Method for improving isolation of an antenna mounted on a structure

• US 20040150580A1
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Macdonald Dettwiler and Associates Limited
• Original Assignee: Macdonald Dettwiler and Associates Limited
• Inventors: Gaudette, Yves, Brand, Yan
• Granted Patent: US 7,138,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/878
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/288 Satellite antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/52 Means for reducing coupling between antennas; Means for reducing coupling between an antenna and another structure absorbing means H01Q17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/521 reducing the coupling between adjacent antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/525 between emitting and receiving antennas

Abstract

A method for improving the electric isolation of a wide coverage antenna mounted on a structure. The structure defines a peripheral wall and a first longitudinal end wall and the generally elongated antenna has a base. The antenna mounts on the structure in a spaced apart relationship relative to the peripheral wall in a direction pointing generally outwardly therefrom with the antenna base being in a step back relationship relative to the first end wall such that the antenna is at least partially electrically isolated by the structure while being substantially hidden from the first end wall. A second antenna similarly positioned relative to the peripheral wall and the first end wall can be generally opposed to the first antenna about the structure such that the two antennas are at least partially electrically isolated from one another.

Claims

1. A method for improving the isolation of a wide coverage antenna mounted on a structure, the structure having a generally elongated body, said body defining a first longitudinal end wall, a peripheral wall and a longitudinal body axis, said first end wall defining a first wall surface, said peripheral wall defining a peripheral wall surface, said antenna being generally elongated and defining an antenna axis and an antenna base, said antenna being oriented in a direction pointing generally outwardly from said first wall surface with said antenna axis being generally parallel to said body axis, said method comprising:

positioning said antenna in a spaced apart relationship relative to said peripheral wall surface in a direction pointing generally outwardly therefrom with said antenna base being in a spaced apart relationship relative to said first wall surface in a direction pointing generally inwardly therefrom such that said antenna is at least partially electrically isolated by said structure body while being substantially hidden from said first wall surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said structure body defines a second longitudinal end wall generally opposed to the first end wall, said antenna being positioned so as to mount on said structure body adjacent said second end wall.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said peripheral wall includes at least two peripheral surface sections, said two peripheral wall sections defining a generally rectilinear outer intersection therebetween, said method further comprising the step of positioning said antenna in a spaced apart relationship relative to said outer intersection in a direction pointing outwardly from said two peripheral wall sections such that said antenna is closer to said outer intersection than to either one of said two peripheral wall sections.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said antenna base is positioned in a spaced apart relationship relative to said first wall surface in a direction pointing generally inwardly therefrom such that at least half of a length of said antenna is hidden from said first wall surface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said antenna base is positioned in a spaced apart relationship relative to said first wall surface in a direction pointing generally inwardly therefrom such that said antenna is totally hidden from said first wall surface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said antenna is a first antenna defining a first antenna axis and a first antenna base, a second wide coverage antenna for mounting on said structure being generally elongated and defining a second antenna axis and a second antenna base, said method further including the step of:

positioning said second antenna in a spaced apart relationship relative to said peripheral wall surface in a direction pointing generally outwardly therefrom with said second antenna base being in a spaced apart relationship relative to said first wall surface in a direction pointing generally inwardly therefrom such that said second antenna is at least partially electrically isolated by said structure body while being substantially hidden from said first wall surface.

7. The method of claim 6, further including the step of:

positioning said second antenna in a generally opposed relationship relative to said first antenna about said longitudinal body axis such that said first and second antennas are at least partially electrically isolated from one another by said structure body.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said peripheral wall includes at least four peripheral surface sections, said four peripheral wall sections defining at least two generally opposed and rectilinear outer intersections therebetween, said method further comprising the step of positioning said first and second antennas in a spaced apart relationship relative to a respective of said two outer intersections in a direction pointing outwardly from said four peripheral wall sections such that said first and second antennas are closer to said respective outer intersection than to any one of said four peripheral wall sections.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said two generally opposed outer intersections are in a generally opposed relationship relative to one another about said longitudinal body axis.

10. A wide coverage antenna for mounting on a structure, the structure having a generally elongated structure body, said structure body defining a first longitudinal end wall, a peripheral wall and a longitudinal structure body axis, said first end wall defining a first wall surface, said peripheral wall defining a peripheral wall surface, said antenna comprising:

an antenna base for movably mounting on said structure body;

an elongated antenna body mounting on said antenna base and defining an antenna axis, said antenna body being oriented in a direction pointing generally outwardly from said first wall surface with said antenna axis being generally parallel to said structure body axis;

said antenna being positioned in a spaced apart relationship relative to said peripheral wall surface in a direction pointing generally outwardly therefrom with said antenna base being in a spaced apart relationship relative to said first wall surface in a direction pointing generally inwardly therefrom such that said antenna is at least partially electrically isolated by said structure body while being substantially hidden from said first wall surface.

11. The antenna of claim 10, further including a mounting boom, said mounting boom having longitudinally opposed first and second boom ends, said first boom end being secured to said antenna base, said second boom end being for pivotally mounting on said peripheral wall about a mounting axis generally parallel to the longitudinal body axis.

12. The antenna of claim 11, wherein said antenna is for pivotally mounting on said structure body about said mounting axis between a stowed configuration with said antenna being in proximity to said peripheral wall and a deployed configuration with said antenna being generally away from said peripheral wall.

13. The antenna of claim 12, wherein said peripheral wall includes at least two peripheral surface sections, said two peripheral wall sections defining a generally rectilinear outer intersection therebetween, said antenna being in a spaced apart relationship relative to said outer intersection in a direction pointing outwardly from said two peripheral wall sections when in said deployed configuration such that said antenna is closer to said outer intersection than to either one of said two peripheral wall sections.

14. A combination of a first wide coverage antenna and a second wide coverage antenna for mounting on a structure, the structure having a generally elongated structure body, said structure body defining a first longitudinal end wall, a peripheral wall and a longitudinal structure body axis, said first end wall defining a first wall surface, said peripheral wall defining a peripheral wall surface, said first and second antennas comprising, respectively:

a first and a second antenna base for movably mounting on said structure body;

a first and a second elongated antenna body mounting on said first and second antenna base and defining a first and a second antenna axis respectively, said first and second antenna bodies being oriented in a direction pointing generally outwardly from said first wall surface with said first and second antenna axes being generally parallel to said structure body axis;

said first and second antennas being positioned in a spaced apart relationship relative to said peripheral wall surface in a direction pointing generally outwardly therefrom with said first and second antenna bases being in a spaced apart relationship relative to said first wall surface in a direction pointing generally inwardly therefrom such that said first and second antennas are at least partially electrically isolated by said structure body while being substantially hidden from said first wall surface.

15. The combination of claim 14, wherein said first and second antennas are in a generally opposed relationship relative to one another about said longitudinal body axis such that said first and second antennas are at least partially electrically isolated from one another by said structure body.

16. The combination of claim 15, wherein said peripheral wall includes at least four peripheral surface sections, said four peripheral wall sections defining at least two generally opposed and rectilinear outer intersections therebetween, said first and second antennas being in a spaced apart relationship relative to a respective of said two outer intersections in a direction pointing outwardly from said four peripheral wall sections such that said first and second antennas are closer to said respective outer intersection than to any one of said four peripheral wall sections.