University of Massachusetts

Bowen Zheng

Hualiang Zhang

The communication system as described herein includes an input feed, a source, and a tuner device. The input feed receives an input signal. The source emits a wireless signal based on the received input signal. The tuner device is disposed adjacent to the source emitting the wireless signal. The tuner device receives the wireless signal emitted from the source and produces a wireless output. In one embodiment, the tunable device includes multiple individually controlled window regions to control a radiation pattern of the wireless output transmitted from the tuner device.

Antenna hardware and control

An antenna device as described herein includes a first metal layer and a second metal layer. The second metal layer is spaced apart from the first metal layer. The first metal layer includes an opening through which to transmit RF (Radio Frequency) energy to the second metal layer. The second metal layer is operable to reflect the RF energy received through the opening back to a surface of the first metal layer. The first metal layer is operable to reflect the RF energy (received from the reflection off the second metal layer) in a direction past the second metal layer through a communication medium. The surface area of the first metal layer is sufficiently larger than a surface area of the second metal layer to reflect the RF energy past the second metal layer into the communication medium. This ensures that the antenna device operates in a reflective mode as opposed to a resonant mode, resulting in high gain.

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Dracut, MA, United States of America

Bowen Zheng