Reconfigurable multi-band antenna with independent control

• US 10,581,166 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Antenna Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Smart Antenna Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Hu, Sampson
• Primary Examiner(s): Munoz, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jegede, Bamidele A
• Application Number:
  US15/508,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20170264018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/20345 Multilayer filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/213 combining or separating two or more different frequencies H01P1/215 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/335 at the feed, e.g. for impedance matching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/383 comprising distributed impedance elements together with lumped impedance elements

Abstract

There is disclosed a multi-band reconfigurable antenna device having at least one radiating element. The radiating element is connected to a single port by way of at least first and second matching circuits arranged in parallel. A high pass filter is provided between the first matching circuit and the radiating element so as to allow passage of a first, higher frequency RF signal through the first matching circuit. A low pass filter is provided between the second matching circuit and the at least one radiating element so as to allow passage of a second, lower frequency RF signal through the second matching circuit. The high pass filter blocks passage of the second, lower frequency RF signal through the first matching circuit, and the low pass filter blocks passage of the first, higher frequency RF signal through the second matching circuit. The first and second matching circuits are adjustable independently of each other so as to allow the first and second RF signals to be tuned independently of each other.

Claims

1. A multi-band reconfigurable antenna device comprising:

at least one radiating element having a single feed;

a first high pass filter having an input and an output, the first high pass filter allowing passage of a first RF signal;

a first low pass filter having an input and an output, the first low pass filter allowing passage of a second RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the first high pass filter and the first low pass filter are connected in parallel to the single feed and wherein the first high pass filter blocks passage of the second RF signal and the first low pass filter blocks passage of the first RF signal;

a second high pass filter having an input and an output, the second high pass filter allowing passage of a third RF signal;

a second low pass filter having an input and an output, the second low pass filter allowing passage of a fourth RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the second high pass filter and the second low pass filter are connected in parallel to the output of the first high pass filter and wherein the second high pass filter blocks passage of the fourth RF signal and the second low pass filter blocks passage of the third RF signal;

a third high pass filter having an input and an output, the third high pass filter allowing passage of a fifth RF signal;

a third low pass filter having an input and an output, the third low pass filter allowing passage of a sixth RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the third high pass filter and the third low pass filter are connected in parallel to the output of the first low pass filter and wherein the third high pass filter blocks passage of the sixth RF signal and the third low pass filter blocks passage of the fifth RF signal;

a first matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the second high pass filter;

a second matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the second low pass filter;

a third matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the third high pass filter;

a fourth matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the third low pass filter;

wherein the outputs of the first to fourth matching circuits are connected in parallel to a single port.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a conductive groundplane.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second RF signals are of different frequencies and excite first and second simultaneous different resonances on the groundplane.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the matching circuit and groundplane geometry are configured such that the first and second simultaneous resonances comprise surface currents distributed over different regions of the groundplane so as to reduce interactions with each other.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, in combination with a mixed signal RF module connected to the port.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first to fourth matching circuits are adjustable independently of each other so as to allow the frequency of one of the third to sixth RF signals to be changed without simultaneously affecting the frequency of others of the third to sixth RF signals before the third to sixth RF signals are applied together to the single port for subsequent signal processing.

7. A multi-band reconfigurable antenna device comprising:

at least one radiating element having a single feed;

a first high pass filter having an input and an output, the first high pass filter allowing passage of a first RF signal;

a first low pass filter having an input and an output, the first low pass filter allowing passage of a second RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the first high pass filter and the first low pass filter are connected in parallel to the single feed and wherein the first high pass filter blocks passage of the second RF signal and the first low pass filter blocks passage of the first RF signal;

a second high pass filter having an input and an output, the second high pass filter allowing passage of a third RF signal;

a second low pass filter having an input and an output, the second low pass filter allowing passage of a fourth RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the second high pass filter and the second low pass filter are connected in parallel to the output of the first high pass filter and wherein the second high pass filter blocks passage of the fourth RF signal and the second low pass filter blocks passage of the third RF signal;

a third high pass filter having an input and an output, the third high pass filter allowing passage of a fifth RF signal;

a third low pass filter having an input and an output, the third low pass filter allowing passage of a sixth RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the third high pass filter and the third low pass filter are connected in parallel to the output of the first low pass filter and wherein the third high pass filter blocks passage of the sixth RF signal and the third low pass filter blocks passage of the fifth RF signal;

a fourth high pass filter having an input and an output, the fourth high pass filter allowing passage of a seventh RF signal;

a fourth low pass filter having an input and an output, the fourth low pass filter allowing passage of an eighth RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the fourth high pass filter and the fourth low pass filter are connected in parallel to the output of the second high pass filter and wherein the fourth high pass filter blocks passage of the eighth RF signal and the fourth low pass filter blocks passage of the seventh RF signal;

