Multi-band antenna using embedded MTM-EBG unit cells
Multi-band GPS antenna that operates at L1, L2, and L5 Planar printed-circuit design with simple integration and conformability if required Employes metamaterial-based electromagnetic bandgap structure (MTM-EBG), enabling rapid design for arbitrary frequency bands and communications applications
Highlights
- Multi-band GPS antenna that operates at L1, L2, and L5
- Planar printed-circuit design with simple integration and conformability if required
- Employes metamaterial-based electromagnetic bandgap structure (MTM-EBG), enabling rapid design for arbitrary frequency bands and communications applications
Opportunity
Researchers at the University of Alberta have developed a new GPS/GNSS antenna that performs well across GPS L1, L2, and L5 frequencies, as well as throughout the GNSS band. The antenna is constructed using a single printed-circuit-board (PCB) layer containing the multi-band patch radiator, separated from a groundplane by an affordable 3D printed spacer made from standard polylactic acid (PLA) material, resulting in a low-profile design with a height of less than 1cm. The compact printed feed network, which may be replaced by any similar quad-feed network, is sufficiently wideband for GPS/GNSS applications and is engineered to enable RHCP reception through a single input port. This GPS antenna addresses the narrowband issue with the use of a 3D-printed dielectric and eliminates the need for large lumped capacitors by printing compact parallel-plate versions by using both sides of the thin patch substrate. The design allows power from a single input port to be divided four ways with good performance across all GPS/GNSS bands. This GPS antenna is particularly well-suited to applications with high multi-pathing, for example, on vehicles in dense urban centers, or for military applications where jamming and spoofing are an operational risk.
Competitive advantage
- Feed structure is compact, cheap, and straightforward to fabricate
- Very low-profile and robust
- Excellent performance in all three bands, with gain, pattern shape, and axial ratio (AR)/multi-path ratio (MPR) suitable to enable tri-band P-code GPS reception
- Reduced manufacturing cost
Status
- Patent pending
About University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a large, comprehensive public research university in Edmonton with multiple campuses and a strong applied research culture. Industry engages through co-located labs and pilot-scale facilities, as well as established co-op and internship programs that place talent with partners year-round. Integration with Alberta’s province-wide hospital system supports clinical research and accelerates translation. Companies also benefit from proximity to regional industry clusters and collaboration hubs on and near campus for joint R&D and prototyping. Supported by NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC, and Canada Foundation for Innovation funding—plus provincial and industry support—the tech transfer office manages IP, licensing, and startup formation with streamlined sponsored-research agreements.
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