Multiband antenna assemblies including helical and linear radiating elements

1. A multiband antenna assembly comprising:

at least one helical radiator having a longitudinal axis; and

at least one linear radiator aligned with and/or disposed at least partially along the longitudinal axis of the at least one helical radiator;

whereby the antenna assembly is resonant in at least three frequency bands;

wherein:

the antenna assembly is resonant in an ultra high frequency (UHF) band from 380 MHz to 527 MHz, and a global positioning system (GPS) frequency band including a frequency of 1575 MHz; and the antenna assembly is also resonant in at least one of a very high frequency (VHF) band from 136 MHz to 174 MHz and/or a 7-800 MHz frequency band from 764 MHz to 870 MHz; and

the antenna assembly is omnidirectional for at least one or more frequency bands, including the ultra high frequency (UHF) band from 380 MHz to 527 MHz

wherein the at least one linear radiator comprises first and second linear radiators coupled by first and second dielectric spacers such that the first and second linear radiators are not galvanically coupled to each other and such that the first and second linear radiators extend through one or more coils of the at least one helical radiator without galvanically coupling to the at least one helical radiator;

wherein the at least one helical radiator includes:

a first dual pitch helical coil radiator having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion having wider pitch coils than the upper portion; and

a second dual pitch helical coil radiator having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion having wider pitch coils than the upper portion;

wherein:

the first dual pitch helical coil radiator corresponds to the VHF band and has an electrical length of about one quarter wavelength (λ/4) for the VHF band;

the upper narrower pitch coils of the first dual pitch helical coil radiator are operable for helping to increase gain at lower frequency and for introducing another resonance at the VHF band;

the upper narrow pitch coils of the second dual pitch helical coil radiator correspond to the UHF and 7-800 MHz with its second harmonic resonance frequency;

the lower wider pitch coils of the second dual pitch helical coil radiator provide another resonance at 7-800 MHz and GPS band with its second harmonic resonance frequency;

the second dual pitch helical coil radiator parasitically couples to the first linear radiator such that the combined electrical length of the first linear radiator and second dual pitch helical coil radiator is about three quarters wavelength (3λ/4) for the 7-800 MHz frequency band; and

the first linear radiator parasitically couples to the second linear radiator such that the first linear radiator has an electrical length of about one quarter wavelength (λ/4) for the UHF band.

2. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the antenna assembly is resonant in at least four frequency bands including:

a very high frequency (VHF) band from 136 MHz to 174 MHz; and

an ultra high frequency (UHF) band from 380 MHz to 527 MHz; and

a 7-800 MHz frequency band from 764 MHz to 870 MHz; and

a global positioning system (GPS) frequency band including a frequency of 1575 MHz.

3. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the first dielectric spacer mechanically couples the first linear radiator to another portion of the antenna assembly;

the second dielectric spacer mechanically couples end portions of the first and second linear radiators together; and

the antenna assembly is configured such that during operation the first and second linear radiators parasitically couple to each other and to the first and second helical radiators.

4. The antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the antenna assembly is omnidirectional for at least one of a very high frequency (VHF) band from 136 MHz to 174 MHz and/or a 7-800 MHz frequency band from 764 MHz to 870 MHz.

5. A multiband antenna assembly comprising:

at least one helical radiator having a longitudinal axis; and

at least one linear radiator aligned with and/or disposed at least partially along the longitudinal axis of the at least one helical radiator;

wherein:

the at least one helical radiator comprises a dual pitch helical coil radiator that includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion having wider pitch coils than the upper portion; and

the at least one linear radiator includes a first conductor and a second conductor along an end portion thereof, the first and second conductors extending through one or more coils of the dual pitch helical coil radiator;

whereby the antenna assembly is resonant in at least three frequency bands, including a very high frequency (VHF) band from 136 MHz to 174 MHz, an ultra high frequency (UHF) band from 380 MHz to 527 MHz, and a global positioning system (GPS) frequency band including a frequency of 1575 MHz; and

wherein the antenna assembly is configured such that:

the dual pitch helical coil radiator has a total electrical length of about one quarter wavelength (λ/4) for the VHF band;

the lower, wider pitch portion of the dual pitch helical coil radiator has an electrical length of about one quarter wavelength (λ/4) for the UHF band;

the first and second conductors have a combined electrical length of about one quarter wavelength (λ/4) for the UHF band; and

the second conductor has an electrical length of about one quarter wavelength (λ/4) for the GPS band.

6. The antenna assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first conductor comprises an electrically conducting wire, and wherein the second conductor comprises an electrically conducting element along an end portion of the electrically conducting wire.

7. The antenna assembly of claim 5 , wherein:

the first conductor comprises a center core of a coaxial cable, the second conductor comprises a braid soldered at an end of the coaxial cable, and an insulator of the coaxial cable inhibits direct contact between the first and second conductors; or

the first conductor comprises an electrically conductive wire or cable, the second conductor comprises a metal tube crimped or soldered at an end portion thereof, and an insulator jacket is between the metal tube and electrically conductive wire or cable; or

the second conductor comprises a single wire or spring.

