Wireless system having multiple antennas and multiple radios
A wireless system includes a circuit that couples one or more of a plurality of antenna elements to one or more of a plurality of radios. The plurality of antenna elements may comprise a plurality of modified dipoles or omnidirectional antennas coupled to one or more radios by a plurality of PIN diodes. The antenna elements may be configured by a controller of the wireless system to generate a pattern agile radiation pattern or a substantially omnidirectional radiation pattern. The plurality of antenna elements may be contained within a housing of the wireless system or may be conformal to the housing.
1 . A system, comprising:
a first transmitter;
a second transmitter;
an antenna apparatus comprising a plurality of antenna elements; and
a circuit configured to couple the first transmitter to a first group of the plurality of antenna elements or the second transmitter to a second group of the plurality of antenna elements.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first group is configured to radiate in a different pattern as compared to a radiation pattern of the second group.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein an output signal of the first transmitter is of substantially the same center frequency and bandwidth as an output signal of the second transmitter.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuit is further configured to simultaneously couple the first transmitter and the second transmitter to one or more of the antenna elements.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuit is further configured to couple the first transmitter to the first group and the second transmitter to the second group.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna apparatus is configured to be contained within a housing of the system.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna apparatus comprises a substantially planar substrate contained within a housing of the system.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the antenna apparatus is configured to be essentially conformal to a housing of the system.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circuit is further configured to switch the first transmitter or the second transmitter to one or more of the plurality of antenna elements.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the circuit comprises a plurality of RF switches.
11 . A method, comprising:
generating a first radio signal;
generating a second radio signal;
selecting a first group of antenna elements of an antenna apparatus having a plurality of antenna elements with which to transmit the first radio signal;
selecting a second group of antenna elements of the antenna apparatus with which to transmit the second radio signal; and
coupling the first radio signal to the first group and the second radio signal to the second group.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first group includes one or more antenna elements included in the second group of antenna elements.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first group includes none of the antenna elements included in the second group of antenna elements.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein selecting the first group and the second group comprises providing increased spatial diversity between the transmitted first radio signal and the transmitted second radio signal.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein selecting the first group and the second group comprises providing increased pattern diversity between the transmitted first radio signal and the transmitted second radio signal.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first group provides a first radiation pattern, the second group provides a second radiation pattern, and coupling the first radio signal to the first group and the second radio signal to the second group comprises providing increased spatial diversity between the transmitted first signal and the transmitted second signal.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the first radio signal, generating the second radio signal, selecting the first group, selecting the second group, and coupling the first radio signal to the first group and the second radio signal to the second group comprises transmitting a first packet pair, further comprising selecting a third group of antenna elements and a fourth group of antenna elements with which to transmit a second packet pair.
18 . An antenna system comprising:
a first port configured to be coupled to a first transmitter;
a second port configured to be coupled to a second transmitter;
a plurality of antenna elements; and
a circuit configured to couple the first port or the second port to one or more of the plurality of antenna elements.
19 . The antenna system of claim 18 , wherein the circuit is further configured to couple the first port and the second port to one or more of the plurality of antenna elements.
20 . The antenna system of claim 18 , wherein the circuit is further configured to couple the first port or the second port to one or more of the plurality of antenna elements by switching at RF.
21 . The antenna system of claim 18 , wherein the circuit includes a plurality of PIN diodes configured to couple the first port or the second port to one or more of the plurality of antenna elements.
22 . The antenna system of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements comprise a planar antenna apparatus.
23 . The antenna system of claim 18 , wherein the circuit is cabled to the plurality of antenna elements.