Tripole current loop radiating element with integrated circularly polarized feed
First Claim
1. A radio frequency (RF) antenna element comprising:
- a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces;
three conductors disposed on the first surface of said substrate, said three conductors being physically spaced apart from each other and being arranged so as to form an antenna element responsive to RF signals at a desired frequency range; and
a feed circuit having a signal port, and first, second and third antenna ports, each of the first, second and third antenna ports coupled to a respective one of the three conductors through a respective one of three signal vias;
a first ground via extending from a first conductor of the three conductors to a ground plane, a second ground via extending from a second conductor of the three conductors to the ground plane and a third ground via extending from a third conductor of the three conductors to the ground plane; and
wherein said feed circuit is configured such that in response to an RF signal provided to the signal port thereof, said feed circuit provides at each of the first, second and third antenna ports, RF signals having equal amplitudes and phases shifted by 120 degrees.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with the concepts, systems, methods and techniques described herein a tripole current loop radiating element is provided having three conductors disposed on a substrate with the three conductors being physically spaced apart from each other and arranged to be responsive to radio frequency (RF) signals at a desired frequency range. Each of the three conductors includes a ground via to couple the respective conductor to a ground plane and a signal via to receive RF signals from a single feed circuit. The feed circuit includes a signal port, and first, second and third antenna ports, with each of the antenna ports coupled to a respective one of the three conductors. The feed circuit can provide the RF signals to each of the three conductors having equal amplitudes and distributed with relative phases of 0°/120°/240° respectively (i.e., phase shifted by 120° from an adjacent conductor).
144 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A radio frequency (RF) antenna element comprising:
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a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces; three conductors disposed on the first surface of said substrate, said three conductors being physically spaced apart from each other and being arranged so as to form an antenna element responsive to RF signals at a desired frequency range; and a feed circuit having a signal port, and first, second and third antenna ports, each of the first, second and third antenna ports coupled to a respective one of the three conductors through a respective one of three signal vias; a first ground via extending from a first conductor of the three conductors to a ground plane, a second ground via extending from a second conductor of the three conductors to the ground plane and a third ground via extending from a third conductor of the three conductors to the ground plane; and wherein said feed circuit is configured such that in response to an RF signal provided to the signal port thereof, said feed circuit provides at each of the first, second and third antenna ports, RF signals having equal amplitudes and phases shifted by 120 degrees. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An array antenna comprising:
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a substrate having first and second opposing surfaces; and a plurality of antenna elements disposed on the first surface of said substrate, each of the plurality of antenna elements comprising; three conductors physically spaced apart from each other and arranged so as to be responsive to RF signals at a desired frequency range; and a feed circuit having a signal port, and first, second and third antenna ports, each of the first, second and third antenna ports coupled to a respective one of the three conductors through a respective one of three signal vias, a first ground via extending from a first conductor of the three conductors to a ground plane, a second ground via extending from a second conductor of the three conductors to the ground plane and a third ground via extending from a third conductor of the three conductors to the ground plane, wherein said feed circuit is configured such that in response to an RF signal provided to the signal port thereof, said feed circuit provides at each of the first, second and third antenna ports, RF signals having equal amplitudes and phases shifted by 120 degrees. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification