Abstract
The present invention relates to a new on-body dual antiphase antenna design and a plurality of its modifications to better transmit a radio frequency signal into human or animal body, or receive a radio frequency signal from human or animal body. The antiphase transmission and/or reception is achieved by connecting each individual patch antenna to a 180 degrees microwave power splitter or to a 180 degrees microwave power combiner.
Claims
1. A dual antiphase antenna transmitting into a mammal body and comprising: a top and a bottom, at least two individual patch antennas, wherein the at least two individual patch antennas are spaced closely to each other and wherein each antenna further comprises; a dielectric substrate comprising a first side and a second side; a metal radiating patch in close contact with the mammal body; wherein the metal radiating patch is on the first side of the dielectric substrate; a metal ground plane located on the second side of the substrate; wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are driven with the phase difference of 180.
2. A dual antiphase antenna receiving from a mammal body and comprising: a top and a bottom, at least two individual patch antennas, wherein the at least two individual patch antennas are spaced closely to each other and wherein each antenna further comprises; a dielectric substrate comprising a first side and a second side; a metal radiating patch in close contact with the mammal body; wherein the metal radiating patch is on the first side of the dielectric substrate: a metal ground plane located on the second side of the substrate; wherein the signals from the first antenna and the second antenna are combined with the phase difference of 180.
3. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 1 further comprising coaxial probe feeds for each of the at least two individual patch antennas.
4. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 1 further comprising microstrip feeds for each of the at least two individual patch antennas.
5. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 1 further comprising two separate antenna matching networks.
6. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 1 further comprising a 180 power splitter.
7. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 1 further comprising a 180 power splitter connected to a transmitter.
8. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 1 wherein the at least two individual two patch antennas are replaced by at least two planar inverted F antennas.
9. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 1 wherein the at least two individual patch antennas are replaced by at least two printed loop antennas.
10. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 1 wherein the at least two individual patch antennas are replaced by at least two printed dipole antennas.
11. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 1 wherein the at least two individual two patch antennas are replaced by at least two printed monopole antennas.
12. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 2 further comprising coaxial probe feeds for each of the at least two individual patch antennas.
13. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 2 further comprising microstrip feeds for each of the at least two individual patch antennas.
14. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 2 further comprising two separate antenna matching networks.
15. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 2 further comprising a 180 power combiner.
16. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 2 further comprising a 180 power combiner connected to a receiver.
17. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 2 wherein the at least two individual patch antennas are replaced by at least two planar inverted F antennas.
18. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 2 wherein the at least two individual patch antennas are replaced by at least two printed loop antennas.
19. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 2 wherein the at least two individual patch antennas are replaced by at least two printed dipole antennas.
20. The dual antiphase antenna of claim 2 wherein the at least two individual patch antennas are replaced by at least two printed monopole antennas.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIGS. 1a-d are schematic representations of the preferred and further applications of the dual antiphase antenna.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a preferred configuration of the dual antiphase antenna with two impedance matching networks and a 180 degrees power splitter/combiner, which is further connected to a transmitter/receiver.
[0026] FIG. 3a and b is a schematic representation of a preferred configuration of the dual antiphase antenna with the probe feeds on the opposite sides of the top patches.
[0027] FIG. 4a and b is a schematic representation of a further configuration of the dual antiphase antenna with the probe feeds in echelon.
[0028] FIG. 5a and b is a schematic representation of a further configuration of the dual antiphase antenna with the probe feeds on the closest sides of the top patches.
[0029] FIG. 6a and b is a schematic representation of a preferred configuration of the dual antiphase antenna with the microstrip feeds on the opposite sides of the top patches.
[0030] FIG. 7a and b is a schematic representation of a further configuration of the dual antiphase antenna with the microstrip feeds in echelon.
[0031] FIG. 8a and b is a schematic representation of a further configuration of the dual antiphase antenna with the microstrip feeds on the closest sides of the top patches.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] FIG. 1a is a schematic representation of the preferred application of the dual antiphase antenna 20 receiving a wireless signal from an implanted sensor 21 to the dual antiphase antenna 20. The top 24 of dual antiphase antenna 20 is placed on or in close proximity to the epidermal layer 23 of a mammal 26 while the bottom 25 faces away from the epidural layer 23 of the mammal 26. This application is pertinent to communications with implanted body sensors, in particular with cardiac sensors, via a body area network.
