Electronically steerable sector antenna
First Claim
1. A steerable antenna that is selectively controllable in regard to a direction in which the antenna is usable for transmitting or receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of panels that are coupled together along edges of the panels, each panel being generally flat and oriented so that an outwardly facing surface of the panel faces in a substantially different direction from outwardly facing surfaces of other of the plurality of panels, each panel including a plurality of conductive microstrips comprising a directional antenna for at least one of transmitting and receiving an RF signal in a direction outwardly from the face of the panel; and
(b) a panel selector switch circuit that is controllable in response to a selector signal to selectively activate one of the plurality of panels for at least one of receiving and transmitting an RF signal, the panel selector switch circuit being coupled to an antenna terminal on each panel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronically steerable antenna system includes a plurality of panels that are coupled together to form an N-sided polygon. Each panel includes a plurality of microstrip conductor patches forming a phased array antenna. In a first embodiment that includes beam steering, each panel can selectively transmit or receive in a direction that is either perpendicular to the panel, or to the left or right of perpendicular, depending upon relative delay line lengths applied to the left and right antennas. A second embodiment omits the beam steering capability for each panel and simply enables only one of the N different panels to be employed for transmitting or receiving a radiofrequency signal in a direction perpendicular to the panel. PIN diodes are preferably used for selecting the panel that is active, and in the first embodiment, for selecting the delay lines used.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A steerable antenna that is selectively controllable in regard to a direction in which the antenna is usable for transmitting or receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of panels that are coupled together along edges of the panels, each panel being generally flat and oriented so that an outwardly facing surface of the panel faces in a substantially different direction from outwardly facing surfaces of other of the plurality of panels, each panel including a plurality of conductive microstrips comprising a directional antenna for at least one of transmitting and receiving an RF signal in a direction outwardly from the face of the panel; and
(b) a panel selector switch circuit that is controllable in response to a selector signal to selectively activate one of the plurality of panels for at least one of receiving and transmitting an RF signal, the panel selector switch circuit being coupled to an antenna terminal on each panel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for controlling a direction in which a steerable antenna is used for at least one of transmitting and receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal, comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining a preferred direction for one of transmitting and receiving the RF signal;
(b) selectively activating one of a plurality of generally planar antenna panels that comprise the steerable antenna, wherein the planar antenna panels face in substantially different directions, each panel having a plurality of conductive microstrips that form an antenna on the panel and which are used for one of radiating an RF signal generally outwardly from the outer surface and receiving an RF signal that is directed toward the outer surface of the panel, so that a specific panel of the plurality of panels that faces generally in the preferred direction is selectively activated to one of transmit and receive the RF signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A wireless network device including a steerable antenna that is selectively controllable in regard to a direction in which the antenna is usable for transmitting or receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal, comprising:
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(a) one of a base station and an access point comprising a radio transceiver for both transmitting and receiving wireless RF signals;
(b) a plurality of panels that are coupled together along edges of the panels, each panel being generally flat and oriented so that an outwardly facing surface of the panel faces in a substantially different direction from outwardly facing surfaces of other of the plurality of panels, each panel including a plurality of conductive microstrips comprising a directional antenna for at least one of transmitting and receiving an RF signal in a direction outwardly from the face of the panel; and
(c) a panel selector switch circuit that is controllable in response to a selector signal to selectively activate one of the plurality of panels for at least one of receiving and transmitting an RF signal, the panel selector switch circuit being coupled to an antenna terminal on each panel.
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Specification