Dual-functional communication and sensing antenna system

Area of Science:

• Electromagnetic Engineering
• Antenna Theory
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Developing integrated antenna systems for multiple applications is crucial for modern wireless devices.
• Existing solutions often face challenges in isolating communication and sensing functionalities.
• A need exists for a single antenna system that supports both communication and sensing without performance interference.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and demonstrate a dual-functional antenna system capable of both communication and sensing.
• To achieve functional independence between the communication and sensing elements using a frequency selective multipath filter (FSMF).
• To validate the antenna system's performance for Wi-Fi applications and material detection (ice, water).

Main Methods:

• A frequency selective multipath filter (FSMF) was designed to isolate the communication and sensing antennas.
• The FSMF was integrated with communication (Wi-Fi at 2.45 GHz) and sensing antennas on a common substrate.
• The antenna sensor's performance was characterized using various substrates and demonstrated for ice and water detection.

Main Results:

• The FSMF effectively minimized interference between the communication and sensing antennas.
• The antenna sensor demonstrated accurate characterization of standard substrates and detection of ice and water.
• Simulated and measured results for the dual-functional antenna system showed good agreement.

Conclusions:

• The proposed dual-functional antenna system successfully integrates communication and sensing capabilities.
• The FSMF is an effective component for achieving functional isolation in multi-application antenna systems.
• The fabricated PCB-based antenna system offers a compact and efficient solution for combined wireless communication and sensing applications.