Antenna apparatus and information transmitting system

• US 5,878,327 A
• Filed: 08/22/1995
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Masato, Kasai, Susumu, Hayashi, Seiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US08/517,761
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41, 455/422, 455/436, 455/437, 455/438, 455/439, 455/463, 455/507, 455/517, 455/524, 455/525, 455/67.1, 455/561, 455/562, 342/42, 342/44, 342/51, 342/359, 342/360, 342/361, 343/700 MS, 343/702, 343/724, 343/725, 343/729
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/062 using dipole aerials; H01Q21/067, H01Q21/068 take precedence

Abstract

In an information transmitting system for radio-transmitting information between a fixed station and a mobile station moved within a predetermined moving range, an antenna apparatus is provided on the fixed station side. The antenna apparatus includes a large number of unit antennas, each of which functions as an antenna. These unit antennas are mutually connected to each other, and are arranged along the moving range of the mobile station. The information is transmitted/received in a radio transmission mode between the mobile station and the fixed station via an antenna of the fixed station and the antenna apparatus.

Claims

1. An information transmitting system comprising:

a mobile station moved within a predetermined moving range;

an antenna apparatus including a large number of unit antennas which are mutually connected to each other, and are arranged along the moving range of said mobile station;

a fixed station connected to said antenna apparatus, for receiving information via said antenna apparatus by way of a radio transmission between said mobile station and said fixed station; and

wherein said antenna apparatus is designed in such a manner that a plurality of said unit antennas are arranged at a shape of at least two arrays along a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of a travel path along the moving range of said mobile station, and said two arrays of unit antennas are arranged in such a manner that said unit antennas are mutually shifted along the longitudinal direction of said travel path.

2. An information transmitting system comprising:

a mobile station moved within a predetermined moving range;

an antenna apparatus including a large number of unit antennas which are mutually connected to each other, and are arranged along the moving range of said mobile station;

a fixed station connected to said antenna apparatus, for receiving information via said antenna apparatus by way of a radio transmission between said mobile station and said fixed station; and

shield plates arranged in a plane condition along the moving range of said mobile station;

wherein;

said large number of unit antennas are so arranged in a plane condition on one surface of said shield plates that a predetermined interval is defined between said unit antennas and said shield plate.

3. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

travel plates arranged in a plane condition and located opposite to said shield plates via said large number of unit antennas along the moving range of said mobile station.

4. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

dielectrics provided between said large number of unit antennas and said shield plates, and also among said unit antennas, wherein;

said large number of unit antennas and said shield plates are made in an integral form by said dielectrics.

5. An information transmitting system comprising:

a mobile station moved within a predetermined moving range;

an antenna apparatus including a large number of unit antennas which are mutually connected to each other, and are arranged along the moving range of said mobile station; and

a fixed station connected to said antenna apparatus, for receiving information via said antenna apparatus by way of a radio transmission between said mobile station and said fixed station;

wherein said large number of unit antennas are arranged at any one of an interior portion of a travel path on which said mobile station is traveled, and which are located along the moving range of said mobile station;

an inside of a ceiling along the travel path;

a side wall along the travel path;

said large number of unit antennas are arranged inside said side wall;

said mobile station includes an antenna for radio-transmitting the information between said antenna apparatus and said mobile station; and

said antenna of the mobile station is arranged in parallel to said antenna apparatus and also perpendicular to said travel path.

6. An information transmitting system comprising:

a mobile station moved within a predetermined moving range, including a first transmitter, a first receiver, and antenna means connected to said first transmitter and said first receiver, for transmitting/receiving information between a fixed station and said mobile station;

an antenna apparatus including a large number of unit antennas which are mutually connected to each other, and are arranged along the moving range of said mobile station; and

a fixed station connected to said antenna apparatus, for transmitting/receiving information via said antenna apparatus by way of a radio transmission between said mobile station and said fixed station;

wherein said fixed station includes a second receiver for receiving the information from said antenna means of the mobile station, and a second transmitter for transmitting the information to said mobile station by way of the radio transmission;

wherein said mobile station further includes a first shared device, and said antenna means is connected via the first shared device to said first transmitter and said first receiver; and

said fixed station further includes a second shared device, and said second receiver and said transmitter are connected via said second shared device to said antenna apparatus;

whereby information from the first transmitter of said mobile station is received by the second receiver via said first shared device, said antenna means through said antenna apparatus, and said shared device of the fixed station; and

information from the second transmitter of said fixed station is received by the first receiver via the second shared device through the antenna apparatus, and the antenna means of said mobile station.

7. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 6 wherein:

said mobile station includes a picture information output apparatus for outputting picture (video) information as said information;

said mobile station radio-transmits the picture information derived from said picture information output apparatus from said first transmitter via said antenna means; and

said second receiver of the fixed station receives the picture information via said antenna apparatus.

8. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 6 wherein:

said unit antennas of the antenna apparatus are arranged in a plane condition along the moving range of the mobile station.

9. An information transmitting system comprising:

a mobile station moved within a predetermined moving range, including a first transmitter, a first receiver, and antenna means connected to said first transmitter and said first receiver, for transmitting/receiving information between a fixed station and said mobile station;

an antenna apparatus including a large number of unit antennas which are mutually connected to each other, and are arranged along the moving range of said mobile station; and

a fixed station connected to said antenna apparatus, for transmitting/receiving information via said antenna apparatus by way of a radio transmission between said mobile station and said fixed station;

wherein said fixed station includes a second receiver for receiving the information from said antenna means of the mobile station, and a second transmitter for transmitting the information to said mobile station by way of the radio transmission; and

wherein said antenna means of said mobile station includes a first antenna connected to said first transmitter, and a second antenna connected to said first receiver;

an said fixed station includes a third antenna connected to the second transmitter and said second receiver is connected to said antenna apparatus;

whereby information from the first transmitter of said mobile station is received from said antenna means via said antenna apparatus by the second receiver of the fixed station; and

information from the second transmitter of said fixed station is received via said third antenna by the second antenna of the mobile station, to thereby be received by the first receiver.

10. An information transmitting system comprising:

a mobile station moved within a predetermined moving range, including a first transmitter, a first receiver, and antenna means connected to said first transmitter and said first receiver, for transmitting/receiving information between a fixed station and said mobile station;

an antenna apparatus including a large number of unit antennas which are mutually connected to each other, and are arranged along the moving range of said mobile station; and

a fixed station connected to said antenna apparatus, for transmitting/receiving information via said antenna apparatus by way of a radio transmission between said mobile station and said fixed station;

wherein said fixed station includes a second receiver for receiving the information from said antenna means of the mobile station, and a second transmitter for transmitting the information to said mobile station by way of the radio transmission;

said mobile station includes a picture information output apparatus for outputting picture (video) information as said information;

said mobile station radio-transmits the picture information derived from said picture information output apparatus from said first transmitter via said antenna means; and

said second receiver of the fixed station receives the picture information via said antenna apparatus;

wherein the second transmitter of said fixed station outputs as said information, travel control information used to control travels of said mobile station; and

said mobile station further includes travel control means for controlling a travel condition of said mobile station, and said first receiver receives said travel control information derived from said fixed station via said antenna means and supplies said travel control information to said travel control means.

11. An antenna apparatus comprising:

a plurality of antenna unit groups, each of which is formed by a plurality of unit antenna units;

wherein;

each of said unit antenna units is constructed of at least one unit antenna;

shapes of electromagnetic waves irradiated from each unit antenna employed within first antenna unit groups are substantially identical to each other;

shapes of electromagnetic waves irradiated from each unit antenna employed within second antenna unit groups are different from one of said first antenna unit groups;

said first antenna unit groups and said second antenna unit groups are alternately arranged in such a manner that said first antenna unit groups are placed adjacent to said second antenna unit groups; and

the unit antennas belonging to the same antenna unit groups are commonly connected to each other.

12. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein:

a quantity of said unit antenna unit groups is 2; and

the shapes of the electromagnetic waves irradiated from the unit antennas belonging to one group of said two antenna unit groups are shifted within an angle range between 45 and 135 degrees with respect to those of the other group thereof.

13. An information transmitting system comprising:

a mobile station moved within a predetermined moving range;

an antenna apparatus including a large number of unit antennas which are mutually connected to each other, and are arranged along the moving range of said mobile station; and

a fixed station connected to said antenna apparatus, for transmitting/receiving information via said antenna apparatus by way of a radio transmission between said mobile station and said fixed station;

said antenna apparatus being comprised of a plurality of antenna unit groups, each of which is formed by a plurality of unit antenna units;

wherein;

each of said unit antenna units is constructed of at least one unit antenna;

shapes of electromagnetic waves irradiated from each unit antenna employed within first antenna unit groups are substantially identical to each other;

shapes of electromagnetic waves irradiated from each unit antenna employed within second antenna unit groups are different from one of said first antenna unit groups;

said first antenna unit groups and said second antenna unit groups are alternately arranged in such a manner that said first antenna unit groups are placed adjacent to said second antenna unit groups; and

the unit antennas belonging to the same antenna unit groups are commonly connected to each other.

14. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

said mobile station includes an antenna for radio-transmitting information between said antenna apparatus and said mobile station; and

a distance between the antenna of said mobile station and said antenna apparatus is shorter than, or equal to 5λ

(symbol "λ

" being a wavelength of an electromagnetic wave used to radio-transmit information).

15. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 14 wherein:

said distance between the antenna of the mobile station and the antenna apparatus is shorter than, or equal to 5λ

, and also longer than, or equal to λ

/50.

16. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

a field strength of the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the mobile station to the fixed station is lower than, or equal to 500 μ

V/m in the case that the distance between the mobile station and the antenna apparatus is selected to be 3 m.

17. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

said unit antennas of the antenna apparatus are arranged in a plane condition along the moving range of the mobile station.

18. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 17 wherein:

each of said unit antennas of the antenna apparatus is a plane antenna.

19. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

said mobile station includes a picture information output apparatus for outputting picture (video) information as said information;

said mobile station radio-transmits the picture information derived from said picture information output apparatus; and

said fixed station receives the picture information via said antenna apparatus.

20. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

said fixed station includes;

a group selecting circuit connected to a plurality of antenna unit groups of said antenna apparatus, for comparing information outputs with each other received from said plurality of antenna unit groups of said antenna apparatus, transmitted from said transmitter, whereby said group selecting circuit selects the information output of the unit antenna unit group having the highest reception output; and

a receiver for receiving the selection output from said group selecting circuit.

21. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

said mobile station includes a first transmitter, a first receiver, and antenna means connected to said first transmitter and said first receiver, for transmitting/receiving information between a fixed station and said mobile station; and

said fixed station includes a second receiver for receiving the information from said antenna means of the mobile station, and a second transmitter for transmitting the information to said mobile station by say of the radio transmission.

22. An information transmitting system comprising:

a mobile station moved within a predetermined moving range;

an antenna apparatus including a large number of unit antennas which each functions as an antenna, are mutually connected to each other, and are arranged along the moving range of said mobile station; and

a fixed station connected to said antenna apparatus, for transmitting/receiving information via said antenna apparatus by way of a radio transmission between said mobile station and said fixed station;

said antenna apparatus being comprised of;

a plurality of unit antenna unit groups, each of which groups being formed by a plurality of unit antenna units;

wherein;

each of said unit antenna units is constructed of at least one unit antenna;

the respective unit antennas employed within said respective unit antenna units of the same unit antenna unit group are arranged in such an electromagnetic wave propagation range that phases of the electromagnetic waves received by said respective unit antennas own the substantially in-phase wave components as a major wave component thereof;

the major in-phase components of the electromagnetic waves received by said plurality of unit antenna groups are different from each other every unit antenna groups;

said plurality of unit antenna units are alternately arranged in such a manner that the unit antenna units adjacent to each other belong to the unit antenna unit group different thereof; and

the unit antennas of the unit antenna unit belonging to the same unit antenna unit group are commonly connected to each other.

23. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 22 wherein:

said mobile station includes an antenna for radio-transmitting information between said antenna apparatus and said mobile station; and

a distance between the antenna of said mobile station and said antenna apparatus is shorter than, or equal to 5λ

, (symbol "λ

" being a wavelength of an electromagnetic wave used to radio-transmit information).

24. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 23 wherein:

said distance between the antenna of the mobile station and the antenna apparatus is shorter than, or equal to 5λ

, and also longer than, or equal to λ

/50.

25. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 22 wherein:

a field strength of the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the mobile station to the fixed station is lower than, or equal to 500 μ

V/m in the case that the distance between the mobile station and the antenna apparatus is selected to be 3 m.

26. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 22 wherein:

said unit antennas of the antenna apparatus are arranged in a plane condition along the moving range of the mobile station.

27. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 26 wherein:

each of said unit antennas of the antenna apparatus is a plane antenna.

28. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 22 wherein:

said mobile station includes a picture information output apparatus for outputting picture (video) information as said information;

said mobile station radio-transmits the picture information derived from said picture information output apparatus; and

said fixed station receives the picture information via said antenna apparatus.

29. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 22 wherein:

said fixed station includes;

a group selecting circuit connected to a plurality of unit antenna unit groups of said antenna apparatus, for comparing information outputs with each other received from said plurality of antenna unit groups of said antenna apparatus, transmitted from said transmitter, whereby said group selecting circuit selects the information output of the unit antenna unit group having the highest reception output; and

a receiver for receiving the selection output from said group selecting circuit.

30. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 22 wherein:

said mobile station includes a first transmitter, a first receiver, and antenna means connected to said first transmitter and said first receiver, for transmitting/receiving information between a fixed station and said mobile station; and

said fixed station includes a second receiver for receiving the information from said antenna means of the mobile station, and a second transmitter for transmitting the information to said mobile station by say of the radio transmission.

31. An information transmitting system as claimed in claim 22 wherein:

a difference in directions of directivity of the unit antennas belonging to the same group of said antenna apparatus is smaller than, or equal to 45 degrees.