Adaptive antenna for use in wireless communication systems

• US 20020036586A1
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Published: 03/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IPR Licensing Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tantivy Communications Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Proctor, James A. Jr., Gainey, Kenneth M., Chiang, Bing, Richeson, Joe T., Gothard, Griffin K.
• Application Number:
  US09/847,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20020036586A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/374
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/32 the primary active element being end-fed and elongated
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/242 Circumferential scanning

Abstract

A directive antenna includes plural antenna elements in an antenna assemblage. A feed network connected to the antenna elements includes at least one switch to select a state of at least one of the antenna elements to be in an active state in response to a control signal. The other antenna elements are in a passive state, electrically coupled to an impedance to be in a reflective mode. The antenna elements in the passive state are electromagnetically coupled to the active antenna element, allowing the antenna assemblage to directionally transmit and receive signals. The directive antenna may further include an assisting switch associated with each antenna element to assist coupling the antenna elements, while in the passive state, to the respective impedances. The antenna assemblage may be circular for a 360° discrete scan in 2N directions, where N is the number of antenna elements. The directive antenna is suitable for use in a high data rate network having greater than 50 kbits per second data transfer rates, where the high data rate network may use CDMA2000, 1eV-DO, 1Extreme, or other such Protocol.

Claims

1. A directive antenna comprising:

plural antenna elements in an antenna assemblage; and

a feed network having at least one switch to select the state of at least one antenna element to be in an active state in response to a control signal, the remaining antenna elements being in a passive state, electrically coupled to a predetermined impedance and electromagnetically coupled to said at least one active antenna element, allowing the antenna assemblage to directionally transmit and receive signals.

2. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein each antenna element has an associated switch network to select the active or passive states of the associated antenna element.

3. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, further including a switch associated with each element to assist coupling the passive antenna element to the predetermined impedance.

4. The directive antenna element as claimed in claim 3, wherein the switch couples the passive antenna elements to impedance components.

5. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 4, wherein the impedance components include at least one of the following elements:

delay line or lumped impedance.

6. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lumped impedance includes inductive or capacitive elements.

7. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch is a solid state switch.

8. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch is a non-solid state switch selected from mechanical or MEMS technologies.

9. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna assemblage is circular for 360°

discrete scan in 2N directions, where N is the number of antenna elements, and further includes an omni-directional mode.

10. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one antenna element is a sub-assemblage of antenna elements.

11. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna elements are telescoping.

12. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna elements are adjustable in width and distance from one another.

13. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined impedance is selectable.

14. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 13, wherein the selectable predetermined impedance is formed by coupling the antenna elements to respective delay lines, lumped impedances, or combinations thereof.

15. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 14, wherein the lumped impedance includes at least one of the following:

varactor, capacitor or inductor.

16. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, used in a high data rate network having greater than 50 kbits per second data transfer rates.

17. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 16, wherein the high data rate network uses a protocol selected from a group consisting of:

CDMA2000, 1eV-DO, and 1Extreme.

18. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, further including a power combiner coupled to the antenna elements.

19. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 18, wherein the power combiner is incorporated in a switch coupled to all the antenna elements.

20. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, further including a matching network beyond the power combiner away from the antenna elements to match impedances.

21. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 20, wherein the matching network is a quarter wave transformer.

22. A method for directing a beam using a directive antenna, comprising:

providing an RF signal to or receiving one from antenna elements in an antenna assemblage; and

in response to a control signal, selecting the state of at least one of the antenna elements in the antenna assemblage to be in an active state, the remaining antenna elements being in a passive state, electrically coupled to predetermined impedances and electromagnetically coupled to said at least one active antenna element, allowing the antenna assemblage to directionally transmit and receive signals.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein selecting at least one of the antenna elements includes operating respective associated switch networks to select active or passive states of the antenna elements.

24. The method as claimed in claim 22, further including operating a switch associated with each element to assist coupling the passive antenna elements to the predetermined impedances.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the predetermined impedance is composed of impedance components.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the impedance components includes at least one of the following elements:

delay line or lumped impedance.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the lumped impedance includes inductive or capacitive elements.

28. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein selecting one of the antenna elements in the antenna assemblage includes operating a switch other than a solid state switch.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the switch is a MEMS technology switch.

30. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the antenna assemblage is circular for 360°

discrete scanning in 2N directions, where N is the number of antenna elements.

31. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein a subset of antenna elements include a sub-assemblage of antenna elements.

32. The method as claimed in claim 22, further including telescoping the antenna elements.

33. The method as claimed in claim 22, further including (i) adjusting the antenna elements in width or (ii) adjusting the antenna elements in distance from each other.

34. The method as claimed in claim 22, further including dynamically selecting the predetermined impedance.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34, further including dynamically coupling the antenna elements to a delay line, lumped impedance or combination thereof.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the lumped impedance includes a varactor, capacitor, or inductor.

37. The method as claimed in claim 22, used in a high data rate network having greater than 50 kbits per second data transfer rates.

38. The method as claimed in claim 37,wherein the high data rate network uses a protocol selected from a group consisting of:

CDMA2000, 1eV-DO, and 1Extreme.

39. The method as claimed in claim 22, further including combining the power from the antenna elements at a central location.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein combining the power is performed in a switching element coupled to the antenna elements.

41. The method as claimed in claim 39, further including matching impedances beyond the central away from the antenna elements.

42. A directive antenna, comprising:

plural antenna elements in an antenna assemblage; and

means for selecting the state of at least one antenna element to be in an active state in response to a control signal, the remaining antenna elements being in a passive state, electrically coupled to a predetermined impedance and electromagnetically coupled to said at least one active antenna element, allowing the antenna assemblage to directionally transmit and receive signals.

43. An antenna apparatus for use with a subscriber unit in a wireless communication system, the antenna apparatus comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements in an antenna assemblage; and

a like plurality of switches, each respectively coupled to one of the antenna elements and coupled to a common feed transmission line having a transformer, the switches being independently selectable to enable the respective antenna elements to change between a reflective state and an active state to allow the antenna assemblage to directionally transmit and receive signals.