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:
Sep. 07, 1993
Filed:
Jan. 11, 1993
Gary G Sanford, Boulder, CO (US);
Patrick M Westfeldt, Jr, Boulder, CO (US);
Ball Corporation, Muncie, IN (US);
Abstract
A directional scanning antenna includes a circular array of a plurality of antenna elements extending several wavelengths in diameter. The number of antenna elements are sufficient to form a plurality of directionally-oriented subsets of active antenna elements and associated subsets of parasitic antenna elements. An antenna feed system provides connections to each one of the plurality of antenna elements that include connections to electronically variable reactances and connections to a source or receiver of electromagnetic energy. The antenna feed system is controllable to provide connections between the subsets of active antenna elements providing wave propagation and reception in one or more directions and to provide connections between a plurality of the remainder of antenna elements in associated subsets of parasitic antenna elements to assist the directionality of the antennas.