Patent Grant
6876330
The present invention is drawn to reconfigurable antennas. More specifically, the present invention is drawn to antennas that can reconfigured by the use of gas filled bulbs.
Traditionally, antennas have been defined as metallic devices for radiating or receiving radio waves. Therefore, the paradigm for antenna design has traditionally been focused on antenna geometry, physical dimensions, material selection, electrical coupling configurations, multi-array design, and/or electromagnetic waveform characteristics such as transmission wavelength, transmission efficiency, transmission waveform reflection, etc. As such, technology has advanced to provide many unique antenna designs for applications ranging from the general broadcast of RF signals to weapon systems of a highly complex nature.
Conductive wire antennas are generally sized to emit radiation at one or more selected frequencies. To maximize effective radiation of such energy, the antenna is adjusted in length to correspond to a resonating multiplier of the wavelength of frequency to be transmitted. Accordingly, typical antenna configurations will be represented by quarter, half, and full wavelengths of the desired frequency.
Efficient transfer of RF energy is achieved when the maximum amount of signal strength sent to the antenna is expended into the propagated wave, and not wasted in antenna reflection. This efficient transfer occurs when the antenna length is an appreciable fraction of transmitted frequency wavelength. The antenna will then resonate with RF radiation at some multiple of the length of the antenna. Due to this traditional length requirement, rigid metal antennas can be somewhat limited in breadth as to the frequency bands that they may radiate or receive.
It has been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop antennas that are reconfigurable with respect to length, radiation pattern, beam width, band width, and other known antenna radiation properties. The present invention is drawn to an antenna, comprising at least two conductive elements and a fluid filled bulb. The at least two conductive elements can include a first conductive element having a different configuration than a second conductive element. The fluid filled bulb can be positioned between the at least two conductive elements such that when the fluid filled bulb is energized, the at least two conductive elements electrically communicate with one another, and when the fluid filled bulb is not energized, the at least two conductive elements do not electrically communicate with one another.
In another embodiment, an electromagnetic wave transmission and reception system can comprise a first conductive element and a second conductive element, a transmitter/receiver, and a first and second fluid filled bulb. The transmitter/receiver can be configured for sending and receiving a signal to and from the first and second conductive elements. The first fluid filled bulb can be positioned between the first conductive element and the transmitter/receiver such that when the first fluid filled bulb is energized, the first conductive element and the transmitter/receiver electrically communicate with one another, and when the first fluid filled bulb is not energized, the first conductive element and the transmitter/receiver do not electrically communicate with one another. The second fluid filled bulb can be positioned between the second conductive element and the transmitter/receiver such that when the second fluid filled bulb is energized, the second conductive element and the transmitter/receiver electrically communicate with one another, and when the second fluid filled bulb is not energized, the second conductive element and the transmitter/receiver do not electrically communicate with one another.
In another embodiment, an antenna can comprise at least two conductive elements including a first conductive element and a second conductive element, and a fluid filled bulb. The first conductive element can be configured to emit a first radiation pattern. The fluid filled bulb can be positioned between the at least two conductive elements such that when the fluid filled bulb is energized, the at least two conductive elements electrically communicate with one another and synergistically form a second radiation pattern that is different than the first radiation pattern. When the fluid filled bulb is not energized, the at least two conductive elements do not electrically communicate with one another.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention.
A more complete understanding of the invention will be readily appreciated by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several embodiments shown.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and additional applications of the principles of the inventions as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.
Referring to
Essentially, when fluid filled bulbs 68,70 are turned off by the bulb energizer 72, conductive element 62 alone acts as active antenna A. If fluid filled bulb 68 is energized and fluid filled bulb 70 is turned off, then the active antenna element becomes active antenna B, which is comprised of conductive element 62, fluid filled bulb 68, and conductive element 64. When both fluid filled bulbs 68,70 are energized, active antenna C is formed.
If the desire is to provide an antenna that is not activated at all until at least one fluid filled bulb is energized, then a fluid filled bulb can be placed between any of the conductive elements and the transmitter/receiver 74. Such an embodiment is shown if FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the conductive lead 74a couples the transmitter/receiver 74 to a fluid filled bulb 68. Thus, when fluid filled bulb 68 is not energized, no antenna is active with respect to the transmitter/receiver 74. This arrangement can be used when it is desired to electrically isolate the antenna from the antenna transmitter/receiver, such as in cases where protection from electronic warfare may be desirable, for example.
