EP2132824A1 - A direct current energy supplying antenna structure - Google Patents

A direct current energy supplying antenna structure

Info

Publication number
EP2132824A1
EP2132824A1 EP08723893A EP08723893A EP2132824A1 EP 2132824 A1 EP2132824 A1 EP 2132824A1 EP 08723893 A EP08723893 A EP 08723893A EP 08723893 A EP08723893 A EP 08723893A EP 2132824 A1 EP2132824 A1 EP 2132824A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
direct current
current energy
antenna structure
additional
resistive element
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP08723893A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Hubregt Jannis Visser
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO
Original Assignee
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO filed Critical Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO
Priority to EP08723893A priority Critical patent/EP2132824A1/en
Publication of EP2132824A1 publication Critical patent/EP2132824A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01QANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/12Supports; Mounting means
    • H01Q1/22Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
    • H01Q1/24Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
    • H01Q1/248Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set provided with an AC/DC converting device, e.g. rectennas
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01QANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q9/00Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements
    • H01Q9/04Resonant antennas
    • H01Q9/0407Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a direct current energy supplying antenna structure for converting radio frequency energy to direct current energy, comprising a micro strip patch antenna and a rectifier circuitry.
  • Such direct current energy supplying antenna structures are known for providing direct current energy to wireless mobile communication devices, thereby reducing the need for local energy suppliers, such as batteries.
  • the invention aims at obtaining a direct current energy supplying antenna structure according to the preamble wherein the antenna structure can be used for both providing direct current energy and wireless communicating.
  • the antenna structure further comprises a resistive element arranged in series with the rectifier circuitry, the resistive element and the rectifier circuitry forming an interconnection circuit and connecting a printed pattern near an edge of the micro strip patch on a first side of a dielectric layer to a ground plane on a second side, opposite to the first side of the dielectric layer, and wherein the patch antenna is connected to a signal output port.
  • DC power can advantageously be retrieved from RF energy that is received by the antenna.
  • wireless communication signals can be retrieved.
  • an antenna structure comprising a resistive element connecting a printed pattern on a first side of a dielectric layer with a ground plane on a second, opposite to the first side of the dielectric layer near an edge of the strip patch, is known per se, see e.g. 'Broadband circularly polarised square microstrip antenna using chip -resistor loading' by C-Y. Huang a.o.
  • the direct current energy supplying antenna structure according to the invention can advantageously be used for mobile communication devices, especially in low power wireless communication applications with reduced power sources, or in applications wherein the use of local power sources is even undesired or impossible.
  • Examples of low power wireless communication applications are autonomous low poser low duty cycle sensors, such as a temperature sensor.
  • the direct current energy supplying antenna structure further comprises an additional resistive element arranged in series with an additional rectifier circuitry, the additional resistive element and the additional rectifier circuitry forming an additional interconnection circuit and connecting a printed pattern near an additional edge of the micro strip patch on the first side of a dielectric layer with a ground plane on the second side of the dielectric layer, wherein the edge and the additional edge are oriented substantially transverse with respect to each other.
  • more DC energy can be obtained from RF waves as radio waves having different polarizations interact substantially with one or both rectifier circuitries.
  • Fig. 1 shows a direct current energy supplying antenna structure according to the invention.
  • the antenna structure 1 comprises a micro strip patch antenna 2 implemented in a planar structure.
  • the antenna 2 is connected to an output port 9 serving as a signal output port for enabling wireless communication.
  • the connection between the antenna and the output port is implemented as a transmission line segment that is realized in the same technology as the patch antenna. In principle, however, also other techniques are available, such as a coax cable.
  • the transmission line and the patch 2 are realized using micro strip technology.
  • a ground plate of a printed circuit board serves as the earth, while on the opposite side of the board an electrically conducting pattern is printed. It is noted, however, that also other techniques could be used, such as etching techniques.
  • the printed circuit board has dielectric properties to electromagnetically couple the printed pattern and the ground plate.
  • the transmission line segment is formed as printed tracks.
  • the patch is formed as a rectangular plane section that is designated for optimal receipt and transmission of e.g. 2.45 GHz.
  • a first edge 3 of the patch 2 is connected via a rectifier circuitry 7 in series with a discrete resistive element 10 to an electrically conducting via 5 that is connected to the ground plane of the antenna structure 1.
  • the discrete resistive element 10 is assembled on the side of the printed circuit board on which the electrically conducting pattern is printed. Alternatively, the discrete resistive element 10 is arranged in the via 5 interconnecting both opposite surfaces of the printed circuit board.
  • a second edge 4 being oriented substantially transverse with respect to the first edge 3, is similarly connected in series via a rectifier circuitry 8 and a discrete resistive element 11 to an additional via 6 interconnecting both opposite surfaces of the printed circuit board.
  • the rectifier circuitries 7, 8 are e.g. implemented as a single diode component. However, also other rectifier circuitries 7, 8 are possible, such as a diode structure having two anti-parallel arranged diode components for improved gain of the direct current energy.
  • the DC energy is retrieved by connecting to interconnection, output ports of the rectifier circuitries 7, 8 and can be fed to local energy buffers, such as a capacitor or a rechargeable battery. Any communication radio signal received by the patch 2 can be retrieved from the signal port 9.
  • circuitries 7, 8 and the discrete resistors 10, 11 might be connected to the other components of the patch 2 using several techniques, such as soldering, gluing or otherwise to obtain an electrical conducting connection. Further, a more complex diode structure can be employed to further enhance a direct current energy retrieval from the received radio waves.
  • the rectifier circuitry and the resistive element are arranged in series, forming an interconnecting circuit and connecting an edge of the printed pattern patch to the ground plane.
  • one port of the rectifier circuitry is connected to the patch edge.
  • the relative position of the rectifier circuitry and the resistive element in the interconnecting circuit can mutually be interchanged, so that a port of the resistive element is connected to the patch edge.
  • geometries of the antenna patches can also be designed for performing wireless communication using radio waves having other frequencies, e.g. more or less than 2.45 GHz.
  • the resistor in stead of using a discrete resistor in series with a rectifier circuitry, the resistor can be implemented integrally with a via structure interconnecting the printed pattern with the ground plane.
  • an additional signal output port can be connected to an edge of the patch 2 in a substantially transverse orientation with respect to the earlier described signal output port 12, thereby enabling retrieval of mutually orthogonal oriented radio waves.
  • transmission line segments interconnecting the micro strip patch with the signal output ports, respectively are oriented substantially mutually transversely and connected to the patch at edges that are oriented substantially mutually transversely.

