Fixed-frequency beam-steerable leaky-wave microstrip antenna
First Claim
1. A fixed-frequency beam-steerable leaky-wave microstrip antenna comprising:
- a grounded element;
a dielectric coupled to said grounded element; and
to conducting traces coupled to the dielectric, the conducing traces including;
a pair of non-radiating conductive elements; and
a plurality of radiating strips, each of the radiating strips connected between the pair of non-radiating conductive elements, each of said plurality of radiating strips including a center-loaded varying reactance element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fixed frequency continuously beam-steerable leaky-wave antenna in microstrip is disclosed. The antenna'"'"'s radiating strips are loaded with identical shunt-mounted variable-reactance elements, resulting in low reverse-bias-voltage requirements. By varying the reverse-bias voltage across the variable-reactance elements, the main beam of the antenna may be scanned continuously at fixed frequency. The antenna may consist of an array of radiating strips, wherein each strip includes a variable-reactance element. Changing the element'"'"'s reactance value has a similar effect as changing the length of the radiating strips. This is accompanied by a change in the phase velocity of the electromagnetic wave traveling along the antenna, and results in continuous fixed-frequency main-beam steering. Alternatively, the antenna may consist of two long radiating strips separated by a small gap, wherein identical variable-reactance elements are mounted in shunt across the gap at regular intervals. A continuous change in the reactance value has a similar effect as changing continuously the width of the radiating strips. This results in a continuous change in the phase velocity of the electromagnetic wave traveling along the antenna, thereby achieving continuous fixed-frequency main-beam steering.
104 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A fixed-frequency beam-steerable leaky-wave microstrip antenna comprising:
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a grounded element;
a dielectric coupled to said grounded element; and
to conducting traces coupled to the dielectric, the conducing traces including;
a pair of non-radiating conductive elements; and
a plurality of radiating strips, each of the radiating strips connected between the pair of non-radiating conductive elements, each of said plurality of radiating strips including a center-loaded varying reactance element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A fixed frequency beam steerable leaky wave microstrip antenna comprising:
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a grounded element;
a dielectric coupled to said grounded element; and
a pair of radiating strips coupled to said dielectric, the pair of radiating strips separated by a generally uniform gap and including;
variable reactance elements mounted in shunt across the gap. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for generating a fixed-frequency beam-steerable leaky wave from a leaky wave microstrip antenna, comprising:
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providing conducting traces coupled to a dielectric, the dielectric coupled to a grounded element, the conducting traces including;
a pair of non-radiating conducting strips; and
a plurality of radiating strips, the plurality of radiating strips coupled between the pair of non-radiating conducting strips, each of said plurality of radiating strips including;
a variable reactive-element having a reactance value;
driving the microstrip with a 180-degree hybrid fixed-frequency signal, the signal configured to excite the microstrip in a first higher order mode and configure the leaky wave antenna to transmit a beam-steerable leaky wave;
varying the variable reactive-element reactance value to provide continuous fixed frequency main beam steering. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for generating a fixed-frequency beam-steerable leaky wave from a leaky-wave microstrip antenna, comprising:
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providing conducting traces coupled to a dielectric, the dielectric coupled to a grounded element, the conducting traces including;
a pair of radiating strips, the pair of radiating strips separated by a generally uniform gap and including;
variable reactance-elements having a reactance value and mounted in shunt across the gap. driving the radiating strips with a 180-degree-hybrid fixed-frequency signal, the signal configured to excite the microstrip in a first higher order mode and configure the leaky wave antenna to transmit a beam steerable leaky wave;
varying the variable reactance-element reactance value to provide continuous fixed-frequency main-beam steering. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification