Patent · US Active

Reconfigurable antenna using addressable pixel pistons

US7561109B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 15, 2008
Grant dateJul 14, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 15, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01Q9/0442
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An antenna made up of addressable conductive segments, or pixel elements, affixed to the top of each piston in a piston array is presented. The pixel elements can be activated in less than a millisecond to form an antenna array and transmission line pattern using movable pistons and a two-dimensional actuator. Each piston comprises a handle, a bottom conductive segment affixed to the top of the handle, a dielectric segment affixed to the uppermost surface of the bottom conductive segment, and a top conductive segment affixed to the uppermost surface of the dielectric segment. When the piston is not actuated, the top conductive segment forms part of a ground plane. The top conductive segment form part of the transmission line and antenna array patterns, the dielectric segment becomes a dielectric space and the bottom conductive segment forms part of the ground plane when the piston is actuated.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.