A reduced profile leaky-wave antenna and methods for manufacture therefor can include an inner conductor and an outer conductor. The outer conductor can be arranged in a coaxial relationship around the inner conductor to define an annular waveguide. A helical aperture can be formed in the outer conductor, to establish a leaky-wave antenna configuration. The helical aperture can have a helical pitch, which can be chosen according to the desired physical length of the antenna. For monopole reduced profile leaky-wave antennas, a metallic disk can optionally be placed the distal end of the antenna. For dipole reduced profile leaky-wave antenna embodiments, a metallic disk can be place at both ends of the antenna. The devices and methods of the present invention have the added advantage of allowing for the same feed structure to be used for both monopole antennas and dipole antennas.

A reduced profile leaky-wave antenna and methods for manufacture therefor can include an inner conductor and an outer conductor. The outer conductor can be arranged in a coaxial relationship around the inner conductor to define an annular waveguide. A helical aperture can be formed in the outer conductor, to establish a leaky-wave antenna configuration. The helical aperture can have a helical pitch, which can be chosen according to the desired physical length of the antenna. For monopole reduced profile leaky-wave antennas, a metallic disk can optionally be placed the distal end of the antenna. For dipole reduced profile leaky-wave antenna embodiments, a metallic disk can be place at both ends of the antenna. The devices and methods of the present invention have the added advantage of allowing for the same feed structure to be used for both monopole antennas and dipole antennas.

Systems and methods for improving an efficiency and a gain of a helical antenna. The methods comprise: configuring a conductive helix element of the helical antenna to comprise a proximal segment having a helical winding that extends along an axis of the conductive helix element and has a plurality of turns with linearly progressing pitch angles; configuring the conductive helix element to comprise a distal segment having a helical winding that extends along the axis of the conductive helix element and has a constant pitch angle; and coupling the distal segment to the proximal segment in a series arrangement so that a radio wave reaches a terminal velocity at a point of the coupling.

Systems and methods for improving an efficiency and a gain of a helical antenna. The methods comprise: configuring a conductive helix element of the helical antenna to comprise a proximal segment having a helical winding that extends along an axis of the conductive helix element and has a plurality of turns with linearly progressing pitch angles; configuring the conductive helix element to comprise a distal segment having a helical winding that extends along the axis of the conductive helix element and has a constant pitch angle; and coupling the distal segment to the proximal segment in a series arrangement so that a radio wave reaches a terminal velocity at a point of the coupling.

Provided herein are various enhanced antenna structures for radio frequency communications. In one example, an antenna includes a single-arm spiral antenna having an antenna element configured to couple to a radio frequency link at a central node of the spiral. A ground element is disposed proximate to the central node of the spiral and configured to couple to a ground reference for the radio frequency link.

Provided herein are various enhanced antenna structures for radio frequency communications. In one example, an antenna includes a single-arm spiral antenna having an antenna element configured to couple to a radio frequency link at a central node of the spiral. A ground element is disposed proximate to the central node of the spiral and configured to couple to a ground reference for the radio frequency link.

An electrically small electroquasistatic antenna having a structure that reduces radiated magnetic fields and maintains suitable radiated electrical fields. The electroquasistatic antenna is a dipole antenna that is electrically short, which presents as a capacitor for use as an electroquasistatic antenna, with one or multiple counterposed inductive elements to resonate the antenna and provide high efficiency while simultaneously canceling the external magnetic fields. The electroquasistatic antenna may be configured for operation as an electroquasistatic exciter or electroquasistatic detector.

An electrically small electroquasistatic antenna having a structure that reduces radiated magnetic fields and maintains suitable radiated electrical fields. The electroquasistatic antenna is a dipole antenna that is electrically short, which presents as a capacitor for use as an electroquasistatic antenna, with one or multiple counterposed inductive elements to resonate the antenna and provide high efficiency while simultaneously canceling the external magnetic fields. The electroquasistatic antenna may be configured for operation as an electroquasistatic exciter or electroquasistatic detector.

The present invention relates to systems, methods, and devices for consumers using RFID-tagged items for multichannel shopping using smartphones, tablets, and indoor navigation, preservation of consumer's privacy related to RFID-tagged items that they leave a retail store with, and automatically reading and locating retail inventory without directly using store labor. Robots and aerial mobile automated RFID reading devices are disclosed.

The present invention relates to systems, methods, and devices for consumers using RFID-tagged items for multichannel shopping using smartphones, tablets, and indoor navigation, preservation of consumer's privacy related to RFID-tagged items that they leave a retail store with, and automatically reading and locating retail inventory without directly using store labor. Robots and aerial mobile automated RFID reading devices are disclosed.