[0033] FIG. 1a includes a schematic representation of another application of the dual antiphase antenna 20 receiving a wireless signal from a smart pill 22 to the dual antiphase antenna 20. It is pertinent to gastroenterology telemetry with smart pills via a body area network.
[0034] FIG. 1b is a schematic representation of another application of the dual antiphase antenna 20 wherein microwave propagation between two antiphase antennas 20 through upper or lower extremities is analyzed. It is pertinent to microwave imaging for bone density estimation.
[0035] FIG. 1c is a schematic representation of another application of the dual antiphase antenna 20 wherein microwave antiphase antennas 20 are used for breast cancer imaging. It is pertinent to microwave breast cancer screening and detection.
[0036] FIG. 1d is a schematic representation of another application of the dual antiphase antenna 20 showing microwave head imaging with dual antiphase antennas 20. It is pertinent to stroke and TBI (traumatic brain injury) detection.
[0037] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a preferred configuration of the dual antiphase antenna 20 wherein the patch antenna feeds 3 and 4 are as far apart as possible. The dual antiphase antenna 20, with top 24 and bottom 25, is fed via a 180 degrees power splitter/combiner 10 connected to the antennas through two matching networks 11. The power splitter 10 is further connected to either transmitter or receiver 14. When using a printed circuit, the power splitter/combiner 10 and the two matching networks 11 may be combined together into one single block.
[0038] FIG. 3a shows a top view schematic representation of a preferred configuration of the dual antiphase antenna 20 with a probe feed. The dual antiphase antenna 20 is comprised of dielectric substrate 1 and two surface patches 2. FIG. 3b shows a side view schematic representation of a preferred configuration of the dual antiphase antenna 20 consisting of dielectric substrate 1, two surface patches 2, patch antenna feeds 3, 4, and a ground plane 5. The dielectric substrate 1 consists of a first side 27 and a second side 28. The two surface patches 2 are located the first side 27 of the dielectric substrate 1 and the ground plane is located on the second side 28 of the dielectric substrate 1. In this preferred configuration the feeds 3 and 4 are located close to the opposite edges of patches 2.
[0039] FIG. 4a shows a top view schematic representation of a further configuration of the dual antiphase antenna 20 with a probe feed comprised of dielectric substrate 1 and two surface patches 2. FIG. 4b shows a side view schematic representation of the dual antiphase antenna 20 consisting of dielectric substrate 1, two surface patches 2, patch antenna feeds 3, 4, and a ground plane 5. The feeds 3 and 4 are located in echelon, similar to the standard patch antenna array.
[0040] FIG. 5a shows a top view schematic representation of a preferred configuration of the dual antiphase antenna 20 with a probe feed consisting of dielectric substrate 1 and two surface patches 2. FIG. 5b shows a side view schematic representation of the dual antiphase antenna 20 with a probe feed consisting of dielectric substrate 1, two surface patches 2, patch antenna feeds 3, 4, and a ground plane 5. The feeds are located close to the nearest edges of patches 2.
[0041] FIG. 6a shows a top view schematic representation of a preferred configuration of the dual antiphase antenna 20 with a microstrip feed. The dual antiphase antenna 20 consists of dielectric substrate 1 and two surface patches 2 and antenna feeds 15 and 16. FIG. 6b shows a side view schematic representation of the dual antiphase antenna 20 with a microstrip feed consisting of dielectric substrate 1, two surface patches 2, antenna feeds 15, 16, and a ground plane 5. The feeds 15 and 16 are located close to the opposite edges of patches 2.
[0042] FIG. 7a shows a schematic representation of a further configuration of the dual antiphase antenna 20 with a microstrip feed. The dual antiphase antenna 20 consists of dielectric substrate 1, two surface patches 2, and patch antenna feeds 15 and 16. FIG. 7b is a side view schematic representation of dual antiphase antenna 20 with a microstrip feed consisting of dielectric substrate 1, two surface patches 2, and patch antenna feeds 15, 16, and a ground plane 5. The feeds 15 and 16 are located in echelon, similar to the standard patch antenna array.
[0043] FIG. 8a shows a top view schematic representation of a further configuration of the dual antiphase antenna 20 with a microstrip feed. The dual antiphase antenna 20 consists of dielectric substrate 1, two surface patches 2, and patch antenna feeds 15, 16. FIG. 8b shows a side view schematic representation of the dual antiphase antenna 20 with a microstrip feed consisting of dielectric substrate 1, two surface patches 2, and patch antenna feeds 15, 16, and a ground plane 5. The feeds 15 and 16 are located close to the nearest edges of patches 2.
