Temperature compensated radio frequency antenna and methods related thereto

Claim 2

A temperature compensated radio frequency microstrip antenna comprising: a metallic resonant electrical microstrip radiation patch conductor disposed above a ground plane to define at least one radiating aperture between an edge of said patch and said ground plane, said patch conductor having a nominal resonant frequency and a nominal resonant dimension which changes with temperature changes so as to change said nominal resonant frequency in a first direction, and dielectric material partly filling the volume under said resonant patch conductor and above said ground plane and having an effective dielectric constant which changes with temperature changes so as to change said nominal resonant frequency in a second direction opposite to said first direction, said dielectric material comprising solid material filling only a predetermined fractional portion of said volume so as to substantially reduce the net change in said nominal resonant frequency with respect to temperature.

Claim 3

A temperature compensated radio frequency electromagnetic signal microstrip radiator antenna comprising: an electromagnetic signal radiating aperture; a resonant cavity having a nominal resonant frequency and being defined by a first metallic member disposed above a second metallic member which together define said radiating aperture, said first metallic member having resonant dimensions which change with temperature changes so as to change said nominal resonant frequency in a first direction, and a dielectric material disposed within said resonant cavity and having an effective dielectric constant which changes with temperature changes so as to change said nominal resonant frequency in a second direction opposite to said first direction, said dielectric material occupying only the predetermined fraction of said resonant cavity required to substantially reduce the net change in said nominal resonant frequency over a predetermined range of temperature changes.

Claim 4

A temperature compensated radio frequency electromagnetic signal microstrip radiator antenna comprising: an electromagnetic signal radiating aperture; a resonant cavity having a nominal resonant frequency and being defined by a first metallic member disposed above a second metallic member which together define said radiating aperture, said first metallic member having resonant dimensions which change with temperature changes so as to change said nominal resonant frequency in a first direction, and a dielectric material disposed within said resonant cavity and having an effective dielectric constant which changes with temperature changes so as to change said nominal resonant frequency in a second direction opposite to said first direction, said dielectric material occupying only the predetermined fraction of said resonant cavity required to substantially reduce the net change in said nominal resonant frequency over a predetermined range of temperature changes.

Claim 5

A temperature compensated radio frequency electromagnetic signal radiator as in claim 2 wherein said dielectric material comprises Teflon/fiberglass.

Claim 6

A temperature compensated radio frequency electromagnetic signal radiator as in claim 2 or 3 wherein said metallic members comprise aluminum.

Claim 7

A temperature compensated radio frequency electromagnetic signal radiator as in claim 4 wherein said predetermined fraction is approximately one-fifth.

Claim 8

A temperature compensated radio frequency electromagnetic signal radiator as in claim 2 or 3 wherein said metallic members comprise copper.

Claim 9

A temperature compensated radio frequency electromagnetic signal radiator as in claim 6 wherein said predetermined fraction is approximately one-tenth.

Claim 10

A temperature compensated radio frequency microstrip antenna comprising: a radiating aperture, a reference conductor surface; a resonant-dimensioned conductor spaced above said reference conductor surface to define said radiating aperture therebetween, said resonant-dimensioned conductor having a resonant frequency which decreases with increasing temperature due to temperature induced increases in its resonant dimensions; and a dielectric member comprising solid material disposed between said reference conductor surface and said resonant-dimensioned conductor, said dielectric member having an effective dielectric constant which decreases with increasing temperature and which thereby causes a corresponding increase in the resonant frequency of said resonant-dimensioned conductor with increasing temperature, said resonant-dimensioned conductor and said dielectric member being relatively proportioned and made of appropriate materials to produce a substantially reduced net resonant frequency change over a predetermined range of temperature.

Claim 11

A temperature compensated radio frequency microstrip antenna comprising: a radiating aperture, a reference conductor surface; a resonant-dimensioned conductor spaced above said reference conductor surface to define said radiating aperture therebetween, said resonant-dimensioned conductor having a resonant frequency which decreases with increasing temperature due to temperature induced increases in its resonant dimensions; and a dielectric member comprising solid material disposed between said reference conductor surface and said resonant-dimensioned conductor, said dielectric member having an effective dielectric constant which decreases with increasing temperature and which thereby causes a corresponding increase in the resonant frequency of said resonant-dimensioned conductor with increasing temperature, said resonant-dimensioned conductor and said dielectric member being relatively proportioned and made of appropriate materials to produce a substantially reduced net resonant frequency change over a predetermined range of temperature.

Claim 12

A temperature compensated radio frequency antenna as in claim 8 wherein said dielectric member comprises Teflon/fiberglass.

Claim 13

A temperature compensated radio frequency antenna as in claim 8 or 9 wherein at least said resonant-dimensioned conductor comprises aluminum material.

