Multiple-Resonator Antenna
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An antenna comprising:
- a first electromagnetically-resonant structure with a first band of resonance;
a second electromagnetically-resonant structure with a second band of resonance;
a mechanical mount for maintaining the first structure in a fixed position relative to the second structure;
an electrical connection between the first structure and the second structure; and
an input-output port comprising a first connection point on the first structure and a second connection point on the second structure;
wherein a portion of the first band of resonance and a portion of the second band of resonance overlap over a common band;
wherein the antenna, in response to an electromagnetic signal within the common band, generates;
(i) a first electrical signal, s1, across the first structure, between the first connection point and the electrical connection,(ii) a second electrical signal, s2, across the second structure, between the second connection point and the electrical connection,(iii) a third electrical signal, sT, between the first connection point and the second connection point;
wherein the amplitude of the third electrical signal, max[|sT|], is larger than the amplitude, max[|s1|], of the first electrical signal whenever the direction of arrival and the polarization of the electromagnetic signal fall within a first subset, A1, of all possible directions of arrival and polarizations;
wherein the amplitude of the third electrical signal, max[|sT|], is larger than the amplitude, max[|s2|], of the second electrical signal whenever the direction of arrival and the polarization of the electromagnetic signal fall within a second subset, A2, of all possible directions of arrivals and polarizations; and
wherein the intersection of the first subset and the second subset, A1∩
A2, comprises more than one-half of all possible directions of arrivals and polarizations.
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Abstract
A Radio-Frequency IDentification (RFID) receiver is disclosed that comprises a plurality of resonant structures arranged to form an antenna. The resonant structures are interconnected in series and are arranged, relative to one another, so as to achieve a received electrical signal with an increased voltage, when the antenna is exposed to an incident electromagnetic signal. This occurs for a majority of all possible incident electromagnetic signals and, therefore, an RFID receiver based on such an antenna provides, in a majority of cases, an improved performance.
46 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An antenna comprising:
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a first electromagnetically-resonant structure with a first band of resonance; a second electromagnetically-resonant structure with a second band of resonance; a mechanical mount for maintaining the first structure in a fixed position relative to the second structure; an electrical connection between the first structure and the second structure; and an input-output port comprising a first connection point on the first structure and a second connection point on the second structure; wherein a portion of the first band of resonance and a portion of the second band of resonance overlap over a common band; wherein the antenna, in response to an electromagnetic signal within the common band, generates; (i) a first electrical signal, s1, across the first structure, between the first connection point and the electrical connection, (ii) a second electrical signal, s2, across the second structure, between the second connection point and the electrical connection, (iii) a third electrical signal, sT, between the first connection point and the second connection point; wherein the amplitude of the third electrical signal, max[|sT|], is larger than the amplitude, max[|s1|], of the first electrical signal whenever the direction of arrival and the polarization of the electromagnetic signal fall within a first subset, A1, of all possible directions of arrival and polarizations; wherein the amplitude of the third electrical signal, max[|sT|], is larger than the amplitude, max[|s2|], of the second electrical signal whenever the direction of arrival and the polarization of the electromagnetic signal fall within a second subset, A2, of all possible directions of arrivals and polarizations; and wherein the intersection of the first subset and the second subset, A1∩
A2, comprises more than one-half of all possible directions of arrivals and polarizations. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An antenna comprising:
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a first electromagnetically-resonant structure with a first band of resonance; a second electromagnetically-resonant structure with a second band of resonance; a third electromagnetically-resonant structure with a third band of resonance; a fourth electromagnetically-resonant structure with a fourth band of resonance; a mechanical mount for maintaining the first, second, third and fourth, structure in a fixed position relative to one another; a first electrical connection between the first structure and the second structure; a second electrical connection between the second structure and the third structure; a third electrical connection between the third structure and the fourth structure; and an input-output port comprising a first connection point on the first structure and a second connection point on the fourth structure; wherein a portion of the first band of resonance, a portion of the second band of resonance, a portion of the third band of resonance, and a portion of the fourth band of resonance overlap over a common band; wherein the antenna, in response to an electromagnetic signal within the common band, generates; (i) a first electrical signal, s1, across the first structure, between the first connection point and the first electrical connection, (ii) a second electrical signal, s2, across the