United States Patent
`Jenness et a1.
`
`[19]
`
`llllllIlllllllIlllllllIllllllllllllllillllllllllillllllllIlllllllllllllllll
`U8005373300A
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`5,373,300
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`Dec. 13, 1994
`
`[54] MOBILE DATA TERMINAL WITH
`EXTERNAL ANTENNA
`
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Ray Strimaitis; Andrew J.
`Dillon
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors:
`
`Robert V. Jenness, Boca Raton;
`Victor S. Moore, Delray Beach, both
`of Fla.
`
`[73] Assignee:
`
`International Business Machines
`Corporation, Armonk, N.Y.
`
`[21] App]. No.: 887,434
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`May 21, 1992
`
`Int. C1.5 ............................................... H01Q 1/24
`[51]
`[52] US. Cl. .................................... 343/102; 343/873;
`455/89
`[58] Field of Search ........ 343/702, 784, 789, 700 MS,
`343/873, 788, 905; 455/83, 89, 90, 269, 272,
`274; 312/2232, 351.2; H01Q 1/24
`References Cited
`
`[56]
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`3/ 1957
`Harris ............
`343/873
`Kneisel ct al.
`455/78
`4/1986
`
`2/1987
`Scholz ..................... 343/702
`
`4/1990
`Fukuzawa et al.
`343/700 MS
`8/1992
`........................ 343/702
`Zibrik et al.
`
`2,785,399
`4,584,709
`4,644,366
`4,914,449
`5,138,328
`
`Primary Examiner~Donald Hajec
`Assistant Examiner—Tan Ho
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`A mobile data terminal external antenna is disclosed for
`use with a battery powered data processing terminal
`which includes a radio frequency communication de-
`vice, such as a cellular telephone transceiver. Multiple
`antenna elements are mounted within a D—shaped flexi-
`ble tubular member having a very low dielectric con-
`stant which is then affixed to the external surface of the
`data processing terminal, utilizing an adhesive on the
`flat surface thereof. The flexible tubular member is
`preferably mounted along at least two edges of the data
`processing terminal display module such that spatial or
`polarization diversity for the multiple antenna elements
`may be provided. A coaxial connector is utilized to
`couple the multiple antenna elements to a radio fre-
`quency communication device within the data process-
`ing terminal. In this matter, an external antenna may be
`added to a battery powered data processing terminal in
`a manner which will protect the antenna without inter-
`fering with radio frequency transmission or reception
`while simultaneously providing additional protection
`for the data processing terminal.
`
`10 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
`\/
`
`\/
`
`22
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`22
`
`TELEPHONE
`SYSTEM
`
`
`
`EXHIBIT
`Petitioner - Kyocera
`
`PX 1036
`
`Kyocera PX 1036_1
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Dec. 13, 1994
`
`Sheet 1 of 2
`
`5,373,300
`
`
`IELEPHONESYSTEM
`
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`‘\
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`6:-s
`k.
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`NN
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`22
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`\/
`
`
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`Kyocera PX 1036_2
`
`Kyocera PX 1036_2
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Dec.13, 1994
`
`Sheet 2 of 2
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`5,373,300
`
`_ 30
`-
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`20
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`/
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`3o
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`‘
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`-
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`DISPLAY
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`-
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`16
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`I
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`21
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`
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`33
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`32
`PROCESSOR ¥
`I
`PERIPHERALS
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`KEYBO
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`'4
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`34
`
`-
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`'
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`F39. 2
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`
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`Kyocera PX 1036_3
`
`Kyocera PX 1036_3
`
`

`

`1
`
`5,373,300
`
`MOBILE DATA TERMINAL WITH EXTERNAL
`ANTENNA
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Technical Field
`
`The present invention relates in general to improve-
`ments in mobile data terminals and in particular to im-
`provements in an external radio frequency antenna for
`utilization with a mobile data terminal. Still more partic-
`ularly, the present invention relates to a flexible external
`radio frequency antenna which may be rapidly and
`efficiently affixed to a mobile data terminal.
`2. Description of the Related Art
`Distributed data processing systems are increasingly
`common in the modern electronic work place. Such
`distributed data processing systems may include thou-
`sands of computers or workstations including main
`frame computers, so-called “personal” computers, and
`modern state-of-the-art portable or “laptop” computers.
`In modern distributed data processing systems many
`such computers may be linked together utilizing various
`topologies and different types of networks including
`Advanced-Peer-To-Peer-Networks
`(APPN), Local
`Area Networks (LAN) or various other types of net-
`works. While in the past computer networks are gener-
`ally coupled together utilizing existing telephone land
`line systems, or specialized wiring, modern distributed
`data processing systems often utilize more sophisticated
`means of communication.
