FILTERING ANTENNA SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS

• US 20150009079A1
• Filed: 07/02/2014
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiSpry, Inc (AAC Technologies Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WiSpry, Inc (AAC Technologies Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Bjer, Jrgen
• Granted Patent: US 9,799,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/745
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/50 Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/145 by varying the electrical length
• 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: H04B 1/0057 using diplexing or multiplexing filters for selecting the desired band
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

The present subject matter relates to filtering antenna devices, systems, and methods in which a tunable antenna having one or more first variable impedance element is configured to selectively vary an impedance at a signal path output and a tunable filter is in communication between the signal path output of the tunable antenna and a signal processing chain. The tunable filter can have one or more second variable impedance element configured to provide a frequency-selective filtering response between the signal path output and the signal processing chain. A controller in communication with both the tunable antenna and the tunable filter can be configured for selectively tuning an impedance value of one or more of the one or more first variable impedance element or the one or more second variable impedance element.

Claims

1. A filtering antenna device comprising:

a tunable antenna having one or more first variable impedance element configured to selectively vary an impedance at a signal path output;

a tunable filter in communication between the signal path output of the tunable antenna and a signal processing chain, the tunable filter having one or more second variable impedance element configured to provide a frequency-selective filtering response between the signal path output and the signal processing chain; and

a controller in communication with both the tunable antenna and the tunable filter;

wherein the controller is configured for selectively tuning an impedance value of one or more of the one or more first variable impedance element or the one or more second variable impedance element.

2. The filtering antenna device of claim 1, wherein the tunable antenna comprises:

an antenna element having a signal path connection point; and

a tunable impedance matching network in communication between the signal path connection point and the signal path output;

wherein the tunable impedance matching network is operable to match an antenna impedance to the impedance at the signal path output.

3. The filtering antenna device of claim 1, wherein the tunable antenna comprises:

an antenna element having a signal path connection point and a load tuning connection; and

an antenna load tuner in communication with the load tuning connection;

wherein the antenna load tuner is to configured to provide variable impedance values to the antenna element to adjust a resonant frequency of the antenna element.

4. The filtering antenna device of claim 1, wherein the one or more first variable impedance element or the one or more second variable impedance element comprises one or more tunable capacitors.

5. The filtering antenna device of claim 4, wherein the one or more tunable capacitors comprise one or more of a MEMS capacitor, semiconductor-switched capacitor, varactor, BST, or a variable capacitor produced using semiconductor technology including CMOS, SOI, or pHEMT;

and

wherein the controller is configured to adjust the tuning state of the one or more tunable capacitors by respectively controlling one or more of electromechanical actuation, electric field actuation, or switching of electrical semiconductor switches connected to an array of capacitances.

6. The filtering antenna device of claim 1, wherein the one or more first variable impedance element or the one or more second variable impedance element comprises one or more inductor.

7. The filtering antenna device of claim 6, wherein the one or more inductor comprises a plurality of turns of conductive material;

wherein in the turns share a common magnetic field; and

wherein an effective conductor winding aperture is larger than 0.7 mm

8. The filtering antenna device of claim 1, wherein the frequency-selective filtering response of the tunable filter comprises one or more of tunable band reject characteristics configured for rejecting an interfering signal, tunable band pass characteristics having a bandwidth of at least a modulating bandwidth of a signal to be passed, tunable lowpass characteristics, or tunable highpass characteristics.

9. The filtering antenna device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured for selectively tuning an impedance value of the one or more of the one or more first variable impedance element or the one or more second variable impedance element based on commands given by a wireless basestation controller.

10. The filtering antenna device of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to set up a frequency response of one or both of the antenna impedance tuner or the tunable filter according to a band assigned for receive or transmit by the wireless basestation controller.

11. The filtering antenna device of claim 1, wherein the antenna impedance tuner and the tunable filter are positioned on a common module carrier.

12. The filtering antenna device of claim 11, wherein the common module carrier has a height of at least 1 mm.

13. The filtering antenna device of claim 11, wherein the control unit is positioned on the common module carrier.

14. The filtering antenna device of claim 1, wherein the signal processing chain comprises one of a receive processing chain or a signal transmission path.

15. The filtering antenna device of claim 1, wherein the filtering antenna system is configured to have suppression at a notch or band reject frequency so that the filtering antenna gain in dBi is more than 10 dB lower than the filtering antenna gain in dBi at frequencies outside of the notch or band reject frequency.

16. A filtering antenna device comprising:

an antenna impedance tuner having one or more first variable impedance element configured for connection to one or more connection points of an antenna element for which the impedance can be varied; and

a tunable filter configured for connection to a signal path output of the antenna element and to a signal processing chain, the tunable filter having one or more second variable impedance element configured to provide a frequency-selective filtering response between the signal path output and the signal processing chain;

wherein the antenna impedance tuner and the tunable filter are integrated together on a common module carrier.

17. The filtering antenna device of claim 16, wherein the antenna impedance tuner comprises a tunable impedance matching network configured for connection between a signal path connection point of an antenna element and the signal path output;

wherein the tunable impedance matching network is operable to match an antenna impedance to the impedance at the signal path output.

18. The filtering antenna device of claim 16, wherein the antenna impedance tuner comprises an antenna load tuner configured for connection with a load tuning connection of an antenna element;

wherein the antenna load tuner is to configured to provide variable impedance values to the antenna element to adjust a resonant frequency of the antenna element.

19. The filtering antenna device of claim 16, wherein the one or more first variable impedance element or the one or more second variable impedance element comprises one or more inductor.

20. The filtering antenna device of claim 19, wherein the one or more inductor comprises a plurality of turns of conductive material;

wherein in the turns share a common magnetic field; and

wherein an effective conductor winding aperture is larger than 0.7 mm

21. The filtering antenna device of claim 16, wherein the common module carrier has a height of at least 1 mm.

22. The filtering antenna device of claim 16, comprising a controller positioned on the common module carrier;

wherein the controller is in communication with both the antenna impedance tuner and the tunable filter and is configured for selectively tuning an impedance value of one or more of the one or more first variable impedance element or the one or more second variable impedance element.

23. A method for making a filtering antenna device, the method comprising:

integrating an antenna impedance tuner and a tunable filter on a common module carrier, the antenna impedance tuner having one or more first variable impedance element configured to selectively vary an impedance at a signal path output, and the tunable filter in communication between the signal path output of the tunable antenna and an output port configured for connection to a signal processing chain, the tunable filter having one or more second variable impedance element configured to provide a frequency-selective filtering response between the signal path output and the output port; and

connecting the signal path output of each of the individual modules with an antenna element.