second structure, between the first electrical connection and the second electrical connection, (ii) a third electrical signal, s3, across the third structure, between the second electrical connection and the third electrical connection, (iv) a fourth electrical signal, s4, across the fourth structure, between the third electrical connection and the second connection point, (v) a fifth electrical signal, sT, between the first connection point and the second connection point; wherein the amplitude of the fifth electrical signal, max[|sT|], is larger than the amplitude, max[|s1|], of the first electrical signal whenever the direction of arrival and the polarization of the electromagnetic signal fall within a first subset, A1, of all possible directions of arrival and polarizations; wherein the amplitude of the fifth electrical signal, max[|sT|], is larger than the amplitude, max[|s2|], of the second electrical signal whenever the direction of arrival and the polarization of the electromagnetic signal fall within a second subset, A2, of all possible directions of arrivals and polarizations; wherein the amplitude of the fifth electrical signal, max[|sT|], is larger than the amplitude, max[|s3|], of the third electrical signal whenever the direction of arrival and the polarization of the electromagnetic signal fall within a third subset, A3, of all possible directions of arrivals and polarizations; wherein the amplitude of the fifth electrical signal, max[|sT|], is larger than the amplitude, max[|s4|], of the fourth electrical signal whenever the direction of arrival and the polarization of the electromagnetic signal fall within a fourth subset, A4, of all possible directions of arrivals and polarizations; and wherein the intersection of the first, second, third, and fourth subsets, A1∩
A2∩
A3∩
A4, comprises more than one-half of all possible directions of arrivals and polarizations. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. An antenna comprising:
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a plurality of N electromagnetically-resonant structures, Ei, wherein i=1, . . . , N, and wherein each structure has a band of resonance Bi; a mechanical mount for maintaining the structures in fixed positions relative to one another; a plurality of N-1 electrical connections, Cj, wherein j=1, . . . , N-1, and wherein electrical connection Cj is between structure Ej and structure Ej+1, for j=1, . . . , N-1; and an input-output port comprising a first connection point on structure E1, and a second connection point on structure EN; wherein each of the bands of resonance comprises a common band portion, Bc, that is the same for all bands; wherein the antenna, in response to an electromagnetic signal within the common band, Bc, generates; (i) a plurality of electrical signals, si, wherein i=1, . . . , N, and (a) signal s1, is generated across structure E1 between the first connection point and connection C1, (b) signal sN, is generated across structure EN between the second connection point and connection CN-1, and (c) signal sk, is generated across structure Ek between connection Ck-1 and connection Ck, (ii) an output electrical signal, sT, between the first connection point and the second connection point; wherein the amplitude of the output electrical signal, max[|sT|], is larger than the amplitude, max[|si|], of electrical signal si whenever the direction of arrival and the polarization of the electromagnetic signal fall within a subset, Ai, of all possible directions of arrival and polarizations, wherein i=1, . . . , N; wherein the intersection of the subsets A1, . . . , AN, denoted as
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6. An apparatus comprising:
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a first sheet of conductive material; a second sheet of conductive material substantially parallel to the first sheet; a third sheet of conductive material substantially parallel to the first sheet; a first electrical connection between a portion of the edge of the second sheet and the first sheet; a second electrical connection between a portion of the edge of the third sheet and the first sheet; and an input-output port comprising a first connection point on the second sheet and a second connection point on the third sheet; wherein the first sheet is between the second sheet and the third sheet. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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a first sheet of conductive material; a second sheet of conductive material substantially parallel to the first sheet, at a distance from the first sheet that is less than the longest dimension of the first sheet; a third sheet of conductive material substantially parallel to the first sheet, at a distance from the first sheet that is less than the longest dimension of the first sheet; a fourth sheet of conductive material substantially parallel to the third sheet, at a distance from the third sheet that is less than the longest dimension of the first sheet; a fifth sheet of conductive material substantially parallel to the fourth sheet, at a distance from the fourth sheet that is less than the longest dimension of the first sheet; a first electrical connection between a portion of the edge of the second sheet and the first sheet; a second electrical connection between a portion of the edge of the third sheet and the first sheet; and a third electrical connection between a portion of the edge of the third sheet and the fourth sheet; and a second electrical connection between a portion of the edge of the fifth sheet and the fourth sheet; and an input-output port comprising a first connection point on the second sheet and a second connection point on the fifth sheet; wherein the first sheet is between the second sheet and the third sheet, the third sheet is between the first sheet and the fourth sheet, and the fourth sheet is between the third sheet and the fifth sheet. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification