# US 9,000,985 B2 · Multilevel antennae > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,000,985 B2 - Document ID: US9000985B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/732,750 - Filed: 2013-01-02 - Published: 2013-07-25 - Granted: 2015-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 1999-09-20 - Assignees: Fractus, S.A. - Applicants: Fractus, S.A. - Inventors: Carles Puente Baliarda; Carmen Borja Borau; Jaume Anguera Pros; Jordi Soler Castany - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9000985B2 ## CPC - H01Q 1/36: Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; {Particular materials used therewith}(H01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence) - H01Q 1/241: {used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM (H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence)} - 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 1/50: Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors - H01Q 5/10: Resonant antennas - H01Q 5/20: characterised by the operating wavebands - H01Q 5/307: Individual or coupled radiating elements, each element being fed in an unspecified way - H01Q 5/357: using a single feed point - H01Q 5/40: Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements - H01Q 5/50: Feeding or matching arrangements for broad-band or multi-band operation - H01Q 9/04: Resonant antennas - H01Q 9/0407: {Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna (dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40)} - H01Q 9/065: {Microstrip dipole antennas (patch antenna H01Q9/0407)} - H01Q 9/28: Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines (waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00) - H01Q 9/40: Element having extended radiating surface - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract An apparatus includes a multi-band antenna element that operates in at least three frequency bands and includes geometric elements arranged to define empty spaces in the antenna element to provide at least three winding current paths through the antenna element which circumvent the empty spaces, the at least three winding current paths respectively corresponding to the at least three frequency bands, wherein each of two or more of the geometric elements is traversed by more than one of the at least three respective winding current paths. The antenna element provides a substantially similar impedance level and radiation pattern in the at least three frequency bands. The geometric elements are arranged such that the antenna element does not comprise substantially non-overlapping portions that serve as respective single band antennas, and a geometry of the antenna element is not substantially self-repeating. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a multi-band antenna element configured to operate in at least three frequency bands and comprising a plurality of geometric elements arranged to define empty spaces in the antenna element to provide at least three winding current paths through the antenna element which circumvent the empty spaces, the at least three winding current paths respectively corresponding to the at least three frequency bands, wherein each of two or more of the geometric elements is traversed by a plurality of the at least three respective winding current paths; wherein the antenna element provides a substantially similar impedance level and radiation pattern in the at least three frequency bands; wherein the geometric elements are arranged such that the antenna element does not comprise substantially non-overlapping portions that serve as respective single band antennas; and wherein a geometry of the antenna element is not substantially self-repeating. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a ground plane, the antenna element being electrically coupled to the ground plane, the antenna element further comprising a feeding point, wherein the feeding point and a point on the ground plane define an input/output port for the antenna element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, the apparatus further comprising: an input/output connector, the input/output port being coupled to the input/output connector; and a matching network coupled to the input/output connector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two of the at least three frequency bands are non-overlapping frequency bands. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus provides at least one cellular service across a 1850-1990 MHz frequency range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one of the at least three frequency bands is in a 800-960 MHz frequency range. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a portable communication device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the portable communication device is a handset. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the antenna element is concealed within the handset. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein all of the geometric elements have four sides and a perimeter of the antenna element has a different number of sides than each of the geometric elements. ### Claim 11 An apparatus comprising: a multi-band antenna element configured to operate in at least three frequency bands and comprising a plurality of geometric elements arranged to provide at least three winding current paths that circumvent empty spaces in the antenna element, the at least three winding current paths respectively corresponding to the at least three frequency bands, wherein portions of the at least three winding current paths extend along a plurality of common geometric elements; wherein the antenna element provides a substantially similar impedance level and radiation pattern in the at least three frequency bands; wherein the geometric elements are arranged such that the antenna element does not comprise a group of single band antennas that respectively operate in the at least three frequency bands; and wherein the antenna element is not a fractal type antenna element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a ground plane, the antenna element being electrically coupled to the ground plane, the antenna element further comprising a feeding point, wherein the feeding point and a point on the ground plane define an input/output port for the antenna element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, the apparatus further comprising: an input/output connector, the input/output port being coupled to the input/output connector; and a matching network coupled to the input/output connector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least two of the at least three frequency bands are non-overlapping frequency bands. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus provides at least one cellular service across a 1850-1990 MHz frequency range. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one of the at least three frequency bands is in a 800-960 MHz frequency range. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a portable communication device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the portable communication device is a handset. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the antenna element is concealed within a handset. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein all of the geometric elements have four sides and a perimeter of the antenna element has a different number of sides than each of the geometric elements.