Landscapes

  • Waveguide Aerials (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a direct current energy supplying antenna structure for converting radio frequency energy to direct current energy. The antenna structure comprises a micro strip patch antenna and a rectifier circuitry. The antenna structure further comprises a resistive element arranged in series with the rectifier circuitry. The resistive element and the rectifier circuitry form an interconnection circuit and connect a printed pattern near an edge of the micro strip patch on a first side of a dielectric layer to a ground plane on a second side, opposite to the first side of the dielectric layer. In addition, the patch antenna is connected to a signal output port.

Description

Title: A direct current energy supplying antenna structure
The invention relates to a direct current energy supplying antenna structure for converting radio frequency energy to direct current energy, comprising a micro strip patch antenna and a rectifier circuitry.
Such direct current energy supplying antenna structures are known for providing direct current energy to wireless mobile communication devices, thereby reducing the need for local energy suppliers, such as batteries.
In particular, a so-called rectenna is known wherein the micro strip patch antenna is connected to the rectifier circuitry.
However, an antenna that is connected to a rectifier cannot be used for communication purposes.
It is an object of the invention to provide a direct current energy supplying antenna structure according to the preamble, wherein the disadvantage identified above is reduced. In particular, the invention aims at obtaining a direct current energy supplying antenna structure according to the preamble wherein the antenna structure can be used for both providing direct current energy and wireless communicating. Thereto, according to the invention, the antenna structure further comprises a resistive element arranged in series with the rectifier circuitry, the resistive element and the rectifier circuitry forming an interconnection circuit and connecting a printed pattern near an edge of the micro strip patch on a first side of a dielectric layer to a ground plane on a second side, opposite to the first side of the dielectric layer, and wherein the patch antenna is connected to a signal output port.
By applying the rectifier circuitry in an electrically conducting path between the printed pattern on a first side of a dielectric layer and a ground plane on the second side of the dielectric layer, DC power can advantageously be retrieved from RF energy that is received by the antenna. Via the signal output port, wireless communication signals can be retrieved. It is noted that an antenna structure comprising a resistive element connecting a printed pattern on a first side of a dielectric layer with a ground plane on a second, opposite to the first side of the dielectric layer near an edge of the strip patch, is known per se, see e.g. 'Broadband circularly polarised square microstrip antenna using chip -resistor loading' by C-Y. Huang a.o. in Antennas and Propagation, IEE Proceedings on Microwaves, 1999, page 94 sqq. Such lumped resistive connections of the printed pattern and a ground plane improve a bandwidth of the antenna and decrease a required antenna area, thus allowing miniaturization of micro strip patch antennas. The direct current energy supplying antenna structure according to the invention can advantageously be used for mobile communication devices, especially in low power wireless communication applications with reduced power sources, or in applications wherein the use of local power sources is even undesired or impossible. Examples of low power wireless communication applications are autonomous low poser low duty cycle sensors, such as a temperature sensor.
In a preferred embodiment the direct current energy supplying antenna structure further comprises an additional resistive element arranged in series with an additional rectifier circuitry, the additional resistive element and the additional rectifier circuitry forming an additional interconnection circuit and connecting a printed pattern near an additional edge of the micro strip patch on the first side of a dielectric layer with a ground plane on the second side of the dielectric layer, wherein the edge and the additional edge are oriented substantially transverse with respect to each other. In the preferred embodiment more DC energy can be obtained from RF waves as radio waves having different polarizations interact substantially with one or both rectifier circuitries.
