Patent ID: 7408510

Claim:
A patch antenna, which comprises: a dielectric substrate having a first surface and a second surface situated opposite the first surface, and further having a first thickness and a second thickness situated adjacent the first thickness, and an abrupt step in thickness situated between the first thickness and the second thickness, the first thickness being different from the second thickness; a patch conductor situated in proximity to the first surface of the dielectric substrate, the patch conductor having a first end and a second end situated opposite the first end, and further having a center situated equidistantly between the first end and the second end; and a ground conductor situated in proximity to the second surface of the dielectric substrate, whereby the dielectric substrate is interposed between the patch conductor and the ground conductor; wherein the abrupt step in thickness is situated in alignment with the patch conductor between the first end and the second end of the patch conductor and offset from and in non-alignment with the center of the patch conductor; and wherein the patch antenna exhibits a radiation pattern which is asymmetric along the length of the antenna due to the abrupt step in thickness of the dielectric substrate.