A compact IFA-based dual-band planar antenna for WiFi USB dongles

Abstract

WiFi USB dongles still draw some attention in the scope of wireless LAN device technologies, especially regarding the design of the radiator, which must be compact. The present work proposes a compact planar IFA-based antenna for a dualband USB WiFi dongle. The design of the antenna was numerically assisted using the antenna analysis software Empire XCcelTM. Experimental validation was achieved assembling and testing a prototype under practical conditions such as the influence of the dongle case, and the effect of plugging the USB stick in different positions alongside a typical laptop. Overall, the antenna complied well with the design constraints, notably regarding the good frequency stability of the impedance match

Planar inverted-f antenna for universal serial bus dongle applications

“…However, as the required dimensions of the USB dongle are too small, three-dimensional (3D) PIFAs are not at all found in the literature for USB dongle applications. Instead, two-dimensional (2D) printed inverted-F antennas (IFAs) are used/proposed for USB applications as they are easily integrated with the PCB of the USB dongle [5][6][7][8][9]. However, either they have a very low bandwidth or the radiation pattern is omnidirectional, having low gain and being less directive.…”

“…A printed multiband IFA was presented in * Correspondence: chattha43@hotmail.com [7] for GSM 1. [9], a printed IFA-based dual-band antenna was presented for Wi-Fi USB dongles covering frequency bands of 2.55-2.65 GHz and 5.5-6.0 GHz. However, all these antennas are 2D printed antennas and a multiband design approach is used for covering different narrow bands.…”

“…The authors of [8] presented a compact internal printed IFA for USB dongle applications for Wibro (2.3-2.39 GHz), WLAN (2.4-2.483 GHz and 5.15-5.825 GHz), and WiMAX (2.5-2.7 GHz) bands. In [9], a printed IFA-based dual-band antenna was presented for Wi-Fi USB dongles covering frequency bands of 2.55-2.65 GHz and 5.5-6.0 GHz. However, all these antennas are 2D printed antennas and a multiband design approach is used for covering different narrow bands.…”

Dual-Band Compact Planar Antenna for a Low-Cost WLAN USB Dongle

“…Prototypes were assembled and tested according to the simulated scenarios, measuring performance parameters such as 11 , radiation efficiency, and power patterns. It is worth mentioning that such antenna was preliminarily assessed in [19], though under a less thorough approach. Relevant gaps left there regarding both the simulation and experimental validation stages are now more properly addressed.…”