antenna-theory.com

[admin]

Engadget recently reported on work done by the company Sofant, who makes extraordinarily moronic claims on the performance of their "antenna chip" and its ability to improve battery life:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/sofant-smartantenna-cou-d-double-battery-life-ease-network-cong/

They claim their chip can consume 90% less energy over a similar device without the chip, which could potentially double battery life.

This is moronic. The receiver the antenna is connected to will perform the same in receiving mode (power wise, not necessarily performance wise) independent of the antenna connected to it. So there is no gain that occurs on that side. Now, if the signal level is low, the tx power generally increases on smart phones. So the only way they would have an improvement here is to lesson the average amount of tx power.

So how does a small chip do anything about improving the antenna efficiency? It is quite clear it can do nothing. If the "smart" antenna technology refers to smart antennas, as in adaptive arrays, there is little to be gained in a small smart phone in regards to adaptive transmitting, as the antennas are strongly coupled.

Where do they get the 90% figure? That's complete crap. And doubling battery life is clearly misleading as well. This article represents two things: poor reporting by engadget and a company making misleading claims in order to generate buzz for their chip.

This is a good example of cutting through nonsense. Related info:

Antenna Efficiency:
http://www.antenna-theory.com/basics/gain.php

[aelrayis]

I would imagine that website like this would be more careful and not to miss-lead online readers and publishing false information about Sofant's technology.

Shockingly, as a technical website you just relied on a brief press-release without consulting the company website or doing any research.

You built your assumptions on the basis that what Sofant announced is the chip, while what Sofant is developing is a whole solution, the chip is just a part of it.

You are right that the antenna by itself will not change power, however, who said that our smart antenna solution is just an antenna!!

I will forward you the related Sofant patents once it is published. This will explain to you how the solution can save up to 90% of the transmitted power.

Finally, you said "This is a good example of cutting through nonsense"
I would say this is a good example of ill commenting without understanding.

[admin]

You will forward me the patents? I think if you work in industry you know patents are more nonsense than even the engadget article. They are written by lawyers and argued about by patent examiners in DC, who if they could get a job doing anything else they would.

If Sofant can save up to 90% of transmitted power and maintain the same performance, maybe you could explain the principles by which this works?

As a technical website I want the readers to question marketing driven engineering. I believe the 90% reduction in power thanks to the chip is hype. Prove me wrong if I am. Exuberant claims get questioned.

[admin]

One more thing, from Sofant's website: (http://www.sofant.com/, accessed 5/29/2013)

Sofant's smart antenna solutions for mobile devices allow optimum wireless experience for users. The end of dropped calls, weak signals, dead zones and slow internet will be achieved through Sofant's Smart Antenna solutions.


Give me a break. Clearly you guys like to make big claims. Expect negative pushback if you do this.

[aelrayis]

Thanks for your interest in Sofant innovations, may be it is hard to believe what our solutions can do, but this is always the novel technologies, may be you will believe in it once you see it in action.

The patents would explain the technicality behind it, if you can not understand patent this will be shocking from allegedly a technical website.
Anyway, I will be happy to explain the patents and technical innovations behind our claims to your readers in simple terms once the patents are published.

If people would have a closed mindset and a negative attitude innovations would never take place, thanks that inventors think out of the box.

[admin]

Questioning outrageous claims is not a negative attitude and closed mindset. I imagine you enjoy working with people who believe everything they hear.

I did not say I couldn't understand patents. I am correctly stating patents are not a valid method of conveying information. It is not a peer reviewed journal in any way.

If your technology is as good as you claim it to be, it will be in every mobile hardware device. In such case your success will speak for itself. I suspect you spending time on antenna-theory.com arguing with me suggests your product is not quite as good as you claim it to be.

[swera]

That is adorable!! Thank you for sharing your pattern

[anngriffin]

Thanks for the report! I always check the news related to antennas and find something interesting for myself!