In either embodiment, it can be desirable that the fluid filled bulb antenna element be flexible, pivotal, retractable, bendable, or contain some other property or configuration that allows for retraction and expansion in accordance with the present invention. Exemplary gases that can be ionized to form a conductive path between conductive elements can include argon, neon, helium, krypton, xenon, and hydrogen. Additionally, metal vapors capable of ionization such as mercury vapor can also be used.
Referring to
Also shown in system 80 is a plurality of fluid filled bulbs 84b-d which are present to provide reconfigurability to the helical antenna 86a-d itself. For example, by energizing fluid filled bulb 84b such that a plasma is formed within the bulb, section 86a and 86b of the helical antenna can communicate, providing a helical antenna segment that has two complete turns. If the fluid of fluid filled bulbs 84b-c are energized, then a helical antenna element having three turns will effectively be present. If the fluid of fluid filled bulbs 84b-d are all energized, then a helical antenna element having four turns will effectively be present. By altering the number of turns, the beam width can be reconfigured when firing in the axial mode. For example, the beam width can be different when 6 turns are present compared to 8 turns, etc. In the embodiment shown, from 0 to 4 turns is possible, though this number can be modified to as many turns as desirable and practical. Additionally, the linear antenna portion is not necessary to utilize the helical portion of the antenna system shown. They are shown together as part of a system, but could easily be split into two separate antenna systems as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after reading the present disclosure. For example, a signal generator (not shown) can be connected directly to the helical antenna portion of the system.
Turning now to
In
With respect to spiral antennas in general, upon electromagnetic wave transmission where more turns are present, bandwidth increases and beam width is substantially unaffected. With a conical spiral antenna, a configuration is provides an arrangement wherein as more turns are present, the beam width is decreased and the bandwidth is increased.
System 100 can act as both a spiral antenna and a conical spiral antenna. When system 100 is acting as a spiral antenna, signal generator 102 communicates with the spiral antenna segments 108a-d through fluid filled bulbs 106a-d. When the fluid of fluid filled bulb 106a is energized to form a conductive plasma, spiral antenna segment 108a is effectively present for transmitting signal, i.e., one turn. When the fluid of fluid filled bulbs 106a-b are energized to form a conductive plasma, spiral antenna segments 108a-b are active for transmission, i.e., two turns. If the fluid of fluid filled bulbs 106a-c are all energized to form a conductive plasma, spiral antenna segments 108a-c are all active, i.e., three turns. If the fluid of fluid filled bulbs 106a-d are all energized to form a conductive plasma, spiral antenna segments 108a-d are all active, i.e., four turns.
In an alternative embodiment, system 100 can be utilized as a conical spiral antenna device. Specifically, when system 100 is acting as a conical spiral antenna, signal generator 104 communicates with the conical spiral antenna segments 108a-d through fluid filled bulbs 106b-e. When the fluid of fluid filled bulb 106e is energized to form a conductive plasma, conical spiral antenna segment 108d is effectively present for transmitting signal, i.e., one turn. When the fluid of fluid filled bulbs 106d-e are energized to form a conductive plasma, conical spiral antenna segments 108c-d are active for transmission, i.e., two turns. If the fluid of fluid filled bulbs 106c-e are all energized to form a conductive plasma, conical spiral antenna segments 108b-d are all active, i.e., three turns. If the fluid of fluid filled bulbs 106b-e are all energized to form a conductive plasma, spiral antenna segments 108a-d are all active, i.e., four turns.
Turning to
In each of the above embodiments dealing with fluid filled bulbs, the antenna segments depicted are typically conductive wire or metal elements. However, other materials can be used as the conductive elements. For example, the conductive elements themselves can be plasma antenna elements or conductive fluid elements, e.g., conductive grease or liquid metal, etc. Additionally, with respect to each of the embodiments, when either transmitting or receiving of electromagnetic signal is mentioned, it is to be understood that both transmitting and receiving of signal can be carried out.
Though only a few examples of the use of fluid filled bulbs or tubes for use with known antenna device configurations have been provided, it is to be understood that other antenna structures can be modified using fluid filled bulbs in accordance with principles of the present invention. For example, metal antennas and plasma antennas including log-periodic antennas, yagi antennas, reflector antennas, aperture antennas, wire antennas of all varieties, dipole antennas, loop antennas, waveguides, lens antennas, bent antennas, discontinuous antennas, terminated antennas, truncated antennas, horn antennas, spiral antennas, conical spiral antennas, helical antennas, array antennas, traveling wave antennas, microstrip antennas, and the like, can benefit from the reconfigurability provided by strategic placement of fluid filled bulbs, wherein the fluid can be modified to form a conductive plasma.
While the invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, changes, omissions, and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
The present application claims priority to Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 60/396,641 filed Jul. 17, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60396641 | Jul 2002 | US |
