Time variant antenna for transmitting wideband signals

Abstract

A circuit for tuning a resonance frequency of an electrically small antenna. The circuit includes a first source configured for providing a modulation signal, a second source configured for providing a periodic electrical signal, an antenna, and a tuning circuit configured for modulating a resonance frequency of the antenna in response to the modulation signal. The tuning circuit includes first and second capacitors that are alternately coupled to the antenna to change the resonance frequency of the antenna. The capacitor currently coupled to the antenna is decoupled from the antenna and the other capacitor is coupled to the antenna when the voltage across the capacitor currently coupled to the antenna is momentarily zero. In an exemplary embodiment, the tuning circuit comprises first and second inductors rather than capacitors. The inductors are switched into and out of the circuit when the current through the currently coupled inductor is momentarily zero.