Frequency-Reconfigurable Microstrip Antenna With Biasing Network Driven by a PIC Microcontroller

A low-profile microstrip patch antenna has been designed for tuning on a discrete set of instant frequencies. The frequency reconfigurability is obtained by resorting to electrically actuated switches operated via a software-controlled biasing network. A low-cost PIC microcontroller is employed to control the antenna operative condition among the available states. Measurements on a fabricated prototype show a good matching with simulations and prove the reliability of the proposed configuration.