Method and Apparatus for an Integrated Antenna
Aspects of a method and apparatus for an integrated antenna are provided. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a substrate may comprise one or more metal traces thereon and/or embedded therein. The substrate may be sufficiently flexible to be bent or molded into a shape that corresponds to the outer dimensions of a battery. When the substrate is bent into the shape corresponding to the outer dimensions of the battery, the one or more metal traces may form an antenna. A ferromagnetic laminate may be affixed to a first side of the substrate, and a dielectric laminate may be affixed to a second side of the substrate. The substrate may be wrapped around a battery and the battery and substrate may be integrated into a smartcard or other wireless communication device.
1 . A system comprising:
a substrate with one or more metal traces thereon and/or embedded therein, wherein:
said substrate is sufficiently flexible to be bent into a shape that corresponds to the outer dimensions of a battery; and
when said substrate is bent into said shape, said one or more metal traces form a helical antenna.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said shape that corresponds to the outer dimensions of a battery is substantially elliptical.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said shape that corresponds to the outer dimensions of a battery is substantially rectangular.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said one or more metal traces comprises a plurality of metal traces;
said substrate comprises a plurality of solder lands thereon and/or embedded therein; and
when said substrate is wrapped around said battery, said solder lands electrically connect said plurality of metal traces to form one conductive path.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein:
a first one of said plurality of traces terminates at a first of said solder lands;
a second one of said plurality of traces terminates a second one of said solder lands;
said first solder land is a positive terminal of said helical antenna;
said second solder land is a negative terminal of said helical antenna.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein an antenna driving circuit is mounted to said substrate.
7 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a dielectric layer affixed to one side of said substrate.
8 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a ferromagnetic layer affixed to one side of said substrate such that said ferromagnetic material is interior to said helical antenna when said substrate is bent into said shape.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said substrate is embedded in a device operable to transmit and/or receive in the industrial, scientific, and medical band centered at 433.92 MHz.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein said device is an ISO 7816 compliant smartcard.
11 . A system comprising:
a battery with a battery sleeve around it, said battery sleeve comprising one or more metal traces arranged to form an antenna.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said battery sleeve comprises:
a substrate on which said one or more metal traces are fabricated;
a ferromagnetic laminate on a first side of said substrate; and
a dielectric laminate on a second side of said substrate.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein an antenna driving circuit is mounted on said substrate.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein:
said antenna is a loop antenna; and
said ferromagnetic layer is interior to said loop antenna.
15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein:
said antenna is a helical antenna; and
said ferromagnetic layer is interior to said helical antenna.
16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said battery and said battery sleeve are embedded in a device operable to transmit and/or receive in the industrial, scientific, and medical band centered at 433.92 MHz.
17 . A system comprising:
an ISO 7816 compliant smartcard, said smartcard comprising a battery with a battery sleeve around it, said battery sleeve comprising one or more metal traces arranged to form an antenna.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein said battery sleeve comprises:
a substrate on which said one or more metal traces are fabricated;
a ferromagnetic laminate on a first side of said substrate; and
a dielectric laminate on a second side of said substrate.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said antenna is a helical antenna.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said antenna is a loop antenna.