Other advantageous embodiments according to the invention are described in the following claims. By way of example only, an embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures in which Fig. 1 shows a direct current energy supplying antenna structure according to the invention. The antenna structure 1 comprises a micro strip patch antenna 2 implemented in a planar structure. The antenna 2 is connected to an output port 9 serving as a signal output port for enabling wireless communication. The connection between the antenna and the output port is implemented as a transmission line segment that is realized in the same technology as the patch antenna. In principle, however, also other techniques are available, such as a coax cable.
The transmission line and the patch 2 are realized using micro strip technology. In doing so, a ground plate of a printed circuit board serves as the earth, while on the opposite side of the board an electrically conducting pattern is printed. It is noted, however, that also other techniques could be used, such as etching techniques. The printed circuit board has dielectric properties to electromagnetically couple the printed pattern and the ground plate. In particular, the transmission line segment is formed as printed tracks. The patch is formed as a rectangular plane section that is designated for optimal receipt and transmission of e.g. 2.45 GHz.
A first edge 3 of the patch 2 is connected via a rectifier circuitry 7 in series with a discrete resistive element 10 to an electrically conducting via 5 that is connected to the ground plane of the antenna structure 1. By using the resistive element 10 the bandwidth of the antenna is enlarged while sizes of the patch antenna 1 are kept small. The discrete resistive element 10 is assembled on the side of the printed circuit board on which the electrically conducting pattern is printed. Alternatively, the discrete resistive element 10 is arranged in the via 5 interconnecting both opposite surfaces of the printed circuit board. A second edge 4 being oriented substantially transverse with respect to the first edge 3, is similarly connected in series via a rectifier circuitry 8 and a discrete resistive element 11 to an additional via 6 interconnecting both opposite surfaces of the printed circuit board.
The rectifier circuitries 7, 8 are e.g. implemented as a single diode component. However, also other rectifier circuitries 7, 8 are possible, such as a diode structure having two anti-parallel arranged diode components for improved gain of the direct current energy. The DC energy is retrieved by connecting to interconnection, output ports of the rectifier circuitries 7, 8 and can be fed to local energy buffers, such as a capacitor or a rechargeable battery. Any communication radio signal received by the patch 2 can be retrieved from the signal port 9.
The circuitries 7, 8 and the discrete resistors 10, 11 might be connected to the other components of the patch 2 using several techniques, such as soldering, gluing or otherwise to obtain an electrical conducting connection. Further, a more complex diode structure can be employed to further enhance a direct current energy retrieval from the received radio waves.
According to an aspect of the invention, the rectifier circuitry and the resistive element are arranged in series, forming an interconnecting circuit and connecting an edge of the printed pattern patch to the ground plane. In the shown embodiment, one port of the rectifier circuitry is connected to the patch edge. In this respect it is noted that the relative position of the rectifier circuitry and the resistive element in the interconnecting circuit can mutually be interchanged, so that a port of the resistive element is connected to the patch edge. The invention is not restricted to the embodiments described herein.
It will be understood that many variants are possible.
As an example, geometries of the antenna patches can also be designed for performing wireless communication using radio waves having other frequencies, e.g. more or less than 2.45 GHz. In addition, in stead of using a discrete resistor in series with a rectifier circuitry, the resistor can be implemented integrally with a via structure interconnecting the printed pattern with the ground plane.
Further, optionally, an additional signal output port can be connected to an edge of the patch 2 in a substantially transverse orientation with respect to the earlier described signal output port 12, thereby enabling retrieval of mutually orthogonal oriented radio waves. Using micro strip technology, transmission line segments interconnecting the micro strip patch with the signal output ports, respectively, are oriented substantially mutually transversely and connected to the patch at edges that are oriented substantially mutually transversely.
Other such variants will be obvious for the person skilled in the art and are considered to lie within the scope of the invention as formulated in the following claims.

