Planar high-frequency antenna

• US 6,747,605 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Atheros Communications Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shor, Arie, Lebaric, Jovan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V.
• Application Number:
  US10/140,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20020190912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 343/795, 343/700.MS, 343/820-822, 343/850-853, 343/859, 343/860, 343/864
• US Class Current: 343/795
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/062 using dipole aerials; H01Q21/067, H01Q21/068 take precedence
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides a planar antenna having a scalable multi-dipole structure for receiving, and transmitting high-frequency signals, including a plurality of opposing layers of conducting strips disposed upon either side of an insulating (dielectric) substrate. The dipoles are bifurcated between sides of a substrate on which the dipoles are disposed. A feed line is balanced to a co-axial cable and feeds one half of the bifurcated dipoles, and an independent feed line is connected to the other half of the bifurcated dipoles. Sets of the dipoles are arranged symmetrically around a center axis of the feed lines. The sets of dipoles are in series with other sets of dipoles. The antenna is ideally suited for operation in the 5.15-5.35 GHz RF band.

Claims

1. A substantially planar antenna having a dipole structure for receiving and transmitting high-frequency signals, comprising:

a substrate;

a first feed line disposed on a first side of the substrate;

a second feed line disposed on a second side of the substrate;

at least two dipoles, each dipole bifurcated so as to have a first half disposed on one side of the substrate and a second half disposed on another side of the substrate;

wherein;

one half of each dipole is connected to one of the feed lines, and the other half of each dipole is connected to the other feed line; and

the dipoles are arranged symmetrically around a first axis of the substrate.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first feed line is vertically arranged along the first axis of the substrate, and the second feed line is opposite the first feed line and not physically connected to the first feed line.

3. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein the dipoles are further arranged parallel to the first axis of the substrate.

4. The antenna according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one feed part on the first side of the substrate connecting the dipoles corresponding to the first feed line to the first feed line; and

at least one feed part on the second side of the substrate connecting the dipoles corresponding to the second feed line to the second feed line;

wherein said feed parts are in series with each other with respect to other feed parts also connected to the same feed line.

5. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein each feed part is horizontally disposed on the substrate.

6. The antenna according to claim 5, wherein each feed part defines a second axis, and the first half of each dipole is disposed on a first side of the second axis, and the second half of each dipole is disposed on an opposite side of the second axis.

7. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis.

8. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein:

the dipoles are arranged symmetrically around the first axis of the substrate;

each dipole is arranged parallel to the first axis; and

each feed part defines a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and one half of each dipole is disposed on a first side of the second axis, and the other half of each dipole is disposed on a second side of the second axis opposite to the first side.

9. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein:

each dipole is symmetrically disposed with another dipole about the first axis, and each pair of symmetrically disposed dipoles comprise a dipole set; and

each dipole set is separated by approximately 43 mm from at least one other dipole set also symmetrically disposed about the first axis.

10. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein each feed line is approximately 1 mm wide.

11. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein each feed part is 0.5 mm wide and 12 mm long.

12. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein each dipole is separated by 8.4 mm from a dipole that is symmetrically disposed to it with respect to the first axis.

13. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein each dipole is a ½

wavelength dipole.

14. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein each dipole half is a ¼

wavelength dipole.

15. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first feed line includes a balun structured to impedance match and balance a coaxial cable connected to the first and second feed lines.

16. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the dipoles have dimensions suited for one of the 2.4 GHz RF band and 5 GHz RF band.

17. An antenna, comprising:

a substrate;

a first feed structure disposed on a first side of the substrate;

a second feed structure, independent of the first feed structure, disposed on a second side of the substrate; and

a plurality of bifurcated dipoles;

wherein;

a first part of each bifurcated dipole is disposed on the first side of the substrate and coupled to the first feed structure, and a second part of each bifurcated dipole is disposed on the second side of the substrate and coupled to the second feed structure;

the plurality of dipoles are dispersed symmetrically about a first line of symmetry.

18. The antenna according to claim 17, wherein the substrate is a substantially planar dielectric.

19. The antenna according to claim 17, wherein each dipole is connected in series to each respective feed structure.

20. An antenna according to claim 17, wherein the dipoles are disposed at equidistant points from each other along the first and second feed structures.

21. The antenna according to claim 17, wherein:

each dipole is bifurcated along a horizontal axis; and

the horizontal axis intersects the midpoint of each dipole.

22. The antenna according to claim 17, wherein the antenna provides a substantially omni-directional gain pattern.

23. The antenna according claim 17, wherein the first and second feed structures are balanced.

24. The antenna of claim 17, wherein the feed structures comprise:

a main feed line; and

a plurality of test points perpendicularly coupled to the main feed line.

25. The antenna of claim 17, wherein the plurality of dipoles are parallel to and perpendicularly coupled to at least one of the feed structures.

26. The antenna according to claim 17, wherein the substrate does not contain vias or other connections between the sides of the substrate.

