Patent Publication Number: US-8120545-B2

Title: Multifunctional antenna chip

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a multifunctional antenna chip, and especially to an antenna chip which can be mated with many kinds of matched circuits and is able to adjust the character of an antenna structure of the multifunctional antenna chip, in order that the antenna structure has one or multiple standard working frequencies. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     By fast development of the wireless communication technique, the kinds of standard specifications of present world communication are numerous, for instance, they include the standards of PCS, GSM, WCDMA, WLAN, Bluetooth, EDGE, DCS, CDMA, HSPA, UMTS, GPS, GPRS, WiMAX, HSPA, WiFi etc. 
     As to the operational frequency bands, they include several standard specifications such as the European specification, American specification etc. It is often that in selling a kind of mobile phone to all around the world, an antenna is designed to include all frequency bands. And it is often that such antennas need longer developing time and larger costs, or need to be designed in pursuance of respective local standards of frequency band; however, a situation is there that many antennas are supposed to be studied and developed, this not only increases costs and developing time, but also creates pressure of inventory. 
     The present invention provides a brand new idea of design and application of antennas, one multifunctional antenna chip can be used to mate with many kinds of matched circuits according to a desired communication standard to meet the requirement of multiple functions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a multifunctional antenna chip which can be mated with many kinds of matched circuits, and is able to adjust the character of an antenna structure of the multifunctional antenna chip, in order that the antenna structure has one or multiple standard working frequencies. The antenna structure is a folded antenna structure basically; this can save its volume occupied. And the multifunctional antenna chip has a non-signal inputting pin for connection to thereby give the antenna an increased shape for adjusting the style of the antenna structure designed. 
     The multifunctional antenna chip provided in the present invention makes an antenna a standard antenna which can be applied to various communication standards, and can be mass produced very fast to lower the cost for the portion of designing antenna, and also can reduce pressure of inventory. The present invention is characterized at least in:
         1. being a standardized product (to be convenient for designing communication products);   2. being packed on a material tape, and having SMD connecting pins (taking advantage of the mode of SMT, in order that products can be mass produced);   3. flexible application (matched circuits can be used for various communication standards or the antenna structure can be changed for adjusment);   4. completion of product manufacturing being able to be speeded up;   5. the matched circuits being adapted to using various electronic elements (including capacitors, inductors, adjustable capacitors or inductors, switches etc.);   6. four connecting pins being able all of RF signal inputting pins (for the convenience of laying out);   7. being easy to combine with an FPC soft board or a PCB board in a product, the designer of products being able of having quite wide dominance.       

