Plural; Plural Or Tapped Coils Patents (Class 343/867)
  • Patent number: 7408517
    Abstract: A frequency-tunable capacitively-loaded magnetic dipole antenna includes a transformer loop having a balanced feed interface, and a capacitively-loaded magnetic dipole radiator with a tunable effective electrical length. In one embodiment, the capacitively-loaded magnetic dipole radiator includes a tunable electric field bridge. For example, the capacitively-loaded magnetic dipole radiator may comprise a quasi loop with a tunable electric field bridge interposed between the quasi loop first and second ends. The electric field bridge may be an element such as a ferroelectric (FE) tunable capacitor or a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) capacitor, to name a couple of examples. In certain embodiments, the capacitively-loaded magnetic dipole radiator includes a quasi loop with a loop perimeter. The effective electrical length of the radiator is changed by adjusting the perimeter using an element such as a MEMS switch, or a semiconductor switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Kyocera Wireless Corp.
    Inventors: Gregory Poilasne, Vaneet Pathak, Jordi Fabrega, Huan-Sheng Hwang
  • Publication number: 20080165072
    Abstract: An antenna and associated magnetic preamplifier for use with UHF and Microwave wireless telecommunications devices operating at frequencies of greater than 0.3 gigahertz. The antenna may include a plurality of concentric loops about a core. The antenna may be made of a conductor wound helically about an air core with a circumference and a number of loops, and the spacing of the loops chosen based on the desired frequency of communication. The antenna may include a plurality of loops of conductor about a core with a ferrite rod positioned within the core. The antenna may be omnidirectional and provide a high gain at the desired frequency of communication. The magnetic preamplifiers may be based on either resonant or ferrite material-enhanced amplification. Resonant and ferrite enhancements may also be used in combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Schlager, Jason W. Zehrung
  • Publication number: 20080153329
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a top plate, a first clamping plate extending integrally and downwardly from a first side of the top plate, and a second clamping plate extending integrally and downwardly from a second side of the top plate, and cooperating with the top plate and the first clamping plate to define a clamp for clamping a grounding plate. A connecting member extends integrally from the second side of the top plate and is connected electrically to a ground pattern provided on a circuit board of an antenna module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Sheng-Chih Lin, Tsung-Wen Chiu, Fu-Ren Hsiao, Sih-Ji Wang
  • Publication number: 20080150693
    Abstract: Disclosed is a multiple loop antenna for a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, and more particularly, to a multiple loop antenna for a RFID reader that reads information stored in a RFID tag or inputs new information to the RFID tag by inductive coupling. The multiple loop antenna for a RFID reader serves to communicate information with the RFID tag by inductive coupling, and includes at least three winding groups where they have at least one turn for each group. The winding groups are connected to one another in series and in parallel. And the same structure is also applicable to RFID tag antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Hong Jun YOU, Woon Geun YANG, Ki-Suk YOON, Hyuck Jin KIM
  • Publication number: 20080136730
    Abstract: An antenna comprising a radiating element for transmitting and receiving communication signals is disclosed. A load and a feed are connectable to the radiating element and that the feed is spaced apart from the load. The radiating element is a planar loop having two free ends to which the load and the feed are connected. The load has two distal terminals, one of which is connected to one of the two free ends and the other is provided for connecting to one of grounding and another radiating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventor: Zhining Chen
  • Patent number: 7382266
    Abstract: A surface tracker includes a tubular marker body having an interior electronic marker and a visual indicator attached to an upper end of the marker body which extends away from the marker body. When deployed, the marker body is mostly underground and the visual indictor extends upwardly from the ground level to provide above-ground visual recognition. The electronic marker may be a passive electronic marker that includes a ferrite core assembly having a longitudinal axis which is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the marker body. The visual indicator may be a plurality of resilient filaments which pass through a hole in a tab portion of the marker body at the upper end thereof, the filaments being folded about the tab portion and secured to the tab portion using a heat-shrink tube. In an exemplary embodiment, the filaments extend about six inches from the marker body and are brightly colored. Multiple trackers can be used to mark the path of a buried utility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Inventor: Joe T. Minarovic
  • Publication number: 20080122724
