Planar wideband antenna
AssigneeDigi International Inc.
InventorRobert Wayne Ridgeway
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An approximately planar wideband antenna can include a first conductive portion coupled to a dielectric portion and mechanically supported by the dielectric portion, the first conductive portion including at least one edge corresponding to a planar conic section, such as including one or more of an elliptic, a parabolic, or a hyperbolic shape. Such an antenna can be electrically coupled to a matching circuit, the matching circuit configured provide a specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of frequencies. Such a range of frequencies can span at least an octave, or more.
Claims19
An apparatus, comprising:
- an approximately planar wideband antenna including a first conductive portion coupled to a dielectric portion and mechanically supported by the dielectric portion, the first conductive portion including at least one edge corresponding to a planar conic section;
- a matching circuit electrically coupled to the first conductive portion and configured to provide a specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of frequencies;
- a printed circuit board assembly including a return plane, wherein the return plane is located near a conductive housing and electrically coupled to the conductive housing;
- wherein the specified range of frequencies includes a range of frequencies spanning at least an octave;
- and
- wherein the planar conic section includes one or more of an elliptic, a parabolic, or a hyperbolic shape.
A method, comprising:
- forming an approximately planar wideband antenna including a first conductive portion coupled to a dielectric portion and mechanically supported by the dielectric portion, the first conductive portion including at least one edge corresponding to a planar conic section;
- fabricating a printed circuit board assembly including a return plane, wherein the return plane is located near a conductive housing and electrically coupled to the conductive housing;
- electrically coupling a matching circuit to the first conductive portion;
- wherein the matching circuit provides a specified input impedance for the planar wideband antenna, the specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of frequencies;
- wherein the specified range of frequencies includes a range of frequencies spanning at least an octave;
- and
- wherein the planar conic section includes one or more of an elliptic, a parabolic, or a hyperbolic shape.
A method for forming an approximately planar wideband antenna, comprising:
- patterning a first conductive portion onto a first conductive layer included as a portion of a printed circuit board assembly, the first conductive layer mechanically coupled to a dielectric portion of the printed circuit board assembly, and the first conductive portion including at least one edge corresponding to a planar conic section;
- patterning at least a portion of a matching circuit onto the first conductive layer included as a portion of the printed circuit board assembly, the matching circuit electrically coupled to the first conductive portion and configured to provide a specified input impedance for the planar wideband antenna, the specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of frequencies;
- wherein the printed circuit board assembly includes a return plane that is located near a conductive housing and electrically coupled to the conductive housing;
- wherein the specified range of frequencies includes a range of frequencies spanning at least an octave;
- and
- wherein the planar conic section includes one or more of an elliptic, a parabolic, or a hyperbolic shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.