Ultra broadband linear antenna

• US 7,289,080 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2006
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CAES Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Bohlman, Walter A
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, SHIH CHAO
• Application Number:
  US11/427,002
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 343/791, 343/792.5, 343/793
• US Class Current: 343/793
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/10 Collinear arrangements of substantially straight elongated conductive units
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/00 Arrangements for simultaneous operation of antennas on two or more different wavebands, e.g. dual-band or multi-band arrangements combinations of separate active antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system H01Q21/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/20 Two collinear substantially straight active elements; Substantially straight single active elements H01Q9/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/34 Mast, tower, or like self-supporting or stay-supported antennas

Abstract

An antenna of dipole and monopole antenna elements with filtering to achieve a greater bandwidth. The multiple antenna elements are isolated or combined in order to provide a self adjusting electrical length by using multi-terminal filtering.

Claims

1. A wideband antenna, comprising:

a central coaxial feed having a first end coupled to a reference plane and a second end coupled to a first diplexing filter, a first coaxial section having a first end of said first coaxial section coupled to said first diplexing filter and an opposing end of said first coaxial section coupled to a second diplexer filter, wherein a first end of a second coaxial section is coupled to said second diplexer filter and an opposing end of said second coaxial section coupled to a transformer, and wherein said transformer is coupled to said reference plane;

a first dipole antenna coupled to said first diplexing filter;

a second dipole antenna coupled to said second diplexing filter; and

a monopole antenna coupled to said transformer.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein said wideband antenna has a self adjusting electrical length based on a frequency of said signal.

3. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein said self adjusting electrical length comprises said first diplexing filter providing a first frequency path to said first dipole antenna and a second frequency path to said first coaxial section, said first coaxial section coupling to said second diplexing filter and said second dipole antenna, and wherein said second filter provides a third frequency path to said second coaxial section which is terminated in said transformer and said monopole antenna.

4. The antenna according to claim 3, wherein said second frequency path is for a lower frequency than said first frequency path.

5. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein said first dipole antenna, said second dipole antenna and said monopole antenna are substantially disposed about said central coaxial feed, said first coaxial section and said second coaxial section.

6. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein said first dipole antenna comprises a pair of opposing dipole elements coupled to each other at said first diplexing filter, said second dipole antenna comprises a pair of opposing dipole elements coupled to each other at said second diplexing filter, and wherein said monopole antenna comprises a pair of monopole elements coupled at either end of said antenna.

7. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein said dipole elements and said monopole elements have a cross-section shape selected from at least one of the group consisting of:

circular, square, polygonic, oval, and triangular.

8. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein said first and second diplexing filter is selected from the group consisting of:

four terminal trap filter and series resonant circuit.

9. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein said antenna achieves bandwidths of at least about 50:

1.

10. The antenna according to claim 1, further comprising at least one additional dipole antenna, at least one additional diplexing filter, and at least one additional coaxial section.

11. An antenna system for wideband operations having a monopole antenna and at least one self-adjusting dipole antenna, comprising:

a plurality of tubular sections forming said at least one dipole antenna, and said monopole antenna, said dipole antenna having dipole sections linearly disposed between a first monopole element and a second monopole element, wherein said dipole sections and said first and second monopole element are electrically coupled;

a central coaxial feed linearly disposed proximate said tubular sections and coupled on a first end to an input signal about a reference plane;

at least one coaxial section linearly disposed proximate said tubular sections and coupling between said reference plane and a second end of said central coaxial feed; and

at least one four terminal diplex unit coupled between each said dipole antenna.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising at least one ferrite bead coupled about at least one of said central coaxial feed and said at least one coaxial section.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said diplex unit provides two frequency paths depending upon a frequency of said input signal.

14. The system according to claim 11, said at least one self-adjusting dipole antenna further comprising at least one additional dipole antenna, at least one additional diplex unit, and at least one additional coaxial section respectively coupled therewith.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said first monopole element is coupled to said reference plane and said second monopole element is coupled to said dipole antenna by a resistive element.

16. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a transformer coupling between said reference plane and said first monopole element.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein said tubular sections are hollow fiberglass units with a metal coating.

18. A method for providing broadband coverage from a combination of at least two dipole antenna and a monopole antenna, comprising:

feeding an input signal to a first dipole antenna from a first coaxial cable via a diplexer for a first frequency range;

automatically switching from said first dipole antenna to a second coaxial cable for a second frequency range, wherein said second frequency range is lower than said first frequency range;

feeding a second dipole antenna coupled to said second coaxial cable with said second frequency range;

automatically switching from said second dipole antenna to a third coaxial cable for a third frequency range, wherein said third frequency range is lower than second frequency range; and

feeding said monopole antenna with said third frequency range.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising feeding an additional dipole antenna coupled between said second dipole antenna and automatically switching from said second dipole antenna to an additional coaxial cable for an additional frequency range, wherein said additional frequency range is between said second frequency range and said third frequency range.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein said automatically switching is from a four terminal diplexer.