E-tenna Corporation

Actiontec Electronics, Inc.

Kaga Electronics Co., Ltd.

Greg S Mendolia

William E McKinzie, Iii

James D Lilly

Shawn D Rogers

Andrew Humen, Jr

Shelby K Starks

John Dutton

James Scott

Yizhen Lin

An electromagnetic bandgap material is electrically attached to an edge, and enables high isolation between antennas due to the attenuation of surface waves. The disclosed embodiments further provide narrow reactive edge treatments in the form of artificial magnetic conductors (AMCs) whose physical width is less than 1/10 of a free space wavelength for the frequency of surface currents intended to be suppressed. These embodiments still further provide several AMCs suitable for this purpose, along with several exemplary manufacturing techniques for the AMCs.

Narrow reactive edge treatments and method for fabrication

A direct current (DC) inductive shorted patch antenna includes a direct current inductive (DCL) frequency selective surface (FSS) forming the radiating element, a ground plane, a feed, and a radio frequency (RF) short to the ground plane positioned between the feed and the radiating element.

DC inductive shorted patch antenna

A combined antenna and electromagnetic shield include a dielectric body mountable to a printed circuit board (PCB), antenna metallization disposed on a first side of the dielectric body and shield metallization disposed on a second side of the dielectric body. The shield metallization serves both as a ground plane for the antenna metallization and as an electromagnetic interference shield for circuit and components on the PCB below. Physical parameters of the component, such as thickness and composition, can be designed to tailor the performance of the antenna formed by the device. Antenna height can be defined by an injection mold, which dramatically reduces variability in the performance of production antennas.

Combined EMI shielding and internal antenna for mobile products

A method for tuning an antenna includes cutting a portion of a metal pattern molded with a plastic insert to adjust electrical characteristics of the antenna. Tuning can be performed by cutting the metal pattern or by cutting the completed antenna including both the metal pattern and the plastic insert.

Method of mechanically tuning antennas for low-cost volume production

A microstrip trombone delay line is used to provide a low cost true time delay device. An array of printed trombone lines arranged in a network is used to implement a linear beamformer. The beamformer forms an array that scans signals in one or more dimensions. Each microstrip trombone delay line includes printed traces on a fixed substrate and a printed trombone line on a movable superstrate. The microstrip trombone delay line may have different dimensions to vary the characteristic impendence at either end for impedance matching purposes. Beamformers using microstrip trombone delay lines and scanning in multiple principal planes require few movable parts and only linear actuators.

Low cost trombone line beamformer

An antenna includes a precision micro-molded plastic spacer and a metal insert. The plastic spacer is configured for mounting to a printed circuit board (PCB) to maintain the metal insert a predetermined distance from a ground plane. Micro-insert-molding techniques produce tight mechanical dimensions including those which define the antenna height, ensuring reliable and consistent antenna electrical performance.

Method of manufacturing antennas using micro-insert-molding techniques

An artificial anisotropic dielectric material can be used as a microstrip patch antenna substrate. The artificial dielectric can be easily designed for the purpose of weight reduction. Preferably, the artificial dielectric is comprised of a periodic stack of low and high permittivity layers. The layers can be oriented vertically below the patch to support electric fields consistent with desired resonant modes. Substrates may be engineered for both linearly and circularly polarized patch antennas. Antenna weight can be reduced to &frac16;th up to {fraction (1/30)}th of the original weight using different types of high permittivity layers. This concept has numerous applications in electrically small and lightweight antenna elements such as PIFA antennas. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the artificial dielectric is comprised of an interlocking structure of low and high permittivity layers for ease of assembly and for overall stability. In accordance with another aspects the high permittivity layers can be comprised of FSS cards, and can include metallized tabs for further simplification of assembly.

Reduced weight artificial dielectric antennas and method for providing the same

A patch antenna is composed of a segmented patch and MEMS switches which are built on a substrate. The patch segments of the segmented patch can be electrically connected to each other by the MEMS switches to form a contiguous patch and optional tuning strips and to connect or block RF between the contiguous patch and the optional tuning strips. When RF is connected between the tuning strips and the contiguous patch, the tuning strips increase the effective length of the contiguous patch and lower the antenna's resonant frequency, thereby allowing the antenna to be frequency tuned electrically over a relatively broadband of frequencies. When the tuning strips are connected to the patch in other than a symmetrical pattern, the antenna pattern of the antenna can be changed. In another aspect of the invention, the optional tuning strips are continuous structures that are formed by connecting patch segments using switches. A planar inverted F antenna (PIFA) is also provided with one or more tuning strips spaced from the lid of the PIFA and with switches to connect or block RF between the lid of the PIFA and the tuning strips.

Growing community of inventors

Ellicott City, MD, United States of America

Greg S Mendolia