Millimeter wave reconfigurable antenna with single layered unit cell pattern

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12512607-B2
Application number	US-202117375820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2021
Priority date	Jul 14, 2020
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A system may include a substrate and an array of unit cells for a multi-cell antenna printed on the substrate. Each unit cell may include a first trace having an outer perimeter that forms a cross shape and an inner perimeter that encloses an area within the first trace. Each unit cell may further include a second trace having an outer perimeter that is completely enclosed by and does not contact the inner perimeter of the first trace. Each unit cell may also include a varactor electrically connecting the first trace to the second trace. A method may include receiving an electromagnetic signal at the array of unit cells and controlling a capacitance of the varactor of each unit cell to result in one or more directed beams.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device comprising:
a substrate having a unit cell for a multi-cell antenna printed on the substrate, wherein the unit cell comprises:
a square-cross hybrid trace having an outer perimeter that forms a cross shape, and an inner perimeter that forms a square shape and encloses an area within the square-cross hybrid trace;
a square trace having an outer perimeter that forms a square shape and is completely enclosed by and does not contact the inner perimeter of the square-cross hybrid trace; and
a varactor electrically connecting the first square-cross hybrid trace to the square trace.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the unit cell omits any additional varactor electrically connecting the square-cross hybrid trace to the square trace.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the square-cross hybrid trace and the square trace are printed on the substrate as a single layer.

4 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a grounding plane; and a via passing through the substrate and electrically connecting the square trace to the grounding plane.

5 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a radio frequency choke circuit; and a via passing through the substrate and electrically connecting the square-cross hybrid trace to the radio frequency choke circuit.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a capacitance of the varactor is configured to be selectively set between 0.02 pF and 0.25 pF.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein a length and width of the unit cell are about 0.35 times a wavelength of a signal for which the multi-cell antenna is designed.

8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the square-cross hybrid trace and the square trace comprise silver, copper, aluminum, tin, or a combination thereof.

9 . A system comprising:
a substrate; an array of unit cells for a multi-cell antenna printed on the substrate, wherein each unit cell comprises:
a square-cross hybrid trace having an outer perimeter that forms a cross shape and an inner perimeter that forms a square shape and encloses an area within the square-cross hybrid trace;
a square trace having an outer perimeter that is completely enclosed by and does not contact the inner perimeter of the square-cross hybrid trace; and
a varactor electrically connecting the square-cross hybrid trace to the square trace.

10 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising a feed radiator configured to direct electromagnetic radiation toward the array of unit cells.

11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising a radio frequency chain coupled to the feed radiator.

12 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising a beam controller configured to select a capacitance of the varactor of each unit cell.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the capacitance of the varactor of each unit cell results in a corresponding phase shift of an electromagnetic signal reflected by each unit cell.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the phase shift of the electromagnetic signal reflected by each unit cell results in one or more directed beams from the array of unit cells.

15 . The system of claim 9 , wherein each unit cell includes a single varactor electrically connecting the square-cross hybrid trace to the square trace.

16 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the square-cross hybrid trace and the square trace are printed on the substrate as a single layer.

17 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a grounding plane; and vias passing through the substrate and, for each unit cell, electrically connecting the square trace to the grounding plane.

18 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a radio frequency choke circuit for each unit cell; and vias passing through the substrate and, for each unit cell, electrically connecting the square-cross hybrid trace to the radio frequency choke circuit.

Assignees

• Univ Boise State

Inventors

• Kausar Shafaq
• Mehrpouyan Hani

Classifications

• H01Q21/062 Primary

  using dipole aerials; (H01Q21/067, H01Q21/068 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q21/065

  Patch antenna array · CPC title

• H01Q25/001 Primary

  Crossed polarisation dual antennas (orthomode horns H01Q13/0258; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; orthomode transducers H01P1/161) · CPC title