Reconfigurable antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022158342-A1
Application number	US-202117528058-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 16, 2021
Priority date	Nov 16, 2020
Publication date	May 19, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system may include a meta-surface including multiple unit cells arranged along the meta-surface. Structural parameters of each unit cell may vary along the meta-surface. The system may further include at least a first active feed unit directed toward the meta-surface to generate a first beam. The first active feed unit may be configured to move relative to the meta-surface parallel to a 2-dimensional plane. The first beam is steerable by moving the first active feed unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a meta-surface including multiple unit cells arranged along the meta-surface, wherein each unit cell includes a resonating structure, and wherein structural parameters of each unit cell vary along the meta-surface; and a first active feed unit directed toward the meta-surface to generate a first beam, wherein the first active feed unit is configured to move relative to the meta-surface parallel to a 2-dimensional plane, and wherein the first beam is steerable by moving the first active feed unit.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second active feed unit directed toward the meta-surface to generate a second beam, wherein the second active feed unit is configured to move relative to the meta-surface parallel to the 2-dimensional plane, and wherein the second beam is steerable by moving the second active feed unit.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional active feed units directed toward the meta-surface to generate one or more additional beams, wherein the one or more additional active feed units are configured to move relative to the meta-surface parallel to the 2-dimensional plane, and wherein the one or more additional beams are steerable by moving the one or more additional active feed units.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the meta-surface is a transmit array.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a robotic arm, wherein the first active feed unit is attached to the robotic arm.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each unit cell comprises:
a first circular patch positioned on a first dielectric substrate; a first square patch positioned on a second dielectric substrate; a second square patch positioned on a first side of a third dielectric substrate; and a second circular patch positioned on a second side of the third dielectric substrate, wherein the resonating structure includes the first circular patch, the first square patch, the second circular patch, and the second square patch.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the structural parameters include a patch length, a patch width, a patch radius, and spacing between each of the first circular patch, the first square patch, the second square patch, the second circular patch, or combinations thereof.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional meta-surfaces including multiple additional unit cells arrange along the one or more additional meta-surfaces, wherein each additional unit cell includes a resonating structure, wherein additional structural parameters of each additional unit cell vary along the one or more additional meta-surfaces, and wherein the one or more additional meta-surfaces are positioned at an angle relative to the meta-surface.

9 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
additional active feed units directed toward the one or more additional meta-surfaces to generate additional beams, wherein the additional active feed units are configured to move relative to the one or more additional meta-surfaces parallel to additional 2-dimensional planes, wherein the additional beams are steerable by moving the additional active feed units, and wherein the additional 2-dimensional planes are positioned at an angle relative to the 2-dimensional plane.

10 . A device comprising:
a transmit array panel including multiple unit cells arranged along a surface, wherein each unit cell includes a resonating structure, and wherein structural parameters of each unit cell vary along the surface, wherein each unit cell comprises: a first circular patch positioned on a first dielectric substrate; a first square patch positioned on a second dielectric substrate; a second square patch positioned on a first side of a third dielectric substrate; and a second circular patch positioned on a second side of the third dielectric substrate, wherein the resonating structure includes the first circular patch, the first square patch, the second circular patch, and the second square patch.

11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the structural parameters include a patch length, a patch width, a patch radius, and spacing between each of the first circular patch, the first square patch, the second square patch, the second circular patch, or combinations thereof.

12 . The device of claim 10 , further comprising one or more additional transmit array panels including multiple additional unit cells arrange along additional surfaces, wherein each additional unit cell includes a resonating structure, wherein additional structural parameters of each additional unit cell vary along the surface, and wherein the one or more additional transmit array panels are positioned at an angle relative to the transmit array panel.

13 . A method comprising:
forming a meta-surface including multiple unit cells arranged along the meta-surface, wherein each unit cell includes a resonating structure, and wherein structural parameters of each unit cell vary along the meta-surface; and positioning a first active feed unit toward the meta-surface, wherein the first active feed unit is configured to move relative to the meta-surface parallel to a 2-dimensional plane.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising positioning a second active feed unit toward the meta-surface, wherein the second active feed unit is configured to move relative to the meta-surface parallel to the 2-dimensional plane.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising positioning one or more additional active feed units toward the meta-surface, wherein the one or more additional active feed units are configured to move relative to the meta-surface parallel to the 2-dimensional plane.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the meta-surface is a transmit array.

17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising attaching the first active feed unit to a robotic arm, wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the first active feed unit along the 2-dimensional plane.

18 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising, for each of the multiple unit cells:
forming a first circular patch positioned on a first dielectric substrate; forming a first square patch positioned on a second dielectric substrate; forming a second square patch positioned on a first side of a third dielectric substrate; and forming a second circular patch positioned on a second side of the third dielectric substrate, wherein the resonating structure includes the first circular patch, the first square patch, the second circular patch, and the second square patch.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the structural parameters include a patch length, a patch width, a patch radius, and spacing between each of the first circular patch, the first square patch, the second square patch, the second circular patch, or combinations thereof.

20 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising attaching one or more additional meta-surfaces to the meta-surface at an angel to the meta-surface, wherein the one or more additional meta-surfaces include multiple additional unit cells arranged along the one or more additional meta-surfaces, wherein each additional unit cell includes a resonating structure, wherein additional structural parameters of each additional unit cell vary along the one or more additional meta-surfaces.

Assignees

• Univ Boise State

Inventors

• Kausar Shafaq
• Mehrpouyan Hani

Classifications

• H01Q21/065

  Patch antenna array · CPC title

• H01Q21/0018

  Space- fed arrays · CPC title

• H01Q3/18

  wherein the primary active element is movable and the reflecting device is fixed · CPC title

• H01Q15/0086 Primary

  said selective devices having materials with a synthesized negative refractive index, e.g. metamaterials or left-handed materials · CPC title

• H01Q25/00

  Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns (arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00) · CPC title