US7245269B2 — Adaptive beam forming antenna system using a tuna…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 209 words

A method of beam steering comprising: a. arranging an antenna so that the antenna radiates a tunable impedance surface with RF radiation, the tunable impedance surface having a plurality of tunable resonator cells, each resonator cell being tunable by at least one tuning element associated therewith; b. applying an initial set of control signals to the tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface group by group; c. adjusting the coritrol signal up and down by an incremental amount v for a selected group; d. transmitting and/or receiving an RE signal which is reflected from the tunable impedance surface and measuring a parameter associated with power of the transmitted and/or received RE signal for three cases of −v, 0, and +v adjustments of the control signal for said selected group; e. noting a best value of the control signal for the three cases and setting the control signal accordingly for said selected group and adjusting the control signal up and down by said incremental amount v for another selected group; f. repeating steps d and e to adjust the tuning elements for said another selected group until all the tuning elements have been adjusted; and g. repeating steps c–f to adjust the tuning elements for a period of time.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 209 words

A method of beam steering comprising: a. arranging an antenna so that the antenna radiates a tunable impedance surface with RF radiation, the tunable impedance surface having a plurality of tunable resonator cells, each resonator cell being tunable by at least one tuning element associated therewith; b. applying an initial set of control signals to the tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface group by group; c. adjusting the coritrol signal up and down by an incremental amount v for a selected group; d. transmitting and/or receiving an RE signal which is reflected from the tunable impedance surface and measuring a parameter associated with power of the transmitted and/or received RE signal for three cases of −v, 0, and +v adjustments of the control signal for said selected group; e. noting a best value of the control signal for the three cases and setting the control signal accordingly for said selected group and adjusting the control signal up and down by said incremental amount v for another selected group; f. repeating steps d and e to adjust the tuning elements for said another selected group until all the tuning elements have been adjusted; and g. repeating steps c–f to adjust the tuning elements for a period of time.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 wherein in step g the incremental amount v is decreased during said period of time.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the control signal up and down by said incremental amount v for a selected one of the resonator cells causes the resonance of the selected one of the resonator cells to vary step-wise.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 3 wherein adjusting the control signal up and down by said incremental amount v for another selected one of the resonator cells causes the resonance of the another selected one of the resonator cells to vary step-wise.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said antenna is a horn type antenna.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the tuning elements associated with the plurality of tunable resonator cells comprise individually tunable variable impedance devices.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 6 wherein the variable impedance devices comprise varactor diodes and the control signals comprise control voltages.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 103 words

A method of beam steering comprising: a. arranging an antenna so that the antenna radiates from a tunable impedance surface with RF radiation, the tunable impedance surface having a plurality of tunable resonator cells, each resonator cell having a reactance tunable by at least one tuning element associated therewith; and b. sequentially adjusting tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface so that resonances of the tunable resonator cells are varied in a sequence and setting the resonances of the tunable resonator cells to values determined based on said sequence which improve transmission of information via said tunable impedance surface and said antenna.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 103 words

A method of beam steering comprising: a. arranging an antenna so that the antenna radiates from a tunable impedance surface with RF radiation, the tunable impedance surface having a plurality of tunable resonator cells, each resonator cell having a reactance tunable by at least one tuning element associated therewith; and b. sequentially adjusting tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface so that resonances of the tunable resonator cells are varied in a sequence and setting the resonances of the tunable resonator cells to values determined based on said sequence which improve transmission of information via said tunable impedance surface and said antenna.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 8 wherein the resonances of the tunable resonator cells are varied step-wise in said sequence.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 9 wherein the step-wise variance of the resonances of the tunable resonator cells decreases over a period of time.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 8 wherein the tuning elements are voltage controlled capacitors.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 11 wherein the adjusting of tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface is performed by adjusting a control voltage supplied to each voltage controlled capacitor.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 12 wherein the adjusting of the control voltages supplied to said voltage controlled capacitors is performed step-wise.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 13 wherein the step-wise variance of the control voltages supplied to said voltage controlled capacitors decreases over a period of time.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 14 wherein the information whose transmission is improved is desired information and wherein reception of undesired information is diminished.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 8 wherein the resonances of the tunable resonator cells are varied in said sequence by varying a control voltage applied to the tuning elements in a predetermined pattern for each tuning element associated with said plurality of tunable resonator cells.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method of claim 16 wherein said predetermined pattern includes increasing and decreasing the control voltage applied to the tuning elements and wherein the resonances of the tunable resonator cells are each set based on a preferred control voltage selected in accordance with said predetermined pattern for each tunable resonator cell in said plurality of tunable resonator cells.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 132 words

A communication system comprising: a. an antenna; b. a tunable impedance surface disposed to reflect RF radiation between at least one communications link and said antenna, the tunable impedance surface having a plurality of tunable resonator cells arranged in a two dimensional array, each resonator cell having a reactance that is tunable by at least one tuning element associated therewith; c. a receiver, and controller coupled to said antenna, the receiver and controller including a signal discriminator for measuring one or more parameters associated with communication quality of service over said at least one communications link, the receiver and controller sequentially adjusting the tuning elements associated with the tunable resonator cells in said tunable impedance surface in order to improve the communication quality of service over said at least one communications link.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 132 words

