Interlaced multiband antenna arrays

• US 7,250,918 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fractus SA
• Inventors: Puente Baliarda, Carles
• Primary Examiner(s): Wimer, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US10/988,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20050146481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/844, 343/853, 343/812, 343/893
• US Class Current: 343/844
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/062 using dipole aerials; H01Q21/067, H01Q21/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/42 using two or more imbricated arrays H01Q5/49 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures

Abstract

Antenna arrays which can work simultaneously in various frequency bands thanks to the physical disposition of the elements which constitute them, and also the multiband behaviour of some elements situated strategically in the array. The configuration of the array is described based on the juxtaposition or interleaving of various conventional mono-band arrays working in the different bands of interest. In those positions in which elements of different multiband arrays come together, a multiband antenna is employed which covers the different working frequency bands. The advantages with respect to the classic configuration of using one array for each frequency band are: saving in cost of the global radiating system and its installation (one array replaces several), and its size and visual and environmental impact are reduced in the case of base stations and repeater stations for communication systems.

Claims

1. An interlaced multiband antenna array comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements;

wherein the interlaced multiband antenna array is adapted to operate simultaneously on a plurality of frequency bands;

wherein positions of the plurality of antenna elements result from juxtaposition of a plurality of mono-band antenna arrays;

wherein the number of the plurality of mono-band antenna arrays corresponds to the number of working frequency bands of the interlaced multiband antenna array;

wherein the interlaced multiband antenna array employs a single multiband antenna element in positions wherein a plurality of antenna elements of the mono-band antenna arrays come together; and

wherein the single multiband antenna element covers at least two working frequency bands of the interlaced multiband antenna array.

2. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, comprising:

a single fractal multiband antenna in positions wherein a plurality of antenna elements of the plurality of mono-band antenna arrays come together; and

wherein the single fractal multiband antenna covers at least two of the working frequency bands of the interlaced multiband antenna array.

3. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, comprising:

a single multiband multilevel antenna in positions wherein a plurality of antenna elements of the plurality of mono-band antenna arrays come together; and

wherein the single multiband antenna element covers at least two of the working frequency bands of the interlaced multiband antenna array.

4. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, comprising:

a single multiband multi-triangular antenna in positions wherein a plurality of antenna elements of the plurality of mono-band antenna arrays come together; and

wherein the single multiband antenna element covers at least two of the different working frequency bands of the interlaced multiband antenna array.

5. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, comprising:

a multiband antenna comprising stacked structures of the patch or micro strip type in positions wherein a plurality of antenna elements of the plurality of mono-band antenna arrays come together; and

wherein the single multiband antenna element covers at least two of the different working frequency bands of the interlaced multiband antenna array.

6. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein, in positions wherein antenna elements of a plurality of the plurality of mono-band antenna arrays do not come together, a same fractal, multilevel, multi-triangular, or stacked patch multiband antenna is employed as in positions wherein a plurality of antenna elements of the plurality of mono-band antenna arrays come together.

7. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 6, wherein the working frequency of the fractal, multilevel, multi-triangular, or stacked patch multiband antenna is chosen, via a frequency-selective structure, as a function of a position in the interlaced multiband antenna array.

8. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein, in positions wherein antenna elements of a plurality of the plurality of mono-band antenna arrays do not come together, a mono-band antenna is employed that works at a frequency determined by a position of the mono-band antenna in the interlaced multiband antenna array.

9. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein the interlaced multiband antenna array is adapted to operate simultaneously on three frequency bands.

10. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, comprising:

wherein a number of the plurality of antenna elements, a spatial distribution of the plurality of antenna elements relative to wavelength, and a current phase and amplitude of the plurality of antenna elements is the same in all of the plurality of mono-band antenna arrays juxtaposed to synthesize the multiband interleaved antenna array; and

wherein the same antenna array factor is achieved in a plurality of the working frequency bands.

11. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein a number of the plurality of antenna elements, a special distribution of the plurality of antenna elements relative to wavelength, and a current phase and amplitude of the plurality of antenna elements is adjusted to shape a radiation pattern specific to a communications system operating within each of the working frequency bands.

12. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein the working frequency bands are situated around 900 MHz and 1800 MHz.

13. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein the working frequency bands are situated around 1900 MHz and 3500 MHz.

14. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein the working frequency bands are situated around 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2100 MHz.

15. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein the working frequency bands are situated around 800 MHz and 1900 MHz.

16. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein a mono-band signal distribution network is employed for each of the working frequency bands and each mono-band antenna array that forms the interlaced multiband antenna array.

17. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 16, wherein the mono-band signal distribution network comprises a plurality of terminals, each of the plurality of terminals comprising a frequency-selective element for selecting which of a plurality of antenna elements are excited and at which frequency band or frequency bands the excitation occurs.

18. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein a single multiband distribution network is employed to excite all of the antenna elements of the interlaced multiband antenna array at any of the working frequency bands.

19. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein the working frequency bands are situated around 800 MHz, 1900 MHz, and 2100 MHz.

20. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein at least one antenna element is positioned so that a distance between successive antenna elements operating at least one of the frequency bands is not constant.

21. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 20, wherein a frequency band of the at least one frequency band is the lowest frequency band.

22. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein the interlaced multiband antenna array has double linear polarization at +45°

and −

45°

with respect to a longitudinal axis of the interlaced multiband antenna array.

23. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 22, wherein the double linear polarization is achieved by exciting the antenna elements at various points in order to augment isolation between connectors of different polarization.

24. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein at least one of the working frequency bands is situated around 1900 MHz.

25. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein a central frequency of at least one of the plurality of working frequency bands does not correspond to an integer factor of a greater central frequency of the plurality of working frequency bands.

26. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein spacing between antenna elements of the plurality of mono-band antenna arrays is less than 0.9 wavelength.

27. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 5, wherein at least one of the stacked structures of the patch or micro strip type are square or circular in shape.

28. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein a single multiband distribution network is employed to excite all of the antenna elements of the interlaced multiband antenna array at at least two of the working frequency bands.

29. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein a single broadband distribution network is employed to excite all of the antenna elements of the interlaced multiband antenna array at at least two of the working frequency bands.

30. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 29, wherein an independent distribution network is employed to excite all of the antenna elements of each of the polarizations.

31. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein an independent distribution network is employed to excite all of the antenna elements of the interlaced multiband antenna array at each of the working frequency bands.

32. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, wherein an independent distribution network is employed to excite all of the antenna elements of the interlaced multiband antenna array at each of the working frequency bands and polarizations.

33. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, comprising four input/output connectors one for each band and polarization.

34. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 1, comprising a feeder system of coaxial type.

35. A mobile telephony base station antenna comprising at least one interlaced multiband antenna array as in claim 1.

36. A communications system comprising:

a plurality of base stations;

a plurality of repeater stations;

wherein each of the plurality of base stations and the plurality of repeater stations comprises a plurality of interlaced multiband antenna array as in claim 1.

37. A method of increasing the number of users supported by a mobile telephony network, the method comprising the step of deploying a plurality of mobile telephony base station antenna comprising at least one interlaced multiband antenna array as in claim 1.

38. An interlaced multiband antenna array comprising:

a plurality of electromagnetically-connected antenna elements;

wherein the electromagnetically-connected antenna elements are adapted to interact with each other to establish radio-electric characteristics with respect to radiation and impedance patterns that are similar in a plurality of working frequency bands;

wherein the interlaced multiband antenna array is operative simultaneously on the plurality of working frequency bands;

wherein positions of the antenna elements result from juxtaposition of a plurality of mono-band antenna arrays;

wherein a number of the mono-band antenna arrays corresponds to a number of the plurality of working frequency bands of the interlaced multiband antenna array;

wherein the interlaced multiband antenna array employs a single multiband antenna element in positions wherein a plurality of mono-band-antenna array antenna elements come together; and

wherein the single multiband antenna element covers a plurality of the plurality of working frequency bands.

39. The interlaced multiband antenna array of claim 38, wherein a central frequency of at least one of the plurality of working frequency bands corresponds to an integer factor of a greater central frequency of the plurality of working frequency bands.

40. A multi-band-antenna-array-provision method comprising:

providing a multiband antenna array adapted to operate simultaneously on a plurality of frequency bands;

wherein a central frequency of at least one of the plurality of frequency bands does not correspond to an integer factor of a greater central frequency of the plurality of frequency bands;

displacing a position of an antenna element of the multi-band antenna array so that the displaced antenna element coincides with a nearest antenna element operating at the greater central frequency;

wherein the displaced antenna element operates at the lowest central frequency; and

replacing the displaced antenna element and the nearest antenna element with a multiband antenna element.

41. An interlaced multiband antenna array comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements coupled to each other electromagnetically that interact with each other in order to establish radio-electric behavior that is similar in a plurality of working frequency bands with respect to radiation and impedance patterns;

wherein the interlaced multiband antenna array is adapted to operate simultaneously on the plurality of working frequency bands;

wherein positions of the plurality of antenna elements result from juxtaposition of a plurality of mono-band antenna arrays;

wherein the number of the plurality of mono-band antenna arrays corresponds to the number of working frequency bands of the interlaced multiband antenna array;

wherein the interlaced multiband antenna array employs a single multiband antenna element in positions wherein a plurality of the plurality of antenna elements of the mono-band antenna arrays come together; and

wherein the single multiband antenna element covers at least two working frequency bands of the interlaced multiband antenna array.