Patch antenna with custom dielectric
AssigneeTrimble Navigation Limited
InventorEric Krantz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An antenna comprises a signal radiator, a ground plane spaced apart from the radiator, and a dielectric separator between the radiator and the ground plane. The separator comprises at least two positions having different dielectric constants. In a preferred embodiment, it comprises a material such as FR-4 that has a dielectric constant and a loss tangent substantially higher than those of air and is formed with at least one void reducing the loss tangent of the separator. The antenna strikes an effective compromise between the dielectric constant and loss tangent and is well suited to transmit and receive GPS signals.
Claims26
An antenna comprising
- a signal radiator,
- a ground plane spaced apart from the radiator, and
- a dielectric separator between the radiator and the ground plane, wherein the separator
- comprises FR-4 material formed with at least one void reducing the loss tangent of the separator to a value at least as low as 0.03 while maintaining the dielectric constant of the separator at a value at least as high as 1.26.
A method comprising the steps of
- forming an assembly of a radiator, a ground plane spaced apart from the radiator, and a dielectric separator between the radiator and the ground plane,
- choosing FR-4 as a separator material,
- reducing the loss tangent of the separator to a value at least as low as 0.03 by forming at least one void therein while maintaining the dielectric constant of the separator at a value at least as high as 1.26, and
- employing the assembly to transmit or receive a signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.