A comparative study of diversity gain and spatial coverage: Fixed versus reconfigurable antennas for portable devices

This study investigates the performance of planar fixed and/or pattern reconfigurable antennas on a model laptop in terms of diversity gain and spatial coverage. The reconfigurable antenna used in this work has the ability to change its radiation pattern from endfire to broadside while operating over a common impedance bandwidth. The research combines diversity gain and spatial coverage into a single parameter that takes into account the effects of both simultaneously. Experimental data, including the resulting diversity gain and spatial coverage calculations, are presented. This work reveals the possibilities and importance of using reconfigurable radiation antennas and weighs their potential impact on high performance wireless systems. \ 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.