e-tenna announces new low-cost antenna design
A key aspect of this design is e-tenna's Artificial Magnetic Conductor (AMC) technology, which can be realized as a thin and low-cost printed circuit board. AMCs have very unique and powerful electromagnetic properties, which enable wireless antennas to be isolated from nearby objects. This isolation greatly improves performance of antennas that are in close proximity to objects such as wireless handset cases or components, or even the user's hand or body.
"One of the biggest challenges facing wireless manufacturers today is the need to incorporate multiple functions into their equipment, from first-generation and second-generation analog and digital voice technology to data-focused 2.5G and 3G technology—not to mention emerging RF technologies such as Bluetooth," says David McCartney, president of e-tenna. "As more RF components are added to a device, cost and size naturally increase, and interference from these components degrades wireless performance. By allowing a high degree of integration while at the same time reducing interference, e-tenna's technology may be a key enabler of these devices."
In field-testing, an antenna installed on an AMC in a wireless handset radiated with significantly more efficiency than an antenna installed on a conventional electric conductor. AMC technology resulted in performance gains of 2 dB to 4 dB, which can increase wireless system coverage by 15 percent to 20 percent. This in turn leads to improved signal quality in fringe areas and decreased dropped calls during signal handoff. Higher antenna gain also means that less power must be used to transmit signals, thus increasing battery life.
In addition, by improving radiation efficiency of wireless device antennas, AMCs waste less RF energy and thus reduce specific absorption rate (SAR). By suppressing undesired RF currents, AMC technology can also reduce the amount of noise in wireless device or system—noise that negatively impacts capacity.
With an unmatched team of PhD researchers and design engineers focused on developing and commercializing RF innovations, e-tenna consistently discovers new ways to integrate other advanced technologies to even further improve wireless device and network performance. An example is frequency agile technology, which optimizes wireless system performance by limiting operation to specific frequencies. e-tenna is also exploring application of Microminiature Electro-Mechanical systems (MEMs) technology as a way of improving RF components such as switches and filters.
e-tenna has patented a unique approach to RF front-end design that enables manufacturers to eliminate certain wireless device components, such as the external filters, by supporting those functions within the antenna itself. This may not only reduce overall equipment costs, but also free up valuable circuit board space for device designers. On the network equipment side, the elimination of filters may reduce the overall size of network antennas, thus reducing zoning headaches for wireless industry players.
By utilizing e-tenna's patented tunable RF technology, manufacturers can produce antennas that dynamically tune to a specific RF channel. This results in maximum radiation efficiency, with the smallest antenna possible, and enables a single antenna to support multiple functions, such as cellular, PCS, GPS, and BlueTooth.
"Unlike the silicon industry, where Moore's law dictates that digital devices will continually offer greater performance without significant increases in size and cost, the RF industry must overcome one unalterable principle: the fact that the size of a RF wavelength cannot be changed. The only way to improve RF functionality—and support it in a smaller package—is to reduce interference and engineer better materials that better utilize these wavelengths," said Lee Stein, chairman and CEO of e-tenna. "e-tenna's intellectual property will allow wireless manufacturers and other industry players to do just that. In fact, our RF innovations equate to the missing piece necessary for wireless advances such as software defined radios."
"At Titan, we have a track record of creating successful companies with an unmatched team of technology experts and a goal of developing technologies that bring unique value to the industries they represent," says Gene W. Ray, chairman and CEO of Titan. "e-tenna's value is improving functionality and lowering costs in an area that has long been ignored: RF. Put simply, e-tenna makes the technology that makes wireless devices better."
About Titan Corporation
Headquartered in San Diego, The Titan Corporation creates, builds and launches technology-based businesses, offering innovative technical solutions. Three of Titan's four core businesses develop and deploy communications and information technology solutions and services. In addition, Titan's SureBeam subsidiary markets the leading technology for the electronic pasteurization of food products and Titan is continually identifying promising technologies suitable for commercialization. The company has 7,800 employees and annualized sales of approximately $1.1 billion.
About e-tenna Corporation
Headquartered in San Diego with a research and development center in Laurel, Md., e-tenna Corporation is a non-wholly owned subsidiary of Titan Corporation that develops and licenses unique radio frequency (RF) technologies that are expected to reshape broadband wireless connectivity worldwide. Backed by an unmatched team of PhDs and design engineers, and with more than 10 patents or patents pending, its technologies enable a unique approach to RF system and antenna design that significantly improves the size, safety, performance and price of wireless devices. Visit our website at: http://www.etenna.com.
Source: e-tenna
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