VARIABLE Z0 ANTENNA DEVICE DESIGN SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20140340278A1
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Variable Z0, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Variable Z0, Ltd.
• Inventors: Formato, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US14/283,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20140340278A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/860
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/11 for solving equations , e.g. nonlinear equations, general mathematical optimization problems optimization specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/15 Correlation function computation including computation of convolution operations arithmetic circuits for sum of products per se, e.g. multiply-accumulators G06F7/5443; digital filters, e.g. FIR, IIR, adaptive filters H03H17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/39 Circuit design at the physical level physical level design for reconfigurable circuits G06F30/347
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/392 Floor-planning or layout, e.g. partitioning or placement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/398 Design verification or optimisation, e.g. using design rule check [DRC], layout versus schematics [LVS] or finite element methods [FEM] optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes G03F1/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/12 characterised by the materials of which they are formed
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/00 Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas arrangements for varying orientation of directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/92 by the use, as active elements, of superconductive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/14 Relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/185 Space-based or airborne stations; Stations for satellite systemsH04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/00 Thermoelectric devices comprising a junction of dissimilar materials, i.e. devices exhibiting Seebeck or Peltier effects integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/916 Antenna

Abstract

A variable Z₀ impedance method (“Variable Z₀”) for designing and/or optimizing antenna systems. The method provides that the value of an antenna'"'"'s feed system characteristic impedance or apparatus internal impedance (Z₀) changes as a true variable quantity during the antenna system design or optimization methodology. The value is allowed to be determined by the methodology, because different values of Z₀ result in different antenna system performance. It is applied to any set of performance objectives on any antenna system wherein apparatus internal or transmission line characteristic impedance is an explicit or implicit parameter. Variable Z₀ is applied to any design or optimization methodology. Structures include Yagi-Uda arrays, Meander Monopoles, and transmission line Multi-Stub Matching Networks, and can incorporate Central Force Optimization or Biogeography Based Optimization or other optimization algorithms.

Claims

1. A method of designing an antenna connected to a feed system including a radio frequency source, the method comprising:

using an iterative antenna design algorithm on a computer where one or more antenna design parameters and a feed system characteristic impedance value are variables to achieve one or more antenna performance objectives;

varying said one or more antenna design parameters while varying said feed system characteristic impedance value until said one or more antenna performance objectives are achieved using said iterative antenna design algorithm; and

determining a feed system characteristic impedance value from the varied feed system characteristic impedance values which results in said one or more antenna performance objectives.

2. The method of claim 1 further including:

designing the feed system such that said feed system exhibits said determined feed system characteristic impedance value or an approximation of the determined feed system characteristic impedance value;

determining one or more antenna design parameters which results in said antenna performance objectives; and

designing the antenna according to said one or more determined antenna design parameters to achieve said one or more antenna performance objectives.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said one or more antenna design parameters include one or more of antenna element length, diameter, and/or spacing;

and/or helix diameter, turn pitch, wire gauge, and/or the number of turns.

4. The method of claim 1 in which varying the one or more antenna design parameters includes varying the one or more antenna design parameters between maximum and minimum values.

5. The method of claim 1 in which said one or more antenna performance objectives are input into the iterative antenna design algorithm.

6. The method of claim 1 in which said iterative antenna design algorithm includes Central Force Optimization, Dominating Cone Line Search, Particle Swarm Optimization, a Genetic Algorithm, Ant Colony Optimization, and/or Differential Evolution.

7. The method of claim 2 in which the feed system further includes a transmission line and/or a matching network and designing the feed system includes choosing a transmission line and/or matching network such as that the feed system exhibits said determined feed system characteristic impedance value.

8. The method of claim 1 in which said antenna performance objectives include voltage standing wave ratio, gain, and/or Front-to-Back ratio.

