Impedance matching means between antenna and transmission line

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an impedance matching means, and more particularly to an impedance matching means between an antenna and a transmission line.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In many RF situations, there is a relatively fixed load impedance—say a resonant antenna with a fixed impedance. A transmission line, such as a coaxial cable providing power energy to the antenna has its own characteristic impedance. In most cases when the energy reaches the end of the cable, we want as much as possible to transfer into our load—the antenna, in the case of a transmitter, or the input RF stage in the case of a receiver. For a transmitter this gives the highest power efficiency, while for a receiver this gives the best noise performance. To ensure this optimum energy transfer, we need to match the characteristic impedance of the cable to the impedance of the load. So for a 75 Ω antenna, we need to use 75 Ω cable. For a 50 Ω antenna we need to use 50 Ω cable, and so on. Impedance matching is critical factor in antenna assembly design. Because what happens if the transmission line and the antenna impedance are not matched is that some of the RF energy reaching the end of the transmission line cannot be transferred into the load, but is reflected back along the line towards the source. This can set up standing waves in the line and can also cause overheating in the transmitter output stage. In a receiver, the mismatch degrades the effective receiver gain and noise figure.

Hence, great attention is focused on the impedance matching by researchers in this field. Generally the cable impedance is more or less fixed, and the antenna impedance may be the same. So we need additional techniques to match the impedance of antenna with that of the cable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an impedance matching means to realize impedance matching between an antenna and a transmission line.

An impedance matching means according to the present invention is used with an antenna and is realized by a parasitic element for tuning an impedance of the antenna. The antenna comprises a grounding plate, a radiating body arranged on the grounding plate and a transmission line coupled to said radiating body and grounding plate. The parasitic element formed of a narrow metal sheet and configured as a bridge shape is arranged on the grounding plate. The parasitic element has a first and a second free ends, both of which are electrically connected to the grounding plate. The arrangement of the parasitic element results in a change of the impedance of the antenna, and especially its location can be tuned easily.

Additional novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective, assembled view of an antenna with an impedance matching means in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is obverse view of an radiating body of the antenna of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 2B is a reverse view of the radiating body of FIG. 2A ;

FIG. 3 is a test chart recording for the antenna with the impedance matching means of FIG. 1 , showing Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) as a function of frequency; and

FIGS. 4-6 show different embodiments of the impedance matching means of the invention.

Reference will now be made in detail to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an antenna comprises a radiating body 1 , a grounding plate 2 and a coaxial cable 4 . The radiating body 1 is arranged on the grounding plate 2 and power energy is supplied thereto by the coaxial cable 4 . An impedance matching means is realized by a parasitic element 3 , which is arranged on the grounding plate 2 as well.

The radiating body 1 is formed of a metal foil fabricated on a dielectric substrate 10 thereof. The dielectric substrate 10 is disposed perpendicularly on the grounding plate 2 . The area of the grounding plate 2 is much greater than that of the dielectric substrate 10 . In this way, the grounding plate 2 provides a mirror image for the radiating body 1 above it so that it is as if another radiating body 1 is located below the grounding plate 2 . The parasitic element 3 positioned on the grounding plate 2 crosses the radiating body 1 and is used to tune an input impedance of the antenna. The parasitic element 3 comprises a first arm 31 , a second arm 32 , which are orthogonal to the grounding plate 2 and a third arm 33 connected to the first and second arm 31 , 32 transversely. The three arms 31 , 32 , 33 are formed of a narrow metal sheet and constitute a bridge-shaped parasitic element 3 together. The first arm 31 has a first free end 311 electrically coupled to the grounding plate 2 , and the second arm has a second free end 321 coupled to the plate 2 likewise. The parasitic element 3 is symmetrically aligned on the grounding plate with respect to the radiating body. In order to achieve impedance matching between the antenna and the cable 4 , the locations and dimensions of the parasitic element 3 may need to be adjusted. For example, if an influence for the input impedance of the antenna by the parasitic element 3 is not obvious or enough, we may lay the parasitic element 3 toward the radiating body 1 as close as possible or enhance a narrow width of the parasitic element 3 . If the impedance of the antenna appears capacitive, we may increase the length of the third arm 33 of the parasitic element 3 and on the contrary, if the impedance of the antenna appears inductive, we may decrease the length of the third arm 33 of the parasitic element 3 . In addition, we may employ more than one parasitic element 3 to adjust the antenna input impedance, as shown in FIG. 6 .

As shown in amplificatory views of the antenna radiating body 1 in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B , the dielectric substrate 10 has a first surface 101 and an opposite second surface 102 . The metal foil constitutes a first radiating portion 11 , a second radiating portion 12 and a feed portion 13 , which are fabricated on the first surface 101 of the dielectric substrate 10 . On the second surface 102 of the substrate 10 there disposes a parasitic portion, which is not connected directly with a cable 4 and used for improving the gain of the antenna. The parasitic portion consists of three metal pieces 14 , 15 , 16 arranged at predetermined locations of the second surface 102 with different sizes. The respective lengths of the radiating portions 11 , 12 are selected to be ¼ wavelength of the central frequency of the respective resonant frequencies. The first radiating portion 11 serves to generate a first (higher frequency) resonant frequency and the second radiating portion 12 serves to generate a second (lower frequency) resonant frequency. The radiating portions 11 , 12 and the feed portion 13 can be fabricated on the dielectric substrate 10 by means of etching or other techniques. The coaxial cable 4 has an inner conductor 41 and an outer shield conductor, which feeds power energy to the antenna through a hole in the grounding plate 2 with the inner conductor 41 connecting to the feed portion 13 and the outer shield conductor connecting to the grounding plate 2 (not shown).

The foregoing antenna is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention. Other types of antenna, such as PIFA, dipole antenna, microstrip antenna or the like might be employed in the invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the central frequency of the first resonant frequency band is around 2.4 GHz, and that of the second resonant frequency band is around 5.2 GHz. Furthermore, under the definition of the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) less than 2, the bandwidth of the first resonant frequency and that of the second resonant frequency cover 2.3-2.65 GHZ and 4.4-6.0 GHz, respectively. The two frequency bands are so wide that cover the bands (2.4 GHz and 5.2 GHz) for Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). The VSWR proves that due to the existence of the parasitic element 3 , the impedance matching between the antenna and the cable 4 is perfect.

The parasitic element 3 employed as impedance matching means can be other modifications to those skilled in the relevant art. Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 , other two modalities of the parasitic element 3 are suggested. The parasitic element 3 in FIG. 4 is configured as a half-circular arc shape and in FIG. 5 as an inverted-V shape. Referring to FIG. 6 , a second parasitic element 3 ′ is employed. Both the parasitic elements 3 , 3 ′ are arranged on the grounding plate 2 and parallel to each other.

While the foregoing description includes details which will enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be recognized that the description is illustrative in nature and that many modifications and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of these teachings. It is accordingly intended that the invention herein be defined solely by the claims appended hereto and that the claims be interpreted as broadly as permitted by the prior art.