A Reconfigurable Antenna System

• US 20150333413A1
• Filed: 06/20/2013
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adant Technologies, Inc. (Adant, Srl)
• Original Assignee: Adant Technologies, Inc. (Adant, Srl)
• Inventors: Piazza, Daniele, Sacchetto, Francesco
• Granted Patent: US 9,831,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0006 Devices acting selectively as reflecting surface, as diffracting or as refracting device, e.g. frequency filtering or angular spatial filtering devices H01Q15/12, H01Q15/22, H01Q15/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/005 Patch antenna using one or more coplanar parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• 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 9/0435 using two feed points
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0457 electromagnetically coupled to the feed line

Abstract

The invention relates to a reconfigurable antenna system (1), which comprises a plurality of antenna units (10) and does not employ phase shifters. Each antenna unit (10) is by itself a reconfigurable antenna having at least an active radiating element which is coupled to one or more passive radiating elements. Each antenna unit is provided with one or more variable loads (12) that can be electrically connected/disconnected to each other and with said antenna unit (10), to selectively configure the radiating properties of the system. A bias network (70) is adopted to bias the variable loads (12) and a control unit (80) allows controlling the operation of said bias network (70). Each active radiating element is fed by at least a feeding line (501) that provides it with a suitable polarization. Hence, the system can advantageously resort to multiple polarizations, each of them being provided by a same source. Preferably, each active radiating element receive its feeding signal from the source/s by means of power dividers (60) and/or switches. Preferably, each antenna unit is covered by at least a radiating structure, comprising a plurality of passive radiating elements, which does not affect the reconfigurability of the antenna unit itself and increases the overall antenna gain. The antenna system is then characterized by remarkable beam-steering capabilities and high gain, avoiding the losses and complexities related to phase shifters and overcoming the typically small antenna gain values of current reconfigurable antenna systems.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A reconfigurable antenna system comprising:

a plurality of antenna units, each of said antenna units comprising at least an active radiating element that is capable radiating electromagnetic waves;

one or more variable loads that are operatively associated to each of said antenna units and that can be electrically connected/disconnected each other and with the corresponding antenna unit, to selectively configure the radiating properties of said antenna unit;

at least a bias network configured to bias the variable loads that are operatively associated to said antenna units;

a same source configured to provide feeding signals to the active radiating elements of said antenna units to cause said active radiating elements to radiate electromagnetic waves with at least a given polarization.

28. An antenna system comprising one or more reconfigurable antennas that are operatively associated to a radiating structure, at least one of said reconfigurable antennas comprising one or more of said antenna units, said radiating structure comprising a plurality of radiating elements that are positioned so as to be electromagnetically coupled with said reconfigurable antennas.