Reconfiguration of passive elements in an array antenna for controlling antenna performance

A multi-directional array antenna, comprising:

• (a) a driven element that is couplable to a transmission line;
• (b) a pair of passive elements disposed on each side of the driven element, each passive element having at least three coaxially arranged antenna segments;
• (c) a plurality of optoelectronic switches, a different one of the optoelectronic switches being coupled between adjacent pairs of the antenna segments of each passive element, each optoelectronic switch having a first, substantially conducting impedance state and a second, substantially non-conducting impedance state, the optoelectronic switches being responsive to an optical activation signal such that the strength of the activation signal determines the impedance state of the optoelectronic switch;
• and
• (d) non-metallic means for providing an optical activation signal to the optoelectronic switches.

An optically reconfigurable array antenna, comprising:

• (a) a driven element that is couplable to a transmission line;
• (b) a reflective element positioned adjacent the driven element;
• (c) a director element positioned adjacent the driven element, opposite the reflector element, the director element, including at least three antenna segments arranged in a substantially linear fashion;
• (d) a plurality of optoelectronic switches, a different one of the optoelectronic switches being coupled between adjacent pairs of the antenna segments of the director element, each optoelectronic switch having a first, substantially conducting impedance state and a second, substantially non-conducting impedance state, the optoelectronic switches being responsive to an optical activation signal such that the strength of the activation signal determines the impedance state of the optoelectronic switch;
• and
• (e) non-metallic means for providing an optical activation signal to the optoelectronic switches.