The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 13, 1989
Filed:
Oct. 09, 1984
Ferril A Losee, Provo, UT (US);
Eyring Research Institute, Inc., Provo, UT (US);
Abstract
A novel underground guided wave antenna system and method. The system comprises at least one substantially linear, electrically insulated radiating element which is buried in the earth so as to lie no more than approximately one skin depth below the earth's surface. The effective electrical length of each radiating element is equal to at least one-third of the wavelength, as measured in the earth, of the electromagnetic signals being propagated; and the effective electrical length of a radiating element may be made greater than its actual physical length, if desired, by providing tree terminations at the ends of such radiating element. The efficiency of the system can be increased, particularly when operating at high frequencies, by surrounding the radiating elements with a low loss dielectric substance, such as, for example, crushed rock. Preferably, such dielectric substance is configured such that at least a portion of each radiating element adjacent at least one end thereof lies substantially adjacent the earth, while the remaining portions of each radiating element lies substantially adjacent the dielectric substance. In addition, the gain of the system can be significantly increased, while maintaining substantially the same radiation pattern, by forming an underground array comprising a plurality of the above-described radiating elements which are positioned substantially parallel to one another. Significantly, the distance between adjacent radiating elements in such an array can be as small as one-half of the skin depth in the earth of the electromagnetic signals being propagated.