Yagi antenna coupled with a low noise amplifier on the same printed circuit board

• US 6,326,922 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2000
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WorldSpace Systems Corp. (WorldSpace, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Worldspace, LLC
• Inventors: Hegendoerfer, Max Heinrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG V
• Application Number:
  US09/605,396
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/815, 343/818, 343/795, 343/803
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• 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 19/30 the primary active element being centre-fed and substantially straight, e.g. Yagi antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them

Abstract

A Yagi antenna system consisting of a low noise amplifier (LNA) and a reflector co-located on the same printed circuit board (PCB) as the radiators and directors is disclosed. Furthermore, the balun cable is replaced by surface mount devices whose feed line is implemented in microstrip technology, all co-located on the same printed circuit board.

Claims

1. An antenna system having an output connected to an antenna transmission line and the input for receiving signals from a satellite communications network, said antenna system comprising:

a low noise amplifier connected to said output; and

active and parasitic antenna elements comprising at least one reflector and a radiator, and a single printed circuit board with said active and parasitic antenna elements and said low noise amplifier directly located thereon.

2. The antenna system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said antenna system operates in the frequency range of 2630 to 2655 Mhz.

3. The antenna system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said antenna system operates in the frequency range of 1432 to 1512 Mhz.

4. An antenna system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radiator is a dipole radiator configured to receive signals from said reflector on one pole thereof, said printed circuit board comprising surface mount devices to phase shift said signal to feed the other pole of said dipole radiator.

5. An antenna system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said radiator is a folded dipole.

6. An antenna system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said radiator is an open dipole.

7. An antenna system within a satellite communications network, said antenna system being embedded on a flat substrate with opposite first and second sides, wherein said first side is configured to have an F-connector to couple said antenna system to an antenna transmission line, said antenna system having at least one low noise amplifier and reflector assembly proximate to said F-connector, and at least one radiator proximate to said low noise amplifier and reflector assembly, said at least one radiator configured to deliver a signal to said at least one low noise amplifier assembly, said antenna system having at least one director located on said second side and distal from said F-connector to receive said signal from said satellite communications network.

8. A method for receiving signals via an antenna system from a satellite communications network comprising the steps of:

receiving said signals through at least one director;

coupling part of said signal to a radiator, the remaining part of said signal being reflected to said radiator by a reflector; and

delivering said coupled signal to a low noise amplifier which is co-located with said radiator and said reflector and directly disposed on a single printed circuit board to deliver said signal to an antenna transmission line.

9. An antenna system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said antenna system comprises two foldable plates with one plate comprising a low noise amplifier assembly, reflector, and radiator, and the other plate comprising at least one director that is electromagnetically coupled with said radiator and said reflector.

10. An antenna system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising another director comprising a metallic axis along which to fold said two foldable plates.

11. An antenna system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said antenna system comprises two foldable plates constructed from a plastic material.

12. An antenna system having an output connected to an antenna transmission line and the input for receiving signals from a satellite communications network, said antenna system comprising:

a low noise amplifier connected to said output; and

active and parasitic antenna elements comprising at least one reflector and a radiator, wherein said radiator is a dipole radiator configured to receive signals from said reflector on one pole thereof; and

a printed circuit board with said active and parasitic antenna elements and said low noise amplifier located thereon, said printed circuit board comprising surface mount devices to phase shift said signal to feed the other pole of said dipole radiator.

13. An antenna system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said radiator is a folded dipole.

14. An antenna system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said radiator is an open dipole.

15. A method for receiving signals via an antenna system from a satellite communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving said signals through at least one director;

coupling part of said signal to a radiator, the remaining part of said signal being reflected to said radiator by a reflector;

delivering said coupled signal to a low noise amplifier which is co-located with said radiator and said reflector on a printed circuit board to deliver said signal to an antenna transmission line; and

wherein said antenna system comprises two foldable plates with one plate comprising a low noise amplifier assembly, reflector, and radiator, and the other plate comprising at least one director that is electromagnetically coupled with said radiator and said reflector.

16. An antenna system as claimed in claim 15, further comprising another director comprising a metallic axis along which to fold said two foldable plates.