WO1999044258A1 - Montage d'antenne multifonction pour instrument de communication, tel que lecteur de symboles - Google Patents

Montage d'antenne multifonction pour instrument de communication, tel que lecteur de symboles Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1999044258A1
WO1999044258A1 PCT/US1999/002268 US9902268W WO9944258A1 WO 1999044258 A1 WO1999044258 A1 WO 1999044258A1 US 9902268 W US9902268 W US 9902268W WO 9944258 A1 WO9944258 A1 WO 9944258A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cover
protective member
microprocessor
wireless communications
antenna
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1999/002268
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Robert M. Paratore
Original Assignee
Intermec Ip Corp.
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 Intermec Ip Corp. filed Critical Intermec Ip Corp.
Priority to AU25769/99A priority Critical patent/AU2576999A/en
Publication of WO1999044258A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999044258A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
    • H01Q1/22—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
    • H01Q1/24—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
    • H01Q1/241—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM
    • H01Q1/242—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM specially adapted for hand-held use
    • H01Q1/243—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM specially adapted for hand-held use with built-in antennas
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/10—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/08—Means for collapsing antennas or parts thereof
    • H01Q1/084—Pivotable antennas

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to the field of data collection and communications instruments, and more specifically to antennas mounted to such instruments.
  • a radio frequency (RF) communications link may be provided in a symbol reader for downloading data collected by the symbol reader to an external system, such as a computer network.
  • the instrument will contain a wireless communications device such as a transmitter, receiver, or transceiver and at least one antenna.
  • the instrument may also contain an output device such as a display screen and an input device such as an input keypad. Examples of other instruments using similar components include cellular telephones, laptop computers, desktop computers, and RF tag readers.
  • the antenna in such instruments is often mounted external to the housing or body of the instrument.
  • External mounting of the antenna provides two distinct advantages.
  • the first advantage is that the size of the housing or body will not limit the length of the antenna.
  • the length of the antenna is a function of both the operating frequency and the desired range, and is important to the proper functioning of the antenna-transceiver combination.
  • the second advantage is that the antenna is spaced from the internal electronics, thereby limiting interference and crosstalk between the antenna and the electronics.
  • external antennas provide several distinct advantages, there are also significant drawbacks to external antennas.
  • An external antenna may unduly increase the overall length of the communications instrument, making the instrument difficult to carry and store.
  • External antennas have been known to snag on surfaces, which may dislodge the instrument from a user's hand or belt, or hinder the movement of emergency personnel carrying out their duties.
  • retractable external antennas are usually of a telescoping design, the antenna being retractable into the instrument's housing when not in use. Such retractable antennas must be fully extended when in use. External and retractable antennas tend to poke into objects and people and may easily break off. Another significant drawback of both external and retractable antennas is a concern expressed by public safety personnel, that such antennas make the personnel's presence obtrusive. For example, firefighters in high crime areas do not want to be mistakenly identified as police personnel.
  • the present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing an antenna in a cover or door that is mounted to the body of a communications instrument for movement with respect thereto between an open position and a closed position.
  • the antenna is mounted in a cover that is pivotally mounted to a symbol reader.
  • the cover In the closed position, the cover is positioned over a display screen to provide a protective covering for the display screen.
