Smart antenna utilizing leaky wave antennas

• US 8,766,864 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2013
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza, Rofougaran, Maryam
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V
• Application Number:
  US13/871,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20130237163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 343/772, 343/776, 343/777, 343/853, 342/417, 455/561, 455/562, 455/101
• US Class Current: 343/772
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73204 the bump connector being embedded into the layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/20 Non-resonant leaky-waveguide or transmission-line antennas; Equivalent structures causing radiation along the transmission path of a guided wave
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/22 Longitudinal slot in boundary wall of waveguide or transmission line H01Q13/203 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/006 Selective devices having photonic band gap materials or materials of which the material properties are frequency dependent, e.g. perforated substrates, high-impedance surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0066 said selective devices being reconfigurable, tunable or controllable, e.g. using switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/23 Combinations of reflecting surfaces with refracting or diffracting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/06 using refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens radome H01Q1/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

Methods and systems for a smart antenna utilizing leaky wave antennas (LWAs) are disclosed and may include a programmable polarization antenna including one or more pairs of LWAs configured along different axes. One or more pairs of leaky wave antennas may be configured to adjust polarization and/or polarity of one or more RF signals communicated by the programmable polarization antenna. RF signals may be communicated via the configured programmable polarization antenna utilizing the configured one or more pairs of the leaky wave antennas. A resonant frequency of the LWAs may be configured utilizing micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) deflection. The polarization and/or polarity may be configured utilizing switched phase modules. The LWAs may include microstrip or coplanar waveguides, wherein a cavity height of the LWAs is dependent on spacing between conductive lines in the waveguides. The LWAs may be integrated in one or more integrated circuits, packages, and/or printed circuit boards.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

a programmable polarization antenna, wherein said programmable polarization antenna comprises a pair of leaky wave antennas, said wireless device being operable to;

configure said pair of leaky wave antennas to adjust a polarity of RF signals communicated by said programmable polarization antenna;

configure an impedance of said pair of leaky wave antennas;

communicate said RF signals via said programmable polarization antenna utilizing said pair of leaky wave antennas.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein said wireless device is operable to configure said impedance of said pair of leaky wave antennas by adjusting a position of a feed point within said pair of leaky wave antennas.

3. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein said wireless device is configured to utilize a wireless standard selected from the group of standards consisting of GSM, CDMA, CDMA2000, WCDMA, GMS, GPRS, EDGE, WIMAX, WLAN, 3GPP, UMTS, BLUETOOTH, and ZigBee standards.

4. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein said wireless device is operable to configure a resonant frequency of said pair of leaky wave antennas utilizing micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS).

5. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein said wireless device is operable to configure said polarity utilizing switched phase modules.

6. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein said pair of leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip waveguides.

7. The wireless device of claim 6, wherein a cavity height of said pair of leaky wave antennas is dependent on a spacing between conductive lines in said microstrip waveguides.

8. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein said pair of leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.

9. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein a cavity height of said pair of leaky wave antennas is dependent on a spacing between conductive lines in said coplanar waveguides.

10. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein said pair of leaky wave antennas are integrated in one or more integrated circuits.

11. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein said pair of leaky wave antennas are integrated in one or more integrated circuit packages.

12. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein said pair of leaky wave antennas are integrated in one or more printed circuit boards.

13. A method for communication utilizing a wireless device, said method comprising:

utilizing a programmable polarization antenna, wherein said programmable polarization antenna comprises a pair of leaky wave antennas;

configuring said pair of leaky wave antennas to adjust a polarity of RF signals communicated by said programmable polarization antenna;

configuring an impedance of said pair of leaky wave antennas;

communicating said RF signals via said programmable polarization antenna utilizing said pair of leaky wave antennas.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising configuring said impedance of said pair of leaky wave antennas by adjusting a position of a feed point within said pair of leaky wave antennas.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising configuring a resonant frequency of said pair of leaky wave antennas utilizing micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS).

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising configuring said polarity utilizing switched phase modules.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said pair of leaky wave antennas comprise microstrip waveguides.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said pair of leaky wave antennas comprise coplanar waveguides.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said pair of leaky wave antennas are integrated in one or more integrated circuits.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein said pair of leaky wave antennas are integrated in one or more printed circuit boards.