BODY-WORN PHASED-ARRAY ANTENNA

• US 20140159959A1
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Brunk, Hugh L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,564,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/375
• 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 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.

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.

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.

9. A system comprising:

a first plurality of antennae being 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 a the first human body;

a second plurality of antennae being 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 the phase distribution of signals across the first plurality of antennae and the second plurality of antennae to produce directional 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 being 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;

an 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.