27. An antenna, comprising:

a subsatrate;

a first feed structure disposed on a first side of the substrate;

a second feed structure, independent of the first feed structure, disposed on a second side of the substrate;

a plurality of bifurcated dipoles; and

a balun coupled to one of the feed structures;

wherein;

a first part of each bifurcated dipole is disposed on the first side of the substrate and coupled to the first feed structure, and a second part of each bifurcated dipole is disposed on the second side of the substrate and coupled to the second feed structure; and

the balun comprises a lower portion and a tapered portion.

28. The antenna according to claim 27, wherein the balun is coupled to one of the feed structures at a location below a balance point of the feed structure.

29. The antenna according to claim 27, further comprising an output connector coupled to the balun.

30. The antenna according to claim 29, wherein the output connector is a coaxial cable.

31. The antenna according to claim 29, wherein:

the output connector includes a grounded conductor connected to the balun; and

the output connector further includes a second conductor connected to the feed structure not connected to the balun.

32. The antenna according to claim 29, wherein the output connector is connected to an output device.

33. The antenna according to claim 32, wherein the output device is a RF device.

38. The antenna according to claim 32, wherein:

the first and second quarter-wavelength dipoles are each substantially perpendicular to the second feed line and connected at a bifurcation point to the second feed structure, and

the third and fourth quarter-wavelength dipoles are each substantially perpendicular to the fourth feed line and connected at a bifurcation point to the fourth feed structure.

34. An antenna, comprising:

a substrate;

a first feed structure disposed on a first side of the substrate;

a second feed structure, independent of the first feed structure, disposed on a second side of the substrate;

a plurality of bifurcated dipoles; and

at least one testing strip connected to at least one of the feed structures;

wherein a first part of each bifurcated dipole is disposed on the first side of the substrate and coupled to the first feed structure, and a second part of each bifurcated dipole is disposed on the second side of the substrate and coupled to the second feed structure.

35. The antenna according to claim 34, wherein the testing strip is metallic.

36. The antenna according to claim 34, further comprising contact points connected to the testing strips.

37. An antenna, comprising:

a substrate;

a first feed structure dipsosed on a first side of the substrate;

a second feed structure substantially perpendicularly coupled to the first feed structure;

a third feed structure dipsosed on a second side of the substrate;

a fourth feed structure substantially perpendicularly coupled to the third feed structure

a dipole set,

wherein the dipole set comprises a first dipole half disposed on the first side of the substrate and a second dipole half dipsosed on the second side of the substrate;

wherein the first dipole half comprises a first quarter-wavelength dipole connected to an end of the second feed structure and a second quarter-wavelength dipole connected to an opposite end of the second feed structure;

wherein the second dipole half comprises a third quarter-wavelength dipole connected to an end of the fourth feed structure and a fourth quarter-wavelength dipole connected to opposite end of the fourth feed structure;

a second dipole set connected to the first and second feed structures.

39. The antenna according to claim 37, wherein:

the first feed structure is coupled to the midpoint of the second feed structure,

and the third feed structure is coupled to the midpoint of the fourth feed structure.

40. The antenna according to claim 37, wherein:

the substrate has a thickness between approximately 0.1 and 0.7 millimeters;

the first and third feed structures are 1 millimeter wide;

the second and fourth feed structures are 0.5 millimeters wide and 8.4 millimeters in length;

the first, second, third, and fourth quarter-wavelength dipoles are 1.8 millimeters wide and 13 millimeters in length;

the first and second dipole sets are separated along the first feed structure by 43 millimeters.

41. The antenna according to claim 37, wherein the dipole sets are connected in series along the first and third feed structures.

42. An antenna according to claim 41, wherein the dipole sets in series are disposed at equidistant points along the first and third feed structures.

43. The claim according to claim 42, wherein the dipole sets are disposed approximately 43 millimeters from each other along first and third feed structures.

44. The antenna according to claim 37, further comprising:

a balun connected to the first feed structure;

an output connector connected to the balun;

a tuning strip connected to the third feed structure;

wherein the output connector connected to the tuning strip.

45. The antenna according to claim 44,

wherein the output connector is a first grounded conductor connected to the balun;

the output device further comprising a second conductor connected to the third feed structure.

46. The antenna of claim 37, wherein the antenna operates in frequency range between 5.15 and 5.35 GHz.

47. A wireless communication device having an antenna for receiving and transmitting high-frequency signals, comprising:

a substrate;

at least one dipole that is bifurcated and arranged on opposite sides of the substrate;

wherein;

each bifurcated part of the dipole is coupled to an independent, balanced antenna feed structure; and

the dipole is arranged symmetrically about a first axis of the substrate.

48. The wireless communication device according to claim 47, further comprising a plurality of dipoles that are bifurcated and arranged on opposite sides of the substrate.

49. A wireless communication device having an antenna for receiving and transmitting high-frequency signals, comprising:

a substrate;

an independent, balanced antenna feed structure;

at least one dipole that is bifurcated and arranged on opposite sides of the substrate;

wherein;

each bifurcated part of the dipole is coupled to the independent, balanced antenna feed structure; and

the independent, balanced feed structure comprises a balun having a lower potion and a tapered portion.