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:
Feb. 22, 2005
Filed:
Feb. 26, 2002
Ayax D. Ramirez, Chula Vista, CA (US);
Stephen D. Russell, San Diego, CA (US);
Mark W. Roberts, San Diego, CA (US);
Ayax D. Ramirez, Chula Vista, CA (US);
Stephen D. Russell, San Diego, CA (US);
Mark W. Roberts, San Diego, CA (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
The fast switching multifunction antenna of the present invention is a variable length antenna that may be switched to provide the equivalent function of a broadband antenna. The variable length antenna quasi-continuously transmits or receives signals at a plurality of frequencies by changing the effective length of the antenna using a variety of switching mechanisms. The present invention may comprise a plurality of antenna segments, a plurality of selectively actuable switches for interconnecting the antenna segments, and a switching mechanism operably coupled to the plurality of selectively actuable switches for switching them at a switching rate that is greater than twice the highest frequency to be transmitted or received. The switching rate will be fast enough to allow the antenna to sample the highest frequency and all of the required lower frequencies within the desired frequency range without the loss of information at any frequency. However, the switching rate is slow enough to allow sampling of the frequency at each antenna length before the next antenna length is activated.