Development of an Adaptive and a Switched Beam Smart Antenna System for Wireless Communications

Abstract

This study concentrates on the development of two separate Smart Antenna Systems for the 2.45 GHz ISM band. Both systems incorporate the RF-beamforming method. Each system has the ability to point the beam in a three dimensional space, both in azimuth and in elevation direction. The Switched Beam System adopts a passive network-based beamforming approach, using 2-D Butler matrix topologies. The Adaptive System utilizes the vector modulator method, but only in the azimuth direction, increasing beam-steering accuracy, whereas introducing complexity and cost. The system design is presented for both cases, along with some module design and testing examples. A comparison of the two systems will be also discussed.