Electromechanical switching for circuits constructed with flexible materials

A method for forming an antenna having a plurality of radiator elements and a plurality of configurable circuit assemblies, comprising:

• a) forming multiple at least first components of said plurality of configurable circuit assemblies on a planar first material, wherein said step of forming at least first components comprises:
• i) applying printed circuit board manufacturing techniques;
• b) forming multiple at least second components of said configurable circuit assemblies on a flexible second material, wherein said step of forming said.at least second components comprises:
• i) applying printed circuit board manufacturing techniques to form a plurality of conductive elements;
• and
• ii) relieving said flexible second material to form a plurality of moveable cantilevers;
• c) forming a plurality of said radiator elements on at least one of said planar first material and a planar third material, wherein said.step of forming a plurality of radiator elements comprises:
• i) applying printed circuit board manufacturing techniques;
• d) registering at least said first and said second materials, wherein each of said at least first components is placed in a defined relationship with each of said at least second components;
• and
• e) interconnecting at least said first and second materials.

An antenna apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of radiator elements;
• a plurality of radio frequency circuits located in a first plane, wherein at least a one of said radiator elements is interconnected to at least a one of said radio frequency circuits by a conductor;
• a plurality of fixed electrodes located in said first plane;
• a flexible dielectric substrate;
• a plurality of moveable cantilevers formed in said flexible dielectric substrate;
• a plurality of moveable electrodes, wherein at least a portion of at least one of said moveable electrodes is formed on a one of said plurality of moveable cantilevers;
• and
• a plurality of moveable radio frequency circuit members, wherein at least a portion of at least a one of said moveable radio frequency circuit members is formed on a one of said plurality of moveable cantilevers, wherein a voltage differential applied between at least a one of said fixed electrodes and at least a one of said moveable electrodes moves a moveable cantilever on which at least a portion of said at least a one moveable electrode is formed, wherein a distance between at least a one of said moveable radio frequency circuit members and at least a one of said radio frequency circuits is altered, whereby at least one of an amplitude and a phase delay of a radio frequency signal passing through said at least a one of said radio frequency circuits is altered.

An antenna having a plurality of integrated configurable radio frequency circuit assemblies, comprising:

• a) a first substrate, wherein said first substrate is a dielectric;
• b) a plurality of conductive traces formed on said first substrate, wherein said conductive traces formed on said first substrate comprise a plurality of radio frequency inputs, a plurality of radio frequency outputs, radio frequency circuit and a plurality of first stationary electrodes;
• c) a second substrate, wherein said second substrate is a dielectric and wherein said second substrate is flexible;
• d) a plurality of moveable cantilevers formed in said second substrate;
• e) a first spacer interposed between at least a portion of said first substrate and said second substrate, wherein said first spacer is relieved in a plurality of areas corresponding to said plurality of moveable cantilevers;
• and
• f) a plurality of conductive traces formed on said second substrate, wherein said conductive traces formed on said second substrate comprise moveable radio frequency circuit members and moveable electrodes, and wherein at least a portion of one moveable radio frequency circuit member and at least a portion of one moveable electrode is formed on each of said plurality of moveable cantilevers, wherein at least a portion of one of said moveable electrodes is adjacent at least a portion of one of said first stationary electrodes, wherein a voltage may be selectively applied to said at least one of said first stationary electrodes to move said one moveable electrode towards said first stationary electrode, and wherein at least one moveable radio frequency circuit member, at least a portion of which is formed on a cantilever on which at least a portion of said moveable electrode is formed, is moved with respect to a corresponding radio frequency circuit.