Adaptive antenna for use in wireless communication systems

• US 20020036595A1
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Published: 03/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 6,515,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/876
• 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 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 N 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, 1 eV-DO, 1Extreme, or other such protocol.

Claims

1. A directive antenna, comprising:

plural antenna elements in an antenna assemblage; and

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

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

3. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 2, wherein the switches couples the passive antenna elements to impedance components composing the predetermined impedances.

4. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 3, wherein the impedance components include at least one of the following elements:

delay line or lumped impedance.

5. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lumped impedance includes inductive or capacitive elements.

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

7. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch is a micro electro machined switch (MEMS).

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

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

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

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

11. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein (i) the antenna elements have adjustable radial widths or (ii) the passive antenna elements are adjustable in distance from the active antenna elements.

12. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined impedance is selectable from among plural predetermined impedances.

13. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 12, wherein the selectable predetermined impedances are composed of impedance components switchably coupled to the antenna elements, wherein the impedance components include a delay line, lumped impedance, or combination thereof.

14. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 13, wherein the lumped impedance is a varactor, capacitor, or inductor.

15. 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.

16. The directive antenna as claimed in claim 15, wherein the high data rate network uses a protocol selected from a group consisting of:

CDMA2000, 1 eV-DO, and 1Extreme.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further including operating a switch associated with each antenna element to assist coupling the antenna elements while in the passive state to the predetermined impedances.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein operating the switches couples the passive antenna elements to impedance components composing the predetermined impedances.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the impedance components include at least one of the following elements:

delay line, or lumped impedance.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the lumped impedance includes inductive or capacitive elements.

22. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein selecting one of the antenna elements includes operating a switch.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the switch is a solid state switch, non-solid state switch, or MEMS technology switch.

24. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein selecting one of the antenna elements includes selecting a direction from among 360°

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

25. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least one antenna element is a sub-assemblage of antenna elements.

26. The method as claimed in claim 17, further including telescoping the antenna elements.

27. The method as claimed in claim 17, further including adjusting the width of the antenna elements (i) in radial size or (ii) in distance of the passive antenna elements from the active antenna element.

28. The method as claimed in claim 17, further including selecting the predetermined impedances.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein selecting the predetermined impedances includes coupling the antenna elements to a delay line, lumped impedance, or combination thereof.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the lumped impedance includes a varactor, capacitor, or inductor.

31. The method as claimed in claim 17, used in a high data rate network having greater than 50 kbits per second data transfer rates.

32. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the high data rate network uses a protocol selected from a group consisting of:

CDMA2000, 1 eV-DO, and 1Extreme.

17. 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 one of the antenna elements in the antenna assemblage to be in an active state, the other antenna elements being in a passive state, electrically coupled to a predetermined impedance and electromagnetically coupled to the active antenna element, allowing the antenna assemblage to directionally transmit and receive signals.

33. Apparatus for directing a beam using a directive antenna, comprising:

plural antenna elements in an antenna assemblage; and

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

34. 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, the switches being independently selectable to enable a respective antenna element to change between an active mode and a reflective mode enabling the antenna assemblage to directionally transmit and receive signals.