Claim 14

A temperature compensated radio frequency antenna as in claim 10 wherein said dielectric member extends over only approximately 20% of the resonant-dimensioned conductor.

Claim 15

A temperature compensated radio frequency antenna as in claim 10 wherein said dielectric member occupies only approximately 20% of the volume defined between said reference conductor surface and said resonant-dimensioned conductor.

Claim 16

A temperature compensated radio frequency antenna as in claim 8 or 9 wherein at least said resonant-dimensioned conductor comprises copper material.

Claim 17

A temperature compensated radio frequency antenna as in claim 13 wherein said dielectric member extends over only approximately 10% of the resonant-dimensioned conductor.

Claim 18

A temperature compensated radio frequency antenna as in claim 13 wherein said dielectric member occupies only approximately 10% of the volume defined between said referenced conductor surface and said resonant-dimensioned conductor.

Claim 19

A temperature compensated radio frequency antenna as in claim 8 or 9 wherein said reference conductor surface and said resonant-dimenstioned conductor are opposing spaced-apart surfaces defining a resonant cavity volume therebetween and wherein said dielectric member occupies only a predetermined fraction of such resonant cavity volume, said predetermined fraction being determined so as to substantially reduce said net resonant frequency change.

Claim 22

A method as in claim 17 wherein said metallic resonant cavity comprises aluminum, said dielectric material comprises Teflon/fiberglass and said predetermined fraction is approximately one-fifth.

Claim 23

A method as in claim 17 wherein said metallic resonant cavity comprises copper, said dielectric material comprises Teflon/fiberglass and said predetermined fraction is approximately one-tenth.

Claim 24

An improved microstrip radio frequency antenna of the type having shaped metallic electrical conductive surface areas serving as resonant radiator patch(es) with electrical wavelength-related dimensions that increase with increasing temperature thus tending to decrease antenna operating frequency and also having a metallic conductive ground plane or reference surface spaced therebelow, at a substantially uniform short distance in terms of wavelength dimensions, by dielectric material, wherein the improvement comprises: a negative temperature coefficient dielectric material which tends to increase antenna operating frequency with increasing temperature disposed in the volume defined between said metallic reference surface on one hand and said shaped metallic surface areas on the other hand, said negative temperature coefficient dielectric occupying only a predetermined fraction of said volume as required to achieve a narrowed range of microstrip antenna operating frequencies over a desired range of ambient temperatures.

Claim 25

An improved microstrip radio frequency antenna of the type having shaped metallic electrical conductive surface areas serving as resonant radiator patch(es) with electrical wavelength-related dimensions that increase with increasing temperature thus tending to decrease antenna operating frequency and also having a metallic conductive ground plane or reference surface spaced therebelow, at a substantially uniform short distance in terms of wavelength dimensions, by dielectric material, wherein the improvement comprises: a negative temperature coefficient dielectric material which tends to increase antenna operating frequency with increasing temperature disposed in the volume defined between said metallic reference surface on one hand and said shaped metallic surface areas on the other hand, said negative temperature coefficient dielectric occupying only a predetermined fraction of said volume as required to achieve a narrowed range of microstrip antenna operating frequencies over a desired range of ambient temperatures.

Claim 26

An improved microstrip radio-frequency antenna as in claim 20 wherein said negative temperature coefficient dielectric material comprises a solid strip transversely extending between said conductive surfaces entirely across said volume.

Claim 27

An improved microstrip radio frequency antenna of the type having shaped metallic electrical conductive surface areas serving as resonant radiator patch(es) with electrical wavelength-related dimensions that increase with increasing temperature thus tending to decrease antenna operating frequency and also having a metallic conductive ground plane or reference surface spaced therebelow, at a substantially uniform short distance in terms of wavelength dimensions, by dielectric material, wherein the improvement comprises: a negative temperature coefficient dielectric material including a solid sheet supporting said shaped conductive surface areas and wherein said solid sheet is itself disposed above said reference surface and supported there by a second dielectric structure, said negative temperature coefficient dielectric material tending to increase antenna operating frequency with increasing temperature and being disposed in the volume defined between said metallic reference surface on one hand and said shaped metallic surface areas on the other hand, said negative temperature coefficient dielectric occupying only a predetermined fraction of said volume as required to achieve a narrowed range of microstrip antenna operating frequencies over a desired range of ambient temperatures.

