Frequency-selective antenna with different signal polarizations

• US 5,608,413 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 03/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Macdonald, Perry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wimer, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US08/483,360
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700 MS, 343/725, 343/702, 343/767
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• 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 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements

Abstract

A slot radiator and a patch radiator are formed in a single antenna which is connected to a handheld, wireless telephone. The antenna can be pivoted to operational positions and excited to radiate linearly-polarized signals or circularly-polarized signals whose radiation patterns are respectively directed azimuthally and elevationally.

Claims

1. A dual-frequency antenna for operation with first and second rf signals which respectively have λ

₁ and λ

₂ wavelengths, comprising;

a slot radiator configured to radiate said first rf signal with linear polarization;

a patch radiator configured to radiate said second rf signal with elliptical radiation; and

a transmission line configured to carry said first and second rf signals and arranged to couple said first rf signal to said slot radiator and to couple said second rf signal to said patch radiator;

wherein;

said slot radiator includes a ground plane configured to define a slot radiative element;

said transmission line is spaced from a first side of said ground plane; and

said slot radiative element is positioned to couple said first rf signal between said transmission line and free space.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said slot radiator has a length which is substantially λ

₁ /2.

3. The antenna of claim 2, wherein said patch radiator includes:

a patch radiative element spaced from a second side of said ground plane; and

first and second apertures defined by said ground plane and positioned to couple said second rf signal between said transmission line and said patch radiative element.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein said patch radiative element has a width which is substantially λ

₂ /2.

5. The antenna of claim 3, wherein:

said transmission line has first and second segments;

said first and second apertures are respectively coupled to said first and second segments; and

said first and second segments are spaced apart on said transmission line by substantially λ

₂ /n wherein n is chosen to obtain a predetermined elliptical polarization.

6. The antenna of claim 5, wherein n substantially equals 4 to obtain circular polarization.

7. A dual-frequency atenna for operation with first and second rf signals which respectively have λ

₁ and λ

₂ wavelengths, comprising;

a slot radiator configured to radiate said first rf signal with linear polarization;

a patch radiator configured to radiate said second rf signal with elliptical radiation; and

a transmission line configured to carry said first and second rf signals and arranged to coupled said first rf signal to said slot radiator and to couple said second rf signal to said patch radiator;

wherein said patch radiator includes;

a ground plane configured to define first and second aperatures; and

a patch radiative element spaced from a first side of said ground plane;

and wherein said transmission line is spaced from a second side of said ground plane; and

said first and second aperatures are positioned to coupled said second rf signal between said transmission line and said patch radiative element.

8. The atenna of claim 7 wherein said patch radiative element has a length which is substantially λ

₂ /2.

9. The antenna of claim 7, wherein:

said transmission line has first and second segments;

said first and second apertures are respectively coupled to said first and second segments; and

said first and second segments are spaced apart on said transmission line by substantially λ

₂ /n wherein n is chosen to obtain a predetermined elliptical polarization.

10. The antenna of claim 9, wherein n substantially equals 4 to obtain circular polarization.

11. The antenna of claim 7, wherein:

said slot radiator includes a slot radiative element defined by said ground plane; and

said slot radiative element is positioned to couple said first rf signal between between said transmission line and free space.

12. The antenna of claim 11, wherein said slot radiative element has a length which is substantially λ

₁ /2.

13. A dual-frequency antenna for operation with first and second rf signals which respectively have λ

₁ and λ

₂ wavelengths, comprising;

a first ground plane;

a second ground plane spaced from said first ground plane;

a patch radiative element spaced from said first ground plane and configured to radiate said second rf signal; and

a transmission line positioned between said first and second ground planes to carry said first and second rf signals;

wherein;

said first ground plane is configured to define first and second apertures;

one of said first and second ground planes is configured to define a first slot radiative element;

said first slot radiative element is configured to radiate said first rf signal with linear polarization and is positioned to couple said first rf signal between said transmission line and free space; and

said first and second apertures are each configured and positioned to couple said second rf signal between said transmission line and said patch radiative element for elliptically-polarized radiation.

