METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPACT VOLUMETRIC ANTENNA WITH PATTERN CONTROL

• US 20150102972A1
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Francesca Scire-Scappuzzo
• Original Assignee: Francesca Scire-Scappuzzo
• Inventors: Scire-Scappuzzo, Francesca, Makarov, Sergey N.
• Application Number:
  US14/444,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20150102972A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/802
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00

Abstract

A wide-bandwidth antenna with antenna pattern control includes a radiator and a feed. The radiator includes two or more volumetric radiating elements. The feed includes two or more feed units, the feed units configured to provide wave signals to the volumetric radiating elements. The feed units provide an independent signal for each radiating element. The wave signals can be fed out of phase to each other. Depending on the dielectric filler inside the volume of the antenna and the phase shift between feeds, the pattern can be modified electronically leading to pattern control. The radiating elements are spaced at a distance at least one order of magnitude smaller than half of an operational wavelength of the antenna. At least one electrically conductive element of the antenna is capable of conducting a current that generates a magnetic field. The magnetic field lowers the total reactance of the antenna, thereby resulting in enhanced performance of the antenna in terms of bandwidth, gain, and pattern control. The volumetric design allows miniaturization of the antenna.

Claims

1. A wide-bandwidth antenna, comprising:

a radiator including a first volumetric radiating element and a second volumetric radiating element;

a feed including a first feed unit and a second feed unit, the first feed unit configured to provide a first wave signal to the first volumetric radiating element, the second feed unit configured to provide a second wave signal to the second volumetric radiating element;

wherein the second wave signal is out of phase to the first wave signal; and

wherein the first and second volumetric radiating elements are spaced at a distance at least one order of magnitude smaller than half of an operational wavelength of the antenna.

2. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 1, wherein the first and second volumetric radiating elements occupy approximately the same volume as an antenna having a single radiator including a single volumetric radiating element.

3. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 1, wherein:

the first volumetric radiating element occupies a first half cylinder volume;

the second volumetric radiating element occupies a second half cylinder volume; and

a longitudinal axis of the first half cylinder volume is parallel or substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second half cylinder volume.

4. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 1, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are about 45 degrees out of phase to one another, or optionally about 0 to 45 degrees out of phase to one another.

5. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 1, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are 90 degrees out of phase to one another, or optionally about 45 to 90 degrees out of phase to one another.

6. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 1, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are 135 degrees out of phase to one another, or optionally about 90 to 135 degrees out of phase to one another.

7. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 1, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are 233 degrees out of phase to one another, or optionally about 180 to 233 degrees out of phase to one another.

8. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 1, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are 180 degrees out of phase to one another, or optionally about 135 to 180 degrees out of phase to one another.

9. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 8, wherein the antenna pattern is toroidal and has an axis of rotation along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axes and an axis defined by the first feed unit and the second feed unit.

10. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 1, wherein the first and second volumetric radiating elements are lined with a dielectric material.

11. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 10, wherein the dielectric material has a dielectric constant value of about 1, optionally about 0.1 to 9.9.

12. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 10, wherein the dielectric material has a dielectric constant value of about 10, optionally about 10 to 99.

13. The wide-bandwidth antenna of claim 10, wherein the dielectric material has a dielectric constant value of about 100, optionally about 100 to 999.

14. A method of controlling a radiation pattern of an antenna radiator, the method comprising:

feeding a first wave signal to a first radiating element of the antenna radiator;

feeding a second wave signal to a second radiating element of the antenna radiator, the second wave signal being out of phase relative to the first wave signal; and

providing a dielectric material to line at least one of the first or second radiating elements, the dielectric material characterized by a dielectric constant value.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are about 45 degrees out of phase with respect to one another, or optionally about 0 to 45 degrees out of phase with respect to one another.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are 90 degrees out of phase with respect to one another, or optionally about 45 to 90 degrees out of phase with respect to one another.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are 135 degrees out of phase with respect to one another, or optionally about 90 to 135 degrees out of phase with respect to one another.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are 180 degrees out of phase with respect to one another, or optionally about 135 to 180 degrees out of phase with respect to one another.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first wave signal and the second wave signal are 233 degrees out of phase with respect to one another, or optionally about 180 to 233 degrees out of phase with respect to one another.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the dielectric material has a dielectric constant value of about 1, optionally about 0.1 to 9.9.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the dielectric material has a dielectric constant value of about 10, optionally about 10 to 99.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the dielectric material has a dielectric constant value of about 100, optionally about 100 to 999.

23. A system for transmitting and receiving electrical signals, the system comprising:

a power source; and

an antenna comprising a radiator including a first radiating element configured to conduct a first current from the power source, a first feed electrically coupled to the first radiating element, a second radiating element configured to conduct a second current from the power source, and a second feed electrically coupled to the second radiating element,

wherein a second wave signal from the second feed is out of phase to a first wave signal from the first feed; and

wherein the first and second volumetric radiating elements are spaced at a distance at least one order of magnitude smaller than half of an operational wavelength of the antenna.