Hybrid high gain antenna array
A hybrid multiport array antenna comprises a plurality of columns of hybrid dipole unit cells, each of the hybrid dipole unit cells having a first dipole of a first type, and a second dipole of a second type, wherein the first dipole of the first type and the second dipole of the second type are configured to receive a single pair of RF (radio frequency) signals, the pair of RF signals having two orthogonal polarization states, wherein the first dipole of the first type and the second dipole of the second type are spaced with an offset in a vertical direction. The arrangement of the hybrid dipole unit cells reduces the phase center distance between the dipoles in each column and between columns, thereby assuring high gain while reducing grating lobes and other signal gain degradations caused by longer distances between phase centers.
1 . A multiport antenna array, comprising:
a plurality of columns of hybrid dipole unit cells, each of the hybrid dipole unit cells having a first dipole of a first type, and a second dipole of a second type,
wherein each of the first dipole of the first type and the second dipole of the second type, of each hybrid dipole unit cell, is configured to receive a first RF (radio frequency) signal of a single pair of RF signals and a second RF signal of the single pair of RF signals, the first and second RF signals corresponding to first and second orthogonal polarization states, respectively, and
wherein the first dipole of the first type and the second dipole of the second type are spaced with an offset in a vertical direction.
2 . The multiport antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the first dipole of the first type and the second dipole of the second type, of each hybrid dipole unit cell, is configured to operate in a single frequency band.
3 . The multiport antenna array of claim 2 , wherein the single frequency band comprises a C-Band.
4 . The multiport antenna array of claim 2 , wherein each of the hybrid dipole unit cells comprises:
a first signal feed coupled to a first dipole arm of the first dipole of the first type and coupled to a first power divider; and
a second signal feed coupled to a second dipole arm of the first dipole of the first type and coupled to a second power divider.
5 . The multiport antenna array of claim 4 , wherein the first signal feed carries the first RF signal of the single pair of RF signals, and wherein the second signal feed carries the second RF signal of the single pair of RF signals.
6 . The multiport antenna array of claim 5 , wherein the first power divider is coupled to a first longer trace branch, wherein the first longer trace branch is coupled to a first side of a horizontal stem plate of the second dipole of the second type, and wherein the first power divider is coupled to a first shorter trace branch, wherein the first shorter trace branch is coupled to a second side of the horizontal stem plate of the second dipole of the second type.
7 . The multiport antenna array of claim 6 , wherein the second power divider is coupled to a second longer trace branch, wherein the second longer trace branch is coupled to a first side of a vertical stem plate of the second dipole of the second type, and wherein the second power divider is coupled to a second shorter trace branch, wherein the second shorter trace branch is coupled to a second side of the vertical stem plate of the second dipole of the second type.
8 . The multiport antenna array of claim 1 ,
wherein the hybrid dipole unit cells, of each of the plurality of columns of hybrid dipole unit cells, are arranged into a plurality of single signal and phase dipole clusters, each single signal and phase dipole cluster comprising at least two hybrid dipole unit cells; and
wherein the pair of RF signals have a single phase.
9 . The multiport antenna array of claim 1 ,
wherein the hybrid dipole unit cells, of each of the plurality of columns of hybrid dipole unit cells, are arranged into a plurality of single signal and phase dipole clusters, each single signal and phase dipole cluster comprising at least two hybrid dipole unit cells; and
wherein the first and second RF signals that make up the pair of RF signals associated with at least one of the plurality of single signal and phase dipole clusters have a different amplitude and phase.
10 . The multiport antenna array of claim 9 further comprising:
a remote electrical tilt mechanism configured to control the amplitude and phase of the first and second RF signals of the pair of RF signals associated with the at least one of the plurality of single signal and phase dipole clusters and electrically steer, in the vertical direction, an antenna beam associated with the at least one of the plurality of single signal and phase dipole clusters.
11 . A multiport antenna array, comprising:
a plurality of dipole columns, each dipole column having a first sub-column having first dipoles of a first type and a second sub-column having second dipoles of a second type, wherein the first dipoles of the first type and the second dipoles of the second type are configured to radiate in a first frequency band, wherein the first dipoles of the first type within a corresponding first sub-column and the second dipoles of the second type within a corresponding second sub-column are coupled to a common signal source,
wherein the first dipoles in the first sub-column and the second dipoles in the second sub-column have a spatial offset in a vertical direction.
12 . The multiport antenna array of claim 11 , wherein the common signal source comprises:
a first signal corresponding to a first polarization; and
a second signal corresponding to a second polarization.
13 . The multiport antenna array of claim 11 , wherein the first dipoles of the first type in the first sub-column have a first physical configuration and the second dipoles of the second type in the second sub-column have a second physical configuration different from the first physical configuration.