     The present invention will be apparent in its structure and various applications after reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof in reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the appearance of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the appearance of the present invention from another angular viewing position; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing installing of the present invention on an electric circuit board to connect with a matched circuit; 
         FIG. 3A  is a schematic view showing the circuit of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the interior structure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the interior structure of the present invention from another angular viewing position; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view showing the interior structure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view showing the interior structure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing another mode to install the present invention on an electric circuit board to connect with a matched circuit, and to have a non-feed in pin to connect to the ground for forming a PIFA or IFA structure; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view showing another mode to install the present invention on an electric circuit board to connect with a matched circuit, and to have a non-feeding in pin to connect a metallic wire segment of an antenna; 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic view showing the present invention is provided on a reel taping; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing an interior structure of the present invention with mutually piled multiple layers; 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic view showing an example that the present invention is used in a mobile phone; 
         FIG. 13  is a chart showing a standing wave voltage ratio curve of a tested antenna in  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view showing an example that the multifunctional antenna chip of the present invention is mounted in a monitor of a notebook to be applied to WLAN; 
         FIG. 14A  is a partial enlarged schematic view taken from  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 14B  is a chart showing an electric circuit of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a chart showing a standing wave voltage ratio curve of a tested antenna in  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view showing an example that the multifunctional antenna chip of the present invention is mounted in a monitor of a notebook to be applied to GPS; 
         FIG. 16A  is a partial enlarged schematic view taken from  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 16B  is a chart showing an electric circuit of  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 17  is a chart showing a standing wave voltage ratio curve of a tested antenna in  FIG. 16 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the present invention provides a multifunctional antenna chip  1 , the multifunctional antenna chip  1  is mounted on an electric circuit board  2  provided with a matched circuit  21  which has thereon a feed-in point  22  for transmitting radio frequency signals. 
     Referring together to  FIGS. 4 to 7 , the multifunctional antenna chip  1  of the present invention mainly comprises a packing housing  11 , a dielectric layer base board  12 , an antenna structure  13  and four connecting pins  14 . 
     The dielectric layer base board  12  is provided in the packing housing  11  and has a plurality of via holes  121 . The an antenna structure  13  includes an upper metallic layer  131  and a lower metallic layer  132  respectively allocated on the upper surface and the bottom surface of the dielectric layer base board  12 ; the upper metallic layer  131  and the lower metallic layer  132  are connected with each other by the via holes  121  to form a folded antenna structure. The four connecting pins  14  are connecting pins for a surface mounting equipment (SMD), they are extended in the dielectric layer base board  12  from the four corners of the packing housing  11  to connect the lower metallic layer  132 , but not to connect the upper metallic layer  131 . 
     The multifunctional antenna chip  1  of the present invention has a reduced size, for instance 22.2×7.2×2.55 mm 3 , it can be mounted on the electric circuit board  2 , wherein one of the connecting pins  14  is connected with the matched circuit  21  of the electric circuit board  2  to function as a signal transmitting pin (referring to  FIGS. 3 and 3A ). 
     Radio frequency signals are put in from the feed-in point  22 , after they pass the matched circuit  21 , they enter the antenna structure  13  via the signal input connecting pins  14  to form a mono-pole antenna. The present invention can have the character of the antenna structure  13  adjusted by the matched circuit  21 , in order that the antenna structure  13  has a working frequency meeting the standard of communication, for instance: PCS, GSM, WCDMA, WLAN, Bluetooth, EDGE, DCS, CDMA, HSPA, UMTS, GPS, GPRS, WiMAX, HSPA, WiFi etc. 
     The electronic elements used in the matched circuit which is mated with the multifunctional antenna chip  1  of the present invention can be capacitors, inductances, adjustable capacitors, adjustable inductances or switches etc. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8  showing another mode of applying of the present invention, wherein another non-signal inputting connecting pin  14   a  of the multifunctional antenna chip  1  of the present invention is connected to the ground  23  of the electric circuit board  2 , this will transform the interior antenna structure  13  into a plane inverted “F” antenna (PIFA) structure or an inverted “F” antenna (IFA) structure, thereby a multifunctional antenna can be attained. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9  showing a further mode of applying of the present invention, wherein, the electric circuit board  2  is provided thereon with a metallic wire segment  24  of an antenna which is connected to another non-signal inputting connecting pin  14   b  of the multifunctional antenna chip  1  of the present invention to thereby increase the style of the antenna structure, this design also can achieve the object of adjusting working frequency of the antenna structure  13 . The metallic wire segment  24  can be of any shape, a user can design by himself to attain the requirement of the character of the antenna; this is same by object as that of the embodiment of  FIG. 8 , they are both derivative designs of the multifunctional antenna chip of the present invention. And more,  FIGS. 8 and 9  show two further modes of applying of the present invention, sometimes after the multifunctional antenna chip is placed in a product and is added with a matched circuit but is unable to completely reach the required specification for the antenna, these two modes can be applied in order to make derivative designs for reaching the required specification for the antenna. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , by virtue that the connecting pins of the multifunctional antenna chip of the present invention are SMD connecting pins, many multifunctional antenna chips  1  can be provided on a reel taping  5 , and can be fast mounted on the electric circuit board  2  by a surface mounting technique. 
     Referring to  FIG. 11  showing another example of the multifunctional antenna chip of the present invention, wherein multiple layers of dielectric layer base boards  12   a ,  12   b  are piled, every two dielectric layer base boards  12   a ,  12   b  have therebetween a middle metallic layer  133 , the two dielectric layer base boards  12   a ,  12   b  are connected by means of a plurality of via holes  121  with the upper metallic layer  131  and the lower metallic layer  132  respectively. 
       FIG. 12  shows an example that the present invention is used in a mobile phone, wherein a multifunctional antenna chip  1  has a 22.2 mm width W 1  and is installed on an electric circuit board  3  having thereon an LC matched circuit  31 ; the electric circuit board  3  has a ground  33  with a width and a height respectively of 40 mm and 90 mm; the distance H 1  from the multifunctional antenna chip  1  to the ground  33  is 5˜8 mm; a micro strip  32  provided is a 50Ω feed-in strip. With such arrangement, a monopole antenna is formed.  FIG. 13  is a chart showing a standing wave voltage ratio curve of the example of  FIG. 12 ; it shows that frequencies between 824˜960 MHz and 1710˜2170 MHz are good working frequencies for an antenna. The passive efficiencies for them are as follows: 
     
