Abstract:
A method of integrating a thin antenna module into a vehicle is disclosed. The thin antenna module comprises a high impedance surface with at least one antenna element disposed thereon. The method includes the steps of inserting the thin antenna module between a conductive layer and a dielectric layer located above a passenger compartment of said vehicle, and connecting at least one antenna element disposed on the high impedance surface to a receiver in said vehicle.
Abstract:
A high impedance surface and a method of making same. The surface includes a molded structure having a repeating pattern of holes therein and a repeating pattern of sidewall surfaces, the holes penetrating the structure between first and second major surfaces thereof and the sidewall surfaces joining the first major surface. A metal layer is put on said molded structure, the metal layer being in the holes, covering at least a portion of the second major surface, covering the sidewalls and portions of the first major surface to interconnect the sidewalls with other sidewalls via the metal layer on the second major surface and in the holes.
Abstract:
A method of and apparatus for beam steering. A feed horn is arranged so that the feed horn illuminates a tunable impedance surface comprising a plurality of individually tunable resonator cells, each resonator element having a reactance tunable by a tuning element associated therewith. The tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface are adjusted so that the resonances of the individually tunable resonator cells are varied in a sequence and the resonances of the individually tunable resonator cells are set to values which improve transmission of information via the tunable impedance surface and the feed horn.
Abstract:
A high impedance surface and a method of making same. The surface includes a molded structure having a repeating pattern of holes therein and a repeating pattern of sidewall surfaces, the holes penetrating the structure between first and second major surfaces thereof and the sidewall surfaces joining the first major surface. A metal layer is put on said molded structure, the metal layer being in the holes, covering at least a portion of the second major surface, covering the sidewalls and portions of the first major surface to interconnect the sidewalls with other sidewalls via the metal layer on the second major surface and in the holes.
Abstract:
Apparatus for a micro-electro-mechanical switch that provides single pole, double throw switching action. The switch comprises a single RF input line and two RF output lines. The switch additionally comprises two armatures, each mechanically connected to a substrate at one end and having a conducting transmission line at the other end with a suspended biasing electrode located on top of or within a structural layer of the armature. Each conducting transmission line has conducting dimples that protrude beyond the bottom of the armature carrying the conducting transmission line. Closure of an armature causes the dimples of the corresponding conducting transmission line to mechanically and electrically engage the RF input line and the corresponding RF output line, thus directing RF energy from the RF input line to the selected RF output line.
Abstract:
A broadband multiple input, multiple output switch matrix. The switch matrix comprises multiple crosspoint switch element tiles. Each tile comprises RF MEMS switches disposed on a substrate to provide a crosspoint switching capability. The crosspoint switch element tiles are disposed in a flip-chip manner on the upper side of an RF substrate that provides RF connectivity between the various crosspoint switch element tiles. A bias line substrate disposed on the lower side of the RF substrate receives control signals for the crosspoint switch element tiles and routes the signals through the RF substrate using vias in the RF substrate.
Abstract:
An antenna system for receiving both circularly polarized electromagnetic signals and linearly polarized electromagnetic signals, the circularly polarize signals arriving at the antenna system from a direction normal or oblique to a major surface of the antenna system and the linearly polarized signals arriving at the planar antenna system from a direction acute to said major surface. The antenna system includes a high impedance surface and a plurality of antenna elements disposed on said high impedance surface, the plurality antenna elements arranged in a pattern on said surface such first selected ones of said antenna elements are responsive to circular polarization and second selected ones of said antenna elements are responsive to linear polarization.
Abstract:
A multiple slot antenna wherein the slots are arranged in a planar configuration and therein the antenna further comprises a plurality of plano-convex Rotman lenses disposed in a stack, each plano-convex Rotman lens in said stack having a major surface disposed at an angle to the planar configuration of the slots of the antenna, with planar portions of the each Rotman lens defining a portion of each one of the slots of the antenna.
Abstract:
A microelectromechanical (MEM) switch is fabricated inexpensively by using processing steps which are standard for fabricating multiple metal layer integrated circuits, such as CMOS. The exact steps may be adjusted to be compatible with the process of a particular foundry, resulting in a device which is both low cost and readily integrable with other circuits. The processing steps include making contacts for the MEM switch from metal plugs which are ordinarily used as vias to connect metal layers which are separated by a dielectric layer. Such contact vias are formed on either side of a sacrificial metallization area, and then the interconnect metallization is removed from between the contact vias, leaving them separated. Dielectric surrounding the contacts is etched back so that they protrude toward each other. Thus, when the contacts are moved toward each other by actuating the MEM switch, they connect firmly without obstruction. Tungsten is typically used to form vias in CMOS processes, and it makes an excellent contact material, but other via metals may also be employed as contacts. Interconnect metallization may be employed for other structural and interconnect needs of the MEM switch, and is preferably standard for the foundry and process used. Various metals and dielectric materials may be used to create the switches, but in a preferred embodiment the interconnect metal layers are aluminum and the dielectric material is SiO2, materials which are fully compatible with standard four-layer CMOS fabrication processes.
Abstract:
Disclosed is an antenna system including a Luneberg Lens having a spherically shaped outer surface and a spherically shaped focal surface spaced from its outer surface with a plurality of patch antenna elements disposed along the focal surface of the Luneberg Lens; and a power combiner for combining signals received by said plurality of patch antenna elements. The disclosed antenna system may be used a part of a robust GPS system having a plurality of GPS satellites each transmitting a GPS signal; a plurality of airborne GPS platforms, each GPS platform including a GPS transmitter for transmitting its own GPS signal, the GPS signals being transmitted from the plurality of airborne GPS platforms being differentiated from the GPS signals transmitted by visible GPS satellites; and at least one terrestrially located GPS receiver for receiving the GPS signals transmitted by visible ones of the GPS satellites and by visible ones of said airborne GPS platforms.