MULTI-BAND ANTENNA AND METHODS FOR LONG TERM EVOLUTION WIRELESS SYSTEM

• US 20130009836A1
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cantor Fitzgerald Securities (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: Cantor Fitzgerald Securities (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Islam, Muhammad Nazrul
• Granted Patent: US 8,866,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/810
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system

Abstract

A multiband dipole antenna solution suitable for use in various wireless device applications, and methods of tuning and utilizing the same. In one embodiment, the antenna is adapted for use in long term evolution (LTE or LTE-A) radio devices. In one implementation, the antenna comprises (i) two planar directly fed radiating elements operating in a lower frequency band and disposed on two opposing sides of a dielectric structure, and (ii) two electromagnetically coupled radiating elements operating in an upper frequency band also disposed on the opposing sides of the dielectric structure. An additional pair of electromagnetically coupled radiator elements is utilized to achieve wider antenna operating bandwidth.

Claims

1. An antenna apparatus operable in a first frequency band and a second frequency band, the apparatus comprising:

a dielectric element comprising a first side and a second side, a feed point disposed on the first side, and a ground point disposed on the second side;

a first structure operable in the first frequency band and disposed substantially on the first side;

a second structure operable in the first frequency band and disposed substantially on the second side;

a third structure operable in the second frequency band and disposed substantially on the first side; and

a fourth structure operable in the second frequency band and disposed substantially on the second side;

wherein;

the first structure is galvanically coupled to the feed point; and

the second structure is galvanically coupled to the ground point.

2. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third structure is configured to form an electromagnetic coupling to the first structure, and the fourth structure is configured to form an electromagnetic coupling to the second structure.

3. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first structure comprises a first radiator arm disposed substantially co-planar with, yet parallel to, a second radiator arm; and

the second structure comprises a third radiator arm disposed substantially co-planar with, yet parallel to, a fourth radiator arm.

4. The antenna apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a first substantially linear conductive element disposed on the first side and configured to couple the feed point to the first and the second radiator arms via a first T-junction; and

a second substantially linear conductive element disposed on the second side and configured to couple the feed point to the third and the fourth radiator arms via a second T-junction.

5. The antenna apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first radiator arm and the second radiator arm each comprise a linear slot disposed substantially longitudinally within the respective arm.

6. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first conductive element disposed between the first structure and the feed point and effecting the galvanic coupling to the feed point;

a first electromagnetic coupling element electrically disposed between the first conductive element and a first branch of the third structure; and

a second electromagnetic coupling element electrically disposed between the first conductive element and a second branch of the third structure;

wherein;

the first electromagnetic coupling element is configured to electromagnetically couple the first branch of the third structure to the feed point; and

the second electromagnetic coupling element is configured to electromagnetically couple the second branch of the third structure to the feed point.

7. The antenna apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a second conductive element disposed between at least a portion of the second structure and the ground point, and effecting the galvanic coupling to the ground point;

a third electromagnetic coupling element electrically disposed between at least a portion of the second conductive element and a first branch of the fourth structure; and

a fourth electromagnetic coupling element electrically disposed between at least a portion of the second conductive element and a second branch of the fourth structure;

wherein;

the third electromagnetic coupling element is configured to electromagnetically couple the first branch of the fourth structure to the ground point; and

the fourth electromagnetic coupling element is configured to electromagnetically couple the second branch of the fourth structure to the ground point.

8. The antenna apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a coupling structure disposed substantially on the first side and configured to electrically couple to the second conductive element.

9. The antenna apparatus of claim 8, electric coupling of the coupling structure to the second conductive element is effected via a conductor that penetrates through the dielectric element in a direction normal to the first side.

10. The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first structure and the second structure are configured to cooperate to form at least a portion of a first dipole antenna operable in the first frequency band;

and

the third structure and the fourth structure are configured to cooperate to form at least a portion of a second dipole antenna operable in the second frequency band.

11. The antenna apparatus of claim 10, wherein the antenna apparatus is characterized by a substantially omni-directional radiation pattern in at least one of the first frequency band and the second frequency band, in a plane substantially normal to the dielectric element.

12. The antenna apparatus of claim 10, wherein antenna operation in the second frequency band is effected at least in part by a higher mode resonance in the first frequency band.

13. The antenna apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the first frequency band comprises a lower frequency long term evolution (LTE) application band;

and the second frequency band comprises an upper frequency LTE application band.

14. A multiband antenna component for use with a radio communications device, the antenna operable in a first frequency band and a second frequency band, the antenna component comprising:

a dielectric element comprising a first side and a second side;

a first structure operable in the first frequency band and disposed substantially on the first side;

a second structure operable in the first frequency band and disposed substantially on the second side;

wherein;

the first structure is connected to a feed disposed on the first side; and

the second structure is connected to a coupling.

