Claims
- 1. A folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, comprising:a microstrip dielectric substrate having a plurality of dielectric substrate layers; a means for a conductive ground plane having a plurality of conductive branches; a folding radiating strip folded into a plurality of segments is interleaved with said plurality of dielectric substrate layers and said plurality of conductive branches; a top segment is stacked on a top dielectric substrate layer, said top dielectric substrate layer is stacked on a first conductive branch; said top segment having a narrow portion, a narrow end and a wide portion; a coaxial connector having an outer portion and a center pin, said outer portion being connected to said first conductive branch, said center pin being connected to said narrow end in the vicinity of a point where said top segment is shorted to said first conductive branch and an optimal impedance match is provided; said wide portion, having a central region near said narrow portion and a junction point opposing said narrow end, provides a given impedance; said antenna having a given length, Al; said plurality of dielectric layers having an effective impedance value; and said narrow portion causing a reduced effective impedance at said junction point to provide a shortened antenna length, As, that operates at VHF and HF frequencies.
- 2. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 1, further comprising said shortened antenna length, As, being less than said given length, Al.
- 3. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 2, further comprising said folding radiating strip being composed of a first metal.
- 4. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 3, wherein said first metal is copper.
- 5. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 2, further comprising said conductive ground plane means being composed of a second metal.
- 6. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 5, further comprising said second metal being selected from the group consisting of aluminum and copper.
- 7. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 5, further comprising one of said plurality of dielectric substrate layers being thicker than one of said plurality of segments.
- 8. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 7, further comprising said first conductive branch being thinner than one of said plurality of dielectric substrate layers.
- 9. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 8, further comprising said coaxial connector being disposed orthogonal to said plurality of dielectric substrate layers.
- 10. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 9, wherein said plurality of dielectric layers is two layers.
- 11. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 10, further comprising said antenna provides an omnidirectional radiation pattern.
- 12. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 9, wherein said plurality of dielectric substrate layers is three layers.
- 13. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 12, further comprising a second conductive branch being positioned below said first conductive branch.
- 14. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 13, further comprising said antenna provides a directional radiation pattern.
- 15. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 14, further comprising a bottom dielectric substrate layer being stacked on said second conductive branch.
- 16. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 15, further comprising said antenna provides a resultant frequency of 191 MHz.
- 17. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 16, further comprising said shortened antenna length, As, being about three times shorter than said given length, Al.
- 18. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 9, wherein said plurality of dielectric substrate layers is five layers.
- 19. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 18, further comprising:a second conductive branch being positioned below said first conductive branch; a third conductive branch being positioned below said second conductive branch; and said second conductive branch and said third conductive branch each being thinner than one of said plurality of dielectric substrate layers.
- 20. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 19, further comprising said antenna provides a directional radiation pattern.
- 21. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 20, further comprising a bottom dielectric substrate layer is positioned on top of said third conductive branch.
- 22. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 21, further comprising said antenna provides a resultant frequency of 125 MHz.
- 23. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 22, further comprising said shortened antenna length, As, being about five times shorter than said given length, Al.
- 24. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 23, further comprising said antenna provides an electrical length of 190 mm.
- 25. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 24, further comprising an electrical length ratio of said antenna to a length of said top segment of 3.8:1.
- 26. A folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, comprising:a microstrip dielectric substrate having two dielectric substrate layers; a means for a conductive ground plane; a folding radiating strip folded into a plurality of segments is interleaved with said dielectric substrate layers and said conductive ground plane means; a top segment is stacked on a top dielectric substrate layer, said top dielectric substrate layer is stacked on said conductive ground plane means; said top segment having a narrow portion, a narrow end and a wide portion; a coaxial connector, orthogonal to said dielectric substrate layers, having an outer portion and a center pin, said outer portion being connected to said conductive ground plane means, said center pin being connected to said narrow end in the vicinity of a point where said top segment is shorted to said conductive ground plane means and an optimal impedance match is provided; said wide portion, having a central region near said narrow portion and a junction point opposing said narrow end, provides a given impedance; said antenna having a given length, Al; said plurality of dielectric layers having an effective impedance value; and said narrow portion causing a reduced effective impedance at said junction point to provide a shortened antenna length, As, that operates at VHF and HF frequencies with an omnidirectional radiation pattern.
