Reconfigurable Franklin Antenna for High-Gain Omnidirectional Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing omnidirectional antennas lack high gain patterns and have limited wireless coverage, while directional antennas require complex structures and additional components for reconfiguration, leading to large size and complex control circuits.
Innovation Solution
An antenna radiation device based on a Franklin antenna design with multiple radiation units, switches, and an inverter, allowing for different modes of operation with varying maximum gains and orientations, utilizing a serpentine inverter and phase-modulating branch to achieve omnidirectional coverage with adjustable gain patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a directional antenna is used to achieve high gain in a specific direction, then the gain in the maximum beam pointing direction is improved, but the overall wireless coverage and omnidirectional performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is divided into multiple independent radiation units (first, second, and third radiation units) arranged in space. Each unit can be independently controlled through switching mechanisms, allowing selective activation of different radiation units to achieve different beam patterns and coverage areas, thus resolving the contradiction between directional gain and omnidirectional coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna employs dynamic reconfiguration capability through switching mechanisms (first switch, second switch, third switch) that can dynamically change the active radiation units and their connection states. This allows the antenna to adapt its radiation pattern in real-time, switching between directional high-gain modes and omnidirectional coverage modes as needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an omnidirectional antenna is used to achieve wide wireless coverage, then the overall coverage area is improved, but the antenna gain at specific directions and maximum beam pointing performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The omnidirectional antenna is segmented into multiple radiation units that can be selectively activated. When full omnidirectional coverage is needed, all units are activated; when directional high-gain performance is needed, only specific units are activated, thus achieving both wide coverage and high gain at different operational modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna system changes its operational parameters (which radiation units are active, their excitation phases, and amplitude distributions) to optimize performance. By adjusting these parameters, the antenna can transition between omnidirectional mode with wide coverage and directional mode with high gain, resolving the contradiction between coverage range and gain performance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional pilot/reverser or reconfigurable feed network is introduced to enable omnidirectional reconfiguration, then the reconfiguration capability is improved, but the device size, structural complexity, and control circuit complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the radiation units and feeding network into a unified Franklin antenna structure where the same structural elements serve both radiation and reconfiguration functions. The switching mechanisms are integrated directly into the antenna structure rather than being separate components, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reconfiguration capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The radiation units serve multiple functions: they can be individually activated for directional beam formation, collectively activated for omnidirectional coverage, and their phases can be adjusted for beam steering. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate pilot/reverser components or complex reconfigurable feed networks, reducing device and control circuit complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an antenna radiation device. The antenna radiation device includes a first radiation unit, a second radiation unit, a third radiation unit, a feed point, an inverter and a first switch. The feed point is arranged between the first radiation unit and the second radiation unit, the inverter is arranged between the second radiation unit and the third radiation unit, and the first switch is arranged between the inverter and the second radiation unit. With the first switch turned off, the antenna radiation device is in a first mode having a first maximum gain and a first maximum gain planar orientation, and with the first switch turned on, the antenna radiation device is in a second mode having a second maximum gain and a second maximum gain planar orientation. The present disclosure also relates to an antenna having the antenna radiation device.