Antenna system with small multi-band antennas

• US 9,923,279 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charter Communications Operating LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Charter Communications Operating LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lipowski, Joseph Thaddeus, Bingham, James Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Karacsony, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/585,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20130207870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,044 Days
• Field of Search: 343852, 343745, 343749, 343850
• 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 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/335 at the feed, e.g. for impedance matching

Abstract

Multi-band antennae used for television reception of at least two different frequency bands enable multi-band reception with an electrically small antenna. The designs are applicable to individual antenna elements, two dimensional arrays, three dimensional arrays, and arrays constructed for high volumetric efficiency. By using the multi-band element, greater frequency reception is achieved with greater density possible in the antenna arrays.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising:

a single circuit board having an antenna section and a tuner/demodulator section;

an array of antennas installed on the antenna section of the single circuit board, the array of antennas controlled by and provides antenna feeds to tuners and demodulators in the tuner/demodulator section of the single circuit board; and

tuning feed networks for the antennas on the single circuit board that connect the antennas to corresponding tuners and demodulators, wherein the tuning feed networks connect to the tuners and demodulators in the tuner/demodulator section via feed lines in which a tuning voltage is superimposed on at least one of the feed lines by a control line to enable tuning via the tuning feed networks,

wherein the array of antennas and the tuners and demodulators are located on the same side of the single circuit board.

2. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the tuning feed networks are connected to the antennas with high pass filters.

3. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the tuning feed networks are connected to the antennas with diplexers or multiplexers.

4. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the tuning feed networks include a radio frequency coupling and direct current injection section and a tuning section.

5. The antenna system according to claim 4, wherein components of the tuning feed networks are located adjacent to corresponding antennas in the antenna section of the circuit board.

6. The antenna system according to claim 4, wherein the radio frequency coupling and direct current injection section is located in the tuner/demodulator section of the circuit board.

7. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the tuning feed networks include direct current blocks to filter out direct current.

8. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the tuners include Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) tuners.

9. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the antennas are balanced fed antennas.

10. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the antennas are unbalanced fed antennas.

11. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the array of antennas are offset to create a staggered matrix of antennas.

12. An antenna system comprising:

a single circuit board having an antenna section and a tuner/demodulator section;

an array of antennas installed on the antenna section of the single circuit board that is controlled by and provides antenna feeds to tuners and demodulators in the tuner/demodulator section of the single circuit board; and

tuning feed networks for the antennas on the circuit board that connect the antennas to corresponding tuners and demodulators, wherein the tuning feed networks connect to the tuners and demodulators in the tuner/demodulator section via feed lines in which a tuning voltage is superimposed on at least one of the feed lines by a control line to enable tuning via the tuning feed networks, and wherein the demodulators connect to the feed lines with high pass filters and wherein the tuners are Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) tuners, the tuning feed network adjusting tuning frequency of the antennas on the circuit board,

wherein the array of antennas and the tuners and demodulators are located on the same side of the single circuit board.