Switchable Panel Antenna Feed Network for Low-Loss Gain Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antennas struggle to provide adjustable radiation patterns efficiently, leading to suboptimal coverage in cellular and WiFi applications, as they are either designed for wide sectors or high gain areas, without a cost-effective solution for switching between modes with minimal loss.
Innovation Solution
The development of switchable antennas with a feed network that includes multiple columns of radiating elements and a power divider system, allowing the antennas to switch between high gain and lower gain modes with minimal insertion loss, using a 1×3 power divider and impedance mismatches to optimize RF energy distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a single antenna is designed for high gain mode, then gain performance is improved, but coverage area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna incorporates a switchable feed network that dynamically reconfigures the radiation pattern between high gain and wide sector modes. The feed network includes switches and power dividers that can be electronically controlled to change the antenna's radiation characteristics, allowing it to adapt to different coverage requirements without physical reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna is designed with multiple radiating element columns (first, second, and third columns) that can be selectively activated through the feed network. This allows a single antenna structure to perform multiple functions: providing high gain coverage for point-to-point applications, wide sector coverage for area coverage, or combinations thereof, depending on the switching configuration.
2Area of stationary object
If a single antenna is designed for wide sector coverage, then coverage area is improved, but gain performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The feed network includes switches that can be configured to activate different radiating element columns based on the desired coverage pattern. For wide sector coverage, the antenna can activate multiple columns to broaden the radiation pattern, while for high gain applications, it can concentrate energy through selective column activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna array is divided into multiple independent columns of radiating elements (first column, second column, third column), each capable of being independently controlled by the feed network. This segmentation allows flexible configuration of the radiation pattern by selectively enabling or disabling specific columns to achieve the desired coverage area and gain trade-off.
3Adaptability or versatility
If switching mechanisms are added to enable mode changes, then adaptability is improved, but insertion loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The feed network acts as an intermediary between the RF input and the radiating elements, incorporating switches and power dividers that can be designed with low insertion loss. The switching mechanism uses RF switches and power divider networks that minimize signal loss while enabling the transition between different operational modes (high gain, wide sector, or combined modes).
Data Source
AI summary
A switchable antenna comprises an RF port, an antenna array that includes at least a first column of radiating elements, a second column of radiating elements and a third column of radiating elements, and a feed network coupled between the RF port and the antenna array. The feed network includes a first switch having a first output that is coupled to each of the columns of radiating elements and a second output and a second switch having a first input coupled to the first output of the first switch and a second input coupled to the second output of the first switch, and a first output coupled to the second column of radiating elements.