    Abstract: An antenna includes inductance elements that are magnetically coupled together, an LC series resonant circuit that includes one of the inductance elements and capacitance elements, and an LC series resonant circuit that includes another of the inductance elements and capacitance elements. The plurality of LC series resonant circuits are used to radiate radio waves and are used as inductances of a matching circuit that matches an impedance when a power supply side is viewed from power supply terminals and a radiation impedance of free space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Noboru KATO
  • Patent number: 7362285
    Abstract: A compact antenna for use in a device for controlling the power delivered to an electric load and operable to transmit or receive radio frequency signals at a specified frequency is presented. The antenna comprises a first loop of conductive material having a capacitance and an inductance forming a circuit being resonant at the specified frequency, and a second loop of conductive material having two ends adapted to be electrically coupled to an electronic circuit. The second loop is substantially only magnetically coupled to the first loop and is electrically isolated from the first loop. In a first embodiment of the antenna, the first and second loops are formed on respective first and second printed circuit boards, which allow for a small, low-cost antenna that is easy to manufacture and maximizes efficiency. When the antenna is installed in a load control device, such as a dimmer, the first loop of the antenna is mounted on an outer surface of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Spencer L. Webb, Stephen S. Thompson, Gregory S. Altonen, Edward M. Felegy, Jr., Siddharth P. Sinha
  • Publication number: 20080068273
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system and apparatus for detecting a merchandise marker in which a first antenna has a circuit having a first loop defining a first area and a second loop defining a second area substantially coplanar with the first area. A second antenna is substantially coplanar and orthogonally positioned with respect to the first antenna. The second antenna has a circuit having a third loop defining a third area and a fourth loop defining a fourth area substantially coplanar with the third area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventors: Jack Howard Schneider, Brent Franklin Balch
  • Publication number: 20080062066
    Abstract: A first base having a first antenna receiving electromagnetic waves and a second base having a sensor portion are separated. An antenna is provided over each of the first base and the second base such that the antennas are electromagnetically coupled. The first antenna constantly receives electromagnetic waves to generate electromotive force and charges a power storage portion. Since the electric power of the power storage portion is also used for driving of a sensor portion, the sensor portion operates even without communication with the external device. Provision of the first antenna receiving electromagnetic waves and the sensor portion on different bases permits miniaturization of a base having the sensor portion. Further, provision of the power storage portion storing electric power converted from electromagnetic waves received by the antenna enables operating the sensor actively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 7342548
    Abstract: A radio guidance antenna in which the sum of mutual inductances of antennas is minimized. The radio guidance antenna includes a first antenna which is divided into upper and lower half regions by antenna conductors, and a second antenna which is composed of an antenna conductor and formed on the same plane as or a plane parallel to a plane of the first antenna. The second antenna is not connected to the first antenna at any points where it intersects the first antenna, but rather is inductively coupled to the upper and lower halves of the first antenna through mutual inductance regions. The first antenna is supplied with electric power from a first feeding point, and the second antenna is supplied with electric power from a second feeding point. The invention also includes a data communication method and a non-contact data communication apparatus which make use of the radio guidance antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Taniguchi, Toshiya Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 7339546
    Abstract: A contactless reading system, wherein a chip card is fixed on a planar support of an object such as a book (11) for identification by means of the data contained in the chip card, and a mobile reader (16) provided with an antenna in order to read the data of the card. The antenna of the reader (16) consists of a small-sized convolution disposed in a series with a large-sized convolution, which are concentric and which have the same winding direction. A maximum value is obtained for the component (H) of the electromagnetic field produced by the antenna parallel to the antenna at a given distance from the antenna. Maximum reception by the chip card of electromagnetic signals emitted by the antenna is obtained when the antenna is disposed in a perpendicular position in relation to the support of the card and at the given distance from the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: ASK S.A.
