Combined omnidirectional and directional antennas
An apparatus, e.g. a hybrid antenna, includes a plurality of antenna arrays. Each array includes antenna elements, and each array is located on a polygonal antenna body such that each array faces a different direction. An RF network includes first and second duplexers and a divider. The first duplexer is configured to split a received multifrequency drive signal into a first component having a first frequency and a second component having a second frequency. The divider is configured to split the first component into attenuated portions, and to direct one of the attenuated portions to a first of the plurality of antenna arrays. The second duplexer is configured to combine another of the attenuated portions with the second drive signal component to form a combined drive signal component, and to direct the combined drive signal component to a second of the antenna arrays.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of antenna arrays, each array of said plurality of antenna arrays comprising one or more antenna elements, each array of said plurality of antenna arrays being located on a separate side of a polygonal antenna body having three or more sides such that each array faces in a different direction; and
a radio-frequency (RF) network comprising:
a first duplexer for splitting a received multifrequency drive signal having two frequency components into a first component having a first frequency and a second component having a second frequency;
a divider for splitting said first component into three or more attenuated portions, and for directing one of said three or more attenuated portions to a first array of said plurality of antenna arrays; and
a second duplexer for combining another of said three or more attenuated portions with said second component to form a combined drive signal component, and for directing said combined drive signal component to a second array of said plurality of antenna arrays.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of antenna arrays is located at one of three faces of said polygonal antenna body, each array having a neighboring antenna array on each of two neighboring faces, and each of said antenna arrays being arranged to direct radio-frequency energy at an angle of about 120° with respect to each of its neighboring antenna arrays.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said antenna arrays are arranged around an axis that is oriented vertically with respect to the ground.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of said antenna elements comprises a dipole antenna.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said network is configured to operate bidirectionally.
6. An apparatus, comprising:
a first duplexer and a second duplexer, each of said first and second duplexers having a common port, a first filter port and a second filter port, one of said first and second filter ports being a high-pass filter port and the other of said first and second filter ports being a low-pass filter port; and
a power divider having a common port and a plurality of attenuated ports, wherein:
the first filter port of said first duplexer is connected to the first filter port of said second duplexer;
the second filter port of said first duplexer is connected to the common port of said power divider; and
the second filter port of said second duplexer is connected to at least one of said plurality of attenuated ports of said power divider.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a first antenna array connected to a common port of said second duplexer, and a second antenna array connected to a second attenuated port of said divider.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein each of said antenna elements comprises a dipole antenna.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a first antenna array connected to a common port of said second duplexer, a second antenna array connected to a second attenuated port of said power divider, and a third antenna array connected to a third attenuated port of said power divider, wherein said first, second and third antenna arrays are each located on a different side of a polygonal antenna body such that each array faces a different direction.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said polygonal antenna body has a triangular cross-section, and said plurality of antenna arrays consists of three antenna arrays, each having a neighboring antenna array on each of two neighboring faces, and each of said antenna arrays being arranged to direct radio-frequency energy at an angle of about 120° with respect to each of its neighboring antenna arrays.
11. A method, comprising:
providing a plurality of antenna arrays, each array of said plurality of antenna arrays comprising one or more antenna elements, each array of said plurality of antenna arrays being located on a separate side of a polygonal antenna body having three or more sides such that each array faces in a different direction;
connecting a radio-frequency (RF) network to said plurality of antenna arrays, said radio-frequency (RF) network comprising:
a first duplexer for splitting a received multifrequency drive signal having two frequency components into a first component having a first frequency and a second component having a second frequency;
a divider for splitting said first component into three or more attenuated portions, and for directing one of said three or more attenuated portions to a first array of said plurality of antenna arrays; and
a second duplexer for combining another of said three or more attenuated portions with said second component to form a combined drive signal component, and for directing said combined drive signal component to a second array of said plurality of antenna arrays.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of said plurality of antenna arrays is located at one of three faces of said polygonal antenna body, each array having a neighboring antenna array on each of two neighboring faces, and each of said antenna arrays being arranged to direct radio-frequency energy at an angle of about 120° with respect to each of its neighboring antenna arrays.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said antenna arrays are arranged around an axis that is oriented vertically with respect to the ground.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of said antenna elements comprises a dipole antenna.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein said network is configured to operate bidirectionally.
16. A method, comprising:
providing a first duplexer and a second duplexer, each of said first and second duplexers, having a common port, a first filter port and a second filter port, one of said first and second filter ports being a high-pass filter port and the other of said first and second filter ports being a low-pass filter port;
providing a power divider having a common port and a plurality of attenuated ports;
coupling the first filter port of said first duplexer to the first filter port of said second duplexer;
coupling the second filter port of said first duplexer to the common port of said power divider; and
coupling the second filter port of said second duplexer to at least one of said plurality of attenuated ports of said power divider.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising coupling a first antenna array to a common port of said second duplexer, and a second antenna array to a second attenuated port of said divider.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein each of said antenna elements comprises a dipole antenna.
19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising coupling a first antenna array to a common port of said second duplexer, coupling a second antenna array to a second attenuated port of said power divider, and coupling a third antenna array to a third attenuated port of said power divider, wherein said first, second and third antenna arrays are each located on a different side of a polygonal antenna body such that each array faces a different direction.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said polygonal antenna body has a triangular cross-section, and said plurality of antenna arrays consists of three antenna arrays, each having a neighboring antenna array on each of two neighboring faces, and each of said antenna arrays being arranged to direct radio-frequency energy at an angle of about 120° with respect to each of its neighboring antenna arrays.