Claim 28

An improved microstrip radio frequency antenna of the type having shaped metallic electrical conductive surface areas serving as resonant radiator patch(es) with electrical wavelength-related dimensions that increase with increasing temperature thus tending to decrease antenna operating frequency and also having a metallic conductive ground plane or reference surface spaced therebelow, at a substantially uniform short distance in terms of wavelength dimensions, by dielectric material, wherein the improvement comprises: a negative temperature coefficient dielectric material including a solid sheet supporting said shaped conductive surface areas and wherein said solid sheet is itself disposed above said reference surface and supported there by a second dielectric structure, said negative temperature coefficient dielectric material tending to increase antenna operating frequency with increasing temperature and being disposed in the volume defined between said metallic reference surface on one hand and said shaped metallic surface areas on the other hand, said negative temperature coefficient dielectric occupying only a predetermined fraction of said volume as required to achieve a narrowed range of microstrip antenna operating frequencies over a desired range of ambient temperatures.

Claim 29

An improved microstrip radio frequency antenna of the type having shaped metallic electrical conductive surface areas serving as resonant radiator patch(es) with electrical wavelength-related dimensions that increase with increasing temperature thus tending to decrease antenna operating frequency and also having a metallic conductive ground plane or reference surface spaced therebelow, at a substantially uniform short distance in terms of wavelength dimensions, by dielectric material, wherein the improvement comprises: a negative temperature coefficient dielectric material including a solid sheet disposed above substantially all of said reference surface but filling only a predetermined fraction of the volume defined between said metallic reference surface on one hand and said shaped metallic surface areas on the other hand, said negative temperature coefficient dielectric material tending to increase antenna operating frequency with increasing temperature occupying only a predetermined fraction of said volume as required to achieve a narrowed range of microstrip antenna operating frequencies over a desired range of ambient temperatures.

Claim 30

An improved microstrip radio frequency antenna of the type having shaped metallic electrical conductive surface areas serving as resonant radiator patch(es) with electrical wavelength-related dimensions that increase with increasing temperature thus tending to decrease antenna operating frequency and also having a metallic conductive ground plane or reference surface spaced therebelow, at a substantially uniform short distance in terms of wavelength dimensions, by dielectric material, wherein the improvement comprises: a negative temperature coefficient dielectric material including a solid sheet disposed above substantially all of said reference surface but filling only a predetermined fraction of the volume defined between said metallic reference surface on one hand and said shaped metallic surface areas on the other hand, said negative temperature coefficient dielectric material tending to increase antenna operating frequency with increasing temperature occupying only a predetermined fraction of said volume as required to achieve a narrowed range of microstrip antenna operating frequencies over a desired range of ambient temperatures.

Claim 31

An improved microstrip radio frequency antenna as in claim 22 or 23 wherein said shaped conductive surface areas include integrally formed and connected feedline structure for conducting r.f. energy to/from said radiator patch(es) and also having wavelength-related dimensions which increase with increasing temperature.

Claim 32

An improved microstrip radio frequency antenna of the type having shaped metallic electrical conductive surface areas serving as resonant radiator patch(es) with electrical wavelength-related dimensions that increase with increasing temperature thus tending to decrease antenna operating frequency and also having a metallic conductive ground plane or reference surface spaced therebelow, at a substantially uniform short distance in terms of wavelength dimensions, by dielectirc material, wherein the improvement comprises: a negative temperature coefficient dielectric material which tends to increase antenna operating frequency with increasing temperature disposed in the volume defined between said metallic reference surface on one hand and said shaped metallic surface areas on the other hand, said negative temperature coefficient dielectric occupying only a predetermined fraction of said volume as required to achieve a narrowed range of microstrip antenna operating frequencies over a desired range of ambient temperatures, and said negative temperature coefficient dielectric material including one portion of a multi-part dielectric structure which substantially occupies all of said volume.

Claim 33

An improved microstrip radio frequency antenna of the type having shaped metallic electrical conductive surface areas serving as resonant radiator patch(es) with electrical wavelength-related dimensions that increase with increasing temperature thus tending to decrease antenna operating frequency and also having a metallic conductive ground plane or reference surface spaced therebelow, at a substantially uniform short distance in terms of wavelength dimensions, by dielectirc material, wherein the improvement comprises: a negative temperature coefficient dielectric material which tends to increase antenna operating frequency with increasing temperature disposed in the volume defined between said metallic reference surface on one hand and said shaped metallic surface areas on the other hand, said negative temperature coefficient dielectric occupying only a predetermined fraction of said volume as required to achieve a narrowed range of microstrip antenna operating frequencies over a desired range of ambient temperatures, and said negative temperature coefficient dielectric material including one portion of a multi-part dielectric structure which substantially occupies all of said volume.

Claim 34

An improved microstrip radio frequency antenna as in claim 25 wherein said multi-part dielectric structure includes a second honey-comb shaped portion.

Claim 35

An improved microstrip radio frequency antenna as in claim 25 wherein said multi-part dielectric structure includes a second foam-structured portion.