Personal Radio with Smart-Array Antenna

A low-cost radio box design with a smart-array antenna that can be scaled for various applications, including:

  1. Personal satellite radio system with a smart tracking system.

  2. High-gain 5G smart-array transceiver.

Key Features:

Low-Cost Design: The unit incorporates a novel, cost-effective array design embedded within the main enclosure of the radio.

Efficient Circuitry: The digital circuitry responsible for controlling the radio and the smart array has been optimized for speed and simplicity.

Scalability: The design can be easily adapted for different applications and frequency ranges.

Internal Battery Unit and Power Optimizer Unit (POU): The unit is equipped with an internal battery while utilizing a POU to maximize battery life.

Innovative Factors

This design utilizes several innovative approaches and techniques developed during the project development:

Low-Cost Array Design.

Smart Beam-Steering Algorithm and Circuitry.

Internal Communication Unit: Interfaces with cellphones using a dedicated application.

Additional Sensors: Enhance unit performance in different environments.

Bill of Material and Mass Production

Below is the BoM prepared for the mass-production on the unit.

  • Enclosure: $15

  • Heatsink: $10

  • Antenna Array: $25

  • Battery: $5

  • Digital Components: $50

  • Firmware/Software: $15

  • PCB: $12

  • Packaging: $5

  • RF-End Components: $45

  • Quality Assurance: $5

  • Sensors: $8

  • Total: $195

Market studies suggest a unit price of $299, providing a profit margin of over 30%.

Project Duration

The objectives for this project were as follows:

  • Detailed hardware design.

  • Initial GUI or app design.

  • Creation of an initial prototype with limited functionality.

Project duration: The project lasted for a total of 6 months, equivalent to 600 hours.