Electronically-controlled monolithic array antenna
US7995000B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 8, 2009 |
| Grant date | Aug 9, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 23, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01Q23/00
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electronically controlled monolithic array antenna includes a transmission line through which an electromagnetic signal may be propagated, and a metal antenna element defining an evanescent coupling edge located so as to permit evanescent coupling of the signal between the transmission line and the antenna element. The antenna element includes a conductive ground plate; an array of conductive edge elements defining the coupling edge, each of the edge elements being electrically connected to a control signal source, and each of the edge elements being electrically isolated from the ground plate by an insulative isolation gap; and a plurality of switches, each of which is selectively operable in response to the control signal to electrically connect selected edge elements to the ground plate across the insulative isolation gap so as to provide a selectively variable electromagnetic coupling geometry of the coupling edge.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.