US 12,341,239 B2
Antenna designs with switch units for wearable devices
Gregory John Haubrich, Champlin, MN (US); Paul Anders Shriner, Hopkins, MN (US); and Casey Murray, Eden Prairie, MN (US)
Assigned to Starkey Laboratories, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN (US)
Filed by Starkey Laboratories, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN (US)
Filed on Aug. 31, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/823,687.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/286,337, filed on Dec. 6, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0178878 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. H01Q 1/27 (2006.01); H01Q 3/24 (2006.01); H04B 1/3827 (2015.01)
CPC H01Q 1/273 (2013.01) [H01Q 3/24 (2013.01); H04B 1/385 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An antenna system for a wearable device, wherein the antenna system comprises an antenna configured to send and receive data, the antenna comprising:
a plurality of elements, wherein the elements include a first antenna element, a second antenna element, and a strap element, each comprising an electrically conductive material, the first antenna element and the second antenna element are oriented substantially in opposition to one another, the strap element has a first portion that is connected to the first antenna element and a second portion that is connected to the second antenna element;
one or more feed points configured for operable coupling to a wireless transceiver, wherein the one or more feed points include a first feed point on the first antenna element and a second feed point on the second antenna element, the first portion of the strap element is on an opposite side of the first antenna element from the first feed point, and the second portion of the strap element is on an opposite side of the second antenna element from the second feed point;
a set of one or more switch units, wherein:
the set of switch units includes a switch unit that connects the first portion of the strap element and the second portion of the strap element, and
for each respective switch unit of the set of switch units:
the respective switch unit is connected to one or more elements in the plurality of elements, and
a flow of electrical current to the one or more elements connected to the respective switch unit is dependent on a switch state of the respective switch unit, and
wherein a radiation characteristic of the antenna is dependent on switch states of the switch units.