Tunable Planar Antenna With VSWR Correction Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-frequency radio-frequency transceiver circuits are sensitive to environmental disturbances, leading to impedance mismatches and increased line losses due to the need for narrow operation band impedance matching circuits, which also add capacitive and inductive elements that alter power capacity.
Innovation Solution
An integrated electronic radio-frequency transceiver circuit with a planar antenna having a settable resonance frequency, utilizing a bidirectional coupler and detectors to adjust the antenna's resonance frequency based on the ratio of transmitted and reflected power, eliminating the need for impedance matching circuits and incorporating miniature electromechanical switches or settable capacitance elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an impedance matching circuit is used to maintain optimal impedance matching, then the matching between transmit circuit and antenna is improved, but the device complexity increases and line losses increase due to capacitive and inductive elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the impedance matching circuit from the transmit path. Instead of using traditional LC matching networks, the invention directly connects the transmit circuit to the antenna through a coupler, eliminating the matching circuit components and their associated losses and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from adjusting impedance parameters through matching circuits to adjusting the antenna's resonant frequency parameters. The antenna's resonant frequency is made variable through mechanical or electrical tuning, allowing the system to adapt to environmental changes without adding matching circuitry.
2Reliability
If an impedance matching circuit is used to maintain optimal impedance matching, then the power transmission efficiency is improved, but the loss of energy increases due to insertion losses in the matching circuit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the impedance matching circuit from the signal path, thereby eliminating the insertion losses associated with capacitive and inductive elements. The direct connection through the coupler minimizes energy loss while maintaining adequate power transmission.
3Reliability
If a narrow operation band impedance matching circuit is used, then the impedance matching is optimized for a specific frequency, but the adaptability to different frequency ranges is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the antenna's resonant frequency dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. Through mechanical or electrical tuning mechanisms, the antenna can adapt its resonant frequency to different operating bands, providing versatility across multiple frequency ranges without requiring separate matching circuits for each band.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal antenna system that can operate across multiple frequency ranges by tuning its resonant frequency. The same antenna structure serves multiple functions and frequency bands, eliminating the need for frequency-specific matching circuits.
4Device complexity
If the antenna resonance frequency is fixed, then the circuit design is simplified, but the ability to correct voltage standing wave ratio under environmental disturbances is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the antenna's resonant frequency adjustable through mechanical or electrical tuning mechanisms. This allows the system to adapt to environmental disturbances by tuning the resonance frequency to maintain optimal voltage standing wave ratio, while the tuning mechanism itself remains relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where detectors monitor the voltage standing wave ratio and provide information to a control circuit, which then adjusts the antenna's resonant frequency accordingly. This closed-loop control maintains optimal performance under varying environmental conditions.
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
The solution allows for operation across a wide frequency range with reduced sensitivity to environmental disturbances and decreased line losses, achieving low insertion losses and adaptable voltage standing wave ratio correction.
Implementation Method 1
at least one bidirectional coupler having a primary line interposed between said terminal and the antenna and having the respective terminals of a secondary line providing data representative of the transmitted power and of the power reflected on the primary line side
Implementation Method 2
at least one planar antenna, with a settable resonance frequency
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated electronic radio-frequency transceiver circuit, including: at least one terminal intended to receive a signal to be transmitted or to transmit a received signal; at least one planar antenna, with a settable resonance frequency; at least one bidirectional coupler having a primary line interposed between the terminal and the antenna and having the respective terminals of a secondary line providing data representative of the transmitted power and of the power reflected on the primary line side; at least one detector of the transmitted power and of the reflected power; and a circuit for selecting the resonance frequency of the antenna according to the ratio between the transmitted power and the reflected power.