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US 7,843,391 B2Granted
RF local area network antenna design
AssigneeItron, Inc.
InventorsVladimir Borisov, Joseph Pontin
Life of this patent
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AssigneeItron, Inc.
InventorsVladimir Borisov, Joseph Pontin
Estimating the term…
Disclosed are apparatus and methodology subject matters relating to an antenna configured for mounting under the glass in a utility meter. The antenna is configured as a patch antenna where a radiating element is mounted on one side of a plastic substrate while a conductive ground plane element is mounted on the other side of the substrate. The ground plane element faces the meter electronics and thereby provides protection to the electronics from the electromagnetic field of the antenna. Both the radiating element and ground plane element may be provided by hot stamping conductive material directly on to the front and rear surfaces of the substrate. The antenna may be feed by a microstrip feedline mounted on the printed circuit board supporting other meter components.
An improved antenna for mounting under the glass of utility meters for coupling thereof by radio frequency signals to other system components in an open operational framework, said antenna comprising:
A meter with an under the glass antenna for use with an open operational framework employing a radio frequency local area network, comprising:
Methodology for providing a patch antenna for mounting under the glass of utility meters for coupling thereof by radio frequency signals to other system components in an open operational framework, comprising:
Methodology for providing a meter with an under the glass antenna for use with an open operational framework employing a radio frequency local area network, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Resonant antennas: substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna
Associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a…:…
Electrical device making: antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making: with other electrical component
About 2 years 10 months of term left · ends 1 Sep 2029 (estimated)
The present technology relates to utility meters. More particularly, the present technology relates to an aperture coupled patch antenna design for incorporation within meters within an open operational framework employing a radio frequency local area network (RF LAN).
The general object of metrology is to monitor one or more selected physical phenomena to permit a record of monitored events. Such basic purpose of metrology can be applied to a variety of metering devices used in a number of contexts. One broad area of measurement relates, for example, to utility meters. Such role may also specifically include, in such context, the monitoring of the consumption or production of a variety of forms of energy or other commodities, for example, including but not limited to, electricity, water, gas, or oil.
More particularly concerning electricity meters, mechanical forms of registers have been historically used for outputting accumulated electricity consumption data. Such an approach provided a relatively dependable field device, especially for the basic or relatively lower level task of simply monitoring accumulated kilowatt-hour consumption.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present subject matter, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
FIG. 1 is an edge view of an exemplary antenna constructed in accordance with the present subject matter attached to a metrology printed circuit board;
FIG. 2 is a front plan view of an exemplary antenna in accordance with the present subject matter seen from the perspective of section 2-2 of FIG. 1;
Repeat use of reference characters throughout the present specification and appended drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features or elements of the present subject matter.
As discussed in the Summary of the Invention section, the present subject matter is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved radio frequency antenna configuration for incorporation within a metrology device for use in an open operational framework.
Selected combinations of aspects of the disclosed technology correspond to a plurality of different embodiments of the present subject matter. It should be noted that each of the exemplary embodiments presented and discussed herein should not insinuate limitations of the present subject matter. Features or steps illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used in combination with aspects of another embodiment to yield yet further embodiments. Additionally, certain features may be interchanged with similar devices or features not expressly mentioned which perform the same or similar function.