Small controlled parasitic antenna system and method for controlling same to optimally improve signal quality
First Claim
1. A controlled parasitic antenna system having loaded parasitic elements within a radiating aperture of a small antenna element and having a largest dimension of about one-half wavelength at the lowest frequency of its operational band, said system comprising:
- a. active control circuits embedded either in the aperture of the antenna element or behind the ground plane of said element, said active control circuits having impedance characteristics that can be varied by changing the values of electrical control signals applied to active components within the circuits;
b. said parasitic elements being contained within the radiating aperture of the antenna element and being electrically connected to said active control circuits; and
c. an active feedback control loop which regularly updates control settings of said active control circuits attached to said parasitic elements in the antenna aperture.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a small (0.5 wavelength or less) adaptable antenna system. In particular it relates to the use of loaded parasitic components in the antenna aperture for the purpose of controlling the RF properties of the antenna. Such an antenna system is here referred to as a controlled parasitic antenna (CPA). Parasitic elements within the radiating aperture are terminated by active (controllable) impedance devices. A feedback and control subsystem periodically adjusts the impedance characteristics of these devices based on some observed metric of the received waveform. Such antenna systems can provide multifunctionality within a single aperture and/or mitigate problems associated with the reception of an interfering signal (or signals) or multi-path effects. Such antenna systems are particularly suitable to a situation where an aperture size is desired that is too small for the use of an adaptive phased array.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A controlled parasitic antenna system having loaded parasitic elements within a radiating aperture of a small antenna element and having a largest dimension of about one-half wavelength at the lowest frequency of its operational band, said system comprising:
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a. active control circuits embedded either in the aperture of the antenna element or behind the ground plane of said element, said active control circuits having impedance characteristics that can be varied by changing the values of electrical control signals applied to active components within the circuits;
b. said parasitic elements being contained within the radiating aperture of the antenna element and being electrically connected to said active control circuits; and
c. an active feedback control loop which regularly updates control settings of said active control circuits attached to said parasitic elements in the antenna aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of controlling a parasitic antenna system having loaded parasitic elements within a radiating aperture of a small antenna element, having a largest dimension of about one-half wavelength at the lowest frequency of its operational band, and having the loaded parasitic elements being electrically connected to active control circuits, said method comprising:
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changing the value of electrical control signals applied to active components within the active control circuits; and
using a feedback control loop to regularly update control settings of the active control circuits. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification