Wireless network card with antenna selection option
View Patent ↗A wireless network card includes an adaptable antenna connection structure that includes connections for one or more internal antennas and for one or more Radio Frequency (RF) connectors that may be coupled to one or more external antennas. A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and electronic components located thereon form the wireless network card. The PCB includes a removable portion that, when removed, leaves an opening that receives an RF antenna connector. When the PCB is used to create a client wireless network card, one or more surface mount antennas are mounted on the PCB and coupled to surface mount antenna conductive pads formed thereon. The wireless network card may include (1) the surface mount antenna; (2) the RF connector; or (3) both the surface mount antenna and the RF connector.
1. A wireless network card configurable for an internal antenna and an external antenna comprises:
a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) including a removable portion defined by a boundary;
a pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads located on the PCB;
a pair of conductive pads formed on the PCB located adjacent the removable portion;
a first controlled impedance transmission line formed on the removable portion that provides a connection between the pair of conductive pads, wherein when the removable portion is removed, the first controlled impedance transmission line is severed; and
a second controlled impedance transmission line formed on the PCB that couples a first one of the pair of conductive pads to one of the pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads.
2. The wireless network card of claim 1 further comprises:
an Radio Frequency (RF) connector received by the PCB when the removable portion is removed.
3. The wireless network card of claim 1 further comprises:
a surface mount antenna coupled to the pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads antennas.
4. The wireless network card of claim 1 , further comprises:
RF circuitry mounted on the PCB; a baseband processor mounted on the PCB and coupled to the RF circuitry; and a second controlled impedance transmission line that couples the RF circuitry to a second one of the pair of conductive pads.
5. The wireless network card of claim 4 , wherein when the removable portion is removed to form the opening, an RF connector is mounted within the opening and coupled to the RF circuitry via the second one of the pair of conductive pads.
6. The wireless network card of claim 5 , further comprises:
a surface mount antenna mounted on the PCB and coupled to the pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads; and
a connection between the first one of the pair of conductive pads and the RF connector, wherein the RF connector is a switched RF connector.
7. A wireless network card comprises:
a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) that defines a removable portion with a facilitating boundary;
a pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads located on the PCB;
a pair of conductive pads formed on the PCB adjacent the removable portion;
a first controlled impedance transmission line formed on the removable portion and coupled between the pair of conductive pads, wherein the first controlled impedance transmission line is severed when the removable portion is removed;
a second controlled impedance transmission line formed on the PCB that couples a first one of the pair of conductive pads to one of the pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads;
Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry mounted on the PCB;
a baseband processor mounted on the PCB and coupled to the RF circuitry; and
a third controlled impedance transmission line that couples the RF circuitry to a second one of the pair of conductive pads adjacent the removable portion.
8. The wireless network card of claim 7 , further comprises: a surface mount antenna coupled to the pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads.
9. The wireless network card of claim 7 further comprises:
an RF connector received by the PCB when the removable portion is removed, wherein the RF connector is coupled to the second one of the pair of conductive pads.
10. The wireless network card of claim 9 , further comprises:
a surface mount antenna mounted on the PCB and coupled to the pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads; and
a connection between the first one of the pair of conductive pads and the RF connector, wherein the RF connector is a switched RF connector.
11. A method for constructing a wireless network card comprises:
constructing a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) with a removable portion defined by a boundary;
forming a pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads on the PCB;
forming a pair of conductive pads on the PCB adjacent the removable portion of the PCB;
forming a controlled impedance transmission line on the removable portion that provides a connection between the pair of conductive pads, wherein when the removable portion is removed, the connection between the pair of conductive pads is severed; and
forming a controlled impedance transmission line on the PCB that couples a first one of the pair of conductive pads to one of the pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprises:
removing the removable portion to define an opening;
receiving an RF connector within the opening; and
coupling the RF connector to a second one of the pair of conductive pads.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprises:
mounting a surface mount antenna on the PCB; and coupling the surface mount antenna to the pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprises:
mounting Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry on the PCB;
mounting a baseband processor on the PCB;
coupling the baseband processor to the RF circuitry; and
coupling the RF circuitry to a second one of the pair of conductive pads.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprises:
removing the removable portion to define an opening;
mounting an RF connector within the opening; and
coupling the RF connector to the second one of the pair of conductive pads.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprises:
mounting a surface mount antenna on the PCB;
communicatively coupling the surface mount antenna to the pair of surface mount antenna conductive pads;
communicatively coupling the first one of the pair of conductive pads to the RF connector, wherein the RF connector is a switched RF connector.