High Gain Antenna for Wireless Local Area Network (LAN)

Trade off and select either a broadband (capable of being tuned from 1.8 to 6 GHz) or stacked multi-band (capable of supporting multiple [at least two] sub-bands within the 1.8 to 6 GHz range) version of coaxial continuous transverse stub (CTS) antennatechnology. The selected antenna element will be arrayed (initially a 1X4 array prototype for Phase II evaluation) over a wideband photonic bandgap (PBG) ground plane providing consistent performance across the 1.8 to 6 GHz frequency range, and controlledby ferroelectric devices and phase shifters to select the operating band, and/or shape and steer the beam across at least a +/- 90 degree angular range. Making use of these components and features (selected with customer concurrence), design and projectantenna performance and concept feasibility using electromagnetic modeling, such a wideband or multi-band array. The resulting array prototype is intended for fabrication and evaluation during Phase II to demonstrate the feasibility and performancecapability of a high data rate, dynamic Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) set up and maintained amongst a number of mobile (such as air and ground vehicles) nodes which may be in constant motion and/or which may periodically enter and/or leave thenetwork. Mobile WLAN concepts are being pursued for commercial applications under the umbrella of Intelligent Transportation Systems (Department of Transportation sponsored investigations) as well as under the broader category of Telematics for cars,trucks, etc. In addition, the telecommunication industry, as part of the development of 3G and associated mobile wireless data communications, have been investigating how to seamlessly integrate mobile wireless networks (cellular and PCS networks) withthe existing and growing number of WLAN (802.11 based)