    Inventors: Nicolas Pangaud, Elias Sabbah
  • Publication number: 20080018550
    Abstract: In an antenna apparatus, a distance from a flat portion of a reflector to a second antenna along a first direction is not greater than a distance from the flat portion of the reflector to a first antenna along the first direction. In addition, a size of the first antenna viewed in the first direction is accommodated within a size of the entire reflector. By thus setting the size of the reflector, resonance of the second antenna can be prevented in spite of a short distance from the flat portion to the second antenna along the first direction. Therefore, lowering at a certain frequency, of gain of the first antenna can be prevented. Thus, an antenna apparatus achieving high performance and smaller size can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventor: Shotaro Horii
  • Publication number: 20080001840
    Abstract: A small transceiver device and antenna system has an insulating layer with first and second surfaces. A transmit loop element having transmit loop segments is formed on the first surface. The transmit loop segments are disposed in a transmit zigzag configuration. A receive loop element having receive loop segments is formed on the second surface. The receive loop segments are disposed in a receive zigzag configuration. Each receive loop segment in the receive zigzag configuration is skewed with respect to a closest transmit loop segment disposed in the transmit zigzag configuration. The transmit loop segments can be grouped in two or more transmit zigzag configurations, and the receive loop segments can be grouped in two or more receive zigzag configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Hang Wong, Kwai Man Luk, Chi Hou Chan, Quan Xue
  • Patent number: 7309002
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for reading a radio frequency identification transponder are described. A transmit coil produces a transmit field to power and interrogate the transponder. A reference coil and a receive coil furnish inputs to a differential amplifier, balanced so that the differential amplifier produces a predetermined signal. The receive coil senses changes produced by the transponder, while the reference coil is relatively isolated from such changes. The differential amplifier produces an amplified signal based on the difference between the inputs from the receive coil and the reference coil, so that the signal produced by the differential amplifier is based on the field effect changes produced by the transponder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Xtec, Incorporated
    Inventor: Alberto J. Fernandez
  • Patent number: 7310070
    Abstract: In accordance with the teachings described herein, an RFID antenna system is provided for detecting RFID tags on a display structure. The antenna system may include an antenna having an elongated conductor extending from a feeding point to a grounding point in a configuration that defines at least two loops and that has at least two conductor sections crossing each other at an intersection location between two adjacent loops, with a dielectric interposed between the conductor sections at the intersection location. The antenna may be attached to the display structure and may be located at a position on the display structure in relation to a reflective plane that allows the antenna to have a directional longitudinal radiation pattern that radiates into an area of the display structure that is configured to support a displayed item with an attached RFID tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Goliath Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Gordon E. Hardman, John W. Pyne, Gary L. Overhultz
  • Patent number: 7307535
    Abstract: An RF air coil transponder includes a rotatable carrier, such as a rigid reel. A coil is wound about the reel and at least one field influencing body for influencing the electric and/or the magnetic field within the coil is supported by the reel. The rigidity of the reel enables the coil to keep its form and guarantees precise distances between windings, especially when a winding machine forms the coil. Adjusting the angular position, shape, composition, size, and/or surface are of the body effects adjustment of the resonant frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Datamars S.A.