       
         
           
               
            
               
                   
               
               
                 824 MHz 
               
               
                 GSM Test 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Frequency 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 824 
                 836 
                 849 
                 869 
                 880 
                 894 
                 900 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Directivity (dBi) 
                 3.318 
                 3.357 
                 3.353 
                 3.376 
                 3.259 
                 3.35 
                 3.423 
               
               
                 Peak EIRP (dBm) 
                 −0.555 
                 −0.362 
                 −0.405 
                 −0.002 
                 0.165 
                 −0.077 
                 0.007 
               
               
                 Efficiency (%) 
                 40.98% 
                 42.46% 
                 42.09% 
                 45.94% 
                 49.05% 
                 45.44% 
                 45.39% 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
       
         
           
               
            
               
                   
               
               
                 960 MHz 
               
               
                 GSM Test 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Frequency 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 915 
                 925 
                 940 
                 960 
                 1710 
                 1750 
                 1785 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Directivity (dBi) 
                 3.456 
                 3.332 
                 3.304 
                 3.579 
                 4.142 
                 4.166 
                 4.21 
               
               
                 Peak EIRP (dBm) 
                 −0.047 
                 0.153 
                 −0.025 
                 0.031 
                 0.747 
                 1.731 
                 1.78 
               
               
                 Efficiency (%) 
                 44.64% 
                 48.10% 
                 46.46% 
                 44.18% 
                 45.75% 
                 57.10% 
                 57.15% 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
       
         
           
               
            
               
                   
               
               
                 1710 MHz 
               
               
                 GSM Test 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Frequency 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 1805 
                 1840 
                 1850 
                 1880 
                 1910 
                 1920 
                 1930 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Directivity (dBi) 
                 4.294 
                 4.372 
                 4.268 
                 4.274 
                 4.404 
                 4.385 
                 4.335 
               
               
                 Peak EIRP (dBm) 
                 2.267 
                 2.189 
                 1.917 
                 2.206 
                 2.285 
                 2.475 
                 2.667 
               
               
                 Efficiency (%) 
                 62.70% 
                 60.49% 
                 58.21% 
                 62.12% 
                 61.38% 
                 64.42% 
                 68.09% 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
       
         
           
               
            
               
                   
               
               
                 2170 MHz 
               
               
                 GSM Test 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Frequency 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 1950 
                 1960 
                 1980 
                 1990 
                 2110 
                 2140 
                 2170 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Directivity (dBi) 
                 4.339 
                 4.335 
                 4.242 
                 4.169 
                 3.444 
                 3.369 
                 3.341 
               
               
                 Peak EIRP (dBm) 
                 2.658 
                 2.834 
                 2.373 
                 2.601 
                 0.663 
                 0.339 
                 0.36 
               
