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US 9,557,404 B1Granted
Circuit and antenna design for small form factor internet of things devices
OwnerBen Wild, Robert A. Barton +1inventors
InventorsBen Wild, Robert A. Barton, Ravneet Bajwa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mobile device is described for tracking an object and sensing an environment of the object. The mobile device includes a circuit board that is loaded with radio frequency (RF) transmitters and receivers for finding the device position and communicating data about the device, the ambient environment of the device, and/or the position of the device. Sensor on the device may measure data about the device and about the ambient environment of the device. Flexible antennas increases the effective volume for a plurality of antennas for increased range and/or reduced power. An adjustable impedance circuit provides for real-time tuning and impedance matching of the antennas.
Claims20
A mobile device comprising:
- an enclosure configured for transportation;
- a plurality of flexible antennas,
- a flexible substrate configured to support the flexible antennas, a first portion of the flexible antenna configured to support a first portion of the flexible antennas about parallel to a ground plane, a second portion of the substrate folded relative to the first portion of the substrate to support a portion of each of the parallel antennas in a plane at an angle to the ground plane;
- a circuit board disposed within the enclosure along the ground plane;
- a plurality of radio frequency (RF) interfaces disposed on the circuit board, a first flexible antenna coupled via a first RF interface to a position RF receiver configured to receive position signals, and a second flexible antenna coupled via a second RF interface to a communication transceiver configured to transfer information to and from an external device;
- and
- a processor disposed on the circuit board and configured to receive a position request from the external device, calculate a position based on received position signals, and transmit the calculated position to the external device.
4 more elements
A mobile device comprising:
- a circuit board disposed within the mobile device;
- a first and second radio frequency (RF) interface disposed on the circuit board, each RF interface including an adjustable impedance circuit;
- a flexible positioning antenna and coupled via a first RF interface to a position RF receiver configured to receive position signals, a first portion of the flexible positioning antenna about parallel to a ground plane, a second portion of the flexible positioning antenna at about a right angle to the ground plane;
- a flexible communication antenna coupled via a second RF interface to a communication transceiver configured to transfer information to an external device, a first portion of the flexible communication antenna about parallel to the ground plane, a second portion of the flexible communication antenna at about a right angle to the ground plane;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- repeatedly calculate a signal strength of the flexible positioning antenna and adjust the impedance circuit in the first RF interface to while the mobile device is in motion, and
- repeatedly calculate a signal strength of the flexible communication antenna and adjust the impedance circuit in the second RF interface to while the mobile device is in motion.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving a request at a processor from a communication transceiver disposed on a circuit board within a mobile device that is in motion, the request received from an external device via a first radio frequency (RF) interface coupled to a flexible communication antenna, a first portion of the flexible communication antenna about parallel to a ground plane, a second portion of the flexible communication antenna outside the ground plane and at a substantial angle to the ground plane, the request being for a position of the mobile device;
- receiving position information at the processor from a position RF receiver disposed on the circuit board, the position information received from a satellite via a flexible positioning antenna and coupled to the processor via a second RF interface and the position RF receiver, a first portion of the flexible positioning antenna about parallel to the ground plane, a second portion of the flexible positioning antenna outside the ground plane and at a substantial angle to the ground plane;
- calculating a position of the mobile device based on the received position information;
- repeatedly calculating an impedance of the flexible communication antenna while the mobile device is in motion, the calculation based on ambient RF noise measured while adjusting impedance of the first RF interface using an adjustable impedance circuit in the first RF interface;
- adjusting the impedance of the first RF interface using the adjustable impedance circuit to improve the signal strength, and
- transmitting the calculated position of the mobile device to the external device via the first RF interface and flexible communication antenna after adjusting the impedance of the first RF interface.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.