    Inventors: Sileno Oggian, Roberto Malfanti, Takamasa Ishii
  • Patent number: 7268741
    Abstract: A single-element antenna system that provides a wide bandwidth and consistent polarization over the frequency range to which the antenna is impedance matched. In one embodiment, the wideband antenna system includes two parallel coupled sectorial loop antennas (CSLA) that are coupled along an axis of symmetry. In another embodiment, half of the coupled sectorial loop antenna is electrically coupled to a ground plane, where the antenna includes one pie-slice shaped sector and two arches. In alternate embodiments, sections of the sector can be removed to reduce the weight of the antenna system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: EMAG Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamal Sarabandi, Nader Behdad
  • Patent number: 7268740
    Abstract: A metalized circuit suitable for application as a radio frequency antenna is produced by forming an antenna coil pattern on a flexible substrate. The antenna coil pattern is formed using a conductive ink which is patterned on the substrate. The conductive ink is cured and an electrical-short layer is formed across the coils of the conductive ink pattern. An insulating layer is formed over top of the electrical-short layer, a metal layer electroplated on top of the conductive layer, and then the electrical-short layer is removed. The use of the electrical-short layer during the electroplating allows for the voltage at the different points on the conductive ink layer to be relatively similar, so that a uniform electroplate layer is formed on top of the conductive ink layer. This results in a better quality radio frequency antenna at a reduced cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: RCD Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Robert R. Oberle
  • Patent number: 7268742
    Abstract: An antenna arrangement including a first antenna module having a first antenna loop positioned in a plane for emitting a signal in a first spatial area, and at least one additional antenna loop positioned in substantially the same plane for emitting a signal in an additional spatial area. The arrangement includes at least one power source in communication with the first antenna module for providing current thereto. The first spatial area and the additional spatial area at least partially overlap, and the first antenna loop and the additional antenna loop are powered by the power source in a specified pattern. A method of identifying at least one item is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Mobile Aspects, Inc.
    Inventor: Muhammad R. Rahim
  • Patent number: 7259726
    Abstract: In order to provide a compact loop antenna, for use in an inductive read/write apparatus, capable of extending a communication range even if the antenna area or power supply thereto is constrained, a compact loop antenna, for use in an inductive read/write apparatus, comprises two layers of loop antennas, each thereof comprising a printed circuit board 2 for featuring a loop pattern 1, a loop pattern 1 formed by an etching process on the printed circuit board 2, and a start terminal 3 and a end terminal 4 for supplying power for signal transmission and outputting a received signal and each thereof maintaining a predetermined distance from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Frontech Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Ibi, Shigeru Hashimoto, Yoshiyasu Sugimura
  • Patent number: 7242359
    Abstract: A mobile electronic device, such as a smart personal object includes an antenna system for emitting and receiving signals. The antenna system includes at least two antennas electrically connected in parallel to define an equivalent circuit having a reduced inductance with a substantially unaffected induced voltage for the equivalent circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: James Benjamin Turner, Jason Lane Williams
  • Patent number: 7227504
    Abstract: A gate antenna device has a plurality of loop antennas which supplies power and transmission data to an IC-integrated medium through electromagnetic induction and acquires reception data in the form of a fluctuation of a load from the IC-integrated medium. The plurality of loop antennas include a power-fed loop antenna to which a signal current is supplied and a non-power-fed loop antenna to which no signal current is supplied. The gate antenna device expands the distance and range of communication with an IC-integrated medium and improves the accuracy of communication while suppressing power consumption and leakage electric fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Futoshi Deguchi, Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Masahiko Tanaka, Hiroaki Haruyama
  • Patent number: 7215292
    Abstract: A broadband antenna including both electric and magnetic dipole radiators is provided herein. The broadband antenna may be referred to as a “P×M antenna” and may include a pair of magnetic loop elements, each having multiple feed points symmetrically spaced around the loop element. The broadband antenna may also include an electric dipole element arranged between the pair of magnetic loop elements. In general, the electric dipole element and the magnetic loop elements may be coupled together through a network of transmission lines, as opposed to being incorporated into a single radiative element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: James S. McLean
  • Patent number: 7209093
    Abstract: Location determination is performed using a transmitter including an elongated generally planar loop antenna defining an elongation axis. The elongation axis is positioned along at least a portion of a path. A magnetic field is then generated which approximates a dipole field. Certain characteristics of the magnetic field are then determined at a receiving position radially displaced from the antenna elongation axis. Using the determined certain characteristics, at least one orientation parameter is established which characterizes a positional relationship between the receiving position and the antenna on the path. The magnetic field may be transmitted as a monotone single phase signal. The orientation parameter may be a radial offset and/or an angular orientation between the receiving position and the antenna on the path. The antenna of the transmitter may be inserted into a first borehole to transmit the magnetic field to a receiver inserted into a second borehole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Merlin Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Guenter W. Brune, John E. Mercer, Albert W. Chau, Rudolf Zeller
