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:
Aug. 24, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 22, 1997
Robert F Snyder, Jr, New Freedom, PA (US);
James D Lilly, Silver Spring, MD (US);
Andrew Humen, Jr, Crofton, MD (US);
Atlantic Aerospace Electronics, Corp., Greenbelt, MD (US);
Abstract
A patch antenna is provided with one or more tuning strips spaced therefrom and RF switches to connect or block RF currents therebetween. When a conducting path for RF current is connected between the tuning strips and the patch, the tuning strips increase the effective length of the patch and lower the antenna's resonant frequency, thereby allowing the antenna to be frequency tuned electrically over a relatively broadband of frequencies. If the tuning strips are connected to the patch in other than a symmetrical pattern, the antenna pattern of the antenna can be changed. A feed network couples RF to the antenna and includes two hybrid couplers, one for providing the correct amplitude and phase of excitation at the feed probes, and the second for effectively dissipating reflected power due to antenna impedance mismatch.