Indoor antenna

• US 6,448,930 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2000
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Judd, Mano D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US09/687,320
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/795, 343/844, 343/856, 343/878, 343/879, 343/880, 343/881, 343/882, 343/876, 342/373, 342/374, 342/375
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/007 specially adapted for indoor communication
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/005 providing two patterns of opposite direction; back to back antennas H01Q25/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2611 Means for null steering; Adaptive interference nulling
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2647 Retrodirective arrays

Abstract

An indoor antenna includes a unitary support structure having a plurality of support surfaces. At least one antenna element is mounted to each of the support surfaces. The support surfaces are configured and oriented to achieve substantially 360° coverage by the antenna elements.

Claims

1. An indoor antenna comprising a support structure having a plurality of relatively planar sections angled with respect to each other, each section having a set of opposing support surfaces, at least one antenna element mounted to each of said opposing support surfaces, and said relatively planar sections and support surfaces being angled and oriented to achieve substantially 360°

coverage by said antenna elements.

2. The antenna of claim 1 wherein at least one of said antenna elements comprises a microstrip element.

3. The antenna of claim 1 wherein at least one of said antenna elements comprises a dipole element.

4. The antenna of claim 1 wherein said support structure comprises a pair of substantially planar panels, each panel having opposing planar support surfaces, and said panels being joined along a common edge.

5. The antenna of claim 4 and further including a hinge structure joining said panels along said common edge.

6. The antenna of claim 1 wherein said support structure includes three panels, each of said panels having a pair of opposing planar support surfaces and said panels being joined end-to-end, with first and second outer panels being maintained at substantially right angles to each other by a center panel which extends between and joins said outer panels.

7. The antenna of claim 1 wherein a plurality of antenna elements arranged in at least one vertical column are mounted to each of said support surfaces.

8. The antenna of claim 7 and further including at least one corporate feed structure which operatively interconnects the antenna elements on each support surface.

9. The antenna of claim 8 wherein said corporate feed structure provides amplitude and phase matching to generate a desired elevation beam.

10. The antenna of claim 1 and further including a summation/splitting circuit operatively coupled with said antenna elements, which sums/splits radio frequency signals from said antenna elements to generate a single radio frequency input/output path from/to the antenna system.

11. The antenna of claim 10 wherein said summation/splitting circuit is mounted to said support structure.

12. An indoor antenna comprising a support structure having a plurality of support surfaces, at least one antenna element mounted to each of said support surfaces, and said support surfaces being configured to achieve substantially 360°

coverage by said antenna elements, and, further including an RF switch and a modem programmed to sequentially switch an RF path, via said RF switch, to the at least one antenna element mounted to each support surface, and to select the signal from one of said antenna elements based on predetermined criteria.

13. The antenna of claim 12 and further including a transceiver/transverter coupled to receive a signal selected by said RF switch.

14. The antenna of claim 13 wherein said transceiver/transverter is mounted to said support structure.

15. The antenna of claim 12 wherein said RF switch is mounted to said support structure.

16. The antenna of claim 12 wherein said modem is mounted to said support structure.

17. The antenna of claim 12 further including a transceiver/transverter coupled to receive a signal selected by said RF switch wherein said RF switch, modem, and transceiver/transverter are mounted to said support structure.

18. An indoor antenna comprising a support structure having a plurality of sections, each section having a set of opposing support surfaces, at least two antenna elements mounted to each of said support surfaces, one to transmit and one to receive, and said sections and support surfaces being oriented to achieve substantially 360°

coverage by said antenna elements.

19. The antenna of claim 18 wherein a group of transmit antenna elements and a group of receive antenna elements, are mounted to each of said support surfaces.

20. The antenna of claim 18 and further including a frequency diplexer for diplexing said transmit and receive antennas into a single transmission line.

21. The antenna of claim 18 and further including a summation circuit coupled with the receive antennas and a splitting circuit coupled with the transmit antennas for generating respective transmit and receive RF input/output ports.

22. The antenna of claim 21 and further including a frequency diplexer for diplexing said RF ports into a single transmission line.

23. An indoor antenna comprising a support structure having a plurality of support surfaces, at least one antenna element mounted to each of said support surfaces, and said support surfaces being configured to achieve substantially 360°

coverage by said antenna elements, a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an M row by N column antenna array being mounted to each of said support surfaces, and further including a beamsteering circuit, including a summing circuit for summing signals from each column of each antenna array.

24. The antenna of claim 23 where said beamsteering circuit comprises a Butler matrix.

25. The antenna of claim 23 wherein said beamsteering circuit comprises a radio frequency (RF) switch.

26. the antenna of claim 25 wherein a plurality of RF switches are provided, one for each column of antenna elements in said array.

27. The antenna of claim 23 wherein said summing circuit comprises a microstrip summing network.

28. An indoor antenna comprising a support structure having a plurality of support surfaces, at least one antenna element mounted to each of said support surfaces, and said support surfaces being configured to achieve substantially 360°

coverage by said antenna elements, wherein said support surfaces are convexly curved and oppositely facing, and wherein said at least one antenna element comprises an M×

N array of antenna elements on each of said support surfaces.

