ANTENNA AND METHOD FOR STEERING ANTENNA BEAM DIRECTION

• US 20090224991A1
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera AVX Components Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ethertronics, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Shamblin, Jeffrey, Desclos, Laurent, Rowson, Sebastian
• Granted Patent: US 7,911,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/747
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/00 Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system means for positioning H01Q1/125
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/44 varying the electric or magnetic characteristics of reflecting, refracting, or diffracting devices associated with the radiating element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/385 Two or more parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means

Abstract

An antenna comprising an IMD element, and one or more parasitic and active tuning elements is disclosed. The IMD element, when used in combination with the active tuning and parasitic elements, allows antenna operation at multiple resonant frequencies. In addition, the direction of antenna radiation pattern may be arbitrarily rotated in accordance with the parasitic and active tuning elements.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising;

a main antenna element;

a first parasitic element; and

a first active tuning element associated with said first parasitic element;

wherein said first parasitic element and said first active element are positioned to one side of said main antenna element.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said first parasitic element is adapted to provide a split resonant frequency characteristic associated with said antenna.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said first active tuning element is adapted to rotate the radiation pattern associated with said antenna.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein the rotation of said radiation pattern is effected by controlling the current flow through said parasitic element.

5. The antenna of claim 3, wherein said radiation pattern is rotated by ninety degrees.

6. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said first parasitic element is positioned on a substrate.

7. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said first parasitic element is positioned at a pre-determined angle with respect to said main antenna element.

8. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said active tuning element comprises at least one of:

a voltage controlled tunable capacitor, a voltage controlled tunable phase shifter, a FET, and a switch.

9. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said first parasitic element comprises multiple parasitic sections.

10. The antenna of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more additional parasitic elements; and

one or more active tuning elements associated with said additional parasitic elements, wherein said additional parasitic elements are located to one side of said main antenna element.

11. The antenna of claim 10, wherein said additional parasitic elements are positioned at predetermined angles with respect to said first parasitic element.

12. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said main antenna element comprises an isolated magnetic dipole (IMD).

13. An antenna comprising:

a main antenna element;

a first parasitic element;

a first active tuning element associated with said first parasitic element, wherein said first parasitic element and said first active element are positioned to one side of said main antenna element;

a second parasitic element; and

a second active tuning element associated with said second parasitic element;

wherein said second parasitic element and said second active tuning element are positioned below said main antenna element.

14. The antenna of claim 13, wherein said first parasitic element is adapted to provide a split resonant frequency characteristic associated with said antenna.

15. The antenna of claim 13, wherein the frequency characteristic associated with said antenna is tuned in accordance with said second parasitic element and said second active tuning element.

16. The antenna of claim 13, wherein said first parasitic element and said first active tuning element are adapted to provide beam steering capability, and said second parasitic element and said second active tuning element are adapted to provide frequency tuning capability associated with said antenna.

17. The antenna of claim 13, wherein the radiation pattern associated with said antenna is rotated in accordance with said first parasitic element and said first active tuning element.

18. The antenna of claim 17, wherein said radiation pattern is rotated ninety degrees.

19. The antenna of claim 13, further comprising a third active tuning element associated with said main antenna element, wherein said third active tuning element is adapted to tune the frequency characteristic associated with said antenna.

20. The antenna of claim 13, wherein said first parasitic element is positioned on a substrate.

21. The antenna of claim 13, wherein said first parasitic element is positioned at a pre-determined angle with respect to said main antenna element.

22. The antenna of claim 13, wherein the active tuning elements comprise at least one of:

voltage controlled tunable capacitors, voltage controlled tunable phase shifters, FET'"'"'s, and switches.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein said first parasitic element comprises multiple parasitic sections.

24. The antenna of claim 13, further comprising:

one or more additional parasitic elements; and

one or more active tuning elements associated with said additional parasitic elements, wherein said additional parasitic elements are located to one side of said main antenna element.

25. The antenna of claim 24, wherein said additional parasitic elements are positioned at predetermined angles with respect to said first parasitic element.

26. The antenna of claim 13, wherein said main antenna element comprises an isolated magnetic dipole (IMD).

27. A method for forming an antenna with beam steering capabilities, comprising:

providing a main antenna element, and

positioning one or more beam steering parasitic elements to one side of said main antenna element, wherein said beam steering parasitic elements are coupled with one or more active tuning elements.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said beam steering parasitic elements are adapted to provide a split resonant frequency characteristic associated with said antenna.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the radiation pattern associated with said antenna is rotated at arbitrary angles in accordance with said beam steering parasitic elements and said active tuning elements.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the rotation of said radiation pattern is effected by controlling the current flow through said beam steering parasitic elements.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said radiation pattern is rotated by ninety degrees.

32. The antenna of claim 27, wherein said main antenna element comprises an isolated magnetic dipole (IMD).

33. A method for forming an antenna with frequency tuning and beam steering capabilities, comprising:

providing main antenna element;

positioning one or more beam steering parasitic elements to one side of said main antenna element, wherein said beam steering parasitic elements are coupled with one or more active tuning elements; and

positioning one or more frequency tuning parasitic elements below said main antenna element, wherein said frequency tuning parasitic elements are coupled with one or more active tuning elements.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the radiation pattern associated with said antenna is rotated at arbitrary angles in accordance with said beam steering parasitic elements and said active tuning elements.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said radiation pattern is rotated ninety degrees.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the frequency characteristic associated with said antenna comprises a split resonant frequency characteristic.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said frequency characteristic is tuned in accordance with said frequency tuning parasitic elements and said active tuning elements.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein an additional active tuning element is coupled with said main antenna element to provide further frequency tuning capabilities.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein said active tuning elements comprise at least one of:

voltage controlled tunable capacitors, voltage controlled tunable phase shifters, FET'"'"'s, and switches.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein said main antenna element comprises an isolated magnetic dipole (IMD).