14. The antenna of claim 13, wherein:

the other of said first and second ground planes is configured to define a second slot radiative element; and

said second slot radiative element is configured to radiate said first rf signal with linear polarization and is positioned to couple said first rf signal between said transmission line and free space.

15. The antenna of claim 13, wherein:

said transmission line has first and second segments;

said first and second apertures are respectively coupled to said first and second segments; and

said first and second segments are spaced apart on said transmission line by substantially λ

₂ /n wherein n is chosen to obtain a predetermined elliptical polarization.

16. The antenna of claim 15, wherein n substantially equals 4 to obtain circular polarization.

17. The antenna of claim 13, wherein:

said transmission line has first and second segments;

said patch radiative element is coupled to said first segment;

said second segment has an end which adjoins said second segment and another end which terminates in a load impedance; and

said second segment has a length of substantially λ

₂ /n wherein n is chosen to present a predetermined impedance at a signal wavelength of λ

₂ to said second segment.

18. The antenna of claim 17, wherein said load impedance is an open circuit and n substantially equals 2.

19. The antenna of claim 17, wherein said load impedance is a short circuit and n substantially equals 4.

20. The antenna of claim 13, wherein:

said transmission line has first and second segments;

said first slot radiative element is coupled to said first segment;

said second segment has an end which adjoins said first segment and another end which terminates in a load impedance; and

said second segment has a length of substantially λ

₁ /n wherein n is chosen to present a predetermined impedance at a signal wavelength of λ

₁ to said second segment.

21. The antenna of claim 20, wherein said load impedance is an open circuit and n substantially equals 2.

22. The antenna of claim 20, wherein said load impedance is a short circuit and n substantially equals 4.

23. The antenna of claim 13, wherein:

said transmission line has first, second. and third segments with said second segment connecting said first and third segments;

said first slot radiative element is coupled to said first segment;

said patch radiative element is coupled to said third segment; and

said second segment has a length of substantially λ

₁ /n wherein n is chosen to present a predetermined impedance at a signal wavelength of λ

₁ to said first segment.

24. The antenna of claim 23, wherein said transmission line has a fourth segment which has an end that adjoins said third segment and another end which terminates in a load impedance;

and said fourth segment has a length of substantially λ

₂ /n wherein n is chosen to present a predetermined impedance at a signal wavelength of λ

₂ to said third segment.

25. The antenna of claim 13, wherein:

said transmission line has first, second and third segments with said second segment connecting said first and third segments;

said patch radiative element is coupled to said first segment;

said first slot radiative element is coupled to said third segment; and

said second segment has a length of substantially λ

₂ /n wherein n is chosen to present a predetermined impedance at a signal wavelength of λ

₂ to said first segment.

26. The antenna of claim 25, wherein said transmission line has a fourth segment which has an end that adjoins said third segment and another end which terminates in a load impedance;

and

said fourth segment has a length of substantially λ

₁ /n wherein n is chosen to present a predetermined impedance at a signal wavelength of λ

₁ to said third segment.

27. The antenna of claim 13, further including:

a first dielectric substrate positioned between said first and second ground planes; and

a second dielectric substrate positioned between said patch radiative element and said first ground plane.

28. A dual-frequency antenna for operation with first and second rf signals which respectively have λ

₁ and λ

₂ wavelengths, comprising;

slot radiator configured to radiate said first rf signal with linear polarization;

a patch radiator spaced from said slot radiator and configured to radiate said second rf signal with elliptical radiation; and

a transmission line configured to carry said first and second rf signals and arranged to coupled said first rf signal to said slot radiator and to couple said second rf signal to said patch radiator; and

further including a ground plane and wherein;

said slot radiator includes a slot radiative element formed by said ground plane to have a length of substantially λ

₁ /2;

said transmission line is spaced from a first side of said ground plane;

said slot radiative element is positioned to couple said first rf signal between said transmission line and free space;

said patch radiator includes;

a) first end second apertures formed by said ground plane; and

b) a patch radiative element spaced from a second side of said ground plane and having length of substantially λ

₂ /2; and

said first and second apertures are positioned to couple said second rf signal between said transmission line and said patch radiative element.