- 27. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 26, further comprising one of said dielectric substrate layers being thicker than one of said segments.
- 28. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 27, further comprising said conductive ground plane means being thinner than one of said dielectric substrate layers.
- 29. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 28, further comprising said folding radiating strip being composed of a first metal.
- 30. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 29, further comprising said conductive ground plane means being composed of a second metal.
- 31. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 30, wherein said first metal is copper.
- 32. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 31, further comprising said second metal being selected from the group consisting of aluminum and copper.
- 33. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 32, further comprising said antenna provides an omnidirectional radiation pattern.
- 34. A folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, comprising:a microstrip dielectric substrate having three dielectric substrate layers; a means for a conductive ground plane having a plurality of conductive branches; a folding radiating strip folded into a plurality of segments is interleaved with said dielectric substrate layers and said plurality of conductive branches; a top segment is stacked on a top dielectric substrate layer, said top dielectric substrate layer is stacked on a first conductive branch and a bottom dielectric substrate layer is positioned on top of a second conductive branch; said top segment having a narrow portion, a narrow end and a wide portion; a coaxial connector, orthogonal to said dielectric substrate layers, having an outer portion and a center pin, said outer portion being connected to said first conductive branch, said center pin being connected to said narrow end in the vicinity of a point where said top segment is shorted to said first conductive branch and an optimal impedance match is provided; said wide portion, having a central region near said narrow portion and a junction point opposing said narrow end, provides a given impedance; said antenna having a given length, Al; said plurality of dielectric layers having an effective impedance value; and said narrow portion causing a reduced effective impedance at said junction point to provide a shortened antenna length, As, that operates at VHF and HF frequencies with a directional radiation pattern.
- 35. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 34, further comprising one of said dielectric substrate layers having a thickness greater than one of said plurality of segments.
- 36. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 35, further comprising said first conductive branch being thinner than one of said dielectric substrate layers.
- 37. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 36, further comprising:said second conductive branch being thinner than one of said dielectric substrate layers; and said second conductive branch being positioned below said first conductive branch.
- 38. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 37, further comprising a bottom dielectric substrate layer being positioned on top of said second conductive branch.
- 39. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 38, further comprising said antenna provides a resultant frequency of about/at least 191 MHz.
- 40. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 39, further comprising said shortened antenna length, As, being about three times shorter than said given length, Al.
- 41. A folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, comprising:a microstrip dielectric substrate having five dielectric substrate layers; a means for a conductive ground plane having a first conductive branch, a second conductive branch and a third conductive branch; a folding radiating strip folded into a plurality of segments is interleaved with said dielectric substrate layers and said conductive ground plane means; a top segment is stacked on a top dielectric substrate layer, said top dielectric substrate layer is stacked on said first conductive branch; said top segment having a narrow portion, a narrow end and a wide portion; a coaxial connector, orthogonal to said dielectric substrate layers, having an outer portion and a center pin, said outer portion being connected to said first conductive branch, said center pin being connected to said narrow end in the vicinity of a point where said top segment is shorted to said first conductive branch and an optimal impedance match is provided; said wide portion, having a central region near said narrow portion and a junction point opposing said narrow end, provides a given impedance; said antenna having a given length, Al; a top dielectric substrate layer is positioned on top of said first conductive branch and a bottom dielectric substrate layer is positioned on top of said third conductive branch; said plurality of dielectric layers having an effective impedance value; and said narrow portion causing a reduced effective impedance at said junction point to provide a shortened antenna length, As, that operates at VHF and HF frequencies with a directional radiation pattern.
- 42. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 41, further comprising one of said dielectric substrate layers having a thickness greater than one of said plurality of segments.
- 43. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 42, further comprising said first conductive branch, said second conductive branch and said third conductive branch each being thinner than one of said dielectric substrate layers.
- 44. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 43, further comprising:said second conductive branch disposed below said first conductive branch; and said third conductive branch disposed below said second conductive branch.
- 45. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 44, further comprising said bottom dielectric substrate layer is positioned on top of said third conductive branch.
