Antenna Loaded with Electromechanical Resonators

• US 20180198211A1
• Filed: 06/29/2017
• Published: 07/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: HRL Laboratories LLC (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: WALL, Walter S., SONG, Hyok J., KUBENA, Randall L., WHITE, Carson R.
• Granted Patent: US 11,145,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/34 Adaptation for use in or on ships, submarines, buoys or torpedoes for subaqueous use H01Q1/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/106 Microstrip slot antennas patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/18 the slot being backed by, or formed in boundary wall of, a resonant cavity longitudinally slotted cylinder H01Q13/12 ; Open cavity antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/321 within a radiating element or between connected radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/357 using a single feed point
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/50 Feeding or matching arrangements for broad-band or multi-band operation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/065 Microstrip dipole antennas patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/30 with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0458 Arrangements for matching and coupling between power amplifier and antenna or between amplifying stages matching circuits in general H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H

Abstract

An antenna system having at least one active element with a first end thereof for connection to a radio receiver, transmitter or transceiver and at least one electromechanical resonator connected in series with (i) at least portion of said at least one active element and at least another portion of said at least one active element or (ii) said at least one active element and said radio receiver, transmitter or transceiver. The at least one active element exhibits capacitive reactance at an intended frequency of operation and the at least one electromechanical resonator exhibits inductive reactance at the intended frequency of operation, the inductive reactance of the at least one electromechanical resonator offsetting or partially offsetting the capacitive reactance of the at least one antenna element at the intended frequency of operation.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

a. at least one active element having a first end for connection to a radio receiver, transmitter or transceiver; and

b. at least one electromechanical resonator connected in series with (i) at least portion of said at least one active element and at least another portion of said at least one active element or (ii) said at least one active element and said radio receiver, transmitter or transceiver.

2. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said at least one active element of the antenna system exhibits capacitive reactance at an intended frequency of operation and wherein said at least one electromechanical resonator exhibits inductive reactance at the intended frequency of operation, the inductive reactance of the at least one electromechanical resonator offsetting or substantially offsetting the capacitive reactance of the at least one antenna element at the intended frequency of operation.

3. The antenna system of claim 2 has the electromechanical resonator exhibits both a series resonance and parallel resonance, the series and parallel resonances having different resonant frequencies and wherein the electromechanical resonator is not resonant at an intended frequency of operation of the antenna system.

4. The antenna system of claim 3 wherein one of said series and parallel resonances is at a frequency higher than an intended frequency of operation of the antenna system and the other of said series and parallel resonances is at a frequency lower than an intended frequency of operation of the antenna system.

5. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said at least one electromechanical resonator comprises a two dimensional array of electromechanical resonators.

6. A dipole antenna having two arms, each arm having at least one opening therein defining at least first and second portions of the arm in which the at least one opening is located, each opening being occupied by at least one electromechanical resonator connected to the at least first and second portions of the arm whose opening it occupies.

7. The dipole antenna of claim 6 wherein the opening in each arm is electrically occupied by said at least one electromechanical resonator.

8. The dipole antenna of claim 6 wherein the opening in each arm is also physically occupied by said at least one electromechanical resonator.

9. The dipole antenna of claim 6 wherein each arm has a plurality of openings therein, each one of the plurality of openings being occupied by at least one electromechanical resonator connected to portions of the arm in which it is located.

10. The dipole antenna of claim 9 wherein each one electromechanical resonators presents a positive reactance across the opening in the arm in which it is located.

11. An antenna comprising an array of dipole antenna elements, each of the dipole antenna elements having two arms with at least one opening therein, each said opening being occupied by electromechanical resonator, at least one of said dipole antenna elements in said array being adapted to be electrically excited by a radio transmitter, the remaining dipole antenna elements in said array surrounding, at least in part, said at least one of said dipole antenna elements in said array, each of the electromechanical resonators in said openings presenting a positive reactance to those portions of the dipole antenna element on either side of said opening at an intended frequencies of operation of the antenna.