Configurable omnidirectional antenna

• US 20050168391A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Ratajczak, Philippe, Brachat, Patrice, Garel, Pierre-Yves
• Granted Patent: US 7,123,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/773
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/446 the radiating element being at the centre of one or more rings of auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00

Abstract

Configurable antenna, adapted to transmit or to receive at least one beam of electromagnetic radiation in a direction and over an angular width that are adjustable. The antenna includes an antenna that is omnidirectional about a given axis z. The omnidirectional antenna comprises at least one biconical antenna and the configurable antenna further comprises controllable reflectivity discrete reflector elements passing through the cones of the omnidirectional antenna without electrical contact and disposed on at least one circle centered on the given axis z. The antenna is applicable to mobile telephony.

Claims

1. A configurable antenna, adapted to transmit or to receive at least one beam of electromagnetic radiation in a direction and over an angular width that are adjustable, said antenna comprising an antenna that is omnidirectional about a given axis z, and said omnidirectional antenna comprising at least one biconical antenna, and said configurable antenna further comprising discrete reflector elements of controllable reflectivity passing through the cones of the omnidirectional antenna without electrical contact and disposed on at least one circle centered on the given axis z.

2. An antenna according to claim 1, wherein the reflectivity of said discrete reflector elements is controlled by a DC voltage.

3. An antenna according to claim 2, wherein said discrete reflector elements are linear elements each comprising discontinuous metal rods interconnected by components whose electrical conductivity is controllable by a DC voltage.

4. An antenna according to claim 3, wherein said controllable electrical conductivity components are diodes.

5. An antenna according to claim 3, wherein said controllable electrical conductivity components are micromechanical switches.

6. An antenna according to claim 1, wherein said discrete reflector elements are distributed with a constant linear pitch in a plurality of circles concentric with the axis z.

7. An antenna according to claim 6, wherein said constant linear pitch is identical for all the concentric circles.

8. An antenna according to claim 1, wherein the length of the reflector elements is shorter than one fifth of the shortest electromagnetic radiation wavelength.

9. An antenna according to claim 1, wherein said biconical antenna has asymmetrical cones.

10. An antenna according to claim 1, wherein said omnidirectional antenna comprises a plurality of biconical antennas disposed in an array.

11. An antenna according to claim 10, wherein said biconical antennas are disposed in an array with a variable phase shift.

12. An antenna according to claim 1, wherein the discrete reflector elements have a reflectivity that is variable as a function of the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation.

13. An antenna according to claim 1, further comprising second discrete reflector elements disposed orthogonally to said discrete reflector elements.