`
`For example, the increasing efficiency and decreasing
`cost of cellular communication equipment has resulted
`in the utilization of that technology to couple together
`multiple computers without the necessity of access to a
`telephone line outlet. This particular technology is par-
`ticularly effective in combination with small, portable
`battery powered laptop or notebook computer in which
`the necessary modem and cellular communication cir-
`cuitry are miniaturized and provided in an integral fash-
`ion with the computer itself. Often in such a computer,
`it is possible to remove the fixed disk drive and replace
`that subassembly with a combination modem and cellu-
`lar communications device such that the data process-
`ing terminal may be coupled to a large network utilizing
`cellular communications technology. Thus, an operator
`utilizing such a computer may initiate communications
`and transfer data between his or her computer and a
`distributed data processing system without the necessity
`of access to either telephone lines or power lines.
`The increasing utilization of such devices and the
`after market refitting of existing laptop or notebook
`type computers with such communications modules
`result in a problem in the efficiency of the radio fre-
`quency communication. That is, devices which are
`initially designed for utilization with cellular communi-
`cation circuitry are constructed with internal antenna
`elements which are optimized for cellular communica-
`tions; however, the after market refitting of a laptop or
`notebook computer with a combination modem and
`cellular communication device often causes a problem,
`since such devices were not designed initially for cellu-
`lar communication network linking.
`The antenna devices typically utilized for cellular
`communication generally compose multiple antenna
`elements, each including a radiating element which is
`equal in length to some fraction of the wavelength gen-
`erally utilized by the cellular communication device.
`Further, in order to enhance the efficiency of communi-
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`cation, these multiple antenna elements must include
`elements which are separated by a minimum distance
`and preferably must be oriented normal to each other in
`space, in order to provide the necessary separation and
`spatial diversity.
`Thus, upon reference to the foregoing it should be
`apparent to those skilled in the art that a need exists for
`an external antenna which may be rapidly and effi-
`ciently affixed to a portable data processing terminal in
`a manner which provides optimum radio frequency
`communication.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`It is therefore one object of the present invention to
`provide an improved mobile data terminal.
`It is another object of the present invention to pro-
`vide an improved external radio frequency antenna for
`utilization with a mobile data terminal.
`
`It is yet another object of the present invention to
`provide a flexible external radio frequency antenna
`which may be rapidly and efficiently affixed to a mobile
`data terminal.
`
`The foregoing objects are achieved as is now de-
`scribed. The mobile data terminal with external antenna
`
`of the present invention may be implemented utilizing
`any battery powered data processing terminal which
`includes a radio frequency communication device, such
`as a cellular telephone transceiver. Multiple antenna
`elements are mounted within a D-shaped flexible tubu-
`lar member having a very low dielectric constant which
`is then affixed to the external surface of the data pro-
`cessing terminal, utilizing an adhesive on the flat surface
`thereof. The flexible tubular member is preferably
`mounted along at least two edges of the data processing
`terminal display module such that spatial or polarization
`diversity for the multiple antenna elements may be pro-
`vided. A coaxial connector is utilized to couple the
`multiple antenna elements to a radio frequency commu-
`nication device within the data processing terminal. In
`this matter, an external antenna may be added to a bat-
`tery powered data processing terminal
`in a manner
`which will protect the antenna without interfering with
`radio frequency transmission or reception while simul-
`taneously providing additional protection for the data
`processing terminal.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
`
`The novel features believed characteristic of the in-
`
`vention are set forth in the appended claims. The inven-
`tion itself however, as well as a preferred mode of use,
`further objects and advantages thereof, will best be
`understood by reference to the following detailed de-
`scription of an illustrative embodiment when read in
`conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
`FIG. 1 is a partially schematic pictorial representa-
`tion of a portable data processing terminal utilizing the
`external antenna of the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the major subsystems of
`the portable data processing terminal of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3 is a sectional end view of one external antenna
`element of the external antenna of FIG. 1; and
`FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the external antenna
`element of the external antenna of FIG. 1.
`
`Kyocera PX 1036_4
`
`Kyocera PX 1036_4
`
`

`

`3
`
`5,373,300
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
`EMBODIIVIENT
`
`With reference now to the figures and in particular
`with reference to FIG. 1, there is depicted a partially
`schematic pictorial representation of a distributed data
`processing system 10 which may include a portable data
`processing terminal 12 which may utilize an external
`antenna in accordance with the present invention. Upon
`reference to the foregoing those skilled in the art will
`appreciate that while distributed data processing system
`10 is illustrated as including only two computers, typi-
`cally such distributed data processing systems include a
`large number of computers distributed over a wide
`geographic area. As illustrated, portable data process-
`ing terminal 12 is one of the computers within distrib-
`uted data processing system 10. Portable data process-
`ing terminal 12 is preferably a battery powered laptop
`or notebook computer which includes a low power
`display system 16 which preferably provides a display
`screen 18 which may be implemented utilizing a liquid
`crystal display (LCD), a gas plasma display or any other
`suitable technology. Keyboard 14 is provided with
`portable data processing terminal 12 and enables the
`computer user to access and modify data stored within
`portable data processing terminal 12 in a manner well
`known in the art.
