Two-dimensional antenna array

• US 6,943,732 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Kathrein-Werke KG. (Kathrein SE)
• Inventors: Rumold, Jurgen, Göttl, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US10/408,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20040108956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/853, 343/893, 343/810, 343/754
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• 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 21/22 Antenna units of the array energised non-uniformly in amplitude or phase, e.g. tapered array or binomial array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/26 Turnstile or like antennas comprising arrangements of three or more elongated elements disposed radially and symmetrically in a horizontal plane about a common centre
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/30 varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence

Abstract

An improved antenna array has at least two columns running vertically. At least in one column and preferably in all columns, at least two radiators or radiator groups are arranged together in a vertical direction. For at least one column having at least two radiators or radiator groups vertically offset from one another, at least one additional radiator group is provided, which is fed commonly with the radiators or radiator groups provided in this column. The additionally provided at least one radiator or radiator group for the column is arranged horizontally offset to the other radiators or radiator groups provided in the column.

Claims

1. A two-dimensional antenna array comprising:

at least two vertically oriented columns, at least one of said columns comprising at least two radiators or radiator groups arranged in a vertical direction and vertically offset with respect to each other;

at least one additional radiator or radiator group provided for said at least one column, said at least one additional radiator or radiator group being fed commonly with the radiators or radiator groups provided in said at least one column, the additionally provided at least one radiator or radiator group for said at least one column being arranged horizontally offset to the other radiators or radiator groups provided in said at least one column.

2. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one additionally provided radiator or radiator group is accommodated in an adjacent column.

3. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one additionally provided radiator or radiator group is arranged in a respective adjacent column between two neighboring radiators or radiator groups in a vertical direction.

4. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one additionally provided radiator or radiator group is placed on the vertical connecting line between the otherwise provided radiators or radiator groups in said column.

5. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one additionally provided radiator or radiator group lies offset to the vertical connecting line between the otherwise provided radiators or radiator groups in said column.

6. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiators or radiator groups in a column lie vertically offset to those of an adjacent column by half the vertical spacing between two radiators or radiator groups placed vertically one above the other.

7. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiator or radiator groups in a column lie at the same horizontal elevation as those in an adjacent column.

8. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least five radiators or radiator groups are arranged one above the other in the columns with vertical offset, and that the at least one additionally provided radiator or radiator groups are placed centrally or mostly centrally with respect to the entire vertical length of the antenna array.

9. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least five radiators or radiator groups are arranged one above the other in the columns with vertical offset, and that the at least one additionally provided radiator or radiator groups are placed at the upper or at the lower end of the antenna array.

10. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the columns exhibit a spacing of 0.25 A to 1 A, where A is operating wavelength.

11. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vertical spacing of the radiators or radiator groups in said column, without taking into account additional radiators or radiator groups, lies between 0.7 A and 1.2 A, where A is mean operating wavelength.

12. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiators or radiator groups are selected from the group comprising dipoles, cross dipoles, X-shaped radiating vector dipoles, linearly polarized radiators and patch radiators.

13. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiators or radiator groups provided in a column and additional radiators or radiator groups in an associated column assigned to these radiators are fed with the same electrical phase.

14. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radiators or radiator groups provided in a column and additional radiators or radiator groups in an associated column assigned to these radiators are fed with varying electrical phase to alter the tracking behavior.

15. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the individual columns can be adjusted electrically independently of one another, using phase shifters.

16. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the individual columns can be commonly adjusted electrically, using coupled phase shifters.

17. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the adjustment of a down-tilt angle by the use of a varying phase-position feed for the various radiators arranged vertically one above the other, the additionally provided radiators are fed with a phase angle, which corresponds to that of the radiator provided in a column, which lies at the same height level, or lies at a vertical offset not greater than the spacing between two associated radiators arranged vertically one above the other in said column.

18. The antenna array as claimed in claim 1, wherein two additional radiators are fed with the same phase angle as a radiator in the associated column.

19. The antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein in each column an odd number of radiators are provided, arranged vertically one above the other.

20. The antenna array as claimed in claim 19, wherein at least one radiator is provided in each column is fed commonly with two additional radiators provided in an adjacent column, with the same phase angle.

21. A two-dimensional antenna array comprising:

at least two columns running vertically, at least one column having at least two radiators or radiator groups arranged in a vertical direction with respect to each other;

the at least one column having at least two radiators or radiator groups vertically offset from one another;

at least one additional radiator group which is fed commonly with the radiators or radiator groups in said at least one column,

the at least one additional radiator group for said at least one column arranged horizontally offset to the other radiators or radiator groups in the column.

22. A two-dimensional antenna array having plural vertically-oriented radiator columns, said array including at least one radiator column comprising:

a first set of vertically offset radiators; and

a further set of radiators horizontally offset from said first radiator set;

wherein said first and further radiator sets are fed in common.