Patent ID: 7855696

Claim:
An antenna system, comprising: a plurality of antenna elements that wirelessly transmit and receive radio signals, each antenna element configured to include a composite left and right handed (CRLH) metamaterial (MTM) structure; a radio transceiver module in communication with the antenna elements to receive a radio signal from or to transmit a radio signal to the antenna elements; a power combining and splitting module connected in signal paths between the radio transceiver module and the antenna elements to split radio power of a radio signal directed from the radio transceiver module to the antenna elements and to combine power of radio signals directed from the antenna elements to the radio transceiver module; a plurality of switching elements that are connected in signal paths between the power combining and splitting module and the antenna elements, each switching element to activate or deactivate at least one antenna element in response to a switching control signal; and a beam switching controller in communication with the switching elements to produce the switching control signal to control each switching element to activate at least one subset of the antenna elements to receive or transmit a radio signal.