  • Patent number: 7209089
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a broadband electric-magnetic antenna apparatus and method. The present invention teaches a variety of electric antennas suitable for use in the present invention as well as a variety of magnetic antennas suitable for use in the present invention. Combination of a broadband electric antenna element and a broadband magnetic element to create a broadband electric-magnetic antenna system is discussed. This invention further teaches systems for using a broadband electric magnetic antenna system to radiate or receive quadrature signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Inventor: Hans Gregory Schantz
  • Patent number: 7205947
    Abstract: The antenna includes a Litz wire loop having a plurality of individually insulated wires braided together and a plurality of splices therein to define distributed capacitors. A magnetically coupled feed loop is provided within the electrically conductive loop, and a feed structure, such as a coaxial feed line, feeds the magnetically coupled feed loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventor: Francis Eugene Parsche
  • Patent number: 7190317
    Abstract: An antenna comprises an arrangement of electrically conducting segments, the arrangement including intersection points where two or more electrically conducting segments are in electrical communication. Example antennas include a plurality of capacitors located within some or all of the electrically conducting segments. Capacitance values can be determined using an optimization algorithm to obtain desired values of antenna resonance frequency (or frequencies), bandwidth, and/or radiation pattern, and may be adjusted in order to control an antenna parameter such as beam steering direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Douglas H. Werner, Thomas N. Jackson, Craig S. Deluccia
  • Patent number: 7190319
    Abstract: A wireless communication device coupled to a wave antenna that provides greater increased durability and impedance matching. The wave antenna may be in the form of a polygonal, elliptical curve and/or coil shape. The wireless communication device is coupled to the wave antenna to provide wireless communication. The wireless communication device and wave antenna may be placed on objects, goods, or other articles of manufacture that are subject to forces such that the wave antenna may be stretched or compressed during the manufacture and/or use of such object, good or article of manufacture. The wave antenna, because of its curved structure, is capable of stretching and compressing more easily than other structures, reducing the wireless communication device's susceptibility to damage or breakage that might render the wireless communication device coupled to the wave antenna unable to properly communicate information wirelessly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Inventors: Ian J. Forster, Steven N. Terranova
  • Patent number: 7183987
    Abstract: An antenna apparatus (60) is provided which is used in a recorder and/or player to write and read data to and from a contactless IC card (1). The antenna apparatus (60) includes a loop coil (61) to radiate an electromagnetic field for magnetic coupling with a loop coil (4) at the IC card (1) to send and receive data to and from the IC card (1), and a magnetic sheet (62) disposed to face the main side of the loop coil (61), opposite to the main side facing the IC card (1). The magnetic sheet (62) has the specific permeability ?? and product Ms·t of saturation magnetization Ms and thickness t thereof set in accordance with a necessary range of communications with the contactless IC card (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiraku Akiho, Yutaka Okazaki, Kazuo Goto, Akihiro Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 7173573
    Abstract: An insertion-port loop antenna has a wide communication region for a non-contact type IC card inserted into an insertion port of a card reader, etc. An insertion-port loop antenna is mounted in the vicinity of an insertion port, through which a non-contact type communication medium is inserted. The insertion-port loop antenna comprises two loops. An upper loop is arranged above a long side of the insertion port. A lower loop is arranged below the long side of the insertion port. The two loops are opposite to each other in a direction of winding. Thereby, magnetic flux is generated between the upper loop and the lower loop. The magnetic flux is generated in front of the insertion port. Therefore, it is possible to begin communication before the non-contact type IC card is inserted into the insertion port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventor: Naoyuki Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 7167131
    Abstract: A top-loaded whip antenna particularly suitable for use in a compact mobile communication device having dual band resonance and including an elongate conductive whip antenna portion and a choke defined over a portion of the elongate conductive whip antenna portion, thereby providing top loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Galtronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Matti Martiskainen, Gennadi Babitski
  • Patent number: 7154449
    Abstract: An antenna suitable for use in a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag is disclosed. The antenna includes a plurality of discrete loop antennas (130, 140, 150) disposed concentrically on a substrate. Each one of said plurality of loop antennas is electrically isolated from each other one of said plurality of loop antennas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: CET Technologies Pte Ltd.