- 46. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 45, further comprising said antenna provides a resultant frequency of 125 MHz.
- 47. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 46, further comprising said shortened antenna length, As, being about five times shorter than said given length, Al.
- 48. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 47, further comprising said antenna provides an electrical length of 190 mm.
- 49. The folded multilayer electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 48, further comprising an electrical length ratio of said antenna to a length of said top segment of 3.8:1.
- 50. A method for placing a folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, comprising the steps of:forming said multilayer microstrip dielectric substrate from a plurality of dielectric substrate layers, said antenna having a given length, Al; constructing a conductive ground plane means with a plurality of conductive branches; forming said folding radiating strip into a plurality of segments, including a top segment having a narrow portion, a narrow end and a wide portion; interleaving said folding radiating strip, said plurality of dielectric substrate layers and said plurality of conductive branches; connecting a coaxial connector to a first conductive branch, said coaxial connector having an outer portion and a center pin, said outer portion being connected to said first conductive branch, said center pin being connected to said narrow end in the vicinity of a point where said top segment is shorted to said first conductive branch and an optimal impedance match is provided; said wide portion, having a central region near said narrow portion and a junction point opposing said narrow end, provides a given impedance; pointing said narrow end to said coaxial connector; providing a given impedance by placing said wide portion near a junction point opposing said narrow end; positioning a top dielectric substrate layer on top of said first conductive branch, said plurality of dielectric substrate layers having an effective impedance value; said narrow portion causing a reduced effective impedance at said junction point; and providing a shortened antenna length, As, that operates at VHF and HF frequencies due to said reduced impedance.
- 51. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 50, wherein said shortened antenna length, As, is less than said given length, Al.
- 52. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 51, wherein said folding radiating strip is composed of a first metal.
- 53. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 52, wherein said conductive ground plane means is composed of a second metal.
- 54. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 53, wherein said second metal is selected from the group consisting of aluminum and copper.
- 55. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 52, wherein said first metal is copper.
- 56. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 52, further comprising the step of forming one of said plurality of dielectric substrate layers thicker than one of said plurality of segments.
- 57. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 56, further comprising the step of forming said first conductive branch thinner than one of said plurality of dielectric substrate layers.
- 58. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 57, further comprising the step of disposing said coaxial connector orthogonal to said plurality of dielectric substrate layers.
- 59. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 58, wherein said plurality of dielectric substrate layers is two layers.
- 60. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 59, further comprising the step of said antenna providing an omnidirectional radiation pattern.
- 61. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 58, wherein said plurality of dielectric substrate layers is three layers.
- 62. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 61, further comprising the step of positioning a second conductive branch below said first conductive branch.
- 63. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 62, further comprising the step of said antenna providing a directional radiation pattern.
- 64. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 63, further comprising the step of stacking a bottom dielectric substrate layer on said second conductive branch.
- 65. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 64, further comprising the step of said antenna providing a resultant frequency of 191 MHz.
- 66. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 65, wherein said shortened antenna length, As, is about three times shorter than said given length, Al.
- 67. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 58, wherein said plurality of dielectric substrate layers is five layers.
- 68. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 67, further comprising the steps of:positioning a second conductive branch below said first conductive branch; positioning a third conductive branch below said second conductive branch; forming said second conductive branch thinner than one of said plurality of dielectric substrate layers; and forming said third conductive branch thinner than one of said plurality of dielectric substrate layers.
- 69. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 68, further comprising the step of said antenna providing a directional radiation pattern.
- 70. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 69, further comprising the step of stacking a bottom dielectric substrate layer on top of said third conductive branch.
- 71. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 70, further comprising the step of said antenna providing a resultant frequency of 125 MHz.
- 72. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 71, wherein said shortened antenna length, As, is about five times shorter than said given length, Al.
- 73. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 72, further comprising the step of said antenna providing an electrical length of 190 mm.
- 74. The method for placing the folding radiation strip around multilayer microstrip dielectric substrates in electrically small compact microstrip antenna, as recited in claim 73, wherein an electrical length ratio of said antenna to a length of said top segment is 3.8:1.
GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, imported, sold, and licensed by or for the Government of the United States of America without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.
US Referenced Citations (4)