  • In the open position, the cover In the open position, the cover is spaced from the display screen to provide an unobstructed view of the display screen and to space the antenna from electronics contained in the body of the symbol reader.
  • a flat ribbon cable or a hinge coupling may serve to connect the antenna a transceiver in the body.
  • a cover activated switch may turn the communications device "on” when the cover moves into the open position, and turn the communications device “off when the cover moves into the closed position.
  • a longer cover provides a protective covering to a keypad in addition to the display screen.
  • the cover may be slidingly mounted to the instrument for movement between the open and closed positions.
  • the cover may take the form of a substantially planar surface.
  • the cover may have dimensions sufficient to contain a variety of antenna types and a multiplicity of antennas.
  • the instrument may carry antennas for a variety of communications ranges and frequencies.
  • the cover may be formed as a sandwich construction with the antennas mounted therein. Alternatively, the antenna may be integrally molded within the cover.
  • the cover of the communications instrument discreetly hides the antenna. Opening the cover conveniently deploys the antenna in an operating position spaced from the internal electronics. Closing the cover conveniently stores the antenna proximate the body of the instrument and provides protection to the screen, keyboard and instrument. The position of the cover also conveniently places the communications device in an ON or OFF state.
  • Figure 1 is an isometric view of a first exemplary embodiment of the invention in the form of a symbol reader having a door pivotally mounted thereto, with the cover being in the open position.
  • Figure 2 is an isometric view of the symbol reader of Figure 1 with the cover being in the closed position.
  • Figure 3 is a schematic view of the symbol reader of Figure 1 showing a dipole antenna mounted in the cover and electronics in the symbol reader.
  • Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a cover showing a coil antenna therein.
  • Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a cover showing a pair of loop antennas mounted therein.
  • Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a cover showing three monopol antennas therein.
  • Figure 7 is an isometric view of a second exemplary embodiment in the form of a cellular phone, the cover in the open position.
  • Figure 8 is an isometric view of the exemplary embodiment of Figure 7, with the cover in the closed position.
  • Figure 9 is an isometric view of a third exemplary embodiment in the form of a radio frequency (RF) tag reader, having a cover slidably mounted thereto.
  • Figure 10 is a schematic view of the RF tag reader of Figure 9 showing a dipole antenna, a monopole antenna, and electronics in the RF tag reader.
  • RF radio frequency
  • a communications instrument having at least one antenna mounted in a cover or door is described in detail herein.
  • numerous specific details are set forth, such as particular electronics, antennas, mounting structures and input/output devices, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention.
  • One skilled in the relevant art will readily recognize that the present invention can be practiced without specific details, or with other such details.
  • well-known structures and operations are not shown in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.
  • Figure 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the invention, in the form of a symbol reader for reading machine readable symbols such as barcode symbols.
  • the symbol reader 10 includes a housing 12 which carries a display screen 14 and a keypad 16.
  • the display screen 14 displays information to a user, while the keypad 16 permits the user to operate the reader 10.
  • a hinge 20 pivotally mounts a cover 18 to the body 12 such that the cover 18 pivots between an open position shown in Figure 1, and a closed position shown in Figure 2. In the closed position, the cover 18 is positioned over the display screen 14 so as to protect the display screen 14 from accidental knocks and scratches. In the open position, the cover 18 is spaced from the display screen 14 so as to permit the user to view the display screen 14.
  • FIG 3 is a cross-sectional view showing some of the electronics comprising the symbol reader 10.
  • the symbol reader 10 includes an illumination source 22 for providing an illuminating beam to a machine readable symbol (not shown).
  • the illuminating beam may be a fixed beam, or may be scanned across the symbol by conventional scanning mechanisms which are well-known in the art.
