A pattern reconfigurable antenna with switching function of shape and direction

In diversity and MIMO applications, techniques for changing radiation patterns are required because the propagation path of a radio wave can be changed according to the time and space. In this paper, we propose a novel pattern reconfigurable antenna array with switching function of uni- and bi-directional radiation patterns. In the proposed antenna, pattern shapes and directions can be changed by phase difference feeds and switching of the feed elements. We describe the operation principles of the proposed antenna array, and evaluate the performance centering around the feed structures by simulation and measurement.