    Inventors: Jay Zheyi Liu, Say Kin Chung, Zhiming Zhuang, Alice Lee Eng Seah
  • Patent number: 7142167
    Abstract: A proximity detection system for determining when a single channel receiver becomes proximate to any point on a wireless closed boundary continuously generated by a transmitter. The transmitter includes a magnetic field generator broadcasting a composite, modulated, time-varying magnetic field signal of a particular carrier frequency. The receiver forms a measure of the broadcast magnetic field intensity incident to the location of the receiver or a measure of the power or energy of incident field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: CMS Partners, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Rochelle, David M. Binkley, Lloyd G. Clonts, Brian K. Swann, Rungwit Sangsingkeow
  • Patent number: 7142163
    Abstract: A plurality of small loop antenna cells 61, 62 and 63 are magnetically coupled to an antenna coil 8 of a non-contact type data carrier 3. In the plurality of small loop antenna cells, the directions of the magnetic moments of the signals transmitted to the non-contact type data carrier 3 are opposite to each other, the sum of the magnetic moments generated from all the small loop antenna cells 61 to 63 is zero and a conductor forming a short ring pattern 67 is provided collectively for the plurality of small loop antenna cells. Thus, imbalance caused between the small loop antenna cells 61 to 63 can be compensated for by the short ring pattern 67.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation, Yoshikawa RF Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takakazu Fukano, Yasuhiko Kosugi, Noboru Asauchi, Eiichi Ishii
  • Patent number: 7136023
    Abstract: An antenna arrangement for a magnetic resonance device has a first antenna group, which includes at least one antenna element, and a second antenna group separated from the first antenna group, which likewise includes at least one antenna element. The antenna groups have respective cooperating coupler antenna parts that are fashioned and/or arranged such that, given a specific adjacent arrangement of the antenna groups with respect to one another, the coupler antenna parts form, by inductive coupling, a common boundary antenna element of the two antenna groups, which is inductively decoupled from the further antenna elements within the appertaining antenna groups. A corresponding method for coupling two antenna groups separated from one another employs such an antenna arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Arne Reykowski
  • Patent number: 7132996
    Abstract: An RF driver circuit and an orthogonal antenna assembly/configuration, are disclosed as part of a method and system for generating high density plasma. The antenna assembly is an orthogonal antenna system that may be driven by any RF generator/circuitry with suitable impedance matching to present a low impedance. The disclosed RF driver circuit uses switching type amplifier elements and presents a low output impedance. The disclosed low-output impedance RF driver circuits eliminate the need for a matching circuit for interfacing with the inherent impedance variations associated with plasma. Also disclosed is the choice for capacitance or an inductance value to provide tuning for the RF plasma source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Plasma Control Systems LLC
    Inventors: John D. Evans, Patrick A. Pribyl
  • Patent number: 7132997
    Abstract: Multiple monopole antennas or loop antennas for generating electromagnetic fields whose phases become opposite to the phase of an electromagnetic field that the conventional single monopole antenna or loop antenna generates are located in proximity to the conventional single monopole antenna or loop antenna such that the components of the electromagnetic field in directions other than a probe-desired direction will be cancelled out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Uesaka, Masami Makuuchi, Kenichi Shinbo
  • Patent number: 7129905
    Abstract: An antenna apparatus capable of receiving AM radio broadcasting and FM radio broadcasting and being realized at a low cost includes an FM antenna conductor for receiving FM broadcasting formed with a metal pipe with good conductivity, and an AM antenna conductor for receiving AM broadcasting housed in an internal space of the antenna conductor, so as to unify an AM antenna and an FM antenna with a simple structure. The FM antenna conductor also functions as an electrostatic shielding member for the AM antenna conductor, so that high-frequency noise from other equipment is prevented from being received at the AM antenna conductor as interference noise without raising the cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Sosumu Morioka
