GB2431050A - Simple, cheap and compact antenna array for wireless connections - Google Patents
Simple, cheap and compact antenna array for wireless connections Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2431050A GB2431050A GB0520445A GB0520445A GB2431050A GB 2431050 A GB2431050 A GB 2431050A GB 0520445 A GB0520445 A GB 0520445A GB 0520445 A GB0520445 A GB 0520445A GB 2431050 A GB2431050 A GB 2431050A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- antenna
- antenna elements
- connection port
- arangement
- signal
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
- H01Q21/06—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
- H01Q21/20—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along or adjacent to a curvilinear path
- H01Q21/205—Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart the units being spaced along or adjacent to a curvilinear path providing an omnidirectional coverage
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
- H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
- H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
- H01Q1/22—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
- H01Q1/2291—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN]
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
- H01Q21/0006—Particular feeding systems
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Variable-Direction Aerials And Aerial Arrays (AREA)
Abstract
An antenna array arrangement 1 comprises plural antenna elements 3 arranged in a plane and directed in different directions. An input signal connection port is linked to the antenna elements 3 via amplification and connection circuitry 4. The arrangement includes power connection means to the said amplification circuitry. The antenna elements 3 may be arranged at the perimeter of a circular circuit board 2 which includes the amplification and connection circuitry 4. A single USB input signal and power connection port may be used and the circuitry 4 may include a plurality of USB hubs. The arrangement 1 may communicate via at least one of a number of different communication protocols. The size and shape of the communication zone covered by the antenna may be adjusted by applying different weightings to the antenna elements 3. Generally a circular zone with a radius of twenty five to one hundred meters is likely to be set. A cover may be used to seal the arrangement preventing the entry of water or other contaminants.
Description
-
Improved antenna arrangement This invention relates to an improved antenna arrangement, and in particular to an improved antenna arrangement for providing information to portable wireless devices.
The availability of portable devices able to receive information through a wireless connection, such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDA) has steadily increased for many years and this increase is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Further, such portable devices are now small and light enough that many users carry them at most, or all, times.
There are many known tecimiques for the users of portable wireless devices to obtain desired information. However, in general, these known techniques relied on the user desiring and requesting access to, or actively seeking out, the information. Recently, techniques have been proposed to allow messages to be sent to user portable devices without any need for the user to take any positive action to request them using the well known Bluetooth type wireless connection.
In order to carry out such message sending techniques there is a requirement for an antenna arrangem to support a plurality of wireless connections, and particularly Bluetooth.vireless connections, within a predetermined area. However, known antennas arrangement able to do this are unacceptably large and expensive, and are difficult to install and connect.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an antenna arangement overcoming these problems, at least in part.
In a first aspect, this invention provides, an antenna arangement comprising: a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a plane and facing in different directions; a signal connection port adapted to receive an external signal; amplifing and connecting cicuits adapted to amplify the received external signal and supply it to the antenna elements; and a power connection adapted to receive power from an external source and supply it to the amplifying circuits.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: Figure 1 shows an antenna arrangement according to the invention.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, an antenna 1 is shown in figure 1.
The antenna 1 comprises a flat circular substrate 2 bearing a plurality of Bluetooth antenna elements 3 mounted in a circle toward the circumference of the 2.
substrate 2. Tn the illustrated embodiment there are twenty two antenna elements 3.
However this is merely an example and the number of antenna elements 3 can be varied as required.
The substrate 2 also bears amplifying and connecting circuits 4 mounted on the, or both, surfaces of the substrate 2 within the circle of antenna elements 3. The amplifying and connecting circuits 4 are arranged to connect all of the antenna elements 3 to a single USB port such that external signals supplied to the USB port can be transmitted as wireless signals from all of the antenna elements 3 and wireless signals received by any of the antenna elements 3 can be sent to external apparatus through the USB port. In order to carry out this interconnection of the antenna elements 3 and the USB port, the amplifying and connecting circuits 4 preferably include a plurality of USB hubs.
The antenna 1 further comprises a single power connection port connected to power distribution circuits mounted on the surfaces of the substrate 2 so that all of the other parts of the antenna 1 can be powered through the single power connection port.
The antenna elements 3 are arranged facing outwardly in a circle. This circular arrangement of a plurality of outwardly facing antenna elements 3 causes the antenna 1 to define an substantially circular zone or footprint within whichmgsages can be simultaneously sent to and received from a plurality of B1uetoothcapable devices, such as portable wireless devices.
The antenna elements 3 are multidirectional and are positioned and oriented to reduce mutual interference between the different antenna elements 3 as far as possible.
