Patent ID: 9525202
Filing Date: 2016-12-20
CPC Classification: H01Q

Claim Text:
1. A method of optimizing performance of an asymmetrical conformal antenna in a utility meter having a meter housing and distributed electrical components, including: vertically positioning the antenna including a low-band portion with left and right low-band arms and a high-band portion having left and right high-band arms inside the utility meter having the meter housing and the distributed electrical components forming a high component density area and a low component density area, such that at least a portion of the low-band portion is located above a plane formed by a top surface of the meter housing, and a portion of the high-band portion is located below the plane and adjacent the distributed electrical components, the left low-band arm being substantially the same as the right low-band arm such that the low-band portion is substantially symmetrical about a central axis of an antenna trace, and the high-band portion having a left high-band arm having a left length and a right high-band arm having a right length, the left high-band arm and the right high-band arm being asymmetrical about the central axis of the antenna trace such that the right length of the right high-band arm is not substantially equal to the left length of the left high-band arm, and wherein a left-side conductive area of the antenna trace is substantially equal to a right-side conductive area of the antenna trace; radially positioning the antenna about the meter housing and electrical components such that the left high-band arm is adjacent the low electrical component density area and the right high-band arm is adjacent the high electrical component density area; and causing the antenna to radiate the energy at either a low-band frequency or a high-band frequency.