Combined space and polarization diversity antennas

• US 5,923,303 A
• Filed: 12/24/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: U S West Inc.
• Inventors: Schwengler, Thomas, Perini, Patrick L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US08/998,393
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 343/853, 343/797, 343/872, 343/798, 343/800, 343/810
• US Class Current: 343/853
• 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 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/08 at the receiving station
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity

Abstract

An antenna system with both spatial and polarization diversity having a first antenna aperture and a second antenna aperture, a polarization separation angle formed by the difference between the polarization angle of the first antenna aperture and the polarization angle of the second antenna aperture, and a vertical separation formed by mounting the second antenna aperture a vertical distance above the first antenna aperture, such that diversity gain is achieved by both the polarization angle and the vertical distance. The combination of spatial and polarization diversity allows closer antenna aperture spacing and non-orthogonal polarization angles.

Claims

1. A multiple antenna system for supporting personal communication systems, wherein the antenna system has both spatial and polarization diversity, the antenna system comprising:

a housing with a vertical axis;

a first antenna comprising a plurality of first elements disposed within the housing, wherein each first element has a center aligned with the vertical axis and wherein each first element has a first aperture polarization angle;

a first feed system connecting each of the plurality of first elements with a first communication system;

a second antenna comprising a plurality of second elements disposed within the housing, wherein each second element has a center aligned with the vertical axis and wherein each second element has a second aperture polarization angle; and

a second feed system connecting each of the plurality of second elements with a second communication system.

2. The multiple antenna system of claim 1 wherein the angular distance between the first polarization angle and the second polarization angle is less than 90 degrees.

3. The multiple antenna system of claim 1 wherein the first polarization angle and the second polarization angle are equal in magnitude but opposite in sign.

4. The multiple antenna system of claim 3 wherein the first polarization angle is 30 degrees in one rotational direction and the second polarization angle is 30 degrees in the opposite rotational direction.