MULTI-BAND ANTENNA

• US 20070290938A1
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Loyet, Lowell Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,764,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/795
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/42 using two or more imbricated arrays H01Q5/49 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/065 Microstrip dipole antennas patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00

Abstract

A multi-band antenna for use in a wireless communications network provides frequency support for different wireless technologies in a single structure. This substantially reduces installation costs and can be the only solution in limited space installation sites. In one instance, the multi-band antenna has two serial feedlines carrying respective anode and cathode components of RF signals. Each, comprising serial feedline is coupled to two or more different length dipole elements. Each dipole element of a given length attached to the first serial feedline has a corresponding dipole element of approximately equal length attached to the second serial feedline and oriented, with respect to the first dipole element so as to form a dipole. Thus, at least two dipoles of differing lengths are formed, enabling performance in two different bands by the antenna. The gain of the antenna for any particular band is determined by the number of dipoles corresponding to that band contained within the antenna.

Claims

1. An apparatus that facilitates wireless communications, comprising an antenna that receives and/or transmits multiple frequency bands of radio communication signals via multiple transceiver microstrips with dipoles affixed to a common substrate within the antenna.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a first microstrip for transmitting and/or receiving a first frequency band;

a second microstrip for transmitting and/or receiving a second frequency band;

at least one first component of a first type dipole element electrically coupled to the first microstrip;

at least one first component of a second type dipole element electrically coupled to the first microstrip;

at least one second component of the first type dipole element electrically coupled to the second microstrip;

at least one second component of the second type dipole element electrically coupled to the second microstrip;

wherein

the first and second components of the first type dipole elements are arranged to form a first dipole that transmits and/or receives the first frequency band when a radio frequency signal is applied to the first and second microstrips and/or is received over the air; and

the first and second components of the second type dipole elements are arranged to form a second dipole that transmits and/or receives the second frequency band when a radio frequency signal is applied to the first and second microstrips and/or is received over the air.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the first and second microstrips, the first and second components of the first type dipole elements, and the first and second components of the second type dipole elements are comprised of a metal material.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the metal material is copper.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and second microstrips are separated by a dielectric material.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the dielectric material comprises a PTFE/fiberglass composite.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and second microstrips have an impedance of approximately 50 ohms.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and second components of the first type dipole elements and the first and second components of the second type dipole elements have an impedance of approximately 377 ohms.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein

at least one first component of the first type dipole element and at least one second component of the first type dipole comprise at least two first components of the first type dipole element and at least two second components of the second type dipole element;

and

a distance between a midpoint of a dipole element formed by a first pair of first and second components of the first type dipole element and a dipole form by a second pair of first and second components of the first type dipole element is one half the wavelength of a corresponding frequency radiated by the first type dipole when excited.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a first component of a third type dipole element electrically coupled to the first microstrip; and

a second component of the third type dipole element electrically coupled to the second microstrip; and

wherein the first and second components of the third type dipole element are configured so as to form a third type dipole when appropriately excited.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a parasitic element coupled to one of the microstrips to increase the omni directional nature of radiation emitted by the antenna.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein dipole elements are arranged symmetrically about a longitudinal axis of one of the first and second microstrips.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein dipole elements are arranged asymmetrically about a longitudinal axis of one of the first and second microstrips.

14. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first microstrip, the first component of the first type dipole element, and the first component of the second type dipole are formed on a first side of a dielectric material.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second microstrip, the second component of the first type dipole element, and the second component of the second type dipole element are formed on a second side of the dielectric material.

16. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and second components of the first type dipole element have a longitudinal axis that is substantially perpendicular to a plane formed by the first microstrip and the first component of the second dipole element.

17. A multi-band antenna, comprising:

a first electrically conductive material wherein the first electrically conductive material comprises first subcomponents of a first type dipole element and a second type dipole element;

a second electrically conductive material separated from the first electrically conductive material by a dielectric material wherein the second electrically conductive material comprises second subcomponents of the first type dipole element and the second type dipole element; and

wherein the first and second subcomponents of the first type dipole element are arranged such that they form the first type dipole element and the first and second subcomponents of the second type dipole element are arranged such that they form the second type dipole element.

18. The multi-band antenna as recited in claim 17, wherein the first electrically conductive material further comprises a first subcomponent of a third type dipole and the second electrically conductive material further comprises a second subcomponent of a third type dipole wherein the first and second subcomponents of the third type dipole are arranged such that they form the third type dipole element.

19. A communications system supporting communications between wireless devices and supporting at least two electromagnetic frequencies of wireless communication, comprising:

a communications network;

a plurality of base stations communicatively coupled to the communications network; and

a plurality of antennas each of which is communicatively coupled to a respective one of the plurality of base stations; and

wherein at least one of the plurality of antennas is a multi-band antenna supporting wireless communication in at least two communication frequency bands.

20. The communications system as recited in claim 19, wherein the multi-band antenna comprises:

a first electrically conductive material wherein the first electrically conductive material comprises a first subcomponents of a first type dipole element and a second type dipole element;

a second electrically conductive material separated from the first electrically conductive material by a dielectric material wherein the second electrically conductive material comprises second subcomponents of the first type dipole element and the second type dipole element; and

wherein the first and second subcomponents of the first type dipole element are arranged such that they form the first type dipole element and the first and second subcomponents of the second type dipole element are arranged such that they form the second type dipole element.

21. The communications system as recited in claim 19, wherein the multi-band antenna comprises:

a first microstrip for transmitting and/or receiving a first frequency band;

a second microstrip for transmitting and/or receiving a second frequency band;

at least one first component of a first type dipole element electrically coupled to the first microstrip;

at least one first component of a second type dipole element electrically coupled to the first microstrip;

at least one second component of the first type dipole element electrically coupled to the second microstrip; and

at least one second component of the second type dipole element electrically coupled to the second microstrip;

wherein

the first and second components of the first type dipole elements are arranged to form a first dipole that transmits and/or receives the first frequency band when a radio frequency signal is applied to the first and second microstrips and/or is received over the air; and

the first and second components of the second type dipole elements are arranged to form a second dipole that transmits and/or receives the second frequency band when a radio frequency signal is applied to the first and second microstrips and/or is received over the air.