Single-switch-per-bit topology for reconfigurable reflective surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11973274-B2
Application number	US-202117323560-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2021
Priority date	May 18, 2020
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

A single-switch-per-bit topology for reconfigurable reflective surfaces (RRSs) is provided. Novel multi-bit unit-cell configurations are presented for radio-frequency (RF) RRSs with improved radiation efficiency and compact designs. Embodiments described herein realize a multi-bit RRS using an antenna array with multiple integrated switches at the ports of every antenna element (e.g., one at each port, providing one control bit per switch). By manipulating the states of the switches, the impinging waves on the surface are modulated, leading to beamforming in the desired direction. Some embodiments utilize a single switch-per-bit topology integrating single-pole-single-throw (SPST) switches (e.g., PIN diodes) into the unit-cell design, achieving up to 4 bits of phase quantization with only 4 switches. The exhibited radiation efficiency of the multi-bit RRS is significantly improved compared to lower bit configurations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reconfigurable reflective antenna device, comprising:
an antenna element comprising a first port, a second port, and a third port, wherein the antenna element is configured as a splitter/combiner;
a first switch coupled to the first port and configured to provide a first control bit for the antenna element;
a second switch coupled to the second port and configured to provide a second control bit for the antenna element; and
a third switch coupled to the third port and configured to provide a third control bit for the antenna element;
a first delay line between the first port and the first switch, wherein the first delay line provides a first phase shift of a signal impinging on the antenna element when the first switch is closed;
a second delay line between the second port and the second switch, wherein the second delay line provides a second phase shift of the signal impinging on the antenna element when the second switch is closed; and
a third delay line between the third port and the third switch, wherein the third delay line provides a third phase shift of the signal impinging on the antenna element when the third switch is closed.

2. The reconfigurable reflective antenna device of claim 1 , further comprising a fourth switch coupled to a fourth port of the antenna element and configured to provide a fourth control bit.

3. The reconfigurable reflective antenna device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first control bit, the second control bit, and the third control bit provides a binary control of at least one of a phase or a magnitude of the signal impinging on the antenna element.

4. The reconfigurable reflective antenna device of claim 1 , wherein the first port and the second port are positioned on a first end of the antenna element.

5. The reconfigurable reflective antenna device of claim 4 , wherein the third port is positioned on a second end of the antenna element opposite the first end.

6. The reconfigurable reflective antenna device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fourth switch coupled to a fourth port of the antenna element and configured to provide a fourth control bit; and
a fourth delay line between the fourth port and the fourth switch, wherein the fourth delay line provides a fourth phase shift of the signal impinging on the antenna element when the fourth switch is closed.

7. The reconfigurable reflective antenna device of claim 6 , wherein each of the first delay line, the second delay line, the third delay line, and the fourth delay line provides equispaced phase states.

8. The reconfigurable reflective antenna device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch is a single-pole-single-throw (SPST) switch.

9. The reconfigurable reflective antenna device of claim 8 , wherein each of the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch is a PIN diode.

10. A multi-bit reconfigurable reflective surface, comprising:
an array of unit-cells, each unit-cell comprising:
a multi-port antenna element; and
a plurality of switches, each switch coupled to a port of the multi-port antenna element;

a controller coupled to the array of unit-cells and configured to provide a control signal providing a single control bit per each of the plurality of switches to steer an electromagnetic wave impinging on the multi-port antenna element in each of the array of unit-cells;
wherein each unit-cell further comprises a delay line between each port of the multi-port antenna element and a corresponding switch of the plurality of switches;
wherein the control signal steers the electromagnetic wave by adjusting phase states of each multi-port antenna element in the array of unit-cells; and
wherein a length of each delay line is optimized to substantially equispace the phase states of each multi-port antenna element in the array of unit-cells.

11. The multi-bit reconfigurable reflective surface of claim 10 , wherein the multi-port antenna element in each of the array of unit-cells is a patch antenna.

12. The multi-bit reconfigurable reflective surface of claim 11 , wherein each port of the multi-port antenna element in the array of unit-cells is edge fed.

13. The multi-bit reconfigurable reflective surface of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of switches in the array of unit-cells comprises at least one of a diode, a PIN diode, a MEMS switch, a transistor, or a tunable 2-dimensional (2D) material.

14. The multi-bit reconfigurable reflective surface of claim 10 , wherein the multi-bit reconfigurable surface is energy independent.

15. The multi-bit reconfigurable reflective surface of claim 14 , further comprising a wireless power harvesting system.

Assignees

• Theofanopoulos Panagiotis
• Trichopoulos Georgios
• Univ Arizona State

Inventors

• Theofanopoulos Panagiotis
• Trichopoulos Georgios

Classifications

• H01Q3/247 Primary

  by switching different parts of a primary active element · CPC title

• H01Q1/50

  Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors · CPC title

• H01Q3/36

  with variable phase-shifters · CPC title

• H04B1/44 Primary

  Transmit/receive switching · CPC title

• H01Q3/46

  Active lenses or reflecting arrays · CPC title