RECONFIGURABLE ANTENNA

• US 20150102969A1
• Filed: 10/30/2014
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Antenna Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: University of Birmingham
• Inventors: SONG, Peter Chun Teck, HALL, Peter, KELLY, James Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,673,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/745
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/385 Two or more parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means
• 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 reconfigurable antenna comprises two or more mutually coupled radiating elements and two or more impedance-matching circuits configured for independent tuning of the frequency band of each radiating element. In addition, each radiating element is arranged for selective operation in each of the following states: a driven state, a floating state and a ground state.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable antenna comprising two or more mutually coupled radiating elements, each radiating element being connected to a respective control module, wherein each control module comprises two or more adaptive matching circuits configured for independent tuning of the frequency band of the respective radiating element;

and wherein the control modules each comprise a controller for selective operation of the connected radiating element in each of the following states;

a driven state, a floating state and a ground state.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the radiating elements is constituted by a non-resonant radiator.

3. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein two non-resonant radiators are employed.

4. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein each radiating element is configured to operate over a wideband and/or a narrowband range of frequencies.

5. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein each control module comprises a wideband tuning circuit and a narrowband tuning circuit.

6. The antenna according to claim 1, which is provided on a substrate having a ground plane formed on a first side thereof.

7. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein a first radiating element is provided on the second side of the substrate, opposite to the first side, and laterally spaced from the ground plane.

8. The antenna according to claim 7, wherein the first radiating element is constituted by a microstrip patch.

9. The antenna according to claim 7, wherein a second radiating element is constituted by a microstrip patch.

10. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a switch selectively configured to allow the radiating element to float, to be connected to the ground plane or to be driven by its associated adaptive matching circuit.

11. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein each radiating element has an associated feed port.

12. The antenna according to claim 11, wherein each radiating element is connected to its respective control module by way of its associated feed point.

13. The antenna according to claim 11, wherein a first feed port is provided between the first radiating element and a first control module and a second feed port is provided between the second radiating element and a second control module.

14. The antenna according to claim 13, wherein the first feed port is positioned closer to one side of the radiating element than the other.

15. The antenna according to claim 13, wherein the first feed port is connected to the ground plane along an edge thereof.

16. The antenna according to claim 13, wherein the first feed port is connected to the ground plane at or towards one side thereof.

17. The antenna according to claim 13, wherein the second feed port is placed in close proximity to the first feed port.

18. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein a single tuning capacitor is provided in each adaptive matching circuit to tune the respective radiating element in each operating mode.

21. A portable electronic device comprising a reconfigurable antenna according to claim 1.

19. A control module for a reconfigurable antenna comprising a control means for selecting a mode of operation of said antenna from each of the following states:

a driven state, a floating state and a ground state; and

wherein the driven state is effected through an adaptive matching circuit configured for tuning the frequency band of the antenna.

20. The control module according to claim 19, wherein the adaptive matching circuit comprises a wideband tuning circuit and/or a narrowband tuning circuit.

22. A portable electronic device comprising a control module according to claim 19.