Pattern-Reconfigurable Flexible Textile Antenna Using RF-Switch Integrated Circuits

A pattern-reconfigurable flexible textile antenna covering the 2.45-GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band is presented. The design utilizes RF-switch integrated circuits (ICs) packaged into reconfiguration modules as switchable vias to change between the omnidirectional and broadside radiation modes of a center-shorted patch. Analytical models to calculate the resonance frequency of each mode are developed to give more physical insights into the mode resonance and assist the design optimization. An antenna prototype is experimentally characterized to further validate the concept and analysis of the proposed antenna structure. The stable performance under an on-body environment and various bending test conditions demonstrates the antenna operation in wearable scenarios.