  • a detector 24 detects the illumination beam after it is reflected from the machine readable symbol, and converts the reflected beam into an electronic signal representative of the data encoded in the symbol.
  • a microprocessor 26 controls the operation of the illumination source 22 and processes the electrical signals produced by the detector 24.
  • the detector 24 may take the form of a charged couple device (CCD), or other such detecting device as is known in the art.
  • CCD charged couple device
  • the microprocessor 26 may execute programs stored in a read only memory (ROM) 28, or in a random access memory (RAM) 30.
  • the microprocessor 26 may rely on lookup tables stored in the RAM 30 to decode the electrical signals produced by the detector 24.
  • the microprocessor 26 may store the decoded data in the RAM 30 until it is convenient to download the data to an external system, such as a computer network (not shown).
  • the symbol reader 10 contains a wireless communications device in the form of a transceiver 32 that includes a transmitter portion and a receiver portion.
  • a hinge segment 33 of the hinge 20 electrically couples the transceiver 32 to a dipole antenna 34 contained in cover 18.
  • the antenna may take the form of a coil antenna 36.
  • the cover 18 may contain multiple antennas, such as loop antennas 38, 39, or monopole antennas 40, 41, 43.
  • Respective segments of the hinge 20 may provide the coupling link between the communication device 32 in the body 12 of the instrument 10 and each of the multiple antennas located in the cover 18.
  • other coupling mechanisms such as a flat ribbon cable, may provide the link.
  • Such coupling mechanisms should be capable of withstanding repeated flexing due to the opening and closing of the cover 18.
  • a second exemplary embodiment is shown in the form of a cellular telephone 45.
  • the cellular phone 45 includes a microphone 42 and a speaker 44.
  • the cover 47 has a longer dimension than the cover 18 from the first exemplary embodiment.
  • the longer cover 47 provides at least two distinct advantages. First, the cover 47 is protectively extends over both the display 14 and the keyboard 16. Second, the longer length of the cover 47 permits the inclusion of a longer antenna.
  • a normally open switch 46 activates the apparatus 45 in response to the opening and closing of the cover 47.
  • the switch 46 is on the body 12.
  • the cover 47 physically engages the switch 46 when the cover 47 moves to the closed position ( Figure 8), placing the switch 46 into an OPEN switch state.
  • the cover 47 physically disengages the switch 46 when the cover 47 moves to the open position ( Figure 7), placing the switch 46 into a CLOSED switch state.
  • the switch 46 connects to the microprocessor 26 ( Figure 3) or the transceiver 32 ( Figure 3), for placing the microprocessor 26 or transceiver 32 in an ON state when the cover 47 is in the open position and for placing the device in an OFF state when the cover 47 is in the closed position. In this way the apparatus 45 turns ON when the cover 47 moves into the open position, the antenna being deployed in a position spaced from the internal electronics of the apparatus 45.
  • a third exemplary embodiment is shown in the form of an RF tag reader 50. Similar to the first embodiment, the tag reader 50 includes a body 12, a display 14 and keypad 16. In this embodiment, the cover 52 mounts in the body 12 for sliding movement between an open position and a closed position.
  • the RF tag reader 50 includes a transceiver 54 and antenna 56 for communicating with a RF tag (not shown).
  • the transceiver 54 and antenna 56 produce an interrogation signal for interrogating the RF tag, and receive a data signal from the RF tag.
  • the microprocessor 26 is coupled to ROM 28 and RAM 30.
  • the transceiver 54 and antenna 48 may operate under control of the microprocessor 26 for reading an RF tag in a conventional manner as is known in the art.
  • the RF tag reader 50 also includes a transceiver 58 and antenna 60 for communicating with an external system (not shown). Two transceiver and antenna pairs permit the tag reader 50 to communicate with an external communication system that functions at a different frequency than the frequency of the RF tag.
  • a pair of sliding contacts (not shown) formed between the body 12 and the cover 52 couple the antennas 34, 50 to the transceivers 32, 48, respectively,.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Artificial Intelligence (AREA)
  • Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Support Of Aerials (AREA)

