Circuit board having a peripheral antenna apparatus with selectable antenna elements

A peripheral antenna system, comprising:

• communication circuitry located in an interior area of a circuit board, the communication circuitry configured to generate an RF signal into an feed line distribution point of the circuit board;
• a plurality of antenna elements, plurality of antenna elements arranged near at least two edges of the circuit board, the plurality of antenna elements substantially surrounding the communication circuitry, each of the plurality of antenna elements configured to form a directional radiation pattern when coupled to the feed line distribution point;
• and
• a switching network configured to selectively couple the feed line distribution point to each of the plurality of antenna elements to collectively result in the generation of a configurable and substantially omnidirectional and horizontally polarized radiation pattern substantially in the plane of the circuit board.

A method for generating a radiation pattern comprising:

• generating an RF signal in communication circuitry located in an interior area of a circuit board;
• routing the RF signal from the communication circuitry to a feed line distribution paint of the circuit board;
• and
• coupling the RF signal from the feed line distribution point to a first antenna element and a second antenna element, the first antenna element located near a first periphery of the circuit board, the second antenna element located near a second periphery of the circuit board, the first and second antenna elements substantially surrounding the communication circuitry the first antenna element configured to produce a first directional radiation pattern when coupled to the feed line distribution point the second antenna element configured to produce a second directional radiation pattern offset from the first radiation pattern when coupled to the feed line distribution point, wherein the first and second directional radiation patterns collectively produce a substantially omnidirectional and horizontally polarized radiation pattern substantially in the plane of the circuit board when the first antenna element and the second antenna element are coupled to the feed line distribution point.

A peripheral antenna system, comprising:

• communication circuitry located in an interior area of a circuit board, the communication circuitry configured to generate an RF signal into a feed line distribution point of the circuit board;
• first means for radiating the RF signal in a first directional radiation pattern, the first means formed in a first periphery of the circuit board;
• second means for radiating the RF signal in a second directional radiation pattern offset from the first directional radiation pattern, the second means formed in a second periphery of the circuit board;
• and
• means for coupling the feed line distribution point to the first means for radiating the RF signal and the second means for radiating the RF signal, wherein the first means and the second means substantially surround the communication circuitry and the first and second means collectively produce substantially omnidirectional and horizontally polarized radiation coverage substantially in the plane of the circuit board when the first means and the second means are coupled to the Feedline distribution point.

A circuit board, comprising:

• a feed line distribution point configured to distribute an RF signal generated by communication circuitry located in an interior area of the circuit board;
• a first antenna element located near a first periphery of the circuit board, the first antenna element configured to produce a first directional radiation pattern when coupled to the RF signal;
• and
• a second antenna element located near a second periphery of the circuit board, the second antenna element configured to produce a second directional radiation pattern offset from the first directional radiation pattern, wherein the first and second antenna elements substantially surround the communication circuitry and the first and second antenna elements collectively produce substantially omnidirectional and horizontally polarized radiation coverage substantially in the plane of the circuit board when coupled to the RF signal.