Search

Implementation of a broadband Ruthroff-type transmission line transformer balun with a 1: 2 step-up impedance transformation ratio is presented in this letter. The proposed Transmission Line Transformer (TLT) balun was investigated with broadside-coupled lines using three stacked microstrip lines. The proposed balun was formed by cascading one section of modified Ruthroff-type 2: 1 unbalanced-to-unbalanced TLT with one section of Ruthroff-type 1: 4 TLT balun in series. The achieved fractional bandwidth of the balun is 192.17% over the frequency range from 1.2 to 6.6 GHz, which covers the IEEE 802.11 a/b/g WLAN, WiMAX applications. The measured amplitude and phase imbalances are less than 1 dB and less than 4.51?, respectively at this frequency range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a 60-GHz broadband 8-by-1 gap-coupled microstrip antenna array is presented and experimentally investigated. The proposed antenna array has been implemented using a Miniature Hybrid Microwave Integrated Circuits (MHMIC) fabrication process on a thin ceramic substrate with εr = 9.9 and h = 127 μm. For a comprehensive characterization and to accurately evaluate losses, as well as manufacturing tolerances, the proposed antenna array structure has been implemented using two different feeding techniques. The first one adopts a grounded broadband via-hole less transition from coplanar to microstrip line (GCPW-to-MS), while the second one has involved a broadband waveguide (WR12) to microstrip transition, based on a ridged waveguide concept. The obtained results have demonstrated that the proposed gap-coupled array configuration provides an improved bandwidth (4.56%) and an enhanced gain (11.8 dBi), while maintaining a lower side-lobe level (13.4 dB). These outstanding performances make the proposed WR12 gap-coupled array structure a potential candidate for the future emerging 60-GHz short-range point-to-point wireless communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper overviews the state-of-the-art of substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) techniques in the design and realization of innovative low-cost, low-profile and low-loss (L3) millimeter-wave antenna elements, feeding networks and arrays for various wireless applications. Novel classes of multilayered antenna structures and systems are proposed and studied to exploit the vertical dimension of planar structures to overcome certain limitations in standard two-dimensional (2-D) topologies. The developed structures are based on two techniques, namely multi-layer stacked structures and E-plane corners. Different E-plane structures realized with SIW waveguide are presented, thereby demonstrating the potential of the proposed techniques as in multi-polarization antenna feeding. An array of 128 elements shows low SLL and height gain with just 200 g of the total weight. Two versions of 2-D scanning multi-beam are presented, which effectively combine frequency scanning with beam forming networks. Adding the benefits of wide band performance to the multilayer structure, two bi-layer structures are investigated. Different stacked antennas and arrays are demonstrated to optimize the targeted antenna performances in the smallest footprint possible. These structures meet the requirement for developing inexpensive compact millimeter-wave antennas and antenna systems. Different structures and architectures are theoretically and experimentally studied and discussed for specific space- and ground-based applications. Practical issues such as high-density integration and high-volume manufacturability are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many applications such as local positioning systems (LPS) and wireless sensor networks that require high-directivity and compact-size or small footprint antennas. The classical Yagi-Uda antenna may be useful in meeting such demands, which however, becomes very large in size to achieve a high-gain performance due to a large number of directors as well as space required between those elements. In this paper, high-gain yet compact stacked multilayered Yagi antennas are proposed and demonstrated at 5.8 GHz for LPS applications. This structure makes use of vertically stacked Yagi-like parasitic director elements that allow easily obtaining a simulated gain of 12 dB. Two different antenna configurations are presented, one based on dipole geometry for single polarization, and the other on a circular patch to achieve dual polarization. The characteristics of these antennas with respect to various geometrical parameters are studied in order to obtain the desired performance. Measured results of the fabricated antenna prototypes are in good agreement with simulated results. The measured dipole Yagi antenna yields 11 dB gain over 14% bandwidth with a size of 80 × 80 × 29 mm3. Radiation patterns of the dual-polarized Yagi antenna are nearly identical to those of the single-polarized antenna, which has a size of 50 × 50 × 60 mm3, and also its two-port isolation is found to be as low as 25 dB over 4% bandwidth. The proposed antennas present an excellent candidate for compact and low-cost microwave and millimeter-wave integrated systems that require fixed or variable polarization capabilities and small surface footprint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a 4 x 4 Nolen matrix beam-forming network for multibeam antenna applications is designed and demonstrated at 12.5-GHz center frequency. The structure is implemented using substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology for its attractive advantages including compact size, low loss, light weight, and planar form well suitable for high-density integration with other microwave and millimeter-wave planar integrated circuits. SIW cruciform couplers are used as fundamental building blocks for their wide range of coupling factors and their specific topology well adapted to the serial feeding topology of a Nolen matrix. The network performances are investigated over a 500-MHz frequency bandwidth ranging from 12.25 to 12.75 GHz. The matrix definition based on SIW cruciform couplers is similar to its microstrip counterpart in terms of coupling factors and phase delays. The whole network is fabricated. Measured results are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions, thus validating the proposed design concept. Using this matrix with a four radiating elements array antenna enables us to investigate the impact of the proposed matrix on the beam pointing angles versus frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of error-correcting codes (ECCs) is essential for designing reliable digital communication systems. Usually, most systems correct errors under cooperative environments. If receivers do not know interleaver parameters, they must first find out them to decode. In this paper, a blind interleaver parameters estimation method is proposed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K–S) test. We exploit the fact that rank distributions of square matrices of linear codes differ from those of random sequences owing to the linear dependence of linear codes. We use the K–S test to make decision whether two groups are extracted from the same distribution. The K–S test value is used as a measure to find the most different rank distribution for the blind interleaver parameters estimation. In addition to control false alarm rates, multinomial distribution is used to calculate the probability that the most different rank distribution will occur. By exploiting those, we can estimate the interleaver period with relatively low complexity. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms previous methods regardless of the bit error rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ever-growing expectation for high data rates has led to the introduction of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technologies to wireless connectivity. Such a system requires an MIMO antenna with high isolation. At the same time, the MIMO dimension should not be compromised for achieving high isolation. Thus, isolation techniques that do not allow an increase in dimension need to be fostered for MIMO antenna design. In this paper, a novel low-profile, miniaturized MIMO antenna with high isolation was developed considering a split ring resonator (SRR)-based bandstop filter as a decoupling network. The bandstop filter was designed with a unit cell split ring resonator structure and was deployed between two closely spaced monopole MIMO antenna elements to obtain isolation as high as 39.25 dB at 2.61 GHz. Two open-circuit stub lines were attached with the MIMO feeding network to achieve good impedance matching at resonance frequency. The proposed antenna exhibited a peak gain of 3.8 dBi and radiation efficiency of 84%. It had a low envelop correlation coefficient (ECC < 0.12), high diversity gain (DG > 9.95 dB), low mean effective gain ratio (MEG 1/MEG 2 < 0.05 dB), and low channel capacity loss (CCL < 0.042 bits/s/Hz) at resonance frequency. The overall antenna dimension was restricted to 44   mm   × 22   mm   (0.38   λ 0 × 0.19   λ 0) for its easy integration in compact wireless devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]