Superimposed multimode antenna for enhanced system filtering

• US 9,705,197 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera AVX Components Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ethertronics, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Desclos, Laurent, Rowson, Sebastian, Shamblin, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US14/691,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20160020518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 343700 MS, 343702, 343745, 343815, 343816, 343834, 343876
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/00 Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic combination of horns with slotted waveguide array H01Q13/0233
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/00 Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system means for positioning H01Q1/125
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/06 Details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part

Abstract

The disclosure concerns a method of designing antennas to reduce the amount of rejection and complexity from the filter system. A superposition of a symmetrical frequency response from the antenna structure coupled with a non-symmetrical frequency response from a counterpoise structure generates increased rejection of out-of-band components.

Claims

1. A method for improved filtering in an antenna system of a wireless communication device, the method comprising in any order:

(i) providing a modal antenna including;

an antenna radiating element positioned above a ground plane forming an antenna volume therebetween;

a first parasitic element positioned adjacent to the antenna radiating element; and

a first active tuning element coupled to the first parasitic element and further coupled to a ground reference, the first active tuning element being configured to vary a reactive load on the parasitic element or control a connection to the ground reference;

the modal antenna being configurable about a plurality of possible antenna modes by varying a tuning state of the first active tuning element coupled to the first parasitic element;

wherein the modal antenna is configured to produce a distinct radiation pattern in each of said plurality of antenna modes;

(ii) configuring the antenna radiating element to produce a first frequency response including at least one first resonance spanning a first band of the modal antenna, wherein the first frequency response further includes a first roll-off associated with a first end of the first band and a second roll-off associated with a second end of the first band; and

(iii) configuring the first parasitic element to provide a second frequency response of the modal antenna, wherein the second frequency response includes the at least one first resonance spanning the first band and further includes an adjusted roll-off associated one of the first and second ends of the first band, the adjusted roll-off being sharper than the corresponding first or second roll-off;

wherein the sharper adjusted roll-off of the second frequency response provides improved filtering of RF signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the modal antenna comprises two or more parasitic elements each having an active tuning element associated therewith.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second frequency response includes two or more resonances spanning the first band of the modal antenna.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second frequency response is produced with the modal antenna configured in a first mode of the plurality of possible modes;

and wherein the modal antenna is configured to produce a third frequency response when configured in a second mode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the third frequency response comprises at least one second resonance spanning a second band of the modal antenna;

wherein the second band is higher than the first band.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein with the modal antenna configured in the first mode, the second frequency response includes the adjusted roll-off associated with the second end of the first band, wherein the second end is a higher frequency than the first end of the first band.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein with the modal antenna configured in the second mode, the third frequency response includes the adjusted roll-off associated with the first end of the second band, wherein the first end is a lower frequency than the second end of the second band.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the antenna in the first mode is configured to transmit, and wherein the antenna in the second mode is configured to receive.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring the antenna radiating element to produce a first frequency response includes:

adjusting a dimensional characteristic of the antenna radiating element;

adjusting a position of the antenna radiating element with respect to the ground plane;

or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said dimensional characteristic of the antenna radiating element includes:

length, width, thickness, or shape of one or more conductor portions forming the antenna radiating element.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring the first parasitic element to provide a second frequency response of the modal antenna includes:

adjusting a dimensional characteristic of the parasitic element;

adjusting a position of the parasitic element relative to the antenna radiating element;

adjusting an orientation of the parasitic element relative to the antenna radiating element;

or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said dimensional characteristic of the parasitic element includes:

length, width, thickness, or shape of one or more conductor portions forming the parasitic element.