8. The antenna assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first and second conductors are galvanically coupled such that the electrical connection between the first and second conductors allows the antenna assembly to be operable simultaneously in at least two frequency bands.

9. The antenna assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a coil form disposed over the at least one linear radiator, wherein at least a portion of the at least one helical radiator is wound about an exterior surface of the coil form such that the at least one helical radiator is supported by the coil form without making direct galvanic contact with the at least one linear radiator.

10. The antenna assembly of claim 5 , further comprising:

a bottom helical radiating element resonant within a 7-800 MHz frequency band from 764 MHz to 870 MHz; and

the at least one linear radiator extends through one or more coils of the bottom helical radiating element;

whereby the antenna assembly is configured such that the bottom helical radiating element parasitically couples to the dual pitch helical coil radiator—and the at least one linear radiator, to thereby broaden the bandwidth of the 7-800 MHz frequency band; and

whereby the antenna assembly is resonant in at least four frequency bands including:

the very high frequency (VHF) band from 136 MHz to 174 MHz; and

the ultra high frequency (UHF) band from 380 MHz to 527 MHz; and

the 7-800 MHz frequency band from 764 MHz to 870 MHz; and

the global positioning system (GPS) frequency band including a frequency of 1575 MHz.

11. The antenna assembly of claim 5 , wherein:

the wider pitch coils are more responsive and resonant within the UHF band;

the upper narrower pitch coils are operable for introducing another resonance within the VHF band;

the dual pitch helical coil radiator is resonant at a third harmonic within the GPS band;

the first and second conductors are galvanically coupled such that the electrical connection between the first and second conductors allows the antenna assembly to be operable simultaneously for the UHF and GPS bands; and

the antenna assembly is omnidirectional for at least the UHF and VHF bands.

12. The antenna assembly of claim 5 , comprising:

a circuit board;

a matching network on the circuit board;

wherein the antenna assembly terminates with a connector for connecting the antenna assembly to a device such that the antenna assembly depends to a ground plane of the device to excite; and

wherein the matching network on the circuit board is between the connector and the helical and linear radiators.

13. The antenna assembly of claim 12 , further comprising:

a sheath disposed over the circuit board, the matching network, and the helical and linear radiators, such that the sheath, the circuit board, the matching network, and the helical and linear radiators are external to a housing of the device when the antenna assembly is connected to the device by the connector; and/or

a coil form disposed over the at least one linear radiator, wherein at least a portion of the at least one helical radiator is wound about an exterior surface of the coil form such that the at least one helical radiator is supported by the coil form without making direct galvanic contact with the at least one linear radiator.

14. A portable wireless device comprising a housing and the antenna assembly of claim 13 connected to the portable wireless device by the connector such that the circuit board, the matching network, and the helical and linear radiators are external to the housing of the portable wireless device.

15. A multiband antenna assembly comprising:

at least one helical radiator having a longitudinal axis; and

at least one linear radiator aligned with and/or disposed at least partially along the longitudinal axis of the at least one helical radiator;

wherein:

the at least one helical radiator includes a top helical radiator and a bottom helical radiator spaced apart from the top helical radiator; and

the at least one linear radiator is between the top and bottom helical radiators, the linear radiator including a first conductor and a second conductor along an end portion thereof, the first and second conductors extending through one or more coils of at least one of the bottom and top helical radiators;

whereby the antenna assembly is resonant in at least three frequency bands, including an ultra high frequency (UHF) band from 380 MHz to 527 MHz, a 7-800 MHz frequency band from 764 MHz to 870 MHz, and a global positioning system (GPS) frequency band including a frequency of 1575 MHz; and

wherein the antenna assembly is configured such that:

the antenna assembly has a total electrical length of about one half wavelength (λ/2) for the UHF band;

the first and second conductors of the at least one linear radiator have a combined electrical length of about one quarter wavelength (λ/4) for the UHF band;

the bottom helical radiator and the first conductor of the at least one linear radiator each has an electrical length of about one quarter wavelength (λ/4) for the 7-800 MHz frequency band; and

the bottom helical radiator has an electrical length of about one half wavelength (λ/2) for the GPS band.

16. The antenna assembly of claim 15 , wherein:

a loading gap between the first and second conductors is operable for changing the frequency ratio for the UHF band and the 7-800 MHz frequency band and/or helps fine tune the frequency ratio between the UHF band and the 7-800 MHz frequency band; and

the bottom helical radiating element couples to the gap, which shifts the resonance of the 7-800 MHz frequency band to a lower frequency while the UHF band resonance is maintained, such that the UHF and GPS bands resonate at the same time.

17. The antenna assembly of claim 15 , wherein:

the first and second conductors are galvanically coupled such that the electrical connection between the first and second conductors allows the antenna assembly to be operable simultaneously at the UHF band and 7-800 MHz frequency band; and

the antenna assembly is omnidirectional for at least the UHF band and the 7-800 MHz frequency band.