Abstract

Cette invention se rapporte à un instrument de communication sans fil, tel qu'un lecteur de symboles, qui comprend un dispositif de communication sans fil monté dans le corps de l'instrument et couplé à une antenne montée dans une plaque de protection, laquelle est mobile par rapport audit corps entre une position fermée, dans laquelle elle est adjacente audit corps, et une position ouverte dans laquelle elle est distante dudit corps, pour maintenir l'antenne à distance des circuits électroniques contenus dans le corps de l'instrument. Cet instrument comprend en outre un interrupteur actionné par la plaque de protection et servant à placer l'instrument en position de marche et en position d'arrêt. La plaque de protection peut être disposée sélectivement sur un écran d'affichage ou sur un bloc de touches, pour servir de protection à ces éléments.
PCT/US1999/002268 1998-02-26 1999-02-03 Montage d'antenne multifonction pour instrument de communication, tel que lecteur de symboles WO1999044258A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU25769/99A AU2576999A (en) 1998-02-26 1999-02-03 Multifunction antenna mounting for a communications instrument, such as a symbolreader

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US3108898A 1998-02-26 1998-02-26
US09/031,088 1998-02-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1999044258A1 true WO1999044258A1 (fr) 1999-09-02

Family

ID=21857589

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1999/002268 WO1999044258A1 (fr) 1998-02-26 1999-02-03 Montage d'antenne multifonction pour instrument de communication, tel que lecteur de symboles

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2576999A (fr)
WO (1) WO1999044258A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002029929A2 (fr) * 2000-10-03 2002-04-11 Marconi Corporation Plc Dispositif de communication sans fil multibande
WO2005017904A1 (fr) * 2003-08-04 2005-02-24 Ovonyx, Inc. Dispositif d'acces a changement de phase pour memoires
GB2428332B (en) * 2005-07-07 2009-09-02 Sharp Kk Portable wireless communication device

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5065003A (en) * 1989-03-20 1991-11-12 Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd. Portable data input/transmission apparatus
EP0508567A2 (fr) * 1991-02-12 1992-10-14 AT&T WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS LTD. Améliorations relatives aux antennes pour un équipement téléphonique portable
US5324925A (en) * 1992-09-25 1994-06-28 Norand Corporation Hand-held data terminal and communicator
EP0607038A1 (fr) * 1993-01-12 1994-07-20 Nec Corporation Téléphone portable
US5440315A (en) * 1994-01-24 1995-08-08 Intermec Corporation Antenna apparatus for capacitively coupling an antenna ground plane to a moveable antenna
GB2293276A (en) * 1994-09-15 1996-03-20 Motorola Inc Electronic device having an rf circuit integrated into a movable housing element
US5670770A (en) * 1995-01-11 1997-09-23 Fujitsu Limited Portable terminal apparatus

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5065003A (en) * 1989-03-20 1991-11-12 Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd. Portable data input/transmission apparatus
EP0508567A2 (fr) * 1991-02-12 1992-10-14 AT&T WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS LTD. Améliorations relatives aux antennes pour un équipement téléphonique portable
US5324925A (en) * 1992-09-25 1994-06-28 Norand Corporation Hand-held data terminal and communicator
EP0607038A1 (fr) * 1993-01-12 1994-07-20 Nec Corporation Téléphone portable
US5440315A (en) * 1994-01-24 1995-08-08 Intermec Corporation Antenna apparatus for capacitively coupling an antenna ground plane to a moveable antenna
GB2293276A (en) * 1994-09-15 1996-03-20 Motorola Inc Electronic device having an rf circuit integrated into a movable housing element
US5670770A (en) * 1995-01-11 1997-09-23 Fujitsu Limited Portable terminal apparatus

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002029929A2 (fr) * 2000-10-03 2002-04-11 Marconi Corporation Plc Dispositif de communication sans fil multibande
WO2002029929A3 (fr) * 2000-10-03 2002-07-18 Marconi Corp Plc Dispositif de communication sans fil multibande
US6975834B1 (en) 2000-10-03 2005-12-13 Mineral Lassen Llc Multi-band wireless communication device and method
US7623835B2 (en) 2000-10-03 2009-11-24 Ian J Forster Multi-band wireless communication device and method
US7623834B2 (en) 2000-10-03 2009-11-24 Ian J Forster Multi-band wireless communication device and method
US7899425B2 (en) 2000-10-03 2011-03-01 Mineral Lassen Llc Multi-band wireless communication device and method
WO2005017904A1 (fr) * 2003-08-04 2005-02-24 Ovonyx, Inc. Dispositif d'acces a changement de phase pour memoires
US6914255B2 (en) 2003-08-04 2005-07-05 Ovonyx, Inc. Phase change access device for memories
GB2428332B (en) * 2005-07-07 2009-09-02 Sharp Kk Portable wireless communication device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2576999A (en) 1999-09-15

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