Patent ID: 8842050

Claim:
A wireless communication device configured for beam steering, comprising: two or more one dimensional switched beam antennas stacked vertically; wherein each one dimensional switched beam antenna comprises: a planar circular structure; a radiating element located at the center of the planar circular structure; one or more of parasitic elements located on a contour around the radiating element, wherein the parasitic elements are aligned in parallel direction with the radiating element, wherein the parasitic elements protrude from the planar circular structure; and a processor; a memory in electronic communication with the processor, the memory having instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to: switch the one or more parasitic elements to act as reflectors, wherein any of the one or more parasitic elements acts as a reflector when a switch between a parasitic element and ground is in a first position and the parasitic element is shorted to ground; switch the parasitic elements not acting as reflectors to act as directors, wherein any of the parasitic elements acts as a director when the switch between the parasitic element and ground is in a second position creating an open circuit between the parasitic element and ground, or when the switch is in a third position creating a closed circuit between the parasitic element, a reactive load as part of a passive circuit, and ground; feed transmission signal streams to radiating elements on each one dimensional switched beam antenna to form a beam; adjust the configuration of the parasitic elements acting as reflectors and directors to steer the direction of each one dimensional switched beam antenna over the 360 degree azimuth; and adjust phase differences between each transmission signal stream fed to the radiating elements on the two or more one dimensional switched beam antennas to steer the direction of the vertically stacked two or more one dimensional switched beam antennas in elevation.