The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 17, 1998
Mark John Lawrence, Cary, NC (US);
William B Nunnery, Cary, NC (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A radio frequency (RF) local area network (LAN) adapter card for a personal computer conforms to the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) standard 2.0 (extended), providing a credit-card sized RF LAN communications terminal that plugs into the side of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a palmtop computer, and the like. The RF LAN adapter card includes a minimum height, broadband integrated antenna that provides a vertically polarized RF signal with good horizontal range. The combination of the antenna and its surrounding radome provide a high gain, omnidirectional radiation pattern that overcomes the parasitic distortions imposed by the close proximity of the personal computer housing. The adapter card housing includes internal RF shielding structures that shield the antenna from noise radiated by radio frequency signal circuits within the housing. A conductive adhesive coating is provided on the conductive layer of the ground plane of the antenna, for mechanically and electrically connecting the ground plane to the adapter card housing. This enables the antenna to be assembled to the housing at a later time after testing of the internal circuits in the adapter card.