Constant Phase
AssigneeThe Government of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsDaniel Charles Heinz, Adam William Melber, Thomas Albert Burst, Michael Leonard Brennan, Michael Steer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various embodiments are described that relate to a loop with a constant phase. The loop can function as an antenna and be used in object detection. A current source can be used to power the loop such that the loop produces a magnetic field and electric field. The magnetic field can be powerful enough to detect a dielectric while the electric field is so small that it does not interfere with nearby communication equipment. Thus, detection can occur without disruption of other important devices.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a set of wire sections;
- and
- a set of reactive compensation elements,
- where the set of wire sections and the set of reactive compensation elements are configured to form a loop powered by a current provided by a current source operating at about 1 megahertz or above with a source impedance of about 25 ohms or less,
- where the individual reactive compensation elements and the individual wire sections of the set of wire sections alternate with one another,
- where the set of reactive compensation elements function to keep a magnitude and a phase of the current substantially uniform throughout the loop, and
- where the loop, when powered by the current, produces a magnetic field that is substantially greater than a electric field along a longitudinal axis of loop.
A singular loop antenna, comprising:
- a first wire section;
- a second wire section that is distinct from the first wire section;
- a third wire section that is distinct from the first wire section and distinct from the second wire section, where the first wire section and the third wire section are not contiguous;
- a first reactive compensation element that divides the first wire section from the second wire section;
- and
- a second reactive compensation element that divides the second wire section from the third wire section and that is distinct from the first reactive compensation element,
- where the first wire section, the second wire section, the third wire section, the first reactive compensation element, and the second reactive compensation element form at least part of a loop powered by a current of at least two amps supplied from a low impedance current source,
- where the singular loop antenna, when supplied with the current, produces a magnetic field that is substantially greater than the electric field along a longitudinal axis of the singular loop antenna,
- where the first reactive compensation element offsets an impedance of the first wire section,
- where the second reactive compensation element offsets an impedance of the second wire section,
- where a magnitude is keep substantially constant throughout the loop such that the magnitude change is not greater than that which is produced by no more than one of the wire sections, and
- where a phase is keep substantially constant throughout the loop such that the phase change is not greater than that which is produced by no more than one of the wire sections.
A system, comprising:
- a current source that functions at under about one ohm with a frequency between about 1 megahertz and 1 gigahertz;
- and
- a singular small loop antenna that is powered by the current,
- the singular small loop antenna comprises a set of wire segments that are individually divided by a set of reactive compensation elements such that two individual reactive compensation elements are separated by a segment of wire and two individual reactive compensation elements are separated by a reactive compensation element and the singular small loop antenna produces an electric field and a magnetic field such that the magnetic field, that extends substantially normal to a plane of the singular small loop antenna, is substantially greater than the electric field and the electric field is of a level that does not substantially interfere with communication equipment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.