Aerial camera system, method for identifying route-related hazards, and microstrip antenna
First Claim
1. An antenna comprising:
- a radiating patch layer;
an aperture layer, wherein the aperture layer is conductive and defines an aperture;
a first insulator layer comprising a solid foam material sandwiched between the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer, wherein the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer are spaced apart from one another by at least a thickness of the first insulator layer, and wherein the first insulator layer has a low dielectric constant;
a conductive feed line;
a second insulator layer sandwiched between the aperture layer and the feed line;
a ground plane layer;
a third insulator layer sandwiched between the feed line and the ground plane layer, wherein the third insulator layer has a low dielectric constant, wherein the feed line extends from past a first outer edge of the aperture layer to past the aperture and terminates before a second outer edge of the aperture layer that is opposite the first outer edge; and
a radome covering at least the radiating patch layer,wherein the radiating patch layer, the first insulator layer, the aperture layer, the second insulator layer, the conductive feed line, the third insulator layer, and the ground plane layer are all parallel to and stacked on top of one another.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An aerial device can be configured to fly above a route during movement of a vehicle along the route, such as for purposes of capturing image data of the route. The aerial device may include a microstrip antenna. The antenna includes a radiating patch layer, an aperture layer, a first insulator layer, a feed line, and a second insulator layer, all of which are parallel to and stacked on top of one another. The aperture layer is conductive and defines an aperture. The first insulator layer is sandwiched between the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer; thereby, the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer are spaced apart from one another by at least a thickness of the first insulator layer. The first insulator layer has a low dielectric constant. The second insulator layer is sandwiched between the aperture layer and the feed line.
6 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An antenna comprising:
-
a radiating patch layer; an aperture layer, wherein the aperture layer is conductive and defines an aperture; a first insulator layer comprising a solid foam material sandwiched between the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer, wherein the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer are spaced apart from one another by at least a thickness of the first insulator layer, and wherein the first insulator layer has a low dielectric constant; a conductive feed line; a second insulator layer sandwiched between the aperture layer and the feed line; a ground plane layer; a third insulator layer sandwiched between the feed line and the ground plane layer, wherein the third insulator layer has a low dielectric constant, wherein the feed line extends from past a first outer edge of the aperture layer to past the aperture and terminates before a second outer edge of the aperture layer that is opposite the first outer edge; and a radome covering at least the radiating patch layer, wherein the radiating patch layer, the first insulator layer, the aperture layer, the second insulator layer, the conductive feed line, the third insulator layer, and the ground plane layer are all parallel to and stacked on top of one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An antenna comprising:
-
a radiating patch layer; an aperture layer, wherein the aperture layer is conductive and defines an aperture; a first insulator layer sandwiched between the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer, wherein the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer are spaced apart from one another by at least a thickness of the first insulator layer, and wherein the first insulator layer has a low dielectric constant; a feed line that extends from past a first outer edge of the aperture layer to past the aperture and terminates before a second outer edge of the aperture layer that is opposite the first outer edge; and a second insulator layer sandwiched between the aperture layer and the feed line, wherein the radiating patch layer, the first insulator layer, the aperture layer, the second insulator layer, and the feed line are parallel to and stacked on top of one another. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
19. An antenna comprising:
-
a planar radiating patch layer, wherein the radiating patch layer is made of a first conductive metal; a planar aperture layer, wherein the aperture layer is made of a second conductive metal and defines an aperture; a first planar insulator layer sandwiched between the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer, wherein the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer are spaced apart from one another by at least a thickness of the first insulator layer, wherein the first insulator layer has a dielectric constant of no more than 1.5, and wherein there are no conductive elements disposed between the radiating patch layer and the aperture layer; a conductive feed line, wherein a long axis of the conductive feed line is transverse to a long axis of the aperture, and wherein the feed line extends from past a first outer edge of the aperture layer to past the aperture, the feed line terminating before a second outer edge of the aperture layer that is opposite the first outer edge; a second planar insulator layer sandwiched between the aperture layer and the feed line, wherein there are no conductive elements disposed between the feed line and the aperture layer, the second planar insulator layer comprises a hydrocarbon ceramic laminate material; a planar ground plane layer made of a third conductive metal; a third planar insulator layer sandwiched between the feed line and the ground plane layer, wherein the third insulator layer has a dielectric constant of no more than 1.5, and wherein there are no conductive elements disposed between the feed line and the ground plane layer; and a radome covering at least the radiating patch layer, wherein the radiating patch layer, the first insulator layer, the aperture layer, the second insulator layer, the conductive feed line, the third insulator layer, and the ground plane layer are all parallel to and stacked on top of one another. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification