High gain antenna for wireless applications

• US 6,864,852 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IPR Licensing Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chiang, Bing, Lynch, Michael James, Wood, Douglas Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US10/444,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20040027304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 343/810, 343/817, 343/818, 343/833, 343/834, 343/835
• US Class Current: 343/817
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/28 comprising elements constituting electric discontinuities and spaced in direction of wave propagation, e.g. dielectric elements or conductive elements forming artificial dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/02 Refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens, prism
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/32 the primary active element being end-fed and elongated
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/242 Circumferential scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2641 being secundary elements, e.g. reactively steered
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/446 the radiating element being at the centre of one or more rings of auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/32 Vertical arrangement of element H01Q9/40 takes precedence

Abstract

An antenna having a central active element and a plurality of passive dipoles surrounding the active element is disclosed. The passive dipoles increase the antenna gain by increasing the radiated energy in the azimuth direction. In another embodiment a plurality of parasitic directing elements extend radially outward from the passive dipoles.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

an active element;

a plurality of passive dipoles spaced apart from and circumscribing said active element, each passive dipole comprising an upper segment and a lower segment; and

a controller for selectably controlling said plurality of passive dipoles for operating in a reflective mode or a directive mode, said controller comprising for each respective passive dipole

an inductive load,

a capacitive load, and

a switch for connecting said inductive load to the upper segment so that said passive dipole operates in a reflective mode, and for connecting said capacitive load to the upper segment so that said passive dipole operates in a directive mode.

2. An antenna according to claim 1 wherein directivity of the antenna is increased along a longitudinal plane through said active element.

3. An antenna according to claim 1 wherein antenna radiation is attenuated in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal plane through said active element.

4. An antenna according to claim 1 wherein each passive dipole has a first effective electrical length when said inductive load is connected thereto, and a second effective electrical length when said capacitive load is connected thereto.

5. An antenna according to claim 1 further comprising a ground plane proximate a lower end of said active element, with the lower end being formed by a portion of said ground plane.

6. An antenna according to claim 1 wherein a frequency of a received or transmitted signal comprises a carrier frequency in a wireless system operating according to at least one of the following standards:

Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, and Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications.

7. An antenna according to claim 1 wherein said active element and said plurality of passive dipoles are vertically oriented.

8. An antenna according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of passive dipoles are radially spaced from said active element.

9. An antenna according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of passive dipoles are radially spaced an equal distance from said active element.

10. An antenna according to claim 1 wherein said active element and said plurality of passive dipoles are sized so that the antenna has a desired operating frequency;

and wherein each passive dipole has a physical length associated therewith that is less than a wavelength of the desired operating frequency.

11. An antenna comprising:

an active element;

a plurality of passive dipoles spaced apart from and circumscribing said active element;

a plurality of first parasitic gratings spaced apart from and circumscribing said active element, with each first parasitic grating being disposed between two adjacent passive dipoles; and

a controller for selectably controlling said plurality of passive dipoles to operate in a reflective or a directive mode.

12. An antenna according to claim 11 further comprising a plurality of second parasitic gratings spaced apart from and circumscribing said active element, with each second parasitic grating being radially aligned with a passive dipole.

13. An antenna according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of first parasitic gratings are arranged in one or more concentric circles from said active element.

14. An antenna according to claim 11 wherein said active element and said plurality of passive dipoles are sized so that the antenna has a desired operating frequency;

and wherein a length of each first parasitic grating is less than half a wavelength the desired operating frequency.

15. An antenna according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of first parasitic gratings are vertically oriented.

16. An antenna according to claim 11 further comprising a ground plane;

and wherein each first parasitic grating comprises an elongated conductive element shorted to said ground plane.

17. An antenna according to claim 11 further comprising a ring structure for supporting said plurality of first parasitic gratings.

18. An antenna according to claim 11 wherein said ring structure is removably positioned outwardly from and concentric with said plurality of passive dipoles.

19. An antenna according to claim 11 wherein a frequency of a received or transmitted signal comprises a carrier frequency in a wireless system operating according to at least one of the following standards:

Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, and Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications.

20. An antenna according to claim 11 wherein said active element and said plurality of passive dipoles are vertically oriented.

21. An antenna according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of passive dipoles are radially spaced from said active element.

22. An antenna according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of passive dipoles are radially spaced an equal distance from said active element.

23. An antenna comprising:

a ground plane;

a dielectric substrate adjacent said ground plane;

an active element adjacent said dielectric substrate;

a plurality of passive dipoles adjacent said dielectric substrate and being spaced apart from and circumscribing said active element, each passive dipole comprising an upper segment and a lower segment; and

a controller for selectably controlling said plurality of passive dipoles for operating in a reflective mode or a directive mode, said controller comprising for each respective passive dipole

a first load,

a second load, and

a switch for connecting said first load to the upper segment so that said passive dipole operates in a reflective mode, and for connecting said second load to the upper segment so that said passive dipole operates in a directive mode.

24. An antenna according to claim 23 wherein at least one of said first and second loads comprises an inductive load.

25. An antenna according to claim 23 wherein at least one of said first and second loads comprises a capacitive load.

26. An antenna according to claim 23 wherein directivity of the antenna is increased along a longitudinal plane through said active element.

27. An antenna according to claim 23 wherein antenna radiation is attenuated in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal plane through said active element.

28. An antenna according to claim 23 wherein each passive dipole has a first effective electrical length when said first load is connected thereto, and a second effective electrical length when said second load is connected thereto.

29. An antenna according to claim 23 further comprising a ground plane proximate a lower end of said active element, with the lower end being formed by a portion of said ground plane.

30. An antenna according to claim 23 wherein a frequency of a received or transmitted signal comprises a carrier frequency in a wireless system operating according to at least one of the following standards:

Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, and Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications.

31. An antenna according to claim 23 wherein said active element and said plurality of passive dipoles are vertically oriented.

32. An antenna according to claim 23 wherein said plurality of passive dipoles are radially spaced from said active element.

33. An antenna according to claim 23 wherein said plurality of passive dipoles are radially spaced an equal distance from said active element.

34. An antenna according to claim 23 wherein said active element and said plurality of passive dipoles are sized so that the antenna has a desired operating frequency;

and wherein each passive dipole has a physical length associated therewith that is less than a wavelength of the desired operating frequency.