Modular antenna system

• US 9,647,318 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Grundy, Kevin P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi, Dameon E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Islam, Hasan
• Application Number:
  US13/732,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20130321232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 343807, 343883, 343868, 343871, 343901, 343726, 343723, 343823, 343889, 343725, 343729, 343730, 343805, 343809
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1235 Collapsible supports; Means for erecting a rigid antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/02 Collapsible antennas; Retractable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/14 Length of element or elements adjustable telescopic elements H01Q1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/18 Vertical disposition of the antenna

Abstract

A modular reconfigurable indoor antenna is disclosed. The antenna may include a bottom piece, a top piece, and a plurality of vertical members. The top piece may include an Ultra High Frequency (UHF) reception element. The plurality of vertical members may be disposed between the bottom piece and the top piece and coupled therewith. At least one of the plurality of vertical members may include a Very High Frequency (VHF) reception element.

Claims

1. A modular reconfigurable indoor antenna, wherein the antenna comprises:

a bottom piece;

a top piece; and

a plurality of vertical members, wherein;

each of the plurality of vertical members is disposed between the bottom piece and the top piece;

each of the plurality of vertical members is coupled with the top piece, and coupled with the bottom piece;

a first subset of the plurality of vertical members is electrically connected by a first length of a conductive element embedded within the bottom piece, thereby forming a first Very High Frequency (VHF) reception element comprising the first subset of the vertical members and the first length of the conductive element;

a second subset of the plurality of vertical members, each of which is separate from the first subset of the vertical members, is electrically connected by a second length of a conductive element embedded within the bottom piece, thereby forming a second Very High Frequency (VHF) reception element comprising the second subset of the vertical members and the second length of the conductive element,

wherein the first VHF reception element and second VHF reception element are arranged at different angles, and wherein the first length of the conductive element and the second length the conductive element are electrically connected within the bottom piece; and

wherein each of the plurality of vertical members is extendible between a contracted first state and an extended second state.

2. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 1, wherein:

electrical characteristics of the first VHF reception element and the second VHF reception element are different in the first state than in the second state.

3. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of vertical members is extendible to a third state between the first state and the second state.

4. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 3, wherein:

electrical characteristics of the first VHF reception element and the second VHF reception element are different in the third state than in the first state or the second state.

5. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 1, wherein the first VHF reception element comprises a first loop element, and the second VHF reception element comprises a second loop element.

6. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 5, wherein the first loop element and the second loop element are each disposed within the bottom piece, at least two of the plurality of vertical members, and the top piece.

7. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 6, wherein:

a height of the first loop element and a height of the second loop element are adjusted by extending or contracting each of the plurality of vertical members.

8. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 1, wherein:

each of the first VHF reception element and the second VHF reception element is electrically coupled with a conductor exiting the bottom piece.

9. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 1, wherein the first VHF reception element comprises a first loop element formed by two of the plurality of vertical members and conductors within the bottom piece and the top piece, and wherein the first VHF reception element is arranged at a 90 degree angle to the second VHF reception element comprising a second loop element formed by two others of the plurality of vertical members and conductors within the bottom piece and the top piece.

10. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 9, wherein the first VHF reception element and the second VHF reception element are electrically coupled to a cable at a same cable connection point.

11. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 1, wherein the first VHF reception element comprises a first dipole element formed by two of the plurality of vertical members and conductors within at least one of the bottom piece or the top piece, and wherein the first VHF reception element is arranged at a 90 degree angle to the second VHF reception element comprising a second dipole element formed by two others of the plurality of vertical members and conductors within at least one of the bottom piece or the top piece.

12. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 11, wherein the first VHF reception element and the second VHF reception element are electrically coupled to a cable at a same cable connection point.

13. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 1, wherein the top piece comprises an Ultra High Frequency (UHF) reception element.

14. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 13, wherein the UHF reception element comprises a bow-tie shaped UHF reception element.

15. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 1, wherein the bottom piece comprises a first horizontal insulating platform, wherein the top piece comprises a second horizontal insulating platform, and wherein the antenna further comprises:

a middle piece comprising a third horizontal insulating platform, wherein the middle piece is positioned between the bottom piece and the top piece, and wherein the middle piece is coupled to each of the plurality of vertical members.

16. The modular reconfigurable indoor antenna of claim 1, wherein the first reception element and the second reception element are arranged orthogonal to each other.

17. A modular reconfigurable antenna, comprising:

a bottom piece comprising a first horizontal insulating platform;

a top piece comprising a second horizontal insulating platform;

a middle piece positioned between the bottom piece and the top piece comprising a third horizontal insulating platform; and

a plurality of vertical members, wherein;

each of the plurality of vertical members is disposed between the bottom piece and the top piece;

each of the plurality of vertical members is coupled with the top piece, coupled with the bottom piece, and coupled with the middle piece;

a first subset of the plurality of vertical members is electrically connected by a first length of a conductive element embedded within the bottom piece, thereby forming a first Very High Frequency (VHF) reception element comprising the first subset of the vertical members and the first length of the conductive element; and

a second subset of the plurality of vertical members, each of which is separate from the first subset of the vertical members, is electrically connected by a second length of a conductive element embedded within the bottom piece, thereby forming a second Very High Frequency (VHF) reception element comprising the second subset of the vertical members and the second length of the conductive element, wherein the second length of the conductive element is embedded within the bottom piece at an angle perpendicular to the first length of the conductive element embedded within the bottom piece.

18. A modular reconfigurable antenna, comprising:

a bottom piece;

a top piece; and

a plurality of vertical members, wherein;

each of the plurality of vertical members is disposed between the bottom piece and the top piece;

each of the plurality of vertical members is coupled with the top piece, and coupled with the bottom piece;

a first subset of the plurality of vertical members is electrically coupled to one or more lengths of a conductive element embedded within at least the bottom piece or the top piece, to form a first Very High Frequency (VHF) reception element; and

a second subset of the plurality of vertical members is electrically coupled to one or more additional lengths of a conductive element embedded within at least the bottom piece or the top piece, to form a second Very High Frequency (VHF) reception element, wherein the first VHF reception element and the second VHF reception element are arranged orthogonal to each other.

19. The modular reconfigurable antenna of claim 18, wherein the combination of the first VHF reception element and the orthogonal second VHF reception element forms a dual vertical dipole antenna system.

20. The modular reconfigurable antenna of claim 18, wherein the combination of the first VHF reception element and the orthogonal second VHF reception element forms a dual H antenna system.