Spectral control antenna apparatus and method
AssigneeNext-RF, Inc.
InventorHans Gregory Schantz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spectral control antenna apparatus includes a feed region or feed gap and a surrounding space or medium. A signal path between a feed region and a surrounding space or medium is characterized by a length dependent impedance with a plurality of extrema whereby the antenna apparatus exhibits a desired spectral response. The invention is well-suited for application to planar antennas, particularly planar antennas characterized by a slot type transmission line structure. If such a transmission line structure is an offset slot line, then by overlapping sections of the offset slot line relatively low impedances are possible, thus enabling the large variations in impedance necessary for effective filtering behavior.
Claims26
A spectral control antenna apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
- a feed region;
- a surrounding space or medium;
- a signal path between said feed region and said surrounding space or medium;
- said signal path having a characteristic impedance with dependence on a length of said signal path;
- said dependence having at least one extremum exclusive of any extremum which may occur at said feed region or at said surrounding space;
- wherein said antenna apparatus exhibits a desired spectral response.
A spectral control antenna system, said system comprising:
- an RF device;
- a feed region;
- a surrounding space or medium;
- a signal path between said feed region and said surrounding space or medium;
- said signal path having a characteristic impedance with dependence on a length of said signal path;
- said dependence having at least one extremum exclusive of any extremum which may occur at said feed region or at said surrounding space;
- said signal path further comprising a means for varying said impedance;
- wherein said antenna apparatus exhibits a desired spectral response.
A method for spectral control of an antenna comprising:
- providing a signal path between a feed region and a surrounding space or medium having a characteristic impedance with dependence on a length of said signal path;
- said dependence having at least one extremum exclusive of any extremum which may occur at said feed region or at said surrounding space;
- and
- providing a means for varying said impedance;
- wherein said antenna exhibits a desired spectral response.
An antenna having a desired spectral response, said antenna comprising:
- a feed gap;
- a surrounding space or medium;
- a signal path between said feed region and said surrounding space or medium;
- said signal path having a characteristic impedance with dependence on a length of said signal path;
- said impedance increasing in magnitude from a first point on said path to a second point on said path, said impedance decreasing in magnitude from the second point on said path to a third point on said path;
- said second point at a greater length from said feed gap than said first point;
- said third point at a greater length from said feed gap than said second point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.