Pattern shaping of RF emission patterns

• US 8,358,248 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ruckus IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shtrom, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCUSO, HUEDUNG XUAN CAO
• Application Number:
  US13/305,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20120068904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/767, 343770-771, 343/876
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/00 Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic combination of horns with slotted waveguide array H01Q13/0233
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/021 Means for reducing undesirable effects
• 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 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407

Abstract

A metallic shaping plate located in the interior housing of a wireless device is disclosed. The metallic shaping plate may influence a radiation pattern being generated by a horizontal antenna array. The result may be an increase in the gain of the array.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

an antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements for selective coupling to a radio frequency feed port, wherein at least two of the plurality of antenna elements generate an omnidirectional radiation pattern; and

a plurality of electrically conductive shaping elements that change the omnidirectional radiation pattern generated by the at least two of the antenna elements, wherein at least one of the electrically conductive shaping elements includes switching elements that selectively couple and decouple corresponding electrically conductive elements to cause a change in the omnidirectional radiation pattern.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising a series of selectable directors, at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive shaping elements coupled to the series of selectable directors.

3. The antenna system of claim 1, the a plurality of electrically conductive shaping elements having at least two different shapes.

4. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the change in the omnidirectional radiation pattern caused by the electrically conductive shaping element is a reduction in gain of the omnidirectional radiation pattern generated by the antenna array in a first direction, and an increase in gain of the omnidirectional radiation pattern generated by the antenna array in a second direction.

5. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the change in the omnidirectional radiation pattern caused by the electrically conductive shaping element is a change in tilt of the omnidirectional radiation pattern generated by the antenna array.

6. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antenna elements includes a first set of antenna elements arranged in a first plane, and a second set of antenna elements arranged perpendicular to the first plane.

7. The antenna system of claim 4, wherein the first set of antenna elements generates a first radiation pattern having a polarization substantially in the first plane, and the second set of antenna elements generates a second radiation pattern having a polarization substantially perpendicular to the first plane.

8. The antenna system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive shaping elements is arranged in a third plane parallel to the first plane.

9. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrically conductive shaping elements has a layout corresponding to an arrangement of antenna elements from the plurality of antenna elements.

10. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrically conductive shaping element includes a first portion located a first distance from the antenna array, and a second portion located a second distance from the antenna array, and wherein the second distance of the second portion is greater than the first distance of the first portion.