Microstrip Inverted F Antenna For GPS Application

International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication
Volume: 2 Issue: 10
ISSN: 2321-8169
3143 3148
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Microstrip Inverted F Antenna for GPS Application

Ms. S.Sridurga Devi, Ms. M. Pradeepa
Assistant Professor/ECE,
V.R.S College of Engineering and Technology, Arasur, Villupuram.
smartsri84@gmail.com, prathipamohan@gmail.com
Abstract - A design of compact micro strip inverted F antenna for GPS application is presented. Proposed model is an Inverted-F antenna which
receives all the operating frequencies of GPS receiver ranging from 1.176 GHz to 1.575 GHz placed in automobiles. The antenna structure is
fabricated, to maintain the axial ratio of 2dB to 3dB and also to achieve circular polarization. FR4- Fiber Glass (Epoxy) is used as Substrate with a
Dielectric Constant of 4.4. Copper is used as Radiating Element. The parameters such as Frequency, Return loss, VSWR, Impedance, Radiation
pattern and Directivity of the proposed model is simulated by HFSS (High Frequency Structure Simulator) software of Version 13.
__________________________________________________*****_________________________________________________
I.
INTRODUCTION
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based

satellite navigation system that provides location and time
information in all weather conditions, anywhere on or near
the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four
or more GPS satellites. The system provides critical
capabilities to military, civil and commercial users around
the world. While originally a military project, GPS is
considered a dual-use technology, meaning it has significant
military and civilian applications.
GPS has become a widely deployed and useful tool for
commerce, scientific uses, tracking, and surveillance. GPS's
accurate time facilitates everyday activities such as banking,
mobile phone operations, and even the control of power
grids by allowing well synchronized hand-off switching. A
GPS receiver calculates its position by precisely timing the
signals sent by GPS satellites high above the Earth. In
general, GPS receivers are composed of an antenna, tuned to
the frequencies transmitted by the satellites, receiverprocessors, and a highly stable clock .So in total there will
be a trade-off between height over ground, Omni-directional
reception and reducing spurious emissions influences.
Sometimes the polarization of the antenna is of some
importance, as some signals are transmitted specially
polarized, e.g. SDARS is left hand circular polarized. There
are many positions possible to place antennas on a vehicle,
but not all are good for each type of car. Some antenna
structures are easier to handle even in tight environment and
some antenna. Technologies are very fragile in terms of
antenna characteristics in tight metallic surroundings.
II.
VARIOUS ANTENNA TECHNOLOGIES
Selecting the appropriate antenna structures helps finding

a compromise between antenna position and performance.
Antennas can be placed on the vehicle on many places, but
only a few positions are ideal. To define which position is
ideal, this must be considered for the service and frequency
band as well as in conjunction with selected antenna
technology. As each transmitter requires a separate
frequency in order not to interfere with each other, the
dedicated frequency spectrum is quickly used up. Clever
frequency allocation and frequency reuse is needed. For
VHF and UHF a number of antenna techniques can be used.
The cheapest version is using a monopole, but on-glass slot
antenna structures offer a very efficient way as well. If the

