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:
Oct. 14, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 05, 2001
Dean A. Paschen, Lafayette, CO (US);
P. Keith Kelly, Lakewood, CO (US);
Dan A. Payne, Morrison, CO (US);
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, CO (US);
Abstract
Method and apparatus for providing a configurable circuit are disclosed. In addition, method and apparatus for providing a phased array antenna having an integrated configurable circuit are provided. According to the present invention, at least a first component of a configurable circuit is formed on a first substrate. At least a second component of a configurable circuit is formed on at least a portion of a moveable cantilever formed from a second substrate. The first and second substrates are registered with one another to form a completed configurable circuit. According to the present invention, a configurable circuit may comprise a variable capacitor or a switch. In addition, a configurable circuit may be used in connection with phase shifting a radio frequency signal provided to an element of a phased array antenna. Antennas having integrated configurable circuits may be formed by registering and interconnecting a completed configurable circuit with a plurality of radiator elements, and with a feed network. The present invention also allows antennas with integrated configurable circuits having relatively large surface areas to be economically produced.