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:
Dec. 31, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 04, 2001
James McGlathery Irion, II, Plano, TX (US);
R. Thomas Dover, Prosper, TX (US);
Richard E. Hodges, Houston, TX (US);
Allan R. Logan, Highland Village, TX (US);
John C. Ehmke, Garland, TX (US);
Raytheon Company, Lexington, MA (US);
Abstract
An antenna element ( ) has two dielectric layers ( ), which separate three ground planes ( ). The three ground planes have respective slots ( ), which collectively define a slotline communicating at an inner end with a balun hole ( ) that extends through all of the ground planes and dielectric layers. Two capacitive switches ( ) are supported within the balun hole, and each have terminals respectively coupled to the same ground plane on opposite sides of the balun hole. The capacitive switches are independently and selectively operated to dynamically vary the impedance characteristic of the overall balun structure that includes the balun hole and two switch assemblies, and which gives the antenna element good electrical performance over a wide bandwidth. The antenna element includes a stripline ( ), and a stripline to a slotline transition exists at the end of the slotline adjacent the balun hole.