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:
Jul. 17, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 23, 1999
Eli Yablonovitch, Malibu, CA (US);
Dan Sievenpiper, Los Angeles, CA (US);
The Regents of the University of California, Oakland, CA (US);
Abstract
A two dimensional periodic pattern of capacitive and inductive elements defined in the surface of a metal sheet are provided by a plurality of conductive patches each connected to a conductive back plane sheet between which an insulating dielectric is disposed. The elements acts to suppress surface currents in the surface defined by them. In particular, the array forms a ground plane mesh for use in combination with an antenna. The performance of a ground plane mesh is characterized by a frequency band within which no substantial surface currents are able to propagate along the ground plane mesh. Use of such a ground plane in aircraft or other metallic vehicles thereby prevents radiation from the antenna from propagating along the metallic skin of the aircraft or vehicle. This eliminates surface currents between the antenna and the ground plane thereby reducing power loss and unwanted coupling between neighboring antennae. The surface also reflects electromagnetic waves without the phase shift that occurs on a normal metal surface. This allows antennas to be constructed that were previously impractical.