Patents by Inventor Robert Wayne Ridgeway

Robert Wayne Ridgeway has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9867291
    Abstract: A first printed circuit board (PCB) assembly can include an embedded electrical connector configured to be mechanically coupled to a corresponding tab-shaped portion of a second PCB assembly, such as to permit insertion of the tab-shaped portion of the second PCB assembly into the embedded electrical connector when the second PCB assembly is aligned in a specified orientation. In an example, the second PCB assembly can include an approximately planar conductive antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Digi Internationl Inc.
    Inventors: John Clark Roberts, Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Patent number: 9831552
    Abstract: An approximately planar antenna assembly can be formed or used, such as comprising a printed circuit board assembly. In an example, the approximately planar antenna assembly can include a dielectric material and a conductive loop comprising an outer loop portion having a first conic section an inner loop portion having a second conic section located within a footprint of the first conic section. The planar antenna assembly can be configured to support wireless transfer of information in at least two ranges of operating frequencies, such as two or more respective ranges used for cellular communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Digi International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Patent number: 9450299
    Abstract: A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of a printed circuit board assembly, can include a first conductive layer comprising a feed conductor and a patch. The planar antenna can include a second conductive layer comprising a reference conductor, a first arm defined by a first arm length and a first arm width, and a second arm located parallel to the first arm and defined by a second arm length and a second arm width. The first and second arms can be respectively coupled to the reference conductor, and at least a portion of the first arm and at least a portion of the second arm can overlap with a footprint of the patch projected vertically from a plane of the first conductive layer onto a plane of the second conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Digi International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Patent number: 8970443
    Abstract: A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of printed circuit board assembly, can include a balanced configuration comprising a first conductive layer. The first conductive layer can include a first arm having a footprint extending in a first direction and a second arm having a footprint extending in a direction opposite the first direction. The second arm can be sized and shaped to be similar to the footprint of the first arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Digi International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Publication number: 20140218252
    Abstract: A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of printed circuit board assembly, can include a balanced configuration comprising a first conductive layer. The first conductive layer can include a first arm having a footprint extending in a first direction and a second arm having a footprint extending in a direction opposite the first direction. The second arm can be sized and shaped to be similar to the footprint of the first arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Digi International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Publication number: 20140184448
    Abstract: A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of a printed circuit board assembly, can include a first conductive layer comprising a feed conductor and a patch. The planar antenna can include a second conductive layer comprising a reference conductor, a first arm defined by a first arm length and a first arm width, and a second arm located parallel to the first arm and defined by a second arm length and a second arm width. The first and second arms can be respectively coupled to the reference conductor, and at least a portion of the first arm and at least a portion of the second arm can overlap with a footprint of the patch projected vertically from a plane of the first conductive layer onto a plane of the second conductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Patent number: 8704714
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a dielectric sheet, and an antenna structure. The antenna structure comprises a first conductive portion located on an exterior surface of the dielectric sheet and a second conductive portion buried in the dielectric sheet and configured for coupling to a return portion of the wireless communication circuit. The second conductive portion includes a plane area adjacent to the first conductive portion in a region proximal to the feed portion and separated from the first conductive portion by a portion of the dielectric sheet, a curved transition portion, the transition portion including a lateral width that tapers along the length of the second conductive portion, and a distal portion comprising two parallel conductive strips, the distal portion electrically coupled to the plane area via the curved transition portion, wherein the parallel conductive strips are thinner in lateral width than the plane area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Digi International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Patent number: 8659483
    Abstract: A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, can include a dielectric layer and a first conductive layer mechanically coupled to the dielectric layer. In an example, the first conductive layer can include a first arm having a shape defined by a first outer border comprising a first conic section and a first inner border comprising a second conic section, a feed line coupled to the first arm at a feedpoint location at or near a central axis of the first arm, and a second arm offset from the first arm along the central axis of the first arm, the second arm defined by a shape at least in part mirroring a shape of the first arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Digi International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Patent number: 8599093
    Abstract: A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of a wireless communication assembly, can include a dielectric portion, a first conductive portion, extending along a surface of the dielectric portion, and a second conductive portion, parallel to the first conductive portion, extending along the surface of the dielectric portion, the second conductive portion laterally offset from the first portion to provide a specified lateral separation between the first and second conductive portions. The first and second conductive portions can be configured to provide respective resonant operating frequencies ranges offset from each other, and the first and second conductive portions can be configured to follow a commonly-shared path, including at least one bend, along the surface of the dielectric portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Digi International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Patent number: 8576125
