Smart Antenna Technologies (SAT) has unveiled new technology that it claims will enable smartphone and tablet device manufacturers to replace several antennae with a single multi-band antenna.
The single antenna solution uses a novel foil or printable antenna and control chip to produce a compact multi-frequency antenna as well as software re-configurable hardware enabling manufacturers to produce one device for all territories.
SAT said it is “on course” to produce the first antenna later this year.
Mobile devices currently require a separate antenna to support each communication technology such as Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, GSM and 3G/4G, which SAT says is highly inefficient in terms of cost as well as in terms of the space occupied in the device.
4G phones, for example, are expected to have up to six narrow band antennae operating on individual band segments.
SAT said its solution, which is fully complementary to existing RF solutions being used by the industry as well as emerging products such as Qualcomm’s RF360 technology, is “expected to ultimately cost a few dollars per handset compared to $20 per handset for existing antennas”.
“As handset manufacturers are rolling out devices more frequently, they are looking to differentiate and this is where our antenna will reduce cost and produce less variants,” said Rick Hillum, CEO of SAT.
“Consumers also want the ability to use their mobile device as widely as possible, and our antenna provides uninterrupted service between various communications technologies.”
The CEO added that the company is “currently in discussions” with several mobile device manufacturers and chip set suppliers.
SAT’s technology has emerged from research by Professor Peter Hall, an expert in radio antenna technology, and his team at The University of Birmingham in the UK.