`
`As those skilled in the art will appreciate it is increas-
`ingly common for computers such as portable computer
`12 to include therein a miniature cellular telephone
`system (not shown) which is provided in conjunction
`with a modem. For example, it is possible to remove the
`fixed disk drive module typically provided with porta-
`ble computer 12 and substitute therefore a module
`which includes a cellular transceiver and associated
`modem device. Those skilled in the art will appreciate
`that a modem is a device which may be utilized to con-
`vert digital data from a computer to an analog signal
`which may be transmitted via a telecommunications
`system. Additionally, such devices convert received
`analog signals from the telecommunications line to digi-
`tal data which may be utilized by a computer. As is
`typical in such systems, a cellular telephone transmits a
`radio frequency signal via an external antenna 20 which
`is coupled to a cellular transceiver (not shown) via
`coaxial cable 21 and which may be implemented utiliz-
`ing the antenna system disclosed herein. As illustrated,
`external antenna 20 preferably includes multiple an-
`tenna elements 30,. depicted in phantom line within
`external antenna 20.
`’
`
`As is typical in such systems, a cellular telephone
`communications device transmits a radio frequency
`signal via an external antenna 20 which may be received
`and relayed via multiple cellular system antenna 22.
`Thus, digital data within portable data processing termi-
`nal 12 may be converted into a series of analog signals
`and transmitted, via a cellular telephone system and
`multiple intervening repeaters to a telephone system 24,
`in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.
`Analog signals thus transmitted may be received by
`the telephone system and transmitted, via an ordinary
`telephone land line 26 to a computer 28 within distrib-
`uted data processing system 10. While computer 28 is
`depicted as a personal computer, those skilled in the art
`will appreciate that computer 28 may be implemented
`utilizing a workstation, terminal or main frame com-
`puter, as desired. Typically, computer 28 will also in-
`clude a modem device permitting data from portable
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`data processing terminal 12 to be transmitted to and
`received by computer 28 and computer 28 may be
`linked to portable data processing terminal 12 utilizing
`cellular technology, 24 rather than telephone land lines.
`Referring now to FIG. 2, there is depicted a block
`diagram of the major subsystem components of portable
`data processing terminal 12 of FIG. 1. As illustrated,
`keyboard 14 and display 16 are coupled to a processor
`32. Processor 32 is coupled via bus 33 to modern device
`34 which serves to convert digital data from processor
`32 into analog data which may be transmitted via cellu-
`lar transceiver 36. As depicted, cellular transceiver 36 is
`coupled via coaxial cable 21 to external antenna 20,
`which includes a plurality of antenna elements 30.
`With reference now to FIG. 3, there is depicted a
`sectional end view of one antenna element 30 within the
`external antenna of FIG. 1. As illustrated, external an-
`tenna 20 preferably includes a flexible insulative elon-
`gate tubular member 38 which is preferably constructed
`of a foamed plastic, such as polyurethane, or any other
`suitable flexible insulative material having a dielectric
`constant of .001 or lower. As illustrated, the flat surface
`of flexible insulative elongate tubular member 38 prefer-
`ably includes a strip of contact adhesive 42 which, in the
`depicted embodiment of the present invention, may be
`utilized to rapidly and efficiency mount external an-
`tenna 20 to the outer perimeter of display 16, as illus-
`trated in FIG. 1. Disposed within flexible insulative
`elongate tubular member 38 is a ground plane 44, pref-
`erably constructed of cepper or other highly conduc-
`tive material, above which is mounted antenna element
`48, at a fixed distance from copper ground plane ,14,
`utilizing radio frequency insulator 46. Thus, as those
`skilled in the art will appreciate upon reference to the
`foregoing, by disposing multiple antenna elements
`within flexible insulative elongate tubular member 38
`and providing an adhesive backing strip 42, in the man-
`ner depicted, a multi-element external radio frequency
`antenna may be simply and efficiently mounted to mul-
`tiple sides of portable data processing terminal 12, pro-
`viding the necessary spatial diversity required to opti-
`mize communications efficiency utilizing a cellular
`communication system antenna.
