ANTENNA FOR CONTROLLING RADIATION DIRECTION

• US 20090179819A1
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Young-eil, Bernhard, Jennifer T., Ruyle, Jessica, JUNG, Chang-won
• Granted Patent: US 7,768,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/876
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/005 Patch antenna using one or more coplanar parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0414 in a stacked or folded configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/145 by varying the electrical length

Abstract

An antenna for controlling a radiation pattern includes a first substrate; a first radiator formed in one surface of the first substrate; a second radiator formed in other surface of the first substrate; and a tuning part which controls a radiation pattern by changing a size of an overlapping region of the first radiator and the second radiator disposed with the first substrate interposed therebetween according to an external control signal. The tuning part includes a plurality of sub-radiators arranged by at least one side of the first radiator or the second radiator, and a plurality of switches. Accordingly, the beam radiation pattern can be easily controlled through the switch control.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a first substrate;

a first radiator formed at one surface of the first substrate;

a second radiator formed at another surface of the first substrate; and

a tuning part which controls a radiation pattern by changing a size of an overlapping region of the first radiator and the second radiator disposed with the first substrate interposed therebetween, according to a control signal.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the tuning part comprises:

a plurality of sub-radiators arranged at at least one side of the first radiator and over the one surface of the first substrate; and

a plurality of switches which adjust a total area of the first radiator by connecting or disconnecting one of the plurality of sub-radiators to and from the first radiator, and connecting or disconnecting other sub-radiators of the plurality of sub-radiators according to the control signal.

3. The antenna of claim 2, wherein the plurality of sub-radiators are sequentially arranged at the at least one side of the first radiator, and each of the plurality of sub-radiators is formed in a bar shape.

4. The antenna of claim 2, wherein an area of the second radiator is greater than an area of the first radiator, and

the plurality of sub-radiators are arranged in a region where the first radiator is not formed, within a counter region of the second radiator over the one surface of the first substrate.

5. The antenna of claim 2, wherein the plurality of switches are PIN diodes.

6. The antenna of claim 1, further comprising:

a second substrate which contacts the first substrate in a direction by which the second radiator is formed;

a ground layer formed in a surface of the second substrate; and

a feed line penetrating the second substrate and connected to the second radiator,

wherein each of the first and the second radiators are formed as a patch in the one and the other surfaces of the first substrate.

7. The antenna of claim 6, wherein the tuning part comprises:

a plurality of sub-radiators arranged at at least one side of the second radiator in the other surface of the first substrate; and

a plurality of switches which control connections between the plurality of sub-radiators to adjust a total area of the second radiator by connecting or disconnecting at least one of the plurality of sub-radiators to and from the second radiator and connecting or disconnecting other sub-radiators of the plurality of sub-radiators.

8. The antenna of claim 7, wherein the plurality of sub-radiators are sequentially arranged at at least one side of the second radiator, and the plurality of sub-radiators are formed in a bar shape.

9. The antenna of claim 7, wherein an area of the first radiator is greater than the area of the second radiator, and

the plurality of sub-radiators are arranged in a region where the second radiator is not formed within a counter region of the first radiator, over the other surface of the first substrate.

10. The antenna of claim 7, wherein the plurality of switches are PIN diodes.

11. The antenna of claim 6, further comprising:

a connector which connects to a coaxial cable, the connector being disposed in one surface of the second substrate where the ground layer is formed.

12. The antenna of claim 1, wherein each of the first radiator, the second radiator, and the tuning part are formed in plural numbers.

13. The antenna of claim 2, further comprising:

a controller which provides the control signal with respect to each of the plurality of switches.

14. The antenna of claim 7, further comprising:

a controller which provides the control signal with respect to each of the plurality of switches.

15. A method of controlling a radiation pattern of an antenna, the method comprising:

receiving a control signal; and

controlling a radiation pattern emitted by the antenna in response to the control signal, the controlling comprising;

changing an amount of overlap between a first radiator and a second radiator, the first radiator being disposed at one surface of a first substrate and the second radiator being formed at another surface of the substrate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the changing the amount of overlap comprises changing an effective area of the first radiator by connecting or disconnecting a plurality of sub-radiators to or from the first radiator, the effective area being electrically contiguous.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a shape of the emitted radiation pattern depends on the effective area of the first radiator.