Reconfigurable antenna

• US 8,890,752 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Antenna Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: University of Birmingham
• Inventors: Song, Peter Chun Teck, Hall, Peter, Kelly, James Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US13/503,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20120242558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/745, 343/850, 343/852, 343/853, 343/860, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/385 Two or more parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

A reconfigurable antenna comprises two or more mutually coupled radiating elements and two or more impedance-matching circuits configured for independent tuning of the frequency band of each radiating element. In addition, each radiating element is arranged for selective operation in each of the following states: a driven state, a floating state and a ground state.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable antenna comprising two or more mutually coupled radiating elements and two or more impedance-matching circuits configured for independent tuning of the frequency band of each radiating element;

and wherein each radiating element is arranged for selective operation in each of the following states;

a driven state, a floating state and a ground state;

the antenna being provided on a substrate having a ground plane printed on a first side thereof, a first of the radiating elements on a second side of the substrate, opposite the first side thereof, and laterally spaced from the ground plane; and

a second of the radiating elements constituted by a planar microstrip patch, orthogonal to the ground plane.

2. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the radiating elements is constituted by a non-resonant resonator.

3. The antenna according to claim 2 wherein two non-resonant resonators are employed.

4. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein each radiating element is configured to operate over a wideband and/or a narrowband range of frequencies.

5. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein each impedance-matching circuit comprises a wideband tuning circuit and a narrowband tuning circuit.

6. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first radiating element is constituted by an L-shaped microstrip patch, having a planar portion and a portion orthogonal to the ground plane.

7. The antenna according to claim 6 wherein the orthogonal portion extends from an edge of the planar portion furthest from the ground plane such that the orthogonal portion is spaced from the ground plane by a so-called first gap.

8. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the second radiating element is located between the ground plane and the orthogonal portion of the first radiating element.

9. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein each radiating element has an associated feed port.

10. The antenna according to claim 9 wherein each feed port is connected to a control module comprising a control means for selecting the operating state of the associated radiating element.

11. The antenna according to claim 10 wherein the control means comprises a switch selectively configured to allow the radiating element to float, to be connected to the ground plane or to be driven by its associated impedance-matching circuit.

12. The antenna according to claim 11 wherein a first feed port is provided between the first radiating element and a first control module having a first impedance-matching circuit and a second feed port is provided between the second radiating element and a second control module having a second impedance-matching circuit.

13. The antenna according to claim 12 wherein the first feed port is positioned closer to one side of the radiating element than the other.

14. The antenna according to claim 12 wherein the first feed port is connected to the ground plane along an edge thereof.

15. The antenna according to claim 12 wherein the first feed port is connected to the ground plane at or towards one side thereof.

16. The antenna according to claim 12 wherein the second feed port is placed in close proximity to the first feed port.

17. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein a single tuning capacitor is provided to tune each radiating element in each operating mode.

18. A portable electronic device comprising a reconfigurable antenna according to claim 1.