Body-worn phased-array antenna

• US 9,564,682 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Brunk, Hugh L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIU, HARRY K
• Application Number:
  US13/939,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20140159959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 342/375, 343/718
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2682 Time delay steered arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/34 by electrical means active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46

Abstract

Several (in some cases many dozen) small antennae are integrated into or over a full body suit or clothing. These antennae preferably include an intra-suit or clothing wired connection to one or more small Ultra-Wide-Band (UWB) radios, e.g., in the 3-10 GHz range. In some cases, each antenna connection includes a variable delay, e.g., a few nanoseconds with picoseconds-scale resolution on the delays, thus allowing for the body-suit ensemble to act as a directional phased-array. One claim recites a radio wearable by a human comprising: a phased-array antenna including a plurality of antennae, the array being configured for wearing over or on a human body, the plurality of antennae provided for spatially positioning in multiple different regions over or on the human body; an RF radio; and a controller configured for: i) determining relative spatial position information for antennae within the phased-array antenna; and ii) using at least the relative spatial position information, controlling the radio to produce a directional UWB beam through the phased-array antenna. Another claim includes an antenna having a plurality of metamaterial elements. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided as well.

Claims

1. A radio wearable by a human comprising:

a phased-array antenna including a plurality of antennae, the phased-array antenna configured for wearing over or on a human body, the plurality of antennae provided for spatially positioning in multiple different regions over or on the human body;

a radio-frequency (RF) radio; and

a controller configured for;

i) determining relative spatial position information for antennae within the phased-array antenna; and

ii) using at least the relative spatial position information, controlling the RF radio to produce a directional ultra-wide band (UWB) beam through the phased-array antenna.

2. The radio of claim 1 further comprising a delay circuit, in which the controller utilizes the delay circuit to communicate RF signals to different antennae within the phased-array antenna.

3. The radio of claim 1 further comprising a delay circuit, in which the controller utilizes the delay circuit to control phase timing within the phased-array antenna.

4. The radio of claim 1 in which the controller utilizes transmission delays in combination with the relative spatial position information—

or delay information derived therefrom—

to control the radio to produce a directional UWB beam through the phased-array antenna.

5. The radio of claim 1 in which the controller determines the relative spatial position information based on a clue.

6. The radio of claim 5 in which the clue comprises a predetermined time.

7. The radio of claim 5 in which the clue comprises gyroscope information or acceleration information.

8. Clothing comprising the radio of claim 1 integrated therein.

16. The radio of claim 1 in which the controller comprises integrated circuitry.

17. The radio of claim 1 in which the controller comprises plural microprocessors.

18. The radio of claim 1 in which the controller comprises a digital signal processor.

9. A system comprising:

a first plurality of antennae configured for wearing over or on a first human body, the first plurality of antennae provided for spatially positioning in multiple different regions over or on the first human body;

a second plurality of antennae configured for wearing over or on a second human body, the second plurality of antennae provided for spatially positioning in multiple different regions over or on the second human body;

one or more controllers configured for;

i) determining relative spatial position information for antennae associated with the first plurality of antennae;

ii) determining relative spatial position information for antennae associated with the second plurality of antennae; and

iii) controlling phase distribution of signals across the first plurality of antennae and the second plurality of antennae to produce directional ultra-wide band (UWB) beams as if through a phased-array antenna.

10. A radio wearable by a human comprising:

an antenna including a plurality of metamaterial elements, the antenna configured for wearing over or on a human body, the plurality of metamaterial elements provided for spatially positioning in multiple different regions over or on the human body;

a radio-frequency (RF) radio; and

a controller configured for controlling the production of constructive or destructive interference patterns generated by the plurality of metamaterial elements for signal transmission.

11. The radio of claim 10 in which the controller is configured to determine a relative spatial position of the metamaterial elements.

12. The radio of claim 11 in which the relative spatial position of the metamaterial elements is determined based on a clue.

13. The radio of claim 12 in which the clue comprises a predetermined signal propagation time.

14. The radio of claim 12 in which the clue comprises gyroscope information or acceleration information.

15. The radio of claim 10 in which the controller is configured for controlling the production of constructive or destructive interference patterns generated by the plurality of metamaterial elements for signal transmission in a desired direction and shape.

19. A system comprising:

a phased-array antenna including a plurality of antennae, the phased-array antenna provided for dynamic spatially positioning in multiple different configurations;

a radio-frequency (RF) radio;

means for determining relative spatial position information for antennae within the phased-array antenna, in which said means for determining determines the relative spatial position information based on a clue, in which the clue comprises gyroscope information or acceleration information; and

means for controlling the RF radio to produce a directional ultra-wide band (UWB) beam through the phased-array antenna using at least the relative spatial position information.

20. Clothing wearable by a human comprising the system of claim 19, in which the phased-array antenna is configured for wearing over or on a human body so as to cover multiple different regions of the body.

21. The system of claim 19 further comprising a delay circuit, in which said means for controlling utilizes the delay circuit to communicate RF signals to different antennae within the phased-array antenna.

22. The system of claim 19 further comprising a delay circuit, in which said means for controlling utilizes the delay circuit to control phase timing within the phased-array.

23. The system of claim 19 in which said means for controlling utilizes transmission delays in combination with the relative spatial position information—

or delay information derived therefrom—

to control the RF radio to produce a directional UWB beam through the phased-array antenna.

24. A method comprising:

providing a first uniform or first clothing having a first plurality of antennae, the first uniform or first clothing to be worn over or on a first human body, in which the first plurality of antennae are spatially positioned in multiple different regions of the first uniform or first clothing;

providing a second uniform or second clothing having a second plurality of antennae, the second uniform or second clothing to be worn over or on a second human body, in which the second plurality of antennae are spatially positioned in multiple different regions of the second uniform or second clothing;

establishing relative spatial position information for antennae associated with the first plurality of antennae;

establishing relative spatial position information for antennae associated with the second plurality of antennae; and

producing a directional ultra-wide band (UWB) beam as if through a phased-array antenna by controlling phase distribution of signals across the first plurality of antennae and the second plurality of antennae.