A Pattern Reconfigurable Antenna Using Eight-Dipole Configuration for Energy Harvesting Applications

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Antenna Theory
• Wireless Communication

Background:

• Pattern reconfigurable antennas are crucial for efficient energy harvesting from diverse wireless sources.
• Electronic steering of antenna radiation patterns offers flexibility in capturing energy from various directions.
• Existing solutions may lack the comprehensive coverage or electronic control needed for optimal energy harvesting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate an eight-element pattern reconfigurable antenna designed for enhanced energy harvesting applications.
• To demonstrate the electronic steerability of the antenna's radiation pattern across a full 360-degree range.
• To investigate the antenna's performance in terms of frequency range, bandwidth, and omnidirectional capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Design of an eight-dipole configuration with shared excitation, utilizing baluns with grounded and open-circuit stubs.
• Implementation of an RF switch matrix for electronic control of the radiation pattern steering.
• Numerical simulations and experimental validation of the antenna's reflection coefficient and radiation characteristics.

Main Results:

• The proposed antenna operates within the 4.17 to 4.5 GHz frequency range, achieving a 7.6% impedance bandwidth.
• Electronic steering of the radiation pattern is achieved across a 0 to 360-degree range with 45-degree steps.
• The antenna exhibits omnidirectional operation when all elements are simultaneously active, validated by good agreement between simulated and experimental data.

Conclusions:

• The developed pattern reconfigurable antenna effectively enables electronic steering for improved energy harvesting.
• The design demonstrates versatile radiation pattern control, including omnidirectional capabilities.
• The findings support the potential of this reconfigurable antenna for next-generation wireless power transfer systems.