Reconfigurable portable antenna systems for high-speed wireless communication

Summary form only given. Our research develops intelligent portable antenna systems to improve the reliability, throughput, and noise immunity of high-speed wireless communication networks. Antenna system 'intelligence' implies an ability to respond to changing electromagnetic environments and operating conditions. This project provides antenna system intelligence for portable units by implementing new compact radiation-tunable antennas. A number of control algorithms, linked to the media access control layer (MAC), including one that implements fuzzy logic, are being investigated. We anticipate that these studies will verify the effectiveness of these new antennas in new kinds of ad hoc network scenarios, providing measurable performance gains over existing antennas. This novel approach views antennas as dynamic parts of the communication system, creating a new paradigm for antenna design and control.