Communications: radio wave antennas – Antennas – With radio cabinet
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-23
2003-09-09
Wimer, Michael C. (Department: 2821)
Communications: radio wave antennas
Antennas
With radio cabinet
C455S090300, C455S557000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06618013
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to antenna systems, and more particularly, to retractable antenna systems for use in PC Card devices.
2. Present State of the Art
One of the defining characteristics of modern society is the ability to communicate virtually instantaneously over vast distances. Developments in communication technology have freed individuals from the necessity of conducting face to face business transactions. Indeed, with little more than a telephone, and perhaps a computer, an individual can conduct business transactions worldwide through various telephones and/or computer networks.
While the vast web of computer and telephone networks encircling the globe allows almost instantaneous communication between individuals, the communication is generally conducted from place to place and not from person to person. In other words, wired or landline communication networks, such as the telephone network or the Internet, of necessity connect one location to other locations. Thus, when one individual desires to communicate with another individual he or she must locate that individual by telephoning or contacting various locations.
In addition to voice communications over telephone networks, today's communication environment also involves the transfer of vast amounts of digital data over the telephone network or other landline computer networks. Advances in computer technology have placed extremely powerful computers on the desktops of many people throughout the world. Using a telephone or other communication network, these computers can be linked together in order to allow information to be transferred, shared, and exchanged between various individuals. The advent of such technology has opened up broad new possibilities. Taking advantage of such technology, companies have been able to establish remote offices at various locations and conduct business through the sharing and transfer of information over various communication networks.
As computers have continued to become smaller, lighter, and more portable while simultaneously becoming more powerful, the ability of a business executive to take his or her entire “office” on a business trip has become a real possibility. By carrying a small, lightweight, portable computer, and using ordinary telephone lines, an individual may be able to work and share information with the office from virtually any location where access to the telephone network is available. Traditionally, such access has been through landline telephone networks.
From the above description, it is clear that while landline communication networks have created vast opportunities and possibilities for individuals, further advancements and improvements are possible. In many instances the conveniences afforded by a landline communication network are offset somewhat by the inconvenience of being tied to a specific location. Individuals who travel often may find themselves at a location without access to a landline communication network.
In order to overcome these and other problems, wireless communication methods have been developed. Currently, the communications industry is experiencing an explosion of technologies which have been used to build infrastructures to support wireless communications. Major cities throughout the world provide access to cellular communication networks which allow individuals to communicate using wireless cellular telephones. In addition, a dizzying array of beepers and pagers are also available. The trend in all of these markets is towards smaller, more personal communication devices. Since these devices continue to become smaller, and all wireless communication devices must have an antenna system, integration of effective and efficient antenna systems can become problematic. In general, however, antennas which retract inside the housing of the communication device are preferred because such antennas are less prone to breakage and are more compact and elegant in retraction than antennas which remain constantly exposed.
Although many popular devices are directed to voice communications between individuals in the form of cellular telephones or other devices, advances are also being made in wireless data communications. For example, cellular or radio modems which allow a computer to be connected to other computers via a cellular telephone network or other wireless networks can be purchased from many different manufacturers. Obviously, the utility of such a cellular modem is greater with a portable computer than with a non-portable computer.
The most portable computers available today are the small laptop, notebook, and palmtop type computers. Integrating a cellular modem into a small portable computer, however, creates many difficulties. These computers typically have a small form factor and are designed to close up into a relatively small space with clean exterior lines to aid in carrying and transporting the computer. Because wireless communications requires an antenna, one of the major problems encountered when cellular modems are integrated into small portable computers is the integration of the antenna into the computer. Previous attempts to integrate antennas with portable computers have met with only moderate success.
For example, one approach to integrating an antenna with a portable computer is to integrate the antenna into the housing of the computer in much the same way that a cellular telephone antenna is integrated into the housing of the cellular telephone. In other words, a hole can be formed in the housing of the computer and the antenna can be made to retract into, and extend from, the hole. For portable computers using a flip up screen. it may be possible to form this hole along side the screen so that the antenna is in a substantially vertical orientation when the antenna is extended while the computer is being used.
Other attempts to integrate antennas with small portable computers have focused on internal antennas. In these attempts, the antennas are placed inside the computer case so as to be hidden from view. These antennas are typically loop or strip antennas which cannot be extended.
A significant problem with both antennas integrated with the computer case so that they can be extended or retracted into the computer case and with antennas mounted inside the computer case is that computers must be designed around them. Such antenna designs are typically matched to a single type of proprietary computer. Many computer makers are unwilling to commit antenna and wireless modems to hardware platforms given the low percentage of users who will want them. Users would like, ideally, to connect a wireless modem/antenna to a wide variety of computers, including those not specifically designed for wireless communications.
In order to overcome the limitations of the proprietary peripheral ports, the industry has developed standard peripheral slots such as the PC Card standard. This standard, also referred to as the PCMCIA standard, defines a small form factor peripheral about the size of a thick credit card and a corresponding peripheral slot in the portable computer. Peripherals conforming to the PC Card standard can be plugged into any computer having a PC Card slot. The available peripherals include hard disk drives, memory expansion upgrades, landline modems, local area network (LAN) cards, and the like. Most recently, several manufactures have attempted to provide radio modems which loosely conform to the PC Card standard and can be plugged into a PC Card slot. Unfortunately, producing a radio modem for use with a PC Card slot has produced less than satisfactory results.
When installed, standard size PC Cards are generally at least flush with the computers they reside in, and are usually recessed to some degree. When installed, some cards are recessed from the outside of the computer housing by as much as 0.3 inches. Any antenna attached to the PC Card will thus be recessed inside the computer case to some degree. Antennas used to transmit or receive electromagn
3Com Corporation
Wimer Michael C.
Workman & Nydegger & Seeley
LandOfFree
Retractable antenna assembly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Retractable antenna assembly, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Retractable antenna assembly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3043558