Advanced conformal dual-band antenna for wireless communications

We propose a novel dual-band conformal antenna design for wireless handheld communication devices. The design employs two parallel wire inverted-F antenna elements (IFA's) embedded entirely within a thin dielectric slab. The length of each element is scaled according to the desired operating frequency allowing the operation of the antenna at two frequency bands simultaneously.; The relatively short lengths of the elements in plastic and narrow spacing between them result in a small footprint that is compatible with the shape and available space along the narrow surfaces of compact communication devices in use today. In combination with its efficiency and potential for broad-band multiband operation, this design is promising for use in a wide variety of wireless communication devices.; We use the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method to model the new antenna installed on both Motorola StarTac cellular phone and a miniaturized rectangular “candy-bar” phone. We calculate the VSWR of the new design as well as its radiation patterns in three primary planes. We compare the radiational gain of the design with the gain of the two most commonly used whip antennas: a quarter-wavelength monopole antenna, and a half-wavelength monopole antenna end-loaded with a helix. We also compare FDTD predictions with measurements made on a prototype.; The FDTD simulations indicate promising VSWR and radiation characteristics for the dual-band two-element antenna. Further, the FDTD simulations show promise for significantly reducing brain RF absorption by mounting the new antenna on the bottom of the cellular phone. In ongoing work, prototypes of the new antenna are being constructed and tested in preparation for demonstration to major industrial clients.