Claims

Claims
1. A direct current energy supplying antenna structure for converting radio frequency energy to direct current energy, comprising a micro strip patch antenna and a rectifier circuitry, wherein the antenna structure further comprises a resistive element arranged in series with the rectifier circuitry, the resistive element and the rectifier circuitry forming an interconnection circuit and connecting a printed pattern near an edge of the micro strip patch on a first side of a dielectric layer to a ground plane on a second side, opposite to the first side of the dielectric layer, and wherein the patch antenna is connected to a signal output port.
2. A direct current energy supplying antenna structure according to claim 1, wherein the rectifier comprises a single diode component.
3. A direct current energy supplying antenna structure according to claim 1, wherein the rectifier comprises two anti-parallel placed diode components.
4. A direct current energy supplying antenna structure according to any of the previous claims, further comprising an additional resistive element arranged in series with an additional rectifier circuitry, the additional resistive element and the additional rectifier circuitry forming an additional interconnection circuit and connecting a printed pattern near an additional edge of the micro strip patch on the first side of a dielectric layer with a ground plane on the second side of the dielectric layer, wherein the edge and the additional edge are oriented substantially transverse with respect to each other.
5. A direct current energy, further comprising an additional signal output port being connected to an edge of the patch 2 in a substantially transverse orientation with respect to the signal output port.
EP08723893A 2007-03-12 2008-03-12 A direct current energy supplying antenna structure Withdrawn EP2132824A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP08723893A EP2132824A1 (en) 2007-03-12 2008-03-12 A direct current energy supplying antenna structure

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP07103007A EP1970994A1 (en) 2007-03-12 2007-03-12 A direct current energy supplying antenna structure
EP08723893A EP2132824A1 (en) 2007-03-12 2008-03-12 A direct current energy supplying antenna structure
PCT/NL2008/050142 WO2008111836A1 (en) 2007-03-12 2008-03-12 A direct current energy supplying antenna structure

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2132824A1 true EP2132824A1 (en) 2009-12-16

Family

ID=37907083

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP07103007A Withdrawn EP1970994A1 (en) 2007-03-12 2007-03-12 A direct current energy supplying antenna structure
EP08723893A Withdrawn EP2132824A1 (en) 2007-03-12 2008-03-12 A direct current energy supplying antenna structure

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP07103007A Withdrawn EP1970994A1 (en) 2007-03-12 2007-03-12 A direct current energy supplying antenna structure

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (2) EP1970994A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2008111836A1 (en)

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS611102A (en) * 1984-01-13 1986-01-07 Japan Radio Co Ltd Microstrip antenna circuit switching polarized wave
DE3628583C2 (en) * 1986-08-22 1993-12-09 Licentia Gmbh Receiving device for microwave signals
JPH0636492B2 (en) * 1989-04-03 1994-05-11 山武ハネウエル株式会社 Microwave power receiver
JP3063513B2 (en) * 1994-02-10 2000-07-12 松下電器産業株式会社 Microwave detection feed circuit

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2008111836A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2008111836A1 (en) 2008-09-18
EP1970994A1 (en) 2008-09-17

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