Methods and systems are disclosed and include receiving a signal via a first communication channel at a plurality of azimuth angles. The method includes determining a plurality of first communication channel phase angle differences between a pair of antennas. The method includes receiving a second signal via a second communication channel and at the plurality of azimuth angles. The method includes determining a plurality of second communication channel phase angle differences between the pair of antennas that each correspond to one of the plurality of azimuth angles. The method includes generating a first reference curve based on the plurality of first communication channel phase angle differences. The method includes generating a second reference curve based on the plurality of second communication channel phase angle differences. The method also includes generating a calibration curve that is based on an interpolation of the first reference curve and the second reference curve.

Apparatus and systems are disclosed and include a body having a plurality of slots. Each of the plurality of slots includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion is located on a first surface of the body. The second portion is located on a second surface of the body and forms a helical shape. The third portion is located on a third surface of the body. The first surface and the second surface are non-parallel. The third surface and the second surface are non-parallel. The apparatus includes a plurality of antenna elements that are disposed in a respective one of the plurality of slots. The plurality of antenna elements is configured to receive radio frequency (RF) signals. The apparatus includes a ground plane that is coupled to a first end of each of the plurality of antenna elements.

A system is disclosed and includes a plurality of antennas. Each antenna includes a plurality of conductive elements and is circularly polarized. The plurality of conductive elements is configured to receive radio frequency (RF) signals. A first end of each of the plurality of conductive elements is electrically coupled to a printed circuit board, which includes a plurality of coupler circuits and a switching circuit. The plurality of coupler circuits is configured to combine the RF signals and output a signal to the switching circuit based on the combined RF signals. The switching circuit is configured to selectively output one of the signals based on at least one control port of the switching circuit being selectively activated by a control signal. The system also includes a microcontroller configured to determine, based on at least one of the signals, an angle of arrival associated with the plurality of antennas.

An antenna device includes an antenna base having a longitudinal direction, a first antenna element on the antenna base, and a pair of second antenna elements on the antenna base, the pair of second antenna elements being capable of transmitting and receiving radio waves in a higher frequency band than the first antenna element. In a planar view, when the antenna base is divided into four regions by a first line segment along the longitudinal direction and a second line segment orthogonal to the first line segment intersecting each other at the center point of the first antenna element, a region where one of the pair of second antenna elements is located is not adjacent to a region where the other of the pair of second antenna elements is located.

A helicoidal, mixed polarization mono-conical antenna has: a supporting structure (2) with a longitudinal axis (2a); ground conductors (3) connected to an area around a first portion (4) of the supporting structure (2) defining a ground plane (21) of the antenna (1) orthogonal to the axis (2a); at least three signal conductors (7), which have respective first ends (8) that are connected to a second portion (5) of the supporting structure (2) and respective second ends (10) that are connected to a third portion (6) of the supporting structure (2) located between the first portion (4) and the second portion (5) along the axis (2a), the conductors wound in a helicoidal manner relative to the axis (2a) and shaped so as to define a substantially frusto-conical volume (12) which is coaxial to the axis (2a) and is oriented with a smaller base towards the first portion (4).

Various examples are provided for a helix antenna with dual functionality, in one embodiment, among others, a helix antenna includes a flexible substrate and a copper trace disposed on a side of the flexible substrate at a tilting angle (). Turns of the helix antenna are formed from the copper trace by wrapping the flexible substrate. In another embodiment, a system includes a helix antenna, a radio frequency (RF) communication circuit coupled to a first end of the helix antenna, and a low frequency (LF) power transmission circuit coupled to the first end of the helix antenna. The RF communication circuit can process RF signals received by the helix antenna and the LF power transmission circuit can regulate LF voltage induced in the helix antenna.

A method of tuning an electrically small antenna comprising a radiating element and a support structure comprises applying a force to the support structure to change a shape or a dimension of the radiating element to increase or decrease a frequency at which the electrically small antenna resonates.

An embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a radiator structure for a conical helical antenna that includes: (a) processing a piece of metal so as to produce a first metal structure with conical exterior and interior surfaces, and (b) processing the first metal structure to remove material between the conical exterior and interior surfaces to yield a radiator structure with a conical helical shaped conductor that can be combined with a ground plane to produce a conical helical antenna. In one embodiment, the radiator structure includes a matching structure and a cap with the conical helical conductor, matching structure, and cap being a single piece of metal.

A radio frequency (RF) communications system may include a local RF communications device and an RF antenna coupled to the local RF communications device. The RF antenna may include a cavity backing housing, a conical RF launch structure having an apex positioned within the cavity backing housing, and an elongate electrical conductor having a proximal end extending through the apex of the conical RF launch structure and a distal end spaced apart from the conical RF launch structure to define an elongate RF coverage pattern. The system may further include at least one remote RF communications device within the elongate RF coverage pattern to wirelessly communicate with the local RF communications device.

Provided herein is a deployable antenna assembly, a method of deploying an antenna, and systems and methods for sequentially deploying an extendable structure. The deployable antenna assembly includes an extendable pillar configured to extend in an axial direction along a deployment axis of the deployable antenna assembly to deploy an antenna. The extendable pillar includes at least one extendable element configured to convert between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration where the deployed configuration is longer in the axial direction than the stowed configuration. The extendable pillar also includes a launcher configured to initiate conversion of the plurality of extendable elements from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration, thereby extending the extendable pillar and deploying the antenna.