vehicle has a plastic spoiler or a plastic fender/bumper, it
can inherit VHF/UHF antennas.
A short overview about the most popular antenna
technologies was given.
A. Monopole antenna
Monopole antennas are the most popular antenna type, as
they are very easy to handle, easy to manufacture, easy to
implement to the vehicle and very cheap. The rod antenna
on a roof or fender does not satisfy modern design emotions,
so car designers try to avoid simple rod antennas on their
cars. Especially for premium car manufacturers, rod
antennas are meant to be avoided in modern Car antenna
system concepts.
B. Patch antenna
A patch antenna is a flatted monopole. This antenna type
is becoming more and more popular in the automotive
industry. As this antenna type is unobtrusively flat and can
be implemented into the vehicles structure, e.g. behind a
fender or bumper or in a plastic trunk cover. Patch Antennas
require a large metallic ground structure, preferably flat of
minimum 1* around the antenna. If the vehicle cannot
fulfill this requirement at the position with its surrounding
metallic structure, then the patch antenna shall provide its
own ground plane in the antenna structure.
C. On-glass antenna
With on-glass antennas it becomes possible to hide a
number of antennas for the regular users eye. As most
vehicles have glass windows, an antenna structure can be
implemented there. The most straight forward antenna
technique for on-glass follows a slot antenna principle. The
development of such on-glass antennas can take some time,
as car structure and glass window holes in the metallic
structure are both parts of the antenna jointly, which
influence each other. So changing the shape of the car will
change the on-glass antenna characteristics. But once a
suitable structure is found, the manufacturing process is very
cheap.
D. Glued foil antenna
Similar to slot antennas and patch antennas, these
structures can be placed on metallic foil, which is glued to a
plastic element. However there are some disadvantages to be
mentioned, which are the very narrow usable bandwidth and
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IJRITCC | October 2014, Available @ http://www.ijritcc.org
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Volume: 2 Issue: 10
ISSN: 2321-8169
3143 3148
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
the problem to connect coaxial cables to the flat foil
antenna. In addition, Moisture and spray water shall be
avoided. The connection problem with coaxial cable is often
solved by coupling the signal to the structure, but losses
must be taken into account.
E. Fractal antenna
A very modern field of antenna technology is summarized
as fractal antennas. It has been found that not only some
structures repeat their resonance with n*, but also when
repeating the structure in itself. This fractal breakdown of a
wire structure or a patch antenna structure leads to multiple
resonances of the antenna. When tuning the structure that
many frequency ranges can be used, only one antenna could
be used to serve most of the required services.
Various models were used with Dipole antenna,
folded dipole antenna, H-shaped patch antenna, and annular
ring patch antenna to receive frequencies corresponding to
GPS application. As the benefit is that only a few antennas
need to be placed, which is good for small cars, the
disadvantage is the very limited usable bandwidth where the
structure resonates.
III.
INVERTED-F ANTENNA FOR AUTOMOBILES
Inverted-F Antennas (IFA) are widely used in a variety

of communication systems especially in mobile phone
handsets and automobiles due to low profile, light weight,
easy integration and easy to manufacture. In recent years,
there have been a number of IFA designs describing
different configurations to achieve single and multiple bands
operation. These are generally designed to operate to include
one or more wireless communications bands which may
include Global System. Surface mounted antennas in cars,
trains, aircrafts, satellite etc., needs to be smaller in size,
light weight so that it consumes less fuel. Here substrate
used in antenna design plays a vital role in the
miniaturization of antennas. This property is exploited using
FR-4 substrate.
The Global positioning system (GPS) is the most
popular member of global satellite navigation systems
(GNSS).The integration of L5 1.176.45 GHz frequency
band with L1 (1.575 GHz), L2 (1.227 GHz), L3 (1.381.05
GHz) and L4 (1.379.913 GHz) frequency
bands has
introduced the multi band GPS operation that will improve
the robustness of this service and techniques for high
accuracy positioning.
Availability of limited space on GPS receivers is a
major challenge for the antenna design. Moreover,
embedding multiple antennas in a GNSS receiver to cover
all five frequency bands give rise to the problem of mutual
coupling that degrades the overall system performance.
Design of a single antenna that can cover multiple GNSS
bands effectively, efficiently, and simultaneously can
ameliorate this problem. Circular polarized (CP) micro
strip patch antennas are a popular choice for the GNSS
receivers.
The ground plane of IFA is an important factor and
can play an important role to enhance the performance of
the antenna.
IV.
INVERTERD F ANTENNA PERFORMANCE
The inverted-F antenna appears to be a wire antenna, after

some analysis of how this antenna radiates, it is more
accurately classified as an aperture antenna. The geometry
of inverted-F antenna is shown in Figure 1.
Figure.1. Geometry of Inverted F Antenna (IFA).

