Compact, multi-port, MIMO antenna with high port isolation and low pattern correlation and method of making same

1. An antenna comprising:

a frustoconical ground support having a first contoured surface;

an electrically conductive, endless element mounted at a distance from the ground support, the endless element having a second contoured surface that is complementarily contoured to the first contoured surface; and

a trio of ports arranged along the endless element for conveying radio frequency signals in an operating band of frequencies, the ports being successively spaced apart along the endless element by a spacing defined by a wavelength associated with the operating band.

2. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein:

the first contoured surface is curved; and

the second contoured surface is curved and maintains a substantially constant distance from the first contoured surface.

3. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein:

the endless element extends around a circle and is circumferentially complete; and

the ports are equiangularly spaced apart along a circumference of the circle.

4. The antenna of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment element having a predetermined height selected for achieving a desired impedance match is fixedly mounted on the ground support for adjusting the distance to the endless element via the predetermined height.

5. The antenna of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment element having a predetermined height selected for achieving a desired impedance match is connected to the ports for adjusting the distance to the endless element and to the ground support via the predetermined height.

6. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein each port includes:

an electrically insulating component for holding the endless element at the distance;

an electrical conductor extending through the insulating component and electrically connected to the endless element; and

an electrically shielding component surrounding the insulating component and shielding the electrical conductor.

7. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein:

each port includes:

an elongated electrically conductive post; and

upper and lower conductive elements mounted in spaced apart relation on the post;

the upper conductive element is spaced from the endless element; and

the lower conductive element is spaced from the ground support, to achieve a desired impedance match.

8. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the endless element is mounted at one side of the ground support, and further comprising:

an additional endless element mounted at an opposite side of the ground support; and

an additional trio of ports arranged along the additional endless element for conveying radio frequency signals in the operating band of frequencies, the additional ports being spaced apart along the additional endless element by a spacing of one-half of the guided wavelength at the center frequency of the operating band.

9. A method of making an antenna comprising:

mounting an electrically conductive, conically-shaped endless element at a distance from a frustoconical ground support having a first contoured surface;

arranging a trio of ports along the endless element for conveying radio frequency signals in an operating band of frequencies; and

successively spacing the ports apart along the endless element by a spacing defined by a wavelength associated with the operating band, the endless element have a second contoured surface that is complementarily contoured to the first contoured surface.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

configuring the first contoured surface to be curved; and

configuring the second contoured surface to be curved and to be maintained at a substantially constant distance from the first contoured surface.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

configuring the endless element to extend around a circle and to be circumferentially complete; and

equiangularly spacing the ports apart along a circumference of the circle.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the distance to the endless element by fixedly mounting an adjustment element on the ground support, the adjustment element having a predetermined height selected for achieving a desired impedance match.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the distance to the endless element and to the ground support by connecting an adjustment element to the ports, the adjustment element having a predetermined height selected for achieving a desired impedance match.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

holding the endless element at the distance with an electrically insulating component;

electrically connecting an electrical conductor to the endless element by extending the electrical conductor through the insulating component; and

surrounding the insulating component and shielding the electrical conductor with an electrically shielding component.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

mounting upper and lower conductive elements in spaced apart relation on an elongated electrically conductive post;

spacing the upper conductive element from the endless element; and

spacing the lower conductive element from the ground support in accordance with a desired impedance match.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the mounting of the endless element is performed at one side of the ground support, and further comprising:

mounting an additional endless element at an opposite side of the ground support;

arranging an additional trio of ports along the additional endless element for conveying radio frequency signals in the operating band of frequencies; and

spacing the additional ports apart along the additional endless element by a spacing of one-half of the guided wavelength at the center frequency of the operating band.