  • Patent number: 7120987
    Abstract: A radio frequency identification (RFID) device includes a conductive pattern, such as an antenna, on one side of a substrate, and a chip, such as part of a strap, electrically coupled to the conductive pattern, and either on an opposite side of the substrate or on the same side of the substrate as the antenna. A method of fabricating the RFID device may include crimping the strap onto the substrate, in contact with a seed layer, which is subsequently used in forming the antenna or other conductive pattern by plating. The seed layer may be a patterned conductive ink layer. Alternatively, the seed layer may be a layer of conductive material deposited on the substrate, such as by vacuum deposition. Parts of the deposited layer may be covered with a patterned mask in order to form the desired configuration of the conductive pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Peikang Liu, Steven C. Kennedy, Christine U. Dang, Scott Wayne Ferguson, Jason D. Munn
  • Patent number: 7113143
    Abstract: In a loop antenna of this invention, a plurality of segments are arranged in a loop while overlapping each other at end portions, a dielectric medium is inserted between the overlap portions of the segments to capacitively couple the segments, and a feed circuit is connected to at least one of the segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takashi Minemura
  • Patent number: 7100532
    Abstract: A reactive circuit is disclosed as part of a method and system for generating high density plasma that does not require the use of a dynamic matching network for directly driving a plasma exhibiting a dynamic impedance. The reactive network is designed to provide a small total reactance when the plasma reactance is at a first plasma reactance and presents a reactance that does not exceed a specified limit at a second plasma reactance. The first and second plasma reactance span a substantially fraction of an expected dynamic plasma reactance range. The first and second plasma reactance values may, for example, correspond to a high expected plasma reactance limit and a low expected plasma reactance limit respectively or the first plasma reactance may correspond to an average expected plasma reactance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Plasma Control Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick Pribyl
  • Patent number: 7098866
    Abstract: The reader or transmitter and/or receiver (22) includes a sheathed antenna formed of two groups of turns or coils (6, 8, 9; 16, 17). The first group of turns or coils forms a sheathed antenna. The second group includes two coils (16, 17) arranged between the central coil (6) and respectively the two end coils (8, 9) of the first group. The second group of coils is powered in phase quadrature relative to the first group of coils, the set of coils being arranged so as to obtain a magnetic field (H) whose amplitude (A) is approximately constant along the central axis (24) of the antenna inside the overall inner volume of the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: EM Microelectonics-Marin SA
    Inventors: Olivier Desjeux, Laurent Neveux
  • Patent number: 7088245
    Abstract: A remote-readable identification tag (T) that is provided with at least two resonance circuits (81 . . . 8n) and at least one transmitter/receiver antenna system (1) coupled with the circuits. The at least two circuits have a respectively different resonant frequency. A delay device (6) of the remote-readable identification tag delays a signal response between a signal received by the antenna system and a signal emitted in response by the antenna system, e.g., by delaying feeding the received signal into the resonance circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Max Guntersdorfer, Helmut Zarschizky, Gerhard Zorn
  • Patent number: 7084826
    Abstract: Inductors and inductive devices are formed of a conductive loaded resin-based material. The conductive loaded resin-based material comprises micron conductive powder(s), conductive fiber(s), or a combination of conductive powder and conductive fibers in a base resin host. The ratio of the weight of the conductive powder(s), conductive fiber(s), or a combination of conductive powder and conductive fibers to the weight of the base resin host is between about 0.20 and 0.40. The micron conductive powders are formed from non-metals, such as carbon, graphite, that may also be metallic plated, or the like, or from metals such as stainless steel, nickel, copper, silver, that may also be metallic plated, or the like, or from a combination of non-metal, plated, or in combination with, metal powders. The micron conductor fibers preferably are of nickel plated carbon fiber, stainless steel fiber, copper fiber, silver fiber, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Integral Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Aisenbrey
