Compact low cost dual polarized adaptive planar phased array for WLAN

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce a design for a compact low cost dual polarized adaptive planar phased array for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN). The uniqueness of the design is that a wide variety of beam shapes can be electronically selected from a large set of possible patterns while maintaining compact size low cost with reasonable efficiency and having independent dual diversity ports. An important application of the array is in WLAN systems where compact and low cost adaptable antennas promise increases in capacity and coverage. The array design makes use of key innovations in the antenna element and feed network, along with improved low cost phase shifting circuits with low loss performance. The compact antenna element we propose exhibits low mutual coupling between elements with good bandwidth and dual polarized diversity feeds. The feed network is designed to minimize coupling between ports while the phase shifters are low cost but allow flexible control of the antenna patterns. The design is verified both through numerical simulations and also measurements of an experimental prototype and these confirm the good performance of the antenna system and suitability for use in WLAN systems.