Broad Patent Awarded For Fractal Electronics
Fractals are geometric shapes that are devised from a repetition of a simple shape repeated over a variety of scales. Well-known in graphic design and art, the use of fractals, in antennas, was pioneered over the last 20 years by the firm's Founder and Chief Technical Officer (CTO), Dr. Nathan Cohen. A radio astrophysicist and retired university professor, Cohen concurrently invented tuned electronic circuits using fractals, also called fractal "resonators" and filed patent for them in 1995. As fractal resonators had neither been discussed nor invented before that time, the patent filing defined an entirely new potential branch of electronics.
In the 12 years since the patent filing, Cohen notes: "It has been fascinating to watch an invention ahead of its time come to patent recognition when time has caught up with it."
Although the seminal 1995 publication of the approach was nearly ignored by researchers, by 2001 scientists had re-discovered the value of using fractals in tuned circuits, to make smaller and more versatile performing filters, for example. Presently, hundreds of publications have detailed the use of fractals in filters and other tuned electronic circuits, from researchers worldwide, including those at some of the world's top universities. "Fractal tuned circuits have become a hotbed for progress in electronic design," added Cohen.
Pointing out the firm's great patience in awaiting the issuance of the important patent, the firm's CEO David Moschella notes that the recognition defines the starting point of the approach and signals the shift of acceptance from a research discipline to one that is applied and market-driven. "The researchers have piqued the interest of the electronics industry, and with the patent basis now firmly established it's time to get the applications fielded," said Moschella, in describing the business of the fractal resonator technology to be built on in-house products, as well as licensing.
SOURCE: Fractal Antenna Systems