A communication system comprising: a. an antenna; b. a tunable impedance surface disposed to reflect RF radiation between at least one communications link and said antenna, the tunable impedance surface having a plurality of tunable resonator cells arranged in a two dimensional array, each resonator cell having a reactance that is tunable by at least one tuning element associated therewith; c. a receiver, and controller coupled to said antenna, the receiver and controller including a signal discriminator for measuring one or more parameters associated with communication quality of service over said at least one communications link, the receiver and controller sequentially adjusting the tuning elements associated with the tunable resonator cells in said tunable impedance surface in order to improve the communication quality of service over said at least one communications link.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 13 words

The communication system of claim 18 wherein the antenna is a feed horn.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 20 words

The communication system of claim 18 wherein the tuning elements associated with the tunable resonator cells are variable impedance devices.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 217 words

The communication system of claim 18 wherein the receiver and cpntroller: a. apply an initial set of control signals to the tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface, the tuning elements being arranged in groups having one or more tuning elements for each group; b. adjust the control signal up and down by an incremental amount v for a selected group of one or more tuning elements; c. receive an RF signal which is reflected from the tunable impedance surface and measure a parameter associated with power of the transmitted and/or received RF signal for three cases of −v, 0, and +v adjustments of the control signal for the selected group of one or more tuning elements; d. note a best value of the control signal for the three cases and set the control signal accordingly for said selected one of the groups of one or more tuning elements and adjusting the control signal up and down by said incremental amount v for another selected one of the tuning elements; e. repeat items c and d to adjust each of the groups tunable tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface; and f. repeat items b–e to adjust all tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface in a continuous pattern for a period of time.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 242 words

A method of beam steering comprising: a. arranging an antenna so that the antenna radiates a tunable impedance surface with RF radiation, the tunable impedance surface having tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface, the tuning elements being arranged in groups having one or more tuning elements for each group; b. applying an initial set of control signals to the groups of one or more tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface; c. adjusting the control signal by an incremental amount v for a selected group of one or more tuning elements; d. receiving and/or transmitting an RF signal which is reflected from the tunable impedance surface and measuring a parameter associated with power of the transmitted and/or received RE signal for three cases of −v, 0, and +v adjustments of the control signal for the selected group of one or more tuning elements; e. noting a best value of the control signal for the three cases and setting the control signal accordingly for said selected one of the groups of one or more tuning elements and adjusting the control signal by said incremental amount v for another selected one of the tuning elements; f. repeating subparagraphs d and e to adjust each of the groups tunable tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface; and g. repeating subparagraphs b–e to adjust all tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface in a continuous pattern for a period of time.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 242 words

A method of beam steering comprising: a. arranging an antenna so that the antenna radiates a tunable impedance surface with RF radiation, the tunable impedance surface having tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface, the tuning elements being arranged in groups having one or more tuning elements for each group; b. applying an initial set of control signals to the groups of one or more tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface; c. adjusting the control signal by an incremental amount v for a selected group of one or more tuning elements; d. receiving and/or transmitting an RF signal which is reflected from the tunable impedance surface and measuring a parameter associated with power of the transmitted and/or received RE signal for three cases of −v, 0, and +v adjustments of the control signal for the selected group of one or more tuning elements; e. noting a best value of the control signal for the three cases and setting the control signal accordingly for said selected one of the groups of one or more tuning elements and adjusting the control signal by said incremental amount v for another selected one of the tuning elements; f. repeating subparagraphs d and e to adjust each of the groups tunable tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface; and g. repeating subparagraphs b–e to adjust all tuning elements associated with the tunable impedance surface in a continuous pattern for a period of time.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 57 words

The method of claim 22 wherein the tuning elements comprise an array of resonator cells, the array of resonator cells being defined by an array of plates (i) disposed on a dielectric surface and (ii) spaced from a ground plane by a distance which is less than one quarter wavelength of a frequency of the RF radiation.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 144 words

A method of beam steering comprising: a. arranging an antenna relative to a tunable impedance surface so that RF radiation reflects from the tunable impedance surface, RF radiation either being transmitted from the antenna and/or received thereby via said tunable impedance surface, the tunable impedance surface having a plurality of tunable resonator cells, each resonator cell having, a reactance tunable by at least one tuning element associated therewith; b. tuning the tuning elements associated with each tunable resonator cell in a predetermined pattern so that resonance of each tunable resonator cell is tuned according to said pattern and wherein said tuning elements are sequentially tuned so that all of tuning elements associated with said plurality of tunable resonator cells are eventually tuned according to said pattern; and c. setting the resonances of the tunable resonator cells to values selected based on said predetermined pattern.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 144 words

A method of beam steering comprising: a. arranging an antenna relative to a tunable impedance surface so that RF radiation reflects from the tunable impedance surface, RF radiation either being transmitted from the antenna and/or received thereby via said tunable impedance surface, the tunable impedance surface having a plurality of tunable resonator cells, each resonator cell having, a reactance tunable by at least one tuning element associated therewith; b. tuning the tuning elements associated with each tunable resonator cell in a predetermined pattern so that resonance of each tunable resonator cell is tuned according to said pattern and wherein said tuning elements are sequentially tuned so that all of tuning elements associated with said plurality of tunable resonator cells are eventually tuned according to said pattern; and c. setting the resonances of the tunable resonator cells to values selected based on said predetermined pattern.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2010-07-16	2011-01-15	2011-07-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2014-07-16	2015-01-15	2015-07-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2018-07-16	2019-01-15	2019-07-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Adaptive beam forming antenna system using a tunable impedance surface

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