EXCITER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATIONS WITHIN AN ENCLOSED SPACE

摘要

AN EXCITER SYSTEM (10) IS PROVIDED FOR USE IN FACILITATING ELECTROMAGNETIC COMMUNICATION WITHIN AN ENCLOSED SPACE (12). THE SYSTEM (10) INCLUDES AN EXCITER (26) WHICH MAY BE IN FORM OF A THREE DIMENSIONAL HEMISPHERICAL EXCITER (28) OR A TWO DIENSIONAL PLANAR SECTOR EXCITER (30) DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE AND THE POWER REQUIREMENTS OF OPERATION. THE EXCITER SYSTEM (10) OPERATES IN CONJUNCTION WITH A HUB/CONTROLLER NETWORK (44). THE EXCITER SYSTEM (10) IS ADAPTED TO INDUCE A QUISI-STATIC EVANESCENT FIELD (20) AT FREQUENCIES WITHIN AN OPERATIONAL FREQUENCY RANGE DETERMINED BY THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SPACE. THE EXCITER (26) IS MOUNTED IN OPPOSITION TO A PORTION OF A CONDUCTIVE FRAMEWORK (18) WITHIN THE ENCLOSED SPACE, AND IS SEPARATED THEREFROM. IN OPERATION, A COAXIAL CONNECTOR (48) CONNECTS THE EXCITER (26) TO THE HUB/CONTROLLER NETWORK (44) WITH THE CENTER CONDUCTOR (50) CONNECTING AT A FEED POINT (66) TO THE EXCITER (26) WHILE THE SHIELD CONDUCTOR (52) IS CONNECTED TO THE OPPOSING CONDUCTIVE FRAMEWORK (18). IN SOME EMBODIMENTS A POST (40) ACTS AS A CURTAIN TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE AT LOWER FREQUENCIES.(FIG 1)