29. An indoor antenna comprising a support structure having a plurality of support surfaces, at least one antenna element mounted to each of said support surfaces, and said support surfaces being configured to achieve substantially 360°

coverage by said antenna elements, wherein said support surfaces include a first pair of oppositely facing generally planar support surfaces and a second pair of oppositely facing generally planar edge support surfaces which are generally orthogonal with said first pair of surfaces.

30. The antenna of claim 29 wherein said antenna elements comprise an array of antenna elements on each of said first pair of support surfaces and at least one antenna element on each of said edge support surfaces.

31. A method of transmitting and receiving RF signals comprising:

supporting a plurality of antenna support surfaces on a support structure having a plurality of relatively planar support sections angled with respect to each other, each section having a set of opposing support surfaces;

mounting at least one antenna element to each of said opposing support surfaces; and

arranging and angling said relatively planar support sections and support surfaces of the support structure so said antennas are oriented to achieve substantially 360°

coverage.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said supporting comprises coupling a first support having a first set of opposing planar support surfaces along a common edge with a second support section having a second set of opposed planar support surfaces.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said arranging comprises angling said first and second support sections such that the first set planar support surfaces are substantially orthogonal to said second set planar support surfaces.

34. The method of claim 32 and further including hingedly joining said sections along said common edge.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein said supporting comprises assembling three panels joined end-to-end, each having a pair of opposing planar support surfaces, with first and second outer panels being maintained at substantially right angles to each other by a center panel which joins said outer panels.

36. The method of claim 31 and further including summing/splitting radio frequency signals from said antenna elements to generate a single radio frequency input/output.

37. A method of transmitting and receiving RF signals comprising:

supporting a plurality of antenna support surfaces on a support structure having a plurality of sections, each section having a set of opposing support surfaces;

mounting at least two antenna elements to each of said opposing support surfaces, and designating at least one of said antenna elements to transmit and at least one of said antenna elements to receive; and

arranging said support sections and support surfaces of the support structure so said antennas are oriented to achieve substantially 360°

coverage.

38. The method of claim 37 including mounting a first group of one or more of said antenna elements on each support surface as transmit antenna elements and mounting a second group of one or more of antenna elements on each support surface as receive antenna elements.

39. The method of claim 38 including arranging each of said first and second groups of antenna elements in a generally vertical column.

40. The method of claim 38 including summing the group of receive antenna elements to one signal output and splitting the group of transmit antenna elements from one signal input.

41. The method of claim 40 and further including diplexing said signal output and signal input onto a single transmission line.

42. The method of claim 37 including arranging a corporate feed structure to provide amplitude and phase matching for said antenna elements so as to generate a desired elevation beam.

43. A method of transmitting and receiving RF signals comprising:

supporting a plurality of antenna support surfaces on a support structure having a plurality of sections, each section having a set of opposing support surfaces;

mounting at least one antenna element to each of said plurality of support surfaces; and

arranging said support surfaces of the support structure so said antennas are oriented to achieve substantially 360°

coverage; and

sequentially switching the RF path to the at least one antenna element mounted to each support surface, and selecting an RF signal from the at least one antenna element mounted on one of said support surfaces based on predetermined criteria.

44. The method of claim 43 including mounting an RF switch to at least one of said support surfaces to perform said sequential switching.

45. The method of claim 44 including using a modem to operate said RF switch.

46. The method of claim 44 and further including coupling a transceiver/transverter to said RF switch.

47. The method of claim 46 and further including mounting said transceiver/transverter to at least one of said support surfaces.

48. A method of transmitting and receiving RF signals comprising:

supporting a plurality of antenna support surfaces on a support structure having a plurality of sections, each section having a set of opposing support surfaces;

mounting at least one antenna element to each of said plurality of support surfaces; and

arranging said support surfaces of the support structure so said antennas are oriented to achieve substantially 360°

coverage;

said mounting comprising mounting a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an M row by N column antenna array to each of said support surfaces, and further including beamsteering, including summing signals from each column of each antenna array.

49. The method of claim 48 where said beamsteering uses a Butler matrix.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein said beamsteering uses a radio frequency switch.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein said beamsteering uses a plurality of RF switches, one for each column of antenna elements in said array.

52. The method of claim 48 wherein said summing uses a microstrip summing network.

53. A method of transmitting and receiving RF signals comprising:

supporting a plurality of antenna support surfaces on a support structure having a plurality of sections, each section having a set of opposing support surfaces;

mounting at least one antenna element to each of said plurality of support surfaces; and

arranging said support surfaces of the support structure so said antennas are oriented to achieve substantially 360°

coverage;

said supporting includes supporting a pair of convexly curved support surfaces facing oppositely; and

said mounting includes mounting an M×

N array of antenna elements on each of said convexly curved support surfaces.

54. A method of transmitting and receiving RF signals comprising:

supporting a plurality of antenna support surfaces on a support structure having a plurality of sections, each section having a set of opposing support surfaces;

mounting at least one antenna element to each of said plurality of support surfaces; and

arranging said support surfaces of the support structure so said antennas are oriented to achieve substantially 360°

coverage;

said supporting includes supporting a first pair of generally planar support surfaces facing oppositely, and a second pair of generally planar edge support surfaces orthogonal with said first pair of surfaces.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein said mounting comprises mounting an array of antenna elements on each of said first pair of support surfaces and at least one antenna element on each of said edge support surfaces.