Slot Antenna Top Plate with Negative Wave-Ground Pattern Tuning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna designs lack the ability to customize radiation patterns and gain efficiently for specific applications, limiting their versatility and effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
An antenna assembly featuring a conductive top plate with recessed receptacles and ridges that modify the radiation pattern by acting as negative wave-grounds, allowing customization of radiation patterns and gain through varying ridge heights, widths, and spacings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional antenna designs are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the ability to customize radiation patterns and gain is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by introducing receptacles with ridges at specific locations on the conductive top plate, adjacent to slot groups. These localized structural modifications create specific radiation pattern characteristics in targeted directions without requiring complete redesign of the entire antenna structure. The ridges within receptacles locally alter the electromagnetic field distribution to achieve customized radiation patterns while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna structure is segmented into distinct functional components: the conductive top plate with slots, the receptacles with ridges, and the waveguide plate. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component's properties (such as ridge height, width, and spacing in receptacles) to achieve desired radiation patterns while keeping manufacturing processes separate and manageable.
2Adaptability or versatility
If receptacles with ridges are added to customize radiation patterns, then the radiation pattern customization capability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacles with ridges are integrated directly into the conductive top plate as a unified structure rather than being separate components. This merging eliminates the need for additional assembly steps where receptacles would be attached separately, and allows both elements to be manufactured together using single-step processes such as stamping or injection molding, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity despite the enhanced functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple receptacles with varying ridge configurations are used, then the radiation pattern can be tuned for specific applications, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacles with ridges serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as structural elements of the antenna, provide radiation pattern customization, and can be configured to achieve different gain levels. By making these components multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for additional separate components that would otherwise be required to achieve the same capabilities, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables customizable radiation patterns and gain, enhancing the antenna's suitability for various applications by tuning the radiation pattern to fit specific requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a waveguide plate over the circuit board, the waveguide plate including a waveguide configured to guide the RF signal at least one of to and from the conductive trace
Implementation Method 2
a receptacle recessed below the outer surface beside the plurality of slots, the receptacle configured to modify a radiation pattern of the RF signal passing across the receptacle from the plurality of slots
Data Source
AI summary
An antenna assembly including: a circuit board with an integrated circuit configured to process a radio frequency (RF) signal, and a conductive trace extending from the integrated circuit; a waveguide plate over the circuit board, the waveguide plate including a waveguide configured to guide the RF signal at least one of to and from the conductive trace; and a conductive top plate over the waveguide plate. The conductive top plate includes: an outer surface and an inner surface facing the waveguide plate, the outer surface is opposite to the inner surface; a plurality of slots aligned with the waveguide and extending through the conductive top plate; and a receptacle recessed below the outer surface beside the plurality of slots, the receptacle configured to modify a radiation pattern of the RF signal passing across the receptacle from the plurality of slots.