A. Analysis of IFA
The feed is placed from the ground plane to the upper arm
of the IFA. The upper arm of the IFA has a length that is
roughly a quarter of a wavelength. To the left of the feed (as
shown in Figure 1), the upper arm is shorted to the ground
plane. The feed is closer to the shorting pin than to the open
end of the upper arm. The polarization of this antenna is
vertical, and the radiation pattern is roughly donut shaped,
with the axis of the donut in the vertical direction. The
ground plane should be at least as wide as the IFA length
(L), and the ground plane should be at least lambda/4 in
height. If the height of the ground plane is smaller, the
bandwidth and efficiency will decrease. The height of the
IFA (H) should be a small fraction of a wavelength. The
radiation properties and impedance are not a strong function
of this parameter (H).
In the real part of the impedance for an IFA or slot
antenna, note that if the slot antenna was fed at the center of
the slot, the impedance would be practically infinite, so that
the antenna would not radiate. By moving the feed away
from the center for a slot, this also allows the current to
decrease from zero, which allows the impedance to drop to a
more desirable value. The same is true on the IFA antenna.
Hence, the feed location is a critical factor in designing an
IFA or slot. A good location for the feed can easily be
obtained experimentally during an antenna design.
B. Antenna Design and Layout
The structure of proposed single inverted F antenna
is depicted in figure 2.This single IFA is designed to achieve
the linear polarization with the following parameters
,L1 = 33mm
L2 = 11.24mm
W = 2.11mm
The total length L1+L2+W of the antenna is equal to the
quarter wavelength of IFA which has been used to achieve
the circular polarization. The figure 2 shows the designed
singleIFA layout.
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Volume: 2 Issue: 10
ISSN: 2321-8169
3143 3148
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
ranging from 1.2GHz to 1.& GHz and in these radiation
pattern plots, the difference between LHCP and RHCP is
more than -20dB at 0 degree. Hence, these plots prove that
the designed antenna is capable of achieving circular
polarization. From the figure 14, VSWR value antenna 1
and 2 is
from 1.2dB to 1.8dB. Impedance plots for
antenna1 and antenna 2 are shown in figures 15 and 16
respectively, in which the impedance of 50 ohm is
maintained. Axial ratio for all the frequencies are
maintained to be 2dB to 3 dB and is shown in figure 17 and
so, this plot proves the reception of GPS frequencies by
achieving circular polarization.
Name
m2
XY Plot 1
HFSSDesign1
ANSOFT
Curve Info
1.5657 -9.9764
dB(S(1,1))
Setup1 : Sw eep
-2.50
-5.00
dB(S(1,1))
To achieve circular polarization in order to receive

all the GPS frequencies, an array of inverted F antenna is
designed. Hence, another inverted F antenna is placed on the
other end of the substrate. Antenna 1 and antenna 2 are
placed at each end to avoid mutual coupling between the
successive antennas. Antenna is resonated by giving
Inserted feed. Crossed dipole antenna is fabricated at the
edge of this model so as to achieve circular polarization
(RHCP and LHCP) easily. This array antenna is designed
using HFSS software package which is shown in figure 3.
m10.00 1.4444 -9.7870
Figure.2. Designed single IFA Antenna Layout
-7.50
m1
m2
-10.00
-12.50
-15.00
-17.50
1.00
1.20
1.40
1.60
1.80
2.00
Freq [GHz]
Figure.4. Frequency Vs return loss

Name
XY Plot 3
HFSSDesign1
500.001.5051 38.3813
m1
m2
1.4848 42.2649
m3
1.4646 47.3194
ANSOFT
Curve Info
im(Z(1,1))
Setup1 : Sweep
re(Z(1,1))
Setup1 : Sweep
400.00
300.00
Y1
200.00
100.00
m3 m2
m1
0.00
-100.00
-200.00
1.00
1.20
1.40
1.60
1.80
2.00
Freq [GHz]
Figure.5. Impedance Plot

