Reconfigurable antennas utilizing parasitic pixel layers
First Claim
1. A reconfigurable antenna comprising:
- an active driven antenna element configured to emit a field of electromagnetic energy; and
a parasitic element disposed over the active driven antenna element, the parasitic element being physically separated from the active driven antenna element, the parasitic element comprising an array of selectively reconfigurable pixels and a network of mechanical switches configured to selectively reconfigure the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels based on one or more applied control voltages by physically coupling a plurality of reconfigurable pixels of the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels, the parasitic element being configured to couple with the field of electromagnetic energy emitted by the active driven antenna element via electromagnetic mutual coupling;
wherein the network of mechanical switches are further configured to selectively reconfigure the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels such that a first region of the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels comprising a first subset of reconfigurable pixels is in resonance with the active driven antenna element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Reconfigurable antennas utilizing parasitic layers are disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, a reconfigurable antenna may include an active driven antenna element. The active driven antenna may be a patch antenna element. A parasitic element may be disposed over the active antenna element and be configured to couple with electromagnetic energy emitted from the active antenna element via electromagnetic mutual coupling. The parasitic element may include an array of selectively reconfigurable pixels interconnected via microelectromechanical switches. By selectively reconfiguring the geometry of the array, the reconfigurable antenna may be configured to operate in multiple operating modes.
56 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A reconfigurable antenna comprising:
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an active driven antenna element configured to emit a field of electromagnetic energy; and a parasitic element disposed over the active driven antenna element, the parasitic element being physically separated from the active driven antenna element, the parasitic element comprising an array of selectively reconfigurable pixels and a network of mechanical switches configured to selectively reconfigure the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels based on one or more applied control voltages by physically coupling a plurality of reconfigurable pixels of the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels, the parasitic element being configured to couple with the field of electromagnetic energy emitted by the active driven antenna element via electromagnetic mutual coupling; wherein the network of mechanical switches are further configured to selectively reconfigure the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels such that a first region of the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels comprising a first subset of reconfigurable pixels is in resonance with the active driven antenna element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 21)
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12. A reconfigurable antenna comprising a plurality of antenna array elements, each antenna array element comprising:
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an active driven antenna element configured to emit an electromagnetic field; and a parasitic element disposed over the active driven antenna element, the parasitic element comprising an array of selectively reconfigurable pixels configured to couple with the electromagnetic field emitted by the active driven antenna element via electromagnetic mutual coupling and a network of mechanical switches configured to selectively reconfigure the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels based on one or more applied control voltages by physically coupling a plurality of reconfigurable pixels of the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels, wherein the network of mechanical switches are further configured to selectively reconfigure the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels such that a first region of the array of selectively reconfigurable pixels comprising a first subset of reconfigurable pixels is in resonance with the active driven antenna element. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22)
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Specification