However, the use of the illustrated antenna elements 3 is not essential. Other designs of antenna element can be used, including those which are not multidirectional. The arrangement of the antenna elements facing outwardly and spaced around a circle allows the antenna 1 to provide the desired circular zone regardless of the exact directional characteristics of the antenna elements 3.
The size of the zone will depend on the properties of the amplifying and connecting circuits 4 and antenna elements 3. In order to allow the zone to be set to the desired size the properties of the amplifying and connecting circuits 4 may be adjustable.
Usually it will be simplest to do this by adjusting the transmit power supplied to the antenna elements 3 by the amplifying and connecting circuits 4. The setting of a zone radius in the range 25 to 100 meters is preferred, but not essential.
It is preferred that the antenna elements 3 are arranged equidistantly around the circle and face generally tangentially outwards in order to provide a substantially circular zone. However, it is not essential that this is precisely followed. For example, in the illustrated embodiment some of the antenna elements are arranged parallel to one another for convenience of manufacture.
It should be understood that the shape of the zone is exactly as defined by the physical arrangement of the antenna elements 3 only in an idealised free space. In practice, the size and shape of the zone will also depend on the location and properties of the surrounding terrain, and especially nearby buildings. In order to allow the effects of the surrounding terrain to be corrected for and allow the desired shape and size of zone to be defined, the amplifying and connecting circuits 4 of the antenna 1 may be arranged to apply different weighting to signals passing to and from different ones of the antenna elements 3.
Preferably each antenna element 3 is able to simultaneously send and receive signals to a plurality of Bluetooth capable devices, although this is not essential. In a particularly preferred arrangement, eaaitenna element 3 is able to simultaneously send and receive signals to seven Bluetoothcapab1e devices.
The substrate 2 defines a flat annular region 5 between the circumferential edge of the substrate 2 and the circle of antenna elements 3. In use a cover is provided over the antenna components mounted on the substrate 2 for physical and enviromental protection. The cover bears against the annular region 5 to form a seal, prevnting the entry of water or other contaminants.
The use of a single USB port to import and export signals to and from the antenna 1 and the use of a single power connection allows the antenna 1 to be quickly and easily set up and connected.
When a user carrying a portabl eless device which is Bluetooth enabled and has been set by the user to e Iluetooth4device discoverable, that is a portable wireless device having its Bluetoothj,ction switched on, enters the zone the antenna 1 can be used to detect and contact the portable wireless device, request the necessary permission to send a message, and then send a message to the portable wireless device.
The antenna according to the invention defines a zone of predetermined size and shape to be easily defined. This allows the information sent to the user to be limited to information expected to be relevant to users in the zone. For example, the information can be advertising information about products, services or special offers available at retail sites in or close to the zone. In another example the information can be service information about public transport which can be boarded in or near the zone. In this case the zone could contain a tram or bus stop or a train or bus station entrance. In a further example the information can be advertising information linked to advertising on a poster or other display in, or visible from, the zone.
Thus, information is only supplied to users in a defined zone or area who are likely to find the information useful or of interest. As a result, the chance that users will consent to receive the information, and review it after receipt, are increased and the risk that users will refuse consent or ignore the information is reduced.
The use of a USB port and USB hubs in the antenna is preferred, but not essential. It-
Mounting all of the components of the antenna 1 on a single substrate is preferred for ease and simplicity of manufacture, but is not essential. (ArM
In the embodiment the antenn elements 4 are Bluetooth jntenna elements adapted to send and receive Bluetoothwireless signals. However, other types of antenna elements may be used to send and receive other signal formats.
Bluetooth is a convenient protocol for use in the invention. However use of the Bluetooth (RTTi) protocol is not essential and other protocols can be used in the invention, including, but not limited to, Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, GPRS, UMTS CMDA and FOMA.
Claims (11)
1. An antenna arangement comprising: a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a plane and facing in different directions; a signal connection port adapted to receive an external signal; amphfing and connecting cicuits adapted to amplify the received external signal and supply it to the antenna elements; and a power connection adapted to receive power from an external source and supply it to the amplifying circuits.
2. An antenna arangement according to claim 1, having a single signal connection port, in which the amplifing and connecting circuits are adapted to amplify the received external signal and supply it to all of the antenna elements.
3. An antenna arangement according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the amplifing and connecting cicuits are also adapted to amplify a signal received by the antenna elements and supply it to the signal connection port, and the signal connection port is adapted to send the supplied signal.
4. An antenna arangement according to any preceding claim, and having a single power connection.
5. An antenna arangement according to any preceding claim, in which the antenna elements and the amplif,ing and connecting circuits are mounted on a single substrate.