               
                 Efficiency (%) 
                 67.90% 
                 70.78% 
                 65.03% 
                 69.68% 
                 52.71% 
                 46.76% 
                 50.34% 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Referring together to  FIGS. 14 and 14A , they show an example that the multifunctional antenna chip  1  of the present invention is mounted in a monitor of a notebook to be applied to WLAN.  FIG. 14B  is a chart showing an electric circuit of the example, the multifunctional antenna chip  1  is connected with an LC matched circuit  21  having thereon a feed-in point  22 . Wherein the capacitance value is 0.5 pF, and the inductance value is 1.5 nH, the test frequencies are WLAN (2400 MHz˜2500 MHz and 5100 MHz˜5800 MHz).  FIG. 15  shows a chart showing a standing wave voltage ratio (VSWR) curve of a tested antenna in  FIG. 14 , The passive efficiencies for it is as follows: 
     
       
         
           
               
            
               
                   
               
               
                 WLAN Test 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Frequency 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 2400 
                 2450 
                 2500 
                 5150 
                 5350 
                 5470 
                 5725 
                 5825 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Directivity 
                 2.772 
                 2.847 
                 3.739 
                 6.357 
                 7.353 
                 7.317 
                 6.212 
                 5.445 
               
               
                 (dBi) 
               
               
                 Peak EIRP 
                 −0.674 
                 −1.079 
                 0.315 
                 4.23 
                 6.312 
                 5.72 
                 3.794 
                 1.179 
               
               
                 (dBm) 
               
               
                 Efficiency 
                 45.23% 
                 40.49% 
                 45.47% 
                 69.68% 
                 52.71% 
                 49.76% 
                 50.34% 
                 37.45% 
               
               
                 (%) 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Referring to  FIGS. 16 and 16A , they show an example that the multifunctional antenna chip  1  of the present invention is mounted in a monitor of a notebook  4  to be applied to GPS.  FIG. 16B  is a chart showing an electric circuit of the example of  FIG. 16 . The multifunctional antenna chip  1  is connected with a matched circuit  21  having a feed-in point  22 ; wherein the inductance value of the matched circuit  21  is 2.7 nH, the tested frequency for GPS is 1575.42 MHz.  FIG. 17  is a chart showing a standing wave voltage ratio (VSWR) curve of a tested antenna in  FIG. 16 . The passive efficiencies for it is as follows, the frequency is a good working frequency for GPS and the antenna: 
     
       
         
           
               
            
               
                   
               
               
                 GPS Test 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Frequency 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 1574 
                 1575 
                 1576 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Directivity (dBi) 
                 1.89 
                 1.881 
                 1.937 
               
               
                   
                 Peak EIRP (dBm) 
                 −0.332 
                 −0.363 
                 −0.312 
               
               
                   
                 Efficiency (%) 
                 59.95% 
                 59.63% 
                 59.% 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     In the above two examples, the values of capacitance and inductance in the matched circuit will change following change of the environment in the communication product, they are not limited to the above list. Designing of the matched circuit also follows the change of the environment in the communication product, the electronic elements used can be chosen from the group including capacitors, inductors, adjustable capacitors, inductors and switches etc. 
     Accordingly, the present invention can use a multifunctional antenna chip to mate with many kinds of matched circuits in accordance with the communication standards required; thereby the multifunctional antenna chip of the present invention can be used for many kinds of communication products such as mobile phones, notebooks, net cards, GPSs etc. The multifunctional antenna chip of the present invention at least has the following advantages:
         1. being a standardized product (to be convenient for designing communication products);   2. being packed on a material tape, and having SMD connecting pins (taking advantage of the mode of SMT, in order that products can be mass produced);   3. flexible application (matched circuits can be used for various communication standards or the antenna structure can be changed for adjustment);   4. completion of product manufacturing being able to be speeded up;   5. the matched circuits being adapted to using various electronic elements (including capacitors, inductors, adjustable capacitors or inductors, switches etc.);   6. four connecting pins being able all of RF signal inputting pins (for the convenience of laying out);   7. being easy to combine with an FPC soft board or a PCB board in a product, the designer of products being able of having quite wide dominance.       

     The preferred embodiments disclosed above are only for illustrating the present invention, and not for giving any limitation to the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various equivalent modifications or changes made to the elements of the present invention without departing from the spirit of this invention shall fall within the scope of the appended claims and are intended to form part of this invention.