9. A method of designing an antenna connected to a feed system including a radio frequency source, the method comprising:

choosing minimum and maximum feed system characteristic impedance values;

using an iterative antenna design algorithm on a computer where one or more antenna design parameters and a feed system characteristic impedance value are variables to achieve one or more antenna performance objectives;

varying said one or more antenna design parameters while varying feed system characteristic impedance values between the minimum and maximum feed system characteristic impedance values until said one or more antenna performance objectives are achieved using said iterative antenna design algorithm; and

determining a feed system characteristic impedance value from the varied feed system characteristic impedance values which results in said one or more antenna performance objectives.

10. The method of claim 9 further including:

designing the feed system such that said feed system exhibits said determined feed system characteristic impedance value or an approximation of the determined feed system characteristic impedance value;

determining which one or more antenna design parameters result in said one or more antenna performance objectives; and

designing the antenna according to said one or more determined antenna design parameters to achieve said one or more antenna performance objectives.

11. The method of claim 9 in which said one or more antenna design parameters include antenna element length, diameter, and/or spacing;

and/or helix diameter, turn pitch, wire gauge, and/or the number of turns.

12. The method of claim 9 in which varying the one or more antenna design parameters include varying the antenna design parameters between maximum and minimum values.

13. The method of claim 9 in which said one or more antenna performance objectives are input into the iterative antenna design algorithm.

14. The method of claim 9 in which said iterative antenna design algorithm includes Central Force Optimization, Dominating Cone Line Search, Particle Swarm Optimization, a Genetic Algorithm, Ant Colony Optimization, and/or Differential Evolution.

15. The method of claim 10 in which the feed system further includes a transmission line and/or a matching network and designing the feed system includes choosing a transmission line and/or matching network such as that the feed system exhibits said determined feed system characteristic impedance value.

16. The method of claim 9 in which said antenna performance objectives include voltage standing wave ratio, gain, and/or Front-to-Back ratio.

17. The method of claim 9 in which the determined feed system characteristic impedance value is within a factor of three of a standard fixed antenna feed system characteristic impedance value.

18. A computer program for designing an antenna connected to a feed system including a radio frequency source, the computer program comprising:

an iterative antenna design algorithm configured so one or more antenna design parameters and a feed system characteristic impedance value are variables to achieve one or more antenna performance objectives;

said antenna design parameters are varied in said design algorithm while varying the feed system characteristic impedance value until said one or more antenna performance objectives are achieved; and

a feed system characteristic impedance value determined by said algorithm which results in said one or more antenna performance objectives.

19. The computer program of claim 18 in which said antenna design parameters include antenna element length, diameter, and/or spacing;

and/or helix diameter, turn pitch, wire gauge, and/or the number of turns.

20. The computer program of claim 18 in which the interactive design algorithm is configured to accept as inputs minimum and maximum feed system characteristic impedance values and to vary the feed system characteristic impedance value between said minimum and maximum values.

21. The computer program of claim 18 in which said iterative antenna design algorithm includes Central Force Optimization, Dominating Cone Line Search, Particle Swarm Optimization, a Genetic Algorithm, Ant Colony Optimization, and/or Differential Evolution.

22. The computer program of claim 18 in which said antenna performance objectives include voltage standing wave ratio, gain, and/or Front-to-Back ratio.

23. An antenna connected to a feed system designed by a method comprising:

choosing minimum and maximum feed system characteristic impedance values;

using an iterative antenna design algorithm on a computer where antenna design parameters and a feed system characteristic impedance value are variables to achieve one or more antenna performance objectives;

varying said antenna design parameters while varying feed system characteristic impedance values between the minimum and maximum feed system characteristic impedance values until said one or more antenna performance objectives are achieved using said iterative antenna design algorithm;

determining a feed system characteristic impedance value from the varied feed system characteristic impedance values which results in said one or more antenna performance objectives;

designing the feed system such that said feed system exhibits said determined feed system characteristic impedance value or an approximation of the determined feed system characteristic impedance value;

determining which antenna design parameters result in said antenna performance objectives; and

designing the antenna according to said determined antenna design parameters to achieve said one or more antenna performance objectives.