An electromagnetic communication device includes a device substrate, an antenna formed on or in the device substrate, and a circuit element having an electrical circuit and one or more electrically conductive connection posts protruding from the circuit element. Each of the connection posts is electrically connected to the electrical circuit and at least one connection post is electrically connected to the antenna.

An antenna may include a ground plane, a tuning stub, and a shorted spiral antenna element connected to the tuning stub. The shorted spiral antenna element may include a plurality of spiral traces shorted together by a shorting element extending radially outward to contact each of the spiral traces.

An antenna may include a ground plane, a tuning stub, and a shorted spiral antenna element connected to the tuning stub. The shorted spiral antenna element may include a plurality of spiral traces shorted together by a shorting element extending radially outward to contact each of the spiral traces.

An antenna includes a first electrical conductor that is shaped to form a spiral between its first and second ends that remain electrically unconnected such that the first electrical conductor so-shaped is maintained as an unconnected single-component open-circuit having inductance and capacitance. In the presence of a time-varying electromagnetic field, the first electrical conductor so-shaped resonates to generate a harmonic electromagnetic field response having a frequency, amplitude and bandwidth. A second electrical conductor includes a loop portion overlapping at least a portion of the spiral. The second electrical conductor is electrically isolated from the first electrical conductor. A radio frequency transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy is electrically coupled to the second electrical conductor.

A broadband quadruple helical circularly-polarized antenna for receiving circularly polarized GNSS signals includes a dielectric cylinder oriented along a vertical axis; four spiral conductors wrapped around the cylinder; the four spiral conductors divided into an upper longitudinal section and a lower longitudinal section; and inductors connecting corresponding spiral conductors of the top and lower longitudinal sections. The spiral conductors in each section have a constant winding angle around the cylinder. The winding angle of all of the conductors in the same longitudinal section is the same. The winding angle of the upper longitudinal section is smaller than the winding angle of the bottom longitudinal. An excitation circuit is connected to the conductors. A third longitudinal section is below the lower longitudinal section, wherein the third longitudinal section includes conductors wound in an opposite direction relative to the lower longitudinal section.

A broadband quadruple helical circularly-polarized antenna for receiving circularly polarized GNSS signals includes a dielectric cylinder oriented along a vertical axis; four spiral conductors wrapped around the cylinder; the four spiral conductors divided into an upper longitudinal section and a lower longitudinal section; and inductors connecting corresponding spiral conductors of the top and lower longitudinal sections. The spiral conductors in each section have a constant winding angle around the cylinder. The winding angle of all of the conductors in the same longitudinal section is the same. The winding angle of the upper longitudinal section is smaller than the winding angle of the bottom longitudinal. An excitation circuit is connected to the conductors. A third longitudinal section is below the lower longitudinal section, wherein the third longitudinal section includes conductors wound in an opposite direction relative to the lower longitudinal section.

A patient immersion sensor includes a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) apparatus to determine a time of flight (TOF) of a RADAR pulse and a reflected signal that is reflected by a patient or by a portion of a patient support surface supporting the patient. The TOF is indicative of an immersion depth or a distance toward bottoming out of a patient supported on the patient support surface, such as a mattress or a pad. The RADAR apparatus emits pulses of very short duration so as to be able to detect objects, such as a patient or a portion of a mattress or pad, at very close distances. The RADAR apparatus may use time-of-flight (TOF) between transmission of the pulse and receipt of a reflected signal to determine a distance toward bottoming out by the patient, thereby to determine if the patient is properly immersed into the patient support surface. Adjustments to inflation or deflation of one or more bladders are made to achieve a desired immersion amount within a tolerance range between upper and lower TOF thresholds.

A patient immersion sensor includes a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) apparatus to determine a time of flight (TOF) of a RADAR pulse and a reflected signal that is reflected by a patient or by a portion of a patient support surface supporting the patient. The TOF is indicative of an immersion depth or a distance toward bottoming out of a patient supported on the patient support surface, such as a mattress or a pad. The RADAR apparatus emits pulses of very short duration so as to be able to detect objects, such as a patient or a portion of a mattress or pad, at very close distances. The RADAR apparatus may use time-of-flight (TOF) between transmission of the pulse and receipt of a reflected signal to determine a distance toward bottoming out by the patient, thereby to determine if the patient is properly immersed into the patient support surface. Adjustments to inflation or deflation of one or more bladders are made to achieve a desired immersion amount within a tolerance range between upper and lower TOF thresholds.

The present disclosure provides a fan-out antenna packaging structure and a preparation method thereof. The fan-out antenna packaging structure comprises: a semiconductor chip; a plastic packaging material layer enclosing a periphery of the semiconductor chip, a via being formed in the plastic packaging material layer; a conductive pole located in the via and running through the plastic packaging material layer from top to bottom; an antenna structure located on a first surface of the plastic packaging material layer and electrically connected with the conductive pole; a redistribution layer located on a second surface of the plastic packaging material layer and electrically connected with the semiconductor chip and the conductive pole; and a solder bump located on a surface of the redistribution layer, electrically connected with the redistribution layer and insulated from the plastic packaging material layer.

Provided herein are various enhanced antenna structures for radio frequency communications. In one example, an antenna includes a single-arm spiral antenna having an antenna element configured to couple to a radio frequency link at a central node of the spiral. A ground element is disposed proximate to the central node of the spiral and configured to couple to a ground reference for the radio frequency link.