Reconfigurable Patch Antenna with Switching Components for Phased Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional patch antennas have limited bandwidth and can only resonate at one frequency, requiring different sets of antennas for phased arrays with different resonant frequencies, which is area-consuming and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable patch antenna design that includes a primary patch, an extension patch, and switching components, allowing the antenna to tune resonant frequencies by connecting or disconnecting the patches using switches like SPST, SOI, MEMS, or PIN diode switches, enabling the same hardware to operate at multiple frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional patch antennas are used with fixed dimensions, then the antenna structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the bandwidth is limited and only one resonant frequency can be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patch antenna is divided into multiple separate patches (first patch, second patch, third patch, fourth patch) that can be independently controlled. Each patch can be connected or disconnected from the feed probe through switching components, allowing the resonant frequency to be tuned by selecting different active patches without changing the overall antenna structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna structure incorporates switching components (such as PIN diodes or MEMS switches) that dynamically connect or disconnect different patches from the feed probe. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the antenna to switch between different resonant frequencies on-demand, transforming a static single-frequency antenna into a dynamic multi-frequency system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sets of patch antennas are used to achieve different resonant frequencies, then the frequency coverage is improved, but the area consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
A single patch antenna structure is designed to perform multiple functions by supporting multiple resonant frequencies through the selective activation of different patches. Instead of requiring separate antenna sets for different frequencies, this universal antenna can be reconfigured to operate at various frequencies, significantly reducing the total area needed for phased arrays covering multiple frequency bands.
3Productivity
If the patch antenna dimensions are fixed, then the manufacturing process is simple and cost-effective, but the bandwidth is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system changes its electrical parameters (resonant frequency) by altering which patches are connected to the feed probe, rather than changing the physical dimensions of the patches. The patch dimensions remain fixed for simple manufacturing, but the effective electrical length is varied by selectively connecting different patches, thereby achieving bandwidth expansion without complicating the manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a reconfigurable patch antenna, which includes a substrate, a ground plane formed on a bottom surface of the substrate or within the substrate, a primary patch, an extension patch, and switching components. The primary patch and the extension patch are formed on a top surface of the substrate and are placed parallel to each other. Herein, a gap is formed between the primary patch and the first extension patch. The switching components are formed across the gap, electrically coupled to both the primary patch and the extension patch, and configured to connect the primary patch to the extension patch or disconnect the primary patch from the extension patch.