    Abstract: An approximately planar wideband antenna can include a first conductive portion coupled to a dielectric portion and mechanically supported by the dielectric portion, the first conductive portion including at least one edge corresponding to a planar conic section, such as including one or more of an elliptic, a parabolic, or a hyperbolic shape. Such an antenna can be electrically coupled to a matching circuit, the matching circuit configured provide a specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of frequencies. Such a range of frequencies can span at least an octave, or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Digi International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Publication number: 20130222188
    Abstract: A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, can include a dielectric layer and a first conductive layer mechanically coupled to the dielectric layer. In an example, the first conductive layer can include a first arm having a shape defined by a first outer border comprising a first conic section and a first inner border comprising a second conic section, a feed line coupled to the first arm at a feedpoint location at or near a central axis of the first arm, and a second arm offset from the first arm along the central axis of the first arm, the second arm defined by a shape at least in part mirroring a shape of the first arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Publication number: 20130135836
    Abstract: A first printed circuit board (PCB) assembly can include an embedded electrical connector configured to be mechanically coupled to a corresponding tab-shaped portion of a second PCB assembly, such as to permit insertion of the tab-shaped portion of the second PCB assembly into the embedded electrical connector when the second PCB assembly is aligned in a specified orientation. In an example, the second PCB assembly can include an approximately planar conductive antenna.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: John Clark Roberts, Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Publication number: 20130135173
    Abstract: An approximately planar antenna assembly can be formed or used, such as comprising a printed circuit board assembly. In an example, the approximately planar antenna assembly can include a dielectric material and a conductive loop comprising an outer loop portion having a first conic section an inner loop portion having a second conic section located within a footprint of the first conic section. The planar antenna assembly can be configured to support wireless transfer of information in at least two ranges of operating frequencies, such as two or more respective ranges used for cellular communications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Patent number: 8433269
    Abstract: An apparatus, such as an antenna assembly, can include a flexible dielectric sheet, a first flexible conductor coupled to the flexible dielectric sheet, a second flexible conductor coupled to the flexible dielectric sheet, a matching section electrically coupled to the first and second conductors, and a hollow dielectric housing having a curved interior surface. The first and second flexible conductors can be sized, shaped, and laterally spaced a specified distance from each other to provide a specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of operating frequencies for use in wireless information transfer between the antenna assembly and a satellite. The first and second flexible conductors can be located along the curved interior surface of the hollow dielectric housing following an arc-shaped path along the curved interior surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Digi International Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Wayne Ridgeway, Paul A. Dahl
  • Publication number: 20120306700
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a dielectric sheet, and an antenna structure. The antenna structure comprises a first conductive portion located on an exterior surface of the dielectric sheet and a second conductive portion buried in the dielectric sheet and configured for coupling to a return portion of the wireless communication circuit. The second conductive portion includes a plane area adjacent to the first conductive portion in a region proximal to the feed portion and separated from the first conductive portion by a portion of the dielectric sheet, a curved transition portion, the transition portion including a lateral width that tapers along the length of the second conductive portion, and a distal portion comprising two parallel conductive strips, the distal portion electrically coupled to the plane area via the curved transition portion, wherein the parallel conductive strips are thinner in lateral width than the plane area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Publication number: 20110156981
    Abstract: An approximately planar wideband antenna can include a first conductive portion coupled to a dielectric portion and mechanically supported by the dielectric portion, the first conductive portion including at least one edge corresponding to a planar conic section, such as including one or more of an elliptic, a parabolic, or a hyperbolic shape. Such an antenna can be electrically coupled to a matching circuit, the matching circuit configured provide a specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of frequencies. Such a range of frequencies can span at least an octave, or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Digi International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Publication number: 20110122043
    Abstract: A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of a wireless communication assembly, can include a dielectric portion, a first conductive portion, extending along a surface of the dielectric portion, and a second conductive portion, parallel to the first conductive portion, extending along the surface of the dielectric portion, the second conductive portion laterally offset from the first portion to provide a specified lateral separation between the first and second conductive portions. The first and second conductive portions can be configured to provide respective resonant operating frequencies ranges offset from each other, and the first and second conductive portions can be configured to follow a commonly-shared path, including at least one bend, along the surface of the dielectric portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: Digi International Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Ridgeway
  • Publication number: 20110105062
    Abstract: An apparatus, such as an antenna assembly, can include a flexible dielectric sheet, a first flexible conductor coupled to the flexible dielectric sheet, a second flexible conductor coupled to the flexible dielectric sheet, a matching section electrically coupled to the first and second conductors, and a hollow dielectric housing having a curved interior surface. The first and second flexible conductors can be sized, shaped, and laterally spaced a specified distance from each other to provide a specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of operating frequencies for use in wireless information transfer between the antenna assembly and a satellite. The first and second flexible conductors can be located along the curved interior surface of the hollow dielectric housing following an arc-shaped path along the curved interior surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Digi International Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Wayne Ridgeway, Paul A. Dahl