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. 01, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 23, 1998
Allan C Goetz, La Jolla, CA (US);
Haigan K Chea, Oceanside, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
An antenna system structurally integrated into a load-bearing structural member of an aircraft, such as a wing (30), horizontal tail section (36), or vertical tail fin (20) in such a way as to cause practically no added aerodynamic drag and to add minimal weight to the aircraft. The antenna system includes a flared notch (22, 32, 34 or 38) of non-conductive material and an antenna feed (12) that excites conductive portions of the structural member on opposite sides of the notch at a selected feed point (40). The conductive portions of the structural member and other conductive portions of the entire aircraft are excited by signals applied to the antenna feed. As a result, the antenna performance provides high gain omnidirectionally, and supports both vertically and horizontally polarized communication functions over a wide range of VHF and UHF bands.