Use of antennas as sensors to discover signals to form mobile broadband networks

Antennas are not generally thought of as a sensor in a classic sense. An antenna used in combination with a radio form a technology capable of being classified as a sensor; specifically, when the system is used in the process of discovery or other similar systems in an uncertain task environment. In this research, antennas are used with radios and other mechanical devices and software to create nodes which can autonomously form mobile broadband networks. Each node of the network must sense and discover other nodes via a process of search, identification and connection. As each of the nodes connects to others, the end result will be a broadband network of potentially many nodes covering a great physical distance. This self-configuring network can be used in defense, homeland security, emergency response, agriculture and many other specific areas where communication is of paramount importance.