Claims
- 1. An antenna comprising a ground plane, a first planar antenna element positioned above the ground plane, a second planar antenna element positioned above the ground plane, a plurality of diodes connected to the antenna elements, and antenna control circuitry connected to the antenna elements providing first and second voltage bias levels, wherein the first voltage bias level acts in conjunction with the diodes to enable the first antenna element and disable the second antenna element, and the second voltage bias level acts in conjunction with the diodes to enable the second antenna element and disable the first antenna element.
- 2. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the first antenna element, second antenna element, and ground plane are stacked with dielectric separating layers.
- 3. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the first antenna element has a first radiation pattern, the second antenna element has a second radiation pattern, wherein the first radiation pattern has stronger horizon sensitivity than the second radiation pattern, and wherein the first radiation pattern has a weaker zenith sensitivity than the second radiation pattern.
- 4. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the first and second antenna elements have polygonal shapes.
- 5. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the first antenna element has a circular shape and the second antenna element has an annular shape.
- 6. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the plurality of diodes comprises a first set of diodes connected to the first antenna element, and a second set of diodes connected to the second antenna element, wherein the first set of diodes have a first common bias, the second set of diodes have a second common bias, and the first common bias is opposite to the second common bias.
- 7. The antenna of claim 1 wherein a first set of diodes connects the first antenna element to the second antenna element, and a second set of diodes connects the second antenna element to the ground plane.
- 8. The antenna of claim 1 wherein a first set of diodes connects the first antenna element to the ground plane, and a second set of diodes connects the second antenna element to the ground plane.
- 9. A patch antenna comprising a first patch antenna element having a first radiation pattern, a second patch antenna element having a second radiation pattern, and a control circuit for switching between a first operational mode wherein the first patch antenna is enabled and the second patch antenna is disabled and a second operational mode wherein the second patch antenna is enabled and the first patch antenna is disabled.
- 10. The antenna of claim 9 wherein the first radiation pattern has stronger sensitivity at an elevation angle of zero degrees than the second radiation pattern, and wherein the first radiation pattern has a weaker sensitivity at an elevation angle of 90 degrees than the second radiation pattern.
- 11. The antenna of claim 9 wherein the first and second antenna elements have polygonal shapes.
- 12. The antenna of claim 9 wherein the first antenna element has a circular shape and the second antenna element has an annular shape.
- 13. The antenna of claim 9 further comprising a first set of diodes connected to the first antenna element, and a second set of diodes connected to the second antenna element, wherein the first set of diodes have a first common bias, the second set of diodes have a second common bias, and the first common bias is opposite to the second common bias.
- 14. The antenna of claim 9 wherein a first set of diodes connects the first antenna element to the second antenna element, and a second set of diodes connects the second antenna element to the ground plane.
- 15. The antenna of claim 9 wherein a first set of diodes connects the first antenna element to the ground plane, and a second set of diodes connects the second antenna element to the ground plane.
- 16. A method for interference mitigation in a radio communications device comprising a receiver, antenna circuitry, and an antenna comprising first and second patch antenna elements, the method comprising selecting an antenna mode from a set of modes comprising a nominal mode and an RF-interference mitigation mode, generating with the antenna circuitry a predetermined voltage bias level corresponding to the selected antenna mode, and feeding the generated voltage bias level to the antenna, wherein the voltage bias level either activates the first antenna element and deactivates the second antenna element or activates the second antenna element and deactivates the first antenna element.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the first antenna element has a first radiation pattern, the second antenna element has a second radiation pattern, wherein the first radiation pattern has stronger horizon sensitivity than the second radiation pattern, and wherein the first radiation pattern has a weaker zenith sensitivity than the second radiation pattern.
- 18. The method of claim 16 wherein the antenna comprises diodes that selectively activate or deactivate the first and second antenna elements in response to the voltage bias level.
- 19. A method for interference mitigation in a radio communications device comprising a receiver, antenna circuitry, and an antenna comprising first and second patch antenna elements, the method comprising selecting an antenna mode from a set of modes comprising a mode operating at a first frequency and a mode operating at a second different frequency, generating with the antenna circuitry a predetermined voltage bias level corresponding to the selected antenna mode, and feeding the generated voltage bias level to the antenna, wherein the voltage bias level either activates the first antenna element and deactivates the second antenna element or activates the second antenna element and deactivates the first antenna element.
- 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first antenna element operates at a first frequency, and the second antenna element operates at a second frequency.
- 21. The method of claim 19 wherein the antenna comprises diodes that selectively activate or deactivate the first and second antenna elements in response to the voltage bias level.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/364,496 filed Mar. 15, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60364496 |
Mar 2002 |
US |