  • Patent number: 7081820
    Abstract: A surface tracker includes a tubular marker body having an interior electronic marker and a visual indicator attached to an upper end of the marker body which extends away from the marker body. When deployed, the marker body is mostly underground and the visual indictor extends upwardly from the ground level to provide above-ground visual recognition. The visual indicator may be a plurality of resilient filaments which pass through a hole in a tab portion of the marker body at the upper end thereof, the filaments being folded about the tab portion and secured to the tab portion using a heat-shrink tube. The visual indication, along with the ability to electronically detect the marker, provides a tracker with superior locating capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Inventor: Joe T. Minarovic
  • Patent number: 7079085
    Abstract: An antenna structure for an inductively coupled plasma generator suitable for processing large-diameter wafers or large, flat-panel display devices by making a plasma density distribution uniform and symmetrical with respect to a rotating direction inside a circular or rectangular chamber in which a wafer is processed. In the antenna structure having a powered end to which RF power is applied and a ground end connected to the ground, at least two loop antenna elements are disposed electrically in parallel with each other, the powered ends and ground ends of the respective antennas are disposed symmetrically with respect to the center of the antennas, and the antennas crossing each other such that the powered ends and ground ends thereof are disposed at a part far from a chamber and central parts thereof are disposed at a part close to the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Plasmart Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Kwan Lee, Sang-Won Lee, Sae-Hoon Uhm
  • Patent number: 7046208
    Abstract: A loop shape of a receiving antenna corresponding to at least one magnetic flux passing region of the receiving antenna is modified to provide such that totals of an amount of magnetic fluxes in a positive phase and an amount of magnetic fluxes in an inverse phase produced at respective magnetic flux passing regions of the receiving antenna in correspondence with the respective loops of three or more loops of a transmitting antenna are canceled by each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Shishido, Toshiya Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 7030833
    Abstract: An antenna device includes a ground plane, a first radiation element, and a second radiation element that is entirely disposed within the first radiation element. Of the first radiation element, a portion from a first end portion to a first bending portion electromagnetically couples with, of the second radiation element, a portion from a first end portion to a first bending portion. Further, of the first radiation element, a portion from a second end portion to a second bending portion electromagnetically couples with, of the second radiation element, a portion from a second end portion to a second bending portion. This structure enables the second radiation element to be resonant with the first radiation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Ohara, Toru Yamazaki, Seishin Mikami
  • Patent number: 7030823
    Abstract: There is disclosed a wristband for a portable electronic instrument including at least a first wristband strand (50) including outer and inner faces and one end (50A) of which is intended to be fixed to a case of said portable electronic instrument, this first wristband strand (50) including, housed between said outer and inner faces, an electric conductor including a conductive plate (10) of elongated shape arranged longitudinally in said first wristband strand (50). The conductive plate (10) includes at least one lug (20) cut into its thickness and bent along a longitudinal line in the direction of one of said outer and inner faces of the first wristband strand (50). The first wristband strand (50) further includes at least one orifice (51) arranged transversely between said outer and inner faces of the first wristband strand (50) and arranged for electrically accessing said at least one lug (20). There is also disclosed a method for manufacturing such a wristband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: The Swatch Group Management Services AG
    Inventors: David Apothéloz, Nicolas Oian, Nicolas Clerc