15. The antenna component of claim 14, further comprising:

a third structure operable in the second frequency band and disposed substantially on the first side; and

a fourth structure operable in the second frequency band and disposed substantially on the second side;

wherein;

the third structure is configured to electromagnetically couple to the first structure; and

the fourth structure is configured to electromagnetically couple to the second structure.

16. The antenna component of claim 15, wherein the first frequency band comprises a lower frequency long term evolution (LTE) application band and second frequency band is selected from a group consisting of (i) 1710-1990 MHz, (ii) 2110-2170 MHz;

and 2500-2700 MHz.

17. The antenna component of claim 15, wherein:

the first structure comprises a first radiator arm disposed substantially co-planar with yet parallel to a second radiator arm; and

the second structure comprises a third radiator arm disposed substantially co-planar with yet parallel to a fourth radiator arm.

18. The antenna component of claim 17, wherein:

the first radiator arm comprises a first linear slot disposed substantially longitudinally within the first radiator arm; and

the second radiator arm comprises a second linear slot disposed substantially longitudinally within the second radiator arm.

19. The antenna component of claim 17, further comprising:

a first conductive element disposed between the first structure and the feed point and effecting the connection of the first structure to the feed point;

a first electromagnetic coupling element electrically disposed between the first conductive element and a first branch of the third structure; and

a second electromagnetic coupling element electrically disposed between the first conductive element and a second branch of the third structure;

wherein;

the first electromagnetic coupling element is configured to electromagnetically couple the first radiator arm to the feed; and

the second electromagnetic coupling element is configured to electromagnetically couple the second radiator al to the feed.

20. The antenna component of claim 15, further comprising:

a first conductive element disposed on the first side and configured to effect the connection between the feed and the first structure; and

a second conductive element disposed on the second side and configured to effect the connection between the coupling and the second structure.

21. The antenna component of claim 20, further comprising a structure disposed substantially on the first side and configured to electrically couple to the second conductive element.

22. The antenna component of claim 15, wherein:

outer perimeter of the first structure is configured substantially external to outer perimeter of the second structure; and

outer perimeter of the third structure is configured substantially external to outer perimeter of the fourth structure.

23. The antenna component of claim 15, wherein:

outer perimeter of the first structure is configured to overlap at least partially outer perimeter of the third structure when viewed in a direction substantially normal to the first side; and

outer perimeter of the second structure is configured to overlap at least partially outer perimeter of the fourth structure when viewed in the direction substantially normal to the first side.

24. The antenna component of claim 15, further comprising:

a fifth structure disposed substantially on the first side and configured to electromagnetically couple to the second structure; and

a sixth structure disposed substantially on the second side and configured to electromagnetically couple to the first structure.

25. A method of enabling radio communications device operation using a multiband dipole antenna, the method comprising:

providing a feed signal to a feed disposed on a first side of a dielectric substrate, and to a coupling disposed on the second side of the dielectric substrate;

exciting a first antenna structure disposed substantially on the first side and electrically coupled to the feed so as to radiate in a first frequency band; and

exciting a second antenna structure disposed substantially on the second side so as to radiate in the first frequency band.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

causing a third antenna structure, disposed substantially on the first side, to radiate in a second frequency band different than the first band by effecting electromagnetic coupling between the third antenna structure and the first antenna structure in the second frequency band; and

causing a fourth antenna structure, disposed substantially on the second side, to radiate in the second frequency band by effecting electromagnetic coupling between the fourth antenna structure and the second antenna structure in the second frequency band.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the first antenna structure comprises a first radiator arm disposed substantially co-planar with yet parallel to a second radiator arm; and

the second antenna structure comprises a third radiator arm disposed substantially co-planar with yet parallel to a fourth radiator arm.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising tuning an electromagnetic coupling of the third antenna structure and the first antenna structure in the second frequency band, said electromagnetic coupling of the third antenna structure and the first antenna structure being effected at least in part by a first linear slot disposed substantially longitudinally within the first radiator aim and a second linear slot disposed substantially longitudinally within the second radiator arm.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising tuning an electromagnetic coupling of the fourth antenna structure and the second antenna structure in the second frequency band, said electromagnetic coupling of the third antenna structure and the first antenna structure being effected at least in part by a third linear slot disposed substantially longitudinally within the third radiator arm and a fourth linear slot disposed substantially longitudinally within the fourth radiator arm.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

effecting electric coupling of the first antenna structure to the feed via a first conductive element disposed therebetween;

effecting electromagnetic coupling of the first radiator arm and the feed via a first electromagnetic coupling element disposed electrically between the first conductive element and third antenna structure; and

effecting electromagnetic coupling of the second radiator arm to the feed via a second electromagnetic coupling element disposed electrically between the first conductive element and the third antenna structure.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

exciting a fifth antenna structure disposed substantially on the first side and electromagnetically coupled to the second antenna structure in order to radiate in the first frequency band; and

exiting a sixth antenna structure disposed substantially on the second side and electromagnetically coupled to the first antenna structure, in order to radiate in the first frequency band.