Patent ID: 6867737

Claim:
A reduced size GPS conical shaped microstrip antenna array comprising: (a) a first dielectric layer (b) a plurality of square shaped antenna elements mounted on an upper surface of said first dielectric layer, said antenna elements being aligned with one another and fabricated from copper, said antenna elements being adapted to receive an RF carrier signal containing GPS (Global Positioning System) data; (d) a first copper cross hatch pattern mounted on the upper surface of said first dielectric layer around a periphery for each of said antenna elements wherein a gap forms between the periphery for each of said antenna elements and said copper cross hatch pattern; (e) an antenna feed network mounted on a bottom surface of said first dielectric layer, said antenna feed network having a plurality of branch transmission lines electrically connected to each of said antenna elements, each of said branch transmission lines including a pair of probes positioned perpendicular to one another underneath one antenna element of said plurality of antenna elements, one of said pair of probes for each of said branch transmission lines having a length substantially greater than the other of said pair of probes for each of said branch transmission lines to provide for a ninety degree relative phase shift between RF signals transmitted through said pair of probes of each of said pair of branch transmission lines; (f) a second copper cross hatch pattern mounted on the bottom surface of said first dielectric substrate in proximity to said antenna feed network; (g) a second dielectric layer positioned below said first dielectric layer in alignment with said first dielectric layer; (h) a third copper cross hatch pattern mounted on an upper surface of said second dielectric layer, said third copper cross hatch pattern being in alignment and substantially identical to said second cross hatch pattern; and (i) a solid copper ground plane affixed to a bottom surface of said first dielectric layer.