a fifth high pass filter having an input and an output, the fifth high pass filter allowing passage of a ninth RF signal;

a fifth low pass filter having an input and an output, the fifth low pass filter allowing passage of a tenth RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the fifth high pass filter and the fifth low pass filter are connected in parallel to the output of the second low pass filter and wherein the fifth high pass filter blocks passage of the tenth RF signal and the fifth low pass filter blocks passage of the ninth RF signal;

a sixth high pass filter having an input and an output, the sixth high pass filter allowing passage of an eleventh RF signal;

a sixth low pass filter having an input and an output, the sixth low pass filter allowing passage of a twelfth RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the sixth high pass filter and the sixth low pass filter are connected in parallel to the output of the third high pass filter and wherein the sixth high pass filter blocks passage of the twelfth RF signal and the sixth low pass filter blocks passage of the eleventh RF signal;

a seventh high pass filter having an input and an output, the seventh high pass filter allowing passage of a thirteenth RF signal;

a seventh low pass filter having an input and an output, the seventh low pass filter allowing passage of a fourteenth RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the seventh high pass filter and the seventh low pass filter are connected in parallel to the output of the third low pass filter and wherein the seventh high pass filter blocks passage of the fourteenth RF signal and the sixth low pass filter blocks passage of the thirteenth RF signal;

a first matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the fourth high pass filter;

a second matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the fourth low pass filter;

a third matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the fifth high pass filter;

a fourth matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the fifth low pass filter;

a fifth matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the sixth high pass filter;

a sixth matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the sixth low pass filter;

a seventh matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the seventh high pass filter;

an eighth matching circuit having an input and an output, the input connected to the output of the seventh low pass filter;

wherein the outputs of the first to eighth matching circuits are connected in parallel to a single port.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first to eighth matching circuits are adjustable independently of each other so as to allow the frequency of one of the seventh to fourteenth RF signals to be changed without simultaneously affecting the frequency of others of the seventh to fourteenth RF signals before the seventh to fourteenth RF signals are applied together to the single port for subsequent signal processing.

9. A device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a conductive groundplane.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first and second RF signals are of different frequencies and excite first and second simultaneous different resonances on the groundplane.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the matching circuit and groundplane geometry are configured such that the first and second simultaneous resonances comprise surface currents distributed over different regions of the groundplane so as to reduce interactions with each other.

12. A device as claimed in claim 7, in combination with a mixed signal RF module connected to the port.

13. A multi-band reconfigurable antenna device comprising:

at least one radiating element having a single feed;

a first high pass filter having an input and an output, the first high pass filter allowing passage of a first RF signal;

a first low pass filter having an input and an output, the first low pass filter allowing passage of a second RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the first high pass filter and the first low pass filter are connected in parallel to the single feed and wherein the first high pass filter blocks passage of the second RF signal and the first low pass filter blocks passage of the first RF signal;

a second high pass filter having an input and an output, the second high pass filter allowing passage of a third RF signal;

a second low pass filter having an input and an output, the second low pass filter allowing passage of a fourth RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the second high pass filter and the second low pass filter are connected in parallel to the output of the first high pass filter and wherein the second high pass filter blocks passage of the fourth RF signal and the second low pass filter blocks passage of the third RF signal;

a third high pass filter having an input and an output, the third high pass filter allowing passage of a fifth RF signal;

a third low pass filter having an input and an output, the third low pass filter allowing passage of a sixth RF signal;

wherein the inputs of the third high pass filter and the third low pass filter are connected in parallel to the output of the first low pass filter and wherein the third high pass filter blocks passage of the sixth RF signal and the third low pass filter blocks passage of the fifth RF signal;

wherein the outputs of the second and third high pass filter and low pass filters are respectively connected to further high pass and low pass filters following a cascade topology;

first to nth matching circuits each having an input and an output, where n is an integer corresponding to the number of outputs of the high pass and low pass filters in a final stage of the cascade topology, the input of each matching circuit connected to the output of a different one of the high pass filters and low pass filters in the final stage of the cascade topology;

wherein the outputs of the first to nth matching circuits are connected in parallel to a single port.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a conductive groundplane.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first and second RF signals of different frequencies excite first and second simultaneous different resonances on the groundplane.

16. A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the matching circuit and groundplane geometry are configured such that the first and second simultaneous resonances comprise surface currents distributed over different regions of the groundplane so as to reduce interactions with each other.

17. A device as claimed in claim 13, in combination with a mixed signal RF module connected to the port.