6. An antenna arangement according to claim 5, in which the antenna elements are arranged around a periphery of the substrate around the amplifying and connecting circuits
7. An antenna arangement according to claim 6, in which the antenna elements are arranged in a circle.
8. An antenna arrangement according to any preceding claim in which the substrate is a circuit board.
9. An antenna arrangement according to any preceding claim in which the amplifying and connecting circuits include a plurality of USB hubs and the signal connection port is a single USB connection.
10. An antenna arr1,ement according to any preceding claim in which the antenna elements are Bluetooth(antenna elements.
11. An antenna arrangement substantially as shown in or as described with reference to the accompanying figure.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0520445A GB2431050A (en) | 2005-10-07 | 2005-10-07 | Simple, cheap and compact antenna array for wireless connections |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0520445A GB2431050A (en) | 2005-10-07 | 2005-10-07 | Simple, cheap and compact antenna array for wireless connections |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0520445D0 GB0520445D0 (en) | 2005-11-16 |
| GB2431050A true GB2431050A (en) | 2007-04-11 |
Family
ID=35430004
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0520445A Withdrawn GB2431050A (en) | 2005-10-07 | 2005-10-07 | Simple, cheap and compact antenna array for wireless connections |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2431050A (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2849285A1 (en) * | 2013-09-05 | 2015-03-18 | John Howard | Ultra-broadband antenna array with constant beamwidth throughout operating frequency band |
| US9905936B2 (en) | 2013-09-05 | 2018-02-27 | John Howard | Ultra-broadband antenna array with constant beamwidth throughout operating frequency band |
| CN108535887A (en) * | 2018-05-31 | 2018-09-14 | 北京达佳互联信息技术有限公司 | A kind of intelligent glasses with double-antenna structure |
Citations (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2062968A (en) * | 1979-09-27 | 1981-05-28 | Sensonics Ltd | Improvements in or relating to antennae |
| EP1049195A2 (en) * | 1999-04-26 | 2000-11-02 | Andrew AG | Antenna structure and installation |
| GB2376568A (en) * | 2001-06-12 | 2002-12-18 | Mobisphere Ltd | Smart antenna array with physical periodicity |
| US20020196185A1 (en) * | 2000-11-01 | 2002-12-26 | Bloy Graham P. | Active high density multi-element directional antenna system |
| US20040085239A1 (en) * | 2002-08-09 | 2004-05-06 | Masato Ukena | Array antenna apparatus utilizing a nonlinear distortion compensator circuit |
| WO2005041357A1 (en) * | 2003-10-10 | 2005-05-06 | Cisco Technology, Inc. | Antenna array with vane-supported elements |
| JP2005184615A (en) * | 2003-12-22 | 2005-07-07 | Tdk Corp | Module device for bluetooth, adaptor device, and information equipment |
-
2005
- 2005-10-07 GB GB0520445A patent/GB2431050A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2062968A (en) * | 1979-09-27 | 1981-05-28 | Sensonics Ltd | Improvements in or relating to antennae |
| EP1049195A2 (en) * | 1999-04-26 | 2000-11-02 | Andrew AG | Antenna structure and installation |
| US20030071761A1 (en) * | 1999-04-26 | 2003-04-17 | Mano D. Judd | Antenna structure and installation |
| US20020196185A1 (en) * | 2000-11-01 | 2002-12-26 | Bloy Graham P. | Active high density multi-element directional antenna system |
| GB2376568A (en) * | 2001-06-12 | 2002-12-18 | Mobisphere Ltd | Smart antenna array with physical periodicity |
| US20040085239A1 (en) * | 2002-08-09 | 2004-05-06 | Masato Ukena | Array antenna apparatus utilizing a nonlinear distortion compensator circuit |
| WO2005041357A1 (en) * | 2003-10-10 | 2005-05-06 | Cisco Technology, Inc. | Antenna array with vane-supported elements |
| JP2005184615A (en) * | 2003-12-22 | 2005-07-07 | Tdk Corp | Module device for bluetooth, adaptor device, and information equipment |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2849285A1 (en) * | 2013-09-05 | 2015-03-18 | John Howard | Ultra-broadband antenna array with constant beamwidth throughout operating frequency band |
| US9559430B2 (en) | 2013-09-05 | 2017-01-31 | John Howard | Ultra-broadband antenna array with constant beamwidth throughout operating frequency band |
| US9905936B2 (en) | 2013-09-05 | 2018-02-27 | John Howard | Ultra-broadband antenna array with constant beamwidth throughout operating frequency band |
| CN108535887A (en) * | 2018-05-31 | 2018-09-14 | 北京达佳互联信息技术有限公司 | A kind of intelligent glasses with double-antenna structure |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB0520445D0 (en) | 2005-11-16 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |