Compact wireless antennas using a superstrate dielectric lens

Today's vehicles have been transformed into sophisticated platforms for transmission and reception of a wide spectrum of electromagnetic waves. These include the traditional AM/FM radio, personal communication services (PCS) like cellular phone and pager systems, remote feature access (RFA) like keyless entry, navigation systems using GPS, and direct satellite radio broadcast. The transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves out of and into the vehicle is conducted through a multitude of vehicular antennas usually in the form of metallic rods protruding out of the vehicle's body. In commercial vehicles, protruding antennas impose aesthetic and mechanical problems and are exposed to vandalism. In military vehicles, they aggravate radar visibility and reduce survivability. This paper is concerned with the development of compact wireless antennas with high radiation efficiency, which offer the capability of multifunction performance on a common platform.