`Referring now to FIG. 4, there is depicted a sectional
`side view of one antenna element 20 of external antenna
`20 of FIG. 1. AS illustrated, antenna element 30 is dis-
`posed within a flexible insulative elongate tubular mem-
`ber 38, which is preferably D-shaped in the manner
`depicted herein. Each antenna element portion 48A and
`48B may comprise a one/fourth wavelength antenna
`element which are coupled together, via coaxial con-
`nector 50, and mounted in fixed spatial relationship
`above copper ground plane 44 utilizing radio frequency
`insulators 46 in the manner depicted.
`Upon reference to the foregoing those skilled in the
`art will appreciate that the Applicants herein have pro-
`vided a novel multi-element radio frequency external
`antenna which is mounted within a flexible tubular
`member and which may be wrapped around multiple
`edges of a portable battery powered data processing
`terminal in a manner which efficiently provides the
`necessary separation and spatial diversity for optimum
`radio frequency communications. Those skilled in the
`radio frequency art will appreciate that multiple an-
`tenna elements must be separated by approximately ten
`inches in this frequency range or oriented at ninety
`degrees to each other in a manner easily provided utiliz-
`ing the external antenna of the present invention.
`
`Kyocera PX 1036_5
`
`Kyocera PX 1036_5
`
`

`

`5,373,300
`
`6
`5. The multi-element radio frequency antenna ac-
`cording to claim 4, wherein said flexible insulative elon-
`gate tubular member comprises a flexible insulative
`elongate tubular member having a length greater than
`the greatest side of said generally rectangular mobile
`data terminal.
`
`5
`While the invention has been particularly shown and
`described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it
`will be understood by those skilled in the art that vari-
`ous changes in form and detail may be made therein
`without departing from the spirit and scope of the in-
`vention.
`We claim:
`
`1. A multi-element radio frequency antenna adapted
`to be coupled to a radio frequency communication de-
`vice within a generally rectangular mobile data termi-
`nal, said multi—element radio frequency antenna com-
`prising:
`a flexible insulative elongate tubular member;
`means adapted to affix said flexible insulative elon-
`gate tubular member along at least two sides of an
`external surface of said generally rectangular mo-
`bile data terminal;
`a plurality of antenna elements disposed in a spaced-
`apart relationship within said flexible insulative
`elongate tubular member; and
`means for electrically coupling said plurality of an-
`tenna elements to said radio frequency communica-
`tion device within said generally rectangular mo-
`bile data terminal.
`
`2. The multi-element radio frequency antenna ac-
`cording to claim 1, wherein said flexible insulative elon-
`gate tubular member comprises a flexible insulative
`tubular member having a D-shaped cross-section.
`3. The multi-element radio frequency antenna ac-
`cording to claim 2, wherein said means adapted to affix
`said flexible insulative elongate tubular member along at
`least two sides of an external surface of said generally
`rectangular mobile data terminal comprises an adhesive
`backing along at least a portion of a flat surface of said
`D-shaped cross-section.
`4. The multi-element radio frequency antenna ac-
`cording to claim 1, wherein said plurality of antenna
`elements disposed in spaced-apart relationship within
`said flexible insulative elongate tubular member com-
`prises three antenna elements.
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`6. The multi-element radio frequency antenna ac-
`cording to claim 5, wherein each of said three antenna
`elements is disposed upon a separate side of said gener-
`ally rectangular mobile data terminal when said flexible
`insulative elongate tubular member is affixed to said
`generally rectangular mobile data terminal.
`7. A mobile data terminal comprising:
`a generally rectangular case;
`a radio frequency communication device within said
`generally rectangular case;
`a flexible insulative elongate tubular member;
`means for affixing said flexible insulative elongate
`tubular member along at least two sides of an exter-
`nal surface of said generally rectangular case;
`a plurality of antenna elements disposed in a spaced-
`apart relationship within said flexible insulative
`elongate tubular member; and
`means for electrically coupling said plurality of an-
`tenna elements to said radio frequency communica-
`tion device within said generally rectangular case.
`8. The mobile data terminal according to claim 7,
`wherein said flexible insulative elongate tubular mem-
`ber comprises a flexible insulative tubular member hav-
`ing a D-shaped cross-section.
`9. The mobile data terminal according to claim 8
`wherein said means adapted to affix said flexible insula-
`tive elongate tubular member along at least two sides of
`an external surface of said generally rectangular case
`comprises an adhesive backing along at least a portion
`of a flat surface of said D-shaped cross-section.
`10. The mobile data terminal according to claim 7,
`wherein said plurality of antenna elements disposed in a
`spaced-apart relationship within said flexible insulative
`elongate tubular member comprises three antenna ele-
`ments.
`*
`*
`*
`1:
`at:
`
`Kyocera PX 1036_6
`
`Kyocera PX 1036_6
`
`