Beam-Steerable Transponder Based on Antenna Array and Phased Modulators

This letter presents a novel concept of beam-steerable transponder based on antenna array and phased modulators. The steerability of the beam is achieved by optimally delaying the modulated reflected signal at each antenna element (i.e., changing the phase in frequency domain) with load modulation technique. In this manner, the reflected backscattered signal power can be maximized at one particular direction. The approach makes transponder to collect ambient waves from any direction and further modulate and redirect it to any other direction. The results obtained through experimentation proves the feasibility of omnidirectional transponder and pave way for future lower-power smart devices. The transponder functions in the Wi-Fi frequency band of 2.4GHz.