Figure.3. Designed Antenna array Layout
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The performance of the proposed antenna

configuration in terms of good bore sight axial-ratio,
VSWR, Directivity and return-loss the HFSS (High
Frequency Structure Simulator) is used for simulations in
the design. The simulated results for single IFA is shown
from the figures 4 to7. The figure 4 shows, that the return
loss to be less than -10dB and figure 5 depicts that the
antenna maintains the impedance value of 50ohm and
further the simulation plot shown in figure 6 results the
VSWR value of 1.2dB at the frequency of 1.572 GHz
Since the antenna is placed over the ground plane,
the radiation pattern is viewed in the elevation angle such
that phi is at 0 degree which is given in figure 7.The figures
from 8 to 17 shows the simulated results for the antenna
array. The radiation plots shown in figures from 8 to 13
reveals the radiation pattern for all the GPS frequencies
XY Plot 2
HFSSDesign1
30.00
m1 1.5152 1.3595
m2
1.5455 1.6485
m3
1.4747 1.5005
ANSOFT
Curve Info
VSWR(1)
Setup1 : Sw eep
25.00
20.00
VSWR(1)
V.
Name
15.00
10.00
5.00
m3
m1 m2
0.00
1.00
1.20
1.40
1.60
1.80
2.00
Freq [GHz]
Figure.6. Frequency Vs VSWR
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Volume: 2 Issue: 10
ISSN: 2321-8169
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Radiation Pattern 2
HFSSDesign1
0
-30
30
12.00
Name
ANSOFT
Theta
Ang
Radiation Pattern 2
Mag
Curve Info
m1
30.0000 30.0000 0.7416
dB(rEPhi)
Setup1 : LastAdaptive
Freq='1.57GHz' Phi='0deg'
m2
0.0000
-30
-60
dB(rERHCP)
Setup1 : Sw eep
12.00
60
ANSOFT
dB(rELHCP)
Setup1 : Sw eep
30
16.00
dB(rETheta)
4.00
HFSSDesign1
Curve Info
m2
0
0.0000 19.5237
-60
60
-4.00
8.00
-12.00
4.00
-90
m1
90
-90
-120
90
120
-120
-150
120
150
-180
-150
150
Figure.7. Radiation pattern in terms of phi and theta angles
-180
Figure.10. Radiation pattern at 1.57GHz

Ang
Radiation Pattern 1
Name
Theta
Mag
m1
0.0000
0.0000 18.9835
m2
0.0000
0.0000 -10.2034
HFSSDesign1
ANSOFT
Curve Info
m1
0
-30
dB(rELHCP)
30
13.00
dB(rERHCP)
6.00
-60
Name
Theta
m1
0.0000
0.0000 -2.4378
m2
0.0000
0.0000 19.9618
Ang
Radiation Pattern 4
Mag
HFSSDesign1
m2
-30
dB(rELHCP)
Setup1 : Sw eep
30
15.00
60
dB(rERHCP)
Setup1 : Sw eep
-1.00
10.00
-60
-8.00
m2
ANSOFT
Curve Info
60
5.00
-90
90
0.00
m1
-90
-120
90
120
-150
150
-120
120
-180

-150
150
-180
Name
m1
m2
Theta
Ang
0.0000
Radiation Pattern 3
Radiation Pattern 5
Mag
-10.0000 -10.0000 -9.3384
HFSSDesign1
-30
m2
HFSSDesign1
30
18.00
-30
dB(rELHCP)
Setup1 : Sw eep
11.00
-60
30
15.00
dB(rERHCP)
Setup1 : Sw eep
ANSOFT
Curve Info
Curve Info
0.0000 20.0523
ANSOFT
dB(rELHCP)
Setup1 : Sw eep
dB(rERHCP)
Setup1 : Sw eep
10.00
-60
60
5.00
60
4.00
0.00
-3.00
-90
90
m1
-90
90
-120
-120
120
120
-150
150
-180
-150
150
-180
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Volume: 2 Issue: 10
ISSN: 2321-8169
3143 3148
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Name
Theta
Ang
Radiation Pattern 2
Mag
m1
30.0000 30.0000 0.7416
m2
0.0000
HFSSDesign1
XY Plot 7
ANSOFT
-30
HFSSDesign1
100.00
Curve Info
m2
0
0.0000 19.5237
dB(rELHCP)
Setup1 : Sw eep
30
16.00
im(Z(2,2))
Setup1 : Sw eep
75.00
dB(rERHCP)
Setup1 : Sw eep
12.00
-60
ANSOFT
Curve Info
60
re(Z(2,2))
Setup1 : Sw eep
50.00
8.00
25.00
4.00
m1
90
Y1
-90
0.00
-25.00
-120
120
-50.00
-150
-75.00
150
-180
-100.00
1.00

