Abstract: An apparatus for space and terrestrial communication applications includes a Ka-band horn combined with a S-band cross-polarization cup. The S-band cross-polarization cup is placed around a neck of the Ka-band horn in a form of a collar.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a phase shifter, comprising a substrate, resistive ink adjacent one surface of said substrate and separating a voltage tunable dielectric material from said surface of said substrate and a plurality of conductors adjacent said voltage tunable dielectric material separated so as to form a gap filled with resistive ink in said gap.

Abstract: An apparatus capable of tracking a target, comprising at least one near-field focused antenna comprising an array of elements and a phase shifter to form multiple fixed beams in the near-field, a sensor capable of sensing the location of the target, and a controller capable of accepting position information and capable of activating the proper fixed beam along a course so as to enable the near-field focused beams to track the target. The array of elements may be substantially linear and the sensor may be optical, mechanical, thermal, or sonic position detection subsystems.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a power amplifier, comprising tunable impedance matching circuit including a plurality of tunable dielectric varactors and a DC voltage source interface capable of providing voltage to said plurality of saud tunable dielectric varactors.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising an input port and a dynamic impedance matching network capable of determining a mismatch at the input port and dynamically changing the RF match by using at least one matching element that includes at least one voltage tunable dielectric capacitor. The matching network may be a “Pi”, a “T”, or “ladder” type network and the apparatus may further comprise at least one directional coupler capable of signal collection by sampling a portion of an incident signal, a reflected signal or both.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a hybrid phase shifter, comprising a first port wherein a microwave signal enters said hybrid phase shifter and splits and exits from two other ports into two reflector circuits, wherein said microwave signal reflects and re-enters said hybrid phase shifter and recombines and exits at an isolated port. The phase shifter may be operable at frequencies between 0.9 GHz and 5 GHz and operable at frequencies in the Ka-band. An embodiment of the present invention provides the hybrid phase shifter may further comprise meandering microstrip lines or using non-uniform lines such as alternating narrow and wide sections thereby enabling an overall size reduction a factor of 1.5 to 2. The meandering strip lines may be formed on a substrate and the phase shifter may be made tunable using voltage tunable dielectric material with said phase shifter.

Abstract: A stacked antenna comprising a first patch including at least one slot-like part thereon, a second patch including at least one strip-like part thereon; and wherein the at least one slot-like part of the first patch at least partially crosses over or partially crosses under the at least one strip-like part of the second patch thereby forming a coupling region. The at least one slot-like part may be formed by at least one notch in the first patch and the at least one strip-like part may be formed by at least one hole in the second patch.

Abstract: An impedance matching circuit includes a conductor line having an input port and an output port, a ground conductor, a tunable dielectric material positioned between a first section of the conductor line and the ground conductor, a non-tunable dielectric material positioned between a second section of the conductor line and the ground conductor, and means for applying a DC voltage between the conductor line and the ground conductor. The impedance matching circuit may alternatively include a first planar ground conductor, a second planar ground conductor, a strip conductor having an input port and an output port, and positioned between the first and second planar ground conductors to define first and second gaps, the first gap being positioned between the strip conductor and the first planar ground conductor and the second gap being positioned between the strip conductor and the second planar ground conductor.

Abstract: An RF ID card reader, comprising, RF ID circuitry to generate an RF ID signal, a transceiver in communication with the RF ID circuitry, and an antenna associated with the transceiver for scanning an area for at least one tag and establishing communication with the at least one tag, the antenna capable of creating a plurality of field focuses. Further, the RF ID card reader of the present invention may provide that the plurality of field focuses may be a near field focus and a far field focuse. Also, the field focuses may be created by a scanning antenna array. An embodiment of the present invention may also include at least one conducting curtain associated with the card reader, wherein the at least one conducting curtain may be capable of enhancing reception of the RF signals by reflecting RF signals in the area.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides an RFID tag reading system, comprising an antenna system associated with a portal through which said RFID tag may pass, said antenna system comprising: a plurality of non-uniformly spaced antenna elements arranged substantially linearly; a power divider for dividing transmit power thereby coupling signals to said plurality of antenna elements; and a beamforming network capable of phase shifting the signals between the power divider and the plurality of antenna elements such that radiated signals from each antenna element add coherently such that the radiated electromagnetic energy is focused at a focal point in the near field region or in the Fresnel region of said antenna system.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a phase shifter, comprising: a base dielectric layer; a tunable dielectric layer overlaying at least a portion of the base dielectric layer; and at least two conductors overlaying at least a portion of the tunable dielectric layer, the at least two conductors positioned so as to form a slot-line topology. In an embodiment of the present invention the slot-line may be between 2 ?m and 5 ?m wide and the tunable dielectric layer may be between 0.3 ?m to 1.5 ?m thick. Further, the slot-line topology may be a uniform slot-line topology throughout the length of the at least two conductors and the slot-line topology may have an edge ratio defined by r=Llow/(Llow+Lhigh). The edge ratio may be optimized for minimizing metal loss and minimizing dielectric loss for a given phase shifter length. In an embodiment of the present invention the value of r may be between 0.1 and 0.2.

Abstract: A wireless local area network that utilizes a dynamically reconfigurable wireless network antenna that comprises at least one multi-layered RF module, said at least one RF module further comprising at least one RF connector for receipt of at least one RF signal and at least one layer of tunable dielectric material and one layer of metal fabricated into said RF module; an RF motherboard for acceptance of RF signals and distribution of the transmit energy to said RF module at the appropriate phases to generate a beam in the commanded direction and width; and a controller for determining the correct voltage signal to send to said at least one multi-layered RF module.