Who has never thought to copy a reference antenna design for his connected product ? Quite effective, and after all, totally free !. However, guaranteeing the antenna performances in your product is probably not as simple as it seems !
Especially when your product does not offer the same integration environment as the reference design (ground plane dimensions/PCB, clearance zone dimensions, presence of other elements, e.g battery, screen, etc.). At least, the mere presence of your product casing can significantly alter the antenna performances, and therefore of your product...
Unfortunately, too often connected product makers have to go back to early design stages (time to market, cost...), at an advanced product characterization level, and sometimes even at the certification process !
Any designer, however ambitious, aims to achieve the perfect product ! At any point of view !. Nevertheless, the design of a new product is always a matter of compromise, it is not the requirements that define it that are missing ! economic, marketing, technical, functional….
In order to minimize the impact of these compromises, or when the footprint/size of your product offers limited space to dedicate to the antenna, or simply when aiming for increased RF performances in terms of radio range and user experience. Designing a custom antenna is often the most effective solution, especially when high production volumes are expected.
A custom antenna design for your product, makes it an integral part of it. This potentially reduces the number of components necessary for its proper functioning, reduces the overall size of the product (materials, costs, etc.) and gives it optimal RF performances, allowing it to significantly increase product reliability and enhance user experience.
