System and method for tuning a monopole antenna
AssigneeThe Board of Governors for Higher Education, State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
InventorRobert J. Vincent
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An antenna system is disclosed that includes a base section to which a signal connector may be attached, and a radiating section distal from said base section. The radiating section includes a flexible electrically conductive material and an adjustment system for changing a length of the electrically conductive material responsive to a control signal.
Claims20
An antenna system that includes a base section to which a signal is coupled, said base section also being coupled to around and including a radiation resistance unit, and a current enhancing section distal from said base section said radiation resistance unit and current enhancing unit facilitating raising the radiation resistance of the antenna, and said current enhancing section including a flexible electrically conductive material and adjustment means for changing a length of said electrically conductive material responsive to a control signal, said length being approximately one half of an exposed distance of said flexible electrically conductive material.
An antenna system that includes a radiation resistance unit to which a signal is coupled, and a current enhancing unit for enhancing current through the radiation resistance unit, said current enhancing unit including a length of a flexible elongated electrically conductive material that extends away from said radiation resistance unit, around a mid-point and back toward said radiation resistance unit, and said system further including adjustment means for changing the length of said flexible elongated electrically conductive material to the mid-point responsive to a control signal, said adjustment means including bias means that biases the length of the flexible elongated conductive material in an extended position.
A method of changing the operating frequency of an antenna system, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving an input command regarding a desired operating frequency;
- identifying a length of an elongated section of an antenna associated with the desired frequency, said elongated section being distal a base section that includes a radiation resistance unit to which a signal connector is coupled;
- providing a control signal responsive to an identified length of the elongated section of the antenna associated with the desired frequency;
- energizing a motor responsive to said control signal to cause the elongated section to be adjusted in length such that the antenna system is operated at the desired operating frequency, said step of adjusting the length of the elongated section involving passing the elongated section over a mid-point that is biased away from a base of the antenna.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.