Integrated micro-strip antenna apparatus and a system utilizing the same for wireless communications for sensing and actuation purposes

• US 5,970,393 A
• Filed: 02/25/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Polytechnic University (New York University), Omnitek Research & Development, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Polytechnic University (New York University), Omnitek Research & Development, Inc.
• Inventors: Das, Nirod K., Khorrami, Farshad
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Nguyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US08/806,565
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66, 455/73, 455/67.1, 324/72, 324/348, 324/349, 324/700, 342/42, 342/44, 342/51, 343/700 MS, 343/701, 343/702, 340/505, 340/572, 340/825.54, 340/870.31
• US Class Current: 455/129
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/44 varying the electric or magnetic characteristics of reflecting, refracting, or diffracting devices associated with the radiating element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/46 Active lenses or reflecting arrays

Abstract

A system utilizing a number of micro-strip antenna apparatus embedded in or mounted on the surface of a structure for enabling wireless communication of sensed and actuation signals. The micro-strip antenna apparatus may include smart materials or other substrates. If only a sensed operation is desired, the micro-strip antenna apparatus may be fabricated from only passive elements or materials. Furthermore, a micro-strip antenna apparatus is provided which enables simultaneous transmission/reception of sensing and actuation signals.

Claims

1. An element for use in a system for monitoring and/or deforming a structure in a desired manner, said element having a single antenna and being located on or within said structure and being adaptable to operate simultaneously as a sensor device and an actuator device, in which said element monitors at least one predetermined characteristic of said structure when operating as a sensor device and in which said element causes said structure to deform in said desired manner when operating as an actuator, and, in which a modulated signal is transmitted to said element in a wireless manner so as to activate the antenna thereof and enable said element to monitor the at least one predetermined characteristic of said structure when operating as a sensor device and enable said element to cause said structure to deform in said desired manner when operating as an actuator, wherein the antenna is a micro-strip type antenna and said element includes a grating layer, and wherein the micro-strip type antenna has an operating frequency associated therewith in the microwave frequency range and includes a micro-strip patch and a metal-strip line having a predetermined dimension, said metal-strip line coupling said micro-strip patch to said grating layer so as to provide a short circuit condition at low frequencies and an open circuit condition at micro-wave frequencies.

2. An element as in claim 1, wherein said predetermined dimension is 1/4 wavelength of the operating frequency.

3. An element as in claim 1, further having a substrate portion with a non-linear material characteristics and wherein the micro-strip type antenna further includes a non-linear device coupling the respective micro-strip patch to the respective substrate portion.

4. An element as in claim 1, wherein said substrate portion is a piezoelectric ceramic material.