Reconfigurable antenna
US6567046B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 20, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 20, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 20, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D8/50
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A reconfigurable antenna capable of dynamic reconfigurability of several antenna parameters. Specifically, the present invention is an antenna comprising a plurality of surface PIN devices arranged in a gridlike array. Each of the SPIN devices can be individually activated or deactivated. When a SPIN device is activated, the surface of the device is injected with carriers such that a plasma is produced within the intrinsic region of the device. The plasma can be sufficiently conductive to produce conductor or metal like characteristics at the surface of the device. Various ones of the SPIN devices can be activated to electronically paint a conductive pattern upon the substrate supporting the PIN devices. Through selective activation of the SPIN devices various surface antenna patterns can be produced upon the substrate including dipoles, cross dipoles, loop antennas, Yagi-Uda type antennas, log periodic antennas, and the like. Additionally, the SPIN device grid may be selectively activated to produce holographic antennas. In a holographic antenna the SPIN devices are activated to produce a simulated metallization pattern that is excited by a surface RF wave transmitted onto the sub…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.