Folded mono-bow antennas and antenna systems for use in cellular and other wireless communications systems

• US 5,771,024 A
• Filed: 09/06/1996
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omnipoint Corp. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Aden, John L., Reece, John Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Wimer, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US08/709,275
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 343/795, 343/725, 343/727, 343/833, 343/834, 343/829, 343/830, 343/810, 343/812-818, 343/820
• US Class Current: 343/725
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface

Abstract

Improved antennas and antenna systems for use in cellular and other wireless communications systems. A folded mono-bow antenna element is provided which has a substantially omnidirectional radiation pattern in a horizontal plane and shows variation in gain in an elevation plane depending upon the size of an associated ground plane. The folded mono-bow antenna element comprises a main bowtie radiating element and parasitic element wherein the main bowtie radiating element and parasitic element are separated by a dielectric material having a dielectric constant preferably less than 4.5 and, in some cases, less than or equal to 3.3. Various antenna arrays and methods of making the same are also provided.

Claims

1. An antenna array for use in cellular and other wireless communications systems, said antenna array comprising:

a pair of folded mono-bow antenna elements, each having a main radiating bowtie element and a parasitic element, said parasitic elements being mounted to a common ground plane, said main radiating bowtie elements being mounted respectively to first and second feed pins extending through a first pair of holes formed in said common ground plane;

a pair of "T" shaped antenna elements, each having a main radiating "T" element and a feed strip element, said main radiating "T" elements being mounted to said common ground plane, and said feed strip elements being mounted respectively to third and fourth feed pins extending through a second pair of holes formed in said common ground plane;

a first summing circuit coupled to said first and second feed pins;

a second summing circuit coupled to said third and fourth feed pins; and

two pairs of director elements coupled to said common ground plane, said first pair of director elements being positioned within a first plane passing through a first pair of opposing corners of said common ground plane, and said second pair of director elements being positioned within a second plane passing through a second pair of opposing corners of said common ground plane.

2. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein said folded mono-bow antenna elements each comprise:

a printed circuit board substrate having copper cladding deposited on a first side and a second side;

said copper cladding deposited on said first side of said printed circuit board substrate forming a bowtie radiating element;

a first portion of said copper cladding deposited on said second side of said printed circuit board substrate forming a parasitic element;

a second portion of said copper cladding deposited on said second side of said printed circuit board substrate forming a shorting element, said parasitic element and said shorting element comprising a unitary structure; and

an electrical connection coupling said shorting element to said bowtie radiating element.

3. The antenna array of claim 2, wherein said ground plane comprises copper cladding deposited on a first side of a ground plane printed circuit board, and said first and second summing circuits comprise copper cladding deposited on a second side of said ground plane printed circuit board.

4. The antenna array of claim 3 further comprising a housing, said housing including

an aluminum base providing a mounting for said ground plane printed circuit board and a mounting for a pair of coax connectors, one of said coax connectors being coupled to said first summing circuit, and the other of said coax connectors being coupled to said second summing circuit;

and

a plastic cover adapted to be coupled to said aluminum base.

5. The antenna array of claim 4, wherein said first and second feed pins are separated by a distance substantially equal to 3.3 inches, said third and fourth feed pins are separated by a distance substantially equal to 3.3 inches, and the elements comprising said antenna array are dimensioned to enhance transmission and reception at a frequency of substantially 1920 MHZ.

6. The antenna array of claim 5, wherein said printed circuit board ground plane measures substantially 8.0 inches along a first axis and substantially 6.0 inches along a second axis, said first and second feed pins being mounted along said first axis and being separated from a point of intersection of said first and second axes by a distance of substantially 1.65 inches, and said third and fourth feed pins being mounted along said second axis and being separated from a point of intersection of said first and second axes by a distance of substantially 1.65 inches.