Name
XY Plot 9
1.40
1.60
2.00
Figure.16. Impedance plot for Antenna 2

HFSSDesign1
ANSOFT
Curve Info
1.6970 1.7365
VSWR(1)
Setup1 : Sw eep
9.00
XY Plot 11
8.00
7.00
6.00
3.25
3.00
dB(AxialRatioValue)
Setup1 : Sw eep
dB(AxialRatioValue)
Setup1 : Sw eep
dB(AxialRatioValue)
Setup1 : Sw eep
dB(AxialRatioValue)
Y1
5.00
4.00
3.00
ANSOFT
Curve Info
dB(AxialRatioValue)
Setup1 : Sw eep
2.75
m1
HFSSDesign1
3.50
VSWR(2)
Setup1 : Sw eep
2.00
1.80
Freq [GHz]
10.00
m1
1.0909 1.8334
m2
1.20
2.50
dB(AxialRatioValue)
Setup1 : Sw eep
2.25
dB(AxialRatioValue)
Setup1 : Sw eep
2.00
dB(AxialRatioValue)
Setup1 : Sw eep
1.75
dB(AxialRatioValue)
Setup1 : Sw eep
m2
1.00
1.00
1.20
1.40
1.60
1.80
2.00
1.50
Freq [GHz]
Figure.14. VSWR plot for Antenna 1 and Antenna 2
1.25
1.13
1.25
1.38
Freq [GHz]
1.50
1.63
Figure.17. Axial ratio plot for all frequencies

XY Plot 2
HFSSDesign1
100.00
ANSOFT
Curve Info
VI.
CONCLUSION
im(Z(1,1))
Setup1 : Sw eep
75.00
re(Z(1,1))
Setup1 : Sw eep
50.00
Y1
25.00
0.00
-25.00
-50.00
The array of Micro strip inverted F antenna to achieve

circular polarization is designed by the software package
HFSS of version 13 for GPS reception has been presented.
The simulated data of Frequency, Return loss, VSWR,
Radiation pattern Impedance, Directivity and axial ratio for
single Inverted F antenna and also for antenna array are
shown. The simulated results depicts that the antenna array
is suitable for the reception of all the frequency levels in
GHz for GPS application.
REFERENCES
-75.00
-100.00
1.00
1.20
1.40
1.60
1.80
Freq [GHz]
Figure.15. Impedance plot for Antenna 1
2.00
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A Wearable Active Antenna for Global Positioning
System and Satellite Phone, IEEE Transactions on
antennas and propagation, vol.61, no. 2, pp532-538,
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[2] G.Z.Rafi, M.Mohajer, A.Mlarjy, P. Mousavi and SafaviNaeini Low-profile integrated micro strip Antenna for
GPS-DSRC application, IEEE Antennas Wireless
Propag, Lett., vol. 8, pp.44- 48, 2009
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Volume: 2 Issue: 10
ISSN: 2321-8169
3143 3148
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
[3] Shun-Lai Ma and Jeen-Sheen Row, Design of SingleFeed Dual-Frequency Patch Antenna for GPS and
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[5] C. L. Mak, K. M. Luk, K. F. Lee, and Y. L. Chow,
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[6] K.P. Yang and K. L. Wong, Dual-band circularlypolarized square microstrip antenna, IEEE Trans. A
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[8] www.antennatheory.com
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Microstrip Inverted F Antenna For GPS Application

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International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication