Antenna apparatus including feeding elements and parasitic elements activated as reflectors

• US 8,604,994 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2009
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shinkai, Sotaro, Noguchi, Wataru, Yurugi, Hiroyuki, Shiotsuki, Akihiko, Nagoshi, Masahiko, Tanaka, Koichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D
• Application Number:
  US13/123,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20110193761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 343/817, 343/858, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 343/817
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/005 Patch antenna using one or more coplanar parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/32 the primary active element being end-fed and elongated
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/005 providing two patterns of opposite direction; back to back antennas H01Q25/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/065 Microstrip dipole antennas patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• 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 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface

Abstract

An antenna apparatus includes an antenna element and a parasitic element provided on a first surface of a dielectric substrate, and an antenna element and a parasitic element provided on a second surface of the dielectric substrate. Each of the parasitic elements is provided at a position away from the antenna elements by a distance of one-fourth of an operating wavelength λ in communication.

Claims

1. An antenna apparatus comprising:

a first dielectric substrate having first and second surfaces which are in parallel with each other;

a second dielectric substrate having first and second surfaces which are in parallel with each other;

a first feeding element provided on the first surface of the first dielectric substrate;

the first feeding element transmitting and receiving a wireless signal;

a first parasitic element provided on the first surface of the first dielectric substrate;

a second feeding element provided on the first surface of the second dielectric substrate, the second feeding element transmitting and receiving a wireless signal;

a second parasitic element provided on the first surface of the second dielectric substrate; and

a controller for switching over between activation and non-activation of each of the first and second parasitic elements as a reflector,

wherein the first parasitic element is provided in proximity to the first and second feeding elements so as to be electromagnetically coupled to the first and second feeding elements,

wherein the second parasitic element is provided in proximity to the first and second feeding elements so as to be electromagnetically coupled to the first and second feeding elements, and

wherein the first and second dielectric substrates are formed in an integrated dielectric substrate so that the second surface of the first dielectric substrate and the second surface of the second dielectric substrate are opposed to each other.

2. The antenna apparatus of claim 1,

wherein each of the first and second parasitic elements is a dipole element comprising two parasitic conductor elements each having an electrical length of a quarter-wavelength, the two parasitic conductor elements being provided on a straight line, and

wherein the controller comprises:

a PIN diode connected in series between the two parasitic conductor elements of the first parasitic element; and

a PIN diode connected in series between the two parasitic conductor elements of the second parasitic element.

3. The antenna apparatus of claim 1,

wherein each of the first and second parasitic elements is a dipole element comprising two parasitic conductor elements each having an electrical length of a quarter-wavelength, the two parasitic conductor elements being provided on a straight line, and

wherein the controller comprises:

a varactor diode connected in series between the two parasitic conductor elements of the first parasitic element; and

a varactor diode connected in series between the two parasitic conductor elements of the second parasitic element.

4. The antenna apparatus of claim 1,

wherein each of the first and second parasitic elements is a monopole element comprising one parasitic conductor element, which has an electrical length of a quarter-wavelength and is provided vertically with respect to a ground conductor, and

wherein the controller comprises:

a PIN diode connected between the parasitic conductor element of the first parasitic element and the ground conductor; and

a PIN diode connected between the parasitic conductor element of the second parasitic element and the ground conductor.

5. The antenna apparatus of claim 1,

wherein each of the first and second parasitic elements is a monopole element comprising one parasitic conductor element, which has an electrical length of a quarter-wavelength and is provided vertically with respect to a ground conductor, and

wherein the controller comprises:

a varactor diode connected between the parasitic conductor element of the first parasitic element and the ground conductor; and

a varactor diode connected between the parasitic conductor element of the second parasitic element and the ground conductor.

6. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second feeding elements is a dipole antenna.

7. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second feeding elements is a sleeve antenna.

8. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second feeding elements is a monopole antenna.

9. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first parasitic element is provided to be away from the first and second feeding elements by a distance of a quarter-wavelength, and

wherein the second parasitic element is provided to be away from the first and second feeding elements by the distance corresponding to the quarter-wavelength.

10. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

a third parasitic element provided on the first surface of the second dielectric substrate;

a third feeding element provided on the first surface of the second dielectric substrate; and

a fourth parasitic element provided on the first surface of the first dielectric substrate.