Information handling system dongle with swappable antenna
A wireless dongle couples to an information handling system port by inserting into a port along an insertion axis to interface with the information handling system processor. A circuit board couples orthogonal to a Type C USB connector and mounts a radio that communicates wireless signals with a peripheral device. First and second three dimensional antenna selectively couple and decouple to the circuit board in a spaced parallel relationship to communicate wireless signals orthogonal the circuit board along the insertion axis, each antenna selected based upon a desired wireless protocol.
1 . An information handling system comprising:
a housing having a port;
a processor coupled in the housing and operable to execute instructions that process information;
a memory coupled in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the instructions and information;
a peripheral external the housing and operable to communicate by wireless signals; and
a wireless dongle having a connector configured to insert into the port along an insertion axis, a circuit board coupled to the connector, a radio coupled to the circuit board, and an antenna removably coupled to the circuit board by a planar member extending from the antenna along the insertion axis to slide into a nonconductive support coupled to and extending up from the circuit board, the nonconductive support having an opening to accept the planar member the radio operable to communicate with wireless signals to the peripheral through the antenna.
2 . The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:
the circuit board coupled to the connector orthogonal to the connector; and
the antenna coupled to the circuit board at a side opposite the connector and parallel the circuit board.
3 . The information handling system of claim 2 wherein the antenna comprises a three dimensional form removably mounted to the circuit board and extending out from the circuit board to have at least a conductive portion in a spaced parallel relationship to the circuit board.
4 . The information handling system of claim 3 further comprising:
a conductive pad exposed at the circuit board; and
a pogo pin coupled to the antenna and aligned to contact the conductive pad when the antenna removably couples to the circuit board.
5 . The information handling system of claim 4 further comprising an antenna cap enclosing the antenna embedded by flexible material having a contact end of the pogo pin exposed, the antenna cap coupling to the connector to cover the circuit board.
6 . The information handling system of claim 2 further comprising:
first and second antenna removably coupled to the circuit board;
wherein the radio coordinates transmission of wireless signals at the first and second antenna to direct the wireless signals towards a position of the peripheral.
7 . The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising a feature associated with the antenna and detectable by the radio, the radio selecting a protocol to communicate information based upon detection of the feature.
8 . The information handling system of claim 7 wherein the antenna couples to the circuit board with a conductive contact to communicate and a stand to hold the antenna to the circuit board, the feature comprising a conductive or nonconductive contact at the stand.
9 . The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the peripheral comprises a speaker, a keyboard and a mouse, the wireless dongle further comprising:
a first antenna removably coupled to the circuit board to communicate with the mouse and the keyboard; and
a second antenna removably coupled to the circuit board to communicate with the speaker.