respective third and fourth feeds, wherein the third switch is configured to selectively connect the third feed to ground or to maintain the third feed in an open circuit, and wherein the fourth switch is configured to selectively connect the fourth feed to a transceiver that sends and receives radiotelephone signals or to maintain the fourth feed in an open circuit;
• wherein the antenna radiates in a first frequency band when the first switch electrically connects the first feed to ground, when the second switch electrically connects the second feed to the transceiver, and when the third and fourth switches are open;
• wherein the antenna radiates in a second frequency band different than the first frequency band when the first and second switches are open, when the third switch electrically connects the third feed to ground, and when the fourth switch electrically connects the fourth feed to a transceiver.

A multi-frequency inverted-F antenna, comprising:

• a conductive element having opposite first and second sides, wherein the conductive element extends along a longitudinal direction;
• a first feed electrically connected to the conductive element and extending outwardly from the conductive element first side at a first location;
• a second feed electrically connected to the conductive element and extending outwardly from the conductive element first side at a second location, wherein the second location is spaced-apart from the first location along the longitudinal direction;
• a switch electrically connected to the first feed and configured to selectively connect the first feed to ground or to maintain the first feed in an open circuit;
• a switch electrically connected to the second feed and configured to selectively connect the second feed to ground or to a receiver that receives wireless communications signals or to a transmitter that transmits wireless communications signals;
• a third feed electrically connected to the conductive element and extending outwardly from the conductive element first side at a third location, wherein the third location is spaced-apart from the first and second locations along the longitudinal direction;
• and
• a switch electrically connected to the third feed and configured to selectively connect the third feed to the receiver or to the transmitter or to maintain the third feed in an open circuit;
• wherein the antenna radiates in a first frequency band when the first feed is electrically connected to ground, when the second feed switch electrically connects the second feed to the receiver or to the transmitter, and when the third feed switch is open;
• and
• wherein the antenna radiates in a second frequency band different than the first frequency band when the first feed switch is open, when the second feed is connected to ground, and when the third feed is electrically connected to the receiver or to the transmitter.

A wireless communicator, comprising:

• a housing configured to enclose a transceiver that transmits and receives wireless communications signals;
• a ground plane disposed within the housing;
• and
• an inverted-F antenna, comprising:
• a conductive element having opposite first and second sides, wherein the conductive element extends along a longitudinal direction;
• a first feed electrically connected to the conductive element and extending outwardly from the conductive element first side at a first location;
• a second feed electrically connected to the conductive element and extending outwardly from the conductive element first side at a second location, wherein the second location is spaced-apart from the first location along the longitudinal direction;
• a switch electrically connected to the first feed and configured to selectively connect the first feed to ground or to maintain the first feed in an open circuit;
• a switch electrically connected to the second feed and configured to selectively connect the second feed to ground or to a transceiver that receives and transmits wireless communications signals;
• a third feed electrically connected to the conductive element and extending outwardly from the conductive element first side at a third location, wherein the third location is spaced-apart from the first and second locations along the longitudinal direction;
• and
• a switch electrically connected to the third feed and configured to selectively connect the third feed to the transceiver or to maintain the third feed in an open circuit;
• wherein the antenna radiates in a first frequency band when the first feed is electrically connected to ground, when the second feed switch electrically connects the second feed to the transceiver, and when the third feed switch is open;
• and
• wherein the antenna radiates in a second frequency band different than the first frequency band when the first feed switch is open, when the second feed is connected to ground, and when the third feed is electrically connected to the transceiver.