Method and apparatus for controlling radiation direction of small sector antenna

• US 8,405,567 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Kang Woo, Park, Sang Joon, Park, Ju Derk
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H
• Application Number:
  US12/640,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20100156722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 343/893, 343/817, 343/833, 342/374
• US Class Current: 343/833
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/32 the primary active element being end-fed and elongated
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/446 the radiating element being at the centre of one or more rings of auxiliary elements

Abstract

Disclosed are an apparatus and method for controlling a radiation direction of a small sector antenna, used for a small wireless transmission device having limited power and calculation capabilities, capable of operating at a low power consumption with the necessity of simple calculation capabilities or without the necessity of even a few calculation capabilities. The apparatus for controlling a radiation direction of a small sector antenna includes a plurality of capacitance blocks including a plurality of capacitors each having one end commonly connected to corresponding parasitic elements and having a different capacitance. Capacitors having a capacitance corresponding to a radiation direction are selectively connected to corresponding parasitic elements through a plurality of switching units and a controller, thereby simplifying controlling and reducing power consumption for controlling the radiation direction.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a radiation direction of a small sector antenna including a single radio frequency (RF) port and an array of a plurality of parasitic elements, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of capacitance blocks matched to the plurality of parasitic elements in a one-to-one manner and each respectively including a preset number of capacitors commonly connected to corresponding parasitic elements and each having a different capacitance;

a plurality of switching units matched to the plurality of capacitance blocks in a one-to-one manner and including a plurality of selective contact points connected to the other ends of the capacitors of the corresponding capacitance blocks and a fixed contact point connected to a ground, and performing a switching operation such that the fixed contact point is connected to one of the plurality of selective contact points; and

a controller controlling the plurality of switching units, and, wherein the preset number of capacitors is n=N_s/2+1 number of capacitors, where N_s is a preset number of sectors in the small sector antenna.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the switching units such that parasitic elements located at symmetrical sectors, based on the radiation direction, have the same capacitance and parasitic elements located at sectors in the radiation direction have different capacitances.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of switching units further comprise two selective contact points directly connected to parasitic elements to which corresponding capacitance blocks are connected, and each set for a short mode and an open mode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of switching units are implemented as digital switches connecting a single selective contact point to the fixed contact point according to a control signal from the controller and maintaining the connected state until a next control signal is applied.

5. A method for controlling a radiation direction of a small sector antenna including a single RF port and an array of a plurality of parasitic elements, the method comprising:

dividing a radiation direction of the small sector antenna into a plurality of sectors and setting the same;

disposing a plurality of capacitors between the plurality of parasitic elements and grounds; and

selectively connecting the capacitors between the respective parasitic elements and the grounds such that parasitic elements located at symmetrical sectors, based on a selected radiation direction, have the same capacitance and parasitic elements located at sectors in a radiation direction have mutually different capacitances, wherein the plurality of capacitors is preset to n=N_s/2+1 number of capacitors, where N_s is a preset number of sectors in the small sector antenna.

6. A method for controlling a radiation direction of a small sector antenna including a single RF port and an array of n parasitic elements, the method comprising:

dividing a radiation direction of the small sector antenna into n sectors;

disposing between each respective of the plurality of parasitic elements and ground n/2+1 different valued capacitors; and

selectively connecting the capacitors between the respective parasitic elements and ground such that parasitic elements located at symmetrical sectors, based on a selected radiation direction, have the same capacitance and parasitic elements located at sectors in a radiation direction have mutually different capacitances.