Tunable slot antenna with capacitively coupled slot island conductor for precise impedance adjustment

• US 6,188,369 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2000
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Okabe, Hiroshi, Takei, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG V
• Application Number:
  US09/490,281
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q 1.310, 343/767-769, 343/746, 343/750
• US Class Current: 343/767
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/106 Microstrip slot antennas patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407

Abstract

In a coaxial resonant slot antenna including a flat rectangular conductive box having its top plate with a slot being defined therein, and a strip conductor disposed inside the box and electrically insulated from the box while high frequency or RF power is fed to the strip, an island conductor is provided in the slot for defining a capacitance between itself and the frame, which capacitance is rendered variable in value by use of a variable capacitance circuit.

Claims

1. A slot antenna having a conductive box, a slot in a principal surface of the box, and a conductor disposed in said box to spatially cross said slot while being electrically insulated from said box thereby permitting alternate current (AC) power to be supplied between said conductor and said box, the slot antenna comprising:

an island conductor provided in said slot and electrically insulated from said box; and

circuitry connected between said island conductor and a wall plate of said box for varying a capacitance between said island conductor and said box.

2. A slot antenna having a first conductor, a slot provided in said first conductor, and a second conductor traversing a projection of said slot on a plane below said slot and being electrically insulated from said first conductor, wherein AC power is supplied between said first conductor and said second conductor, the slot antenna comprising:

a third conductor provided in said slot and electrically insulated from said first conductor; and

circuitry connected between said first conductor and said third conductor for causing a capacitance between the first and third conductors to vary.

3. A slot antenna having a first conductor and a second conductor with AC power being supplied between said first conductor and said second conductor, the slot antenna comprising:

a third conductor disposed for providing a capacitive coupling to said second conductor; and

circuitry connected between said first conductor and said third conductor for causing a capacitance between the first and third conductors to vary.