ADJUSTABLE ANTENNA

• US 20110148687A1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications Security & Detection Systems, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Communications CyTerra Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wright, Donald, May, Jeffery Carter
• Application Number:
  US12/971,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/24 using frequency agility of carrier wave
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/888 through wall detection
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/08 Helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/01 varying the shape of the antenna or antenna system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

A device includes a compressible conductive element including a first end and a second end, and an adjustment element coupled to the compressible conductive element, the adjustment element configured to adjust the compressible conductive element to a state of compression between an uncompressed mode and a compressed mode. The compressible conductive element is configured to couple to a source of electrical current at the first end and to radiate electromagnetic energy from the second end.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a compressible conductive element comprising a first end and a second end, the compressible conductive element configured to couple to a source of electrical current at the first end and to radiate electromagnetic energy from the second end; and

an adjustment element coupled to the compressible conductive element, the adjustment element configured to adjust the compressible conductive element to a state of compression between an uncompressed mode and a compressed mode.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic energy radiated from the second end of the compressible conductive element is a beam of electromagnetic energy, and a beamwidth of the beam is narrower in the uncompressed mode than in the compressed mode.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the adjustment element is configured to allow the compressible conductive element to adjust to any state between the uncompressed mode and the compressed mode, including the uncompressed mode or the uncompressed mode.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the adjustment element is at least partially surrounded by the conductive element.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the conductive element comprises a spring, and adjustment element is positioned substantially along a longitudinal axis of the spring and coupled to a portion of one or more of the first end or the second end.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the adjustment element adjusts the conductive element by contacting the first end of the conductive element or the second end of the conductive element, and the adjustment element is at least partially external to the conductive element.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the compressible conductive element comprises two conductive elements, a first conductive element and a second conductive element, and current from the source of electric current flows into a first conductor electrically connected to the first conductive element and into a second conductor electrically connected to the second conductive element.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein each of the first conductive element and the second conductive elements comprise a spring, and the first conductive element and the second conductive element are wound in proximity to each other.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a motor coupled to the adjustment element, and wherein the adjustment element adjusts the compressible conductive element with the motor.

10. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the adjustment element is nonconductive.

11. An adjustable conical spiral antenna, the antenna comprising a conductive element that receives a current and produces a beam of electromagnetic radiation, the conductive element being adjustable from a compressed mode associated with a beam that radiates in substantially all directions to an uncompressed mode associated with a beam that produces a directional beam that radiates preferentially in a particular direction.

12. The antenna of claim 11, further comprising an adjustment element configured to cause the conductive element to compress and expand.

13. A method comprising:

positioning a conductive element of an adjustable spiral antenna in a first mode such that the spiral antenna produces a first radiation pattern; and

positioning the conductive element of the adjustable spiral antenna in a second mode such that the spiral antenna produces a second radiation pattern, wherein the first mode corresponds to a different compression state than a compression state corresponding to the second mode and the first radiation pattern is different from the second radiation pattern.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first mode is a compressed mode, and the first radiation pattern comprises electromagnetic energy emitted from an end of the antenna in substantially all directions, and the second mode is an uncompressed mode, and the second radiation pattern comprises electromagnetic energy emitted from an end of the antenna in substantially one direction.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

directing the first radiation pattern at an object in proximity to the end of the antenna; and

directing the second radiation pattern at an object at a distance from the end of the antenna.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining that an object is in proximity to the end of the antenna; and

directing the first radiation pattern towards the object after the determination.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining that an object is at a distance from the end of the antenna; and

directing the second radiation pattern towards the object after the determination.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the object is a base station that forms part of a wireless link, and the second radiation pattern includes information set to or received from the base station.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the object is a person.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the object is a barrier that forms a portion of a building, and the first radiation pattern penetrates the building.

21. A system comprising:

one or more adjustable antennas, each adjustable antenna comprising a first end and a second end, the first end being electrically coupleable to a source of electrical current, and each antenna configured to produce and receive electromagnetic radiation at the second end;

an adjustment element coupleable to the one or more adjustable antennas; and

a processor coupled to the one or more adjustable antennas.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to receive a signal based on the received electromagnetic radiation and to analyze the signal.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a housing that partially encloses the adjustable antennas, the first end of the antennas being coupled to a base of the housing.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the adjustable element comprises a lid that attaches to the housing and contacts the second end of the adjustable antennas to compress the adjustable antennas.

25. A method comprising:

transmitting a stepped-frequency radar signal from a first side of a wall to a second side of the wall;

detecting reflections of the transmitted signal with a spiral antenna in an uncompressed position;

generating data including information associated with frequency and phase shifts between the transmitted signal and the reflections of the transmitted signal detected with the spiral antenna in the uncompressed position;

analyzing the data generated from reflections of the transmitted signal detected with the spiral antenna in the uncompressed position to determine information associated with a moving object located beyond the second side of the wall;

detecting reflections of the transmitted signal with the spiral antenna in a compressed position;

generating data including information associated with frequency and phase shifts between the transmitted signal and the reflections of the transmitted signal detected with the spiral antenna in the compressed position; and

analyzing the data generated from reflections of the transmitted signal detected with the spiral antenna in the compressed position to determine information associated with a moving object located beyond the second side of the wall.

26. A device comprising a spiral antenna, the device configured to:

transmit a stepped-frequency radar signal from a first side of a wall to a second side of the wall;

detect reflections of the transmitted signal with a spiral antenna in an uncompressed position;

generate data including information associated with frequency and phase shifts between the transmitted signal and the reflections of the transmitted signal detected with the spiral antenna in the uncompressed position;

analyze the data generated from reflections of the transmitted signal detected with the spiral antenna in the uncompressed position to determine information associated with a moving object located beyond the second side of the wall;

detect reflections of the transmitted signal with the spiral antenna in a compressed position;

generate data including information associated with frequency and phase shifts between the transmitted signal and the reflections of the transmitted signal detected with the spiral antenna in the compressed position; and

analyze the data generated from reflections of the transmitted signal detected with the spiral antenna in the compressed position to determine information associated with a moving object located beyond the second side of the wall.