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US 7,403,160 B2Granted
Low profile smart antenna for wireless applications and associated methods
AssigneeInterDigital Technology Corporation
InventorsBing A. Chiang, Michael J. Lynch, Douglas H. Wood, Thomas Liu, Govind R. Kadambi, Mark W. Kishler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A low profile smart antenna includes an active antenna element carried by a dielectric substrate, and active antenna element has a T-shape. Passive antenna elements are carried by the dielectric substrate, and they have an inverted L-shaped portion laterally adjacent the active antenna element. Impedance elements are selectively connectable to the passive antenna elements for antenna beam steering.
Claims34
A smart antenna comprising:
- a dielectric substrate;
- an active antenna element carried by said dielectric substrate and coplanar therewith, said active antenna element having a T-shape;
- at least one passive antenna element carried by said dielectric substrate and coplanar therewith, said at least one passive antenna element comprising an inverted L-shaped portion laterally adjacent said active antenna element;
- at least one impedance element selectively connectable to said at least one passive antenna element for antenna beam steering;
- and
- at least one switch carried by said dielectric substrate for selectively connecting said at least one passive antenna element to said at least one impedance element.
3 more elements
A mobile subscriber unit comprising:
- a smart antenna for generating a plurality of antenna beams;
- a beam selector controller connected to said smart antenna for selecting one of said plurality of antenna beams;
- and
- a transceiver connected to said beam selector and to said smart antenna;
- said smart antenna comprising
- a dielectric substrate,
- an active antenna element carried by said dielectric substrate and coplanar therewith, said active antenna element having a T-shape,
- at least one passive antenna element carried by said dielectric substrate and coplanar therewith, said at least one passive antenna element laterally adjacent said active antenna element,
- at least one impedance element selectively connectable to said at least one passive antenna element for antenna beam steering, and
- at least one switch carried by said dielectric substrate for selectively connecting said at least one passive antenna element to said at least one impedance element based on said beam selection controller.
7 more elements
A method for making a smart antenna comprising:
- forming an active antenna element on a dielectric substrate, the active antenna element having a T-shape and coplanar with the dielectric substrate;
- forming at least one passive antenna element on the dielectric substrate, the at least one passive antenna element comprising an inverted L-shaped portion laterally adjacent the active antenna element and coplanar with the dielectric substrate;
- forming at least one impedance element on the dielectric substrate that is selectively connectable to the at least one passive antenna element for antenna beam steering;
- and
- forming at least one switch on the dielectric substrate for selectively connecting the at least one passive antenna element to the at least one impedance element.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.