This nonprovisional application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-341748 filed with the Japan Patent Office on Nov. 26, 2004, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna and, specifically, to an antenna including a radiator made smaller than a conventional radiator.
2. Description of the Background Art
A general antenna includes a radiator as a device for transmitting and receiving radio waves. By way of example, a Yagi antenna generally used for receiving television broadcast signals is formed of a director, a radiator and a reflector.
Conventionally, various and many techniques related to antennas have been disclosed. For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 49-040651 discloses a jig, which has holes for forming conductive patterns corresponding to antenna shapes by applying conductive coating, for mass-producing various antennas including conical antenna and Yagi antenna in a simple manner.
Antenna types vary widely, and antennas have various names reflecting operation principle, characteristics or shape. One type of such antennas is “fan-shaped dipole antenna.” The fan-shaped dipole antenna is characterized by its wide range of operable frequency.
Referring to
The dimensions in the X-axis direction and Y-axis direction of radiator 103 are 210 mm and 76 mm, respectively. Generally, frequency range of radio wave that can be received by an antenna depends on the length and width of the radiator. Radiator 103 is used for receiving radio wave of UHF (Ultra High Frequency) television broadcast.
Referring to
In
In
Referring to
A curve H100 represents variation in the half-width with respect to the frequency, and a curve F100 represents variation in the front-to-back ratio with respect to the frequency. As can be seen from curve H100, the half-width becomes smaller as the frequency is higher (beam width becomes narrower). In contrast, the front-to-back ratio is kept around 0 dB regardless of the variation in frequency, as indicated by curve F100.
In
When an antenna is installed outside, a longer radiator poses no problem as there is sufficient space. An indoor antenna, however, has restrictions in installation space and position. Therefore, an indoor antenna must be as small as possible, and hence, a radiator for an indoor antenna should preferably be as small as possible.
A small radiator may be used both for an outdoor antenna and an indoor antenna. The conventional radiator, however, unavoidably becomes large when better characteristics are to be realized, and reduction in size has been difficult.
The present invention was made to solve the above-described problems, and its object is to provide an antenna including a radiator of improved characteristics and reduced size.
In short, the present invention provides an antenna, including first and second dipole elements respectively having power feed points provided on a first axis, and symmetrical in shape with each other about a second axis perpendicularly crossing the first axis at a mid point of a line connecting the respective power feed points. Each of the first and second dipole elements are formed, at least partially, to be wider in a direction of the second axis away from the mid point on the second axis along the first axis. The antenna further includes first and second conductive line portions provided on opposite sides of the first axis, sandwiching both the first and second dipole elements, each having one end connected to a tip end portion of the first dipole element and the other end connected to a tip end portion of the second dipole element. The first and second conductive line portions are formed conforming to the shapes of the first and second dipole elements.
Preferably, the antenna includes: third and fourth dipole elements respectively having power feed points on the second axis and symmetrical in shape with each other about the first axis, provided outer than the first and second conductive line portions with respect to the first and second dipole elements; and third and fourth conductive line portions provided on opposite sides of the second axis, sandwiching both the third and fourth dipole elements, each having one end connected to a tip end portion of the third dipole element and the other end connected to a tip end portion of the fourth dipole element. The third and fourth conductive line portions are provided to extend between the first dipole element and the second dipole element.
More preferably, the third and fourth dipole elements have the same shape as the first and second dipole elements, respectively. The first and second dipole elements each include a first side parallel to the second axis, second and third sides each having one end connected to opposite ends of the first side and widening in a direction of the second axis, fourth and fifth sides parallel to the first axis and connected to the other end of the second and third sides, respectively, and a sixth side having opposite ends connected to the fourth and fifth sides, respectively.
More preferably, a space between the first dipole element and the first conductive line portion, a space between the second dipole element and the first conductive line portion, a space between the first dipole element and the second conductive line portion and a space between the second dipole element and the second conductive line portion are in a range from at least 1 mm to at most 10 mm.
More preferably, the antenna further includes an insulating substrate having a surface for supporting the first to fourth dipole elements and the first to fourth conductive line portions on one same plane.
More preferably, the first to fourth dipole elements and the first to fourth conductive line portions are formed integrally in a plate shape.
More preferably, the antenna further includes a variable directivity circuit changing antenna directivity by controlling power feeding to the first and second dipole elements and power feeding to the third and fourth dipole elements.
More preferably, the antenna receives radio wave of UHF (Ultra High Frequency) band.
Therefore, the antenna in accordance with the present invention includes first and second dipole elements and first and second conductive line portions provided on opposite sides of the first and second dipole elements and each having one end connected to the tip end portion of the first dipole element and the other end connected to the tip end portion of the second dipole element. Accordingly, by the present invention, the antenna can be made smaller and antenna characteristics can be improved.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In the following, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail, with reference to the figures. In the figures, the same reference characters denote the same or corresponding portions.
Referring to
Radiator 3 further includes conductive line portions 18 and 20 provided on opposite sides of the X-axis, sandwiching both dipole elements 10 and 12, each having one end connected to a tip end portion of dipole element 10 and the other end connected to a tip end portion of dipole element 12.
Here, the “tip end portion of dipole element” refers to an end portion of the dipole element at the furthermost distance from the power feed point.
Conductive line portions 18 and 20 are formed to conform to the shapes of dipole elements 10 and 12. As the conductive line portions 18 and 20 of such shapes are connected to dipole elements 10 and 12, better characteristic can be attained in a wider frequency range than by a conventional radiator, and the size can be made smaller.
Specifically, radiator 3 has the length of 190 mm along the X-axis direction and 76 mm along the Y-axis direction. When the length in the X-axis direction is compared with that of radiator 103 shown in
Conductive line portions 18 and 20 are connected by a connecting portion 22 formed of metal. Connecting portion 22 is provided to increase strength of radiator 3, and if radiator 3 has sufficient strength, connecting portion 22 may be unnecessary.
Conductive line portions 18 and 20 are provided spaced by a prescribed distance from dipole elements 10 and 12 and, as a result, a slit 24 is formed between dipole element 10 and conductive line portion 18 and between dipole element 10 and conductive line portion 20. Similarly, a slit 26 is formed between dipole element 12 and conductive line portion 18 and between dipole element 12 and conductive line portion 20. The width of slit 24 or 26 is 2.5 mm.
In
Referring to
The characteristic of radiator 3 will be described, comparing
In contrast, as can be seen from curve G1 of
Referring to
As regards the variation in half-width with the frequency, when the curve H1 of
Referring to
Radiator 3A may be manufactured by adhering a metal plate formed to have the shape of radiator 3 of
Referring to
When radiator 3B is installed outdoors, adhesion of rain or snow can be prevented, as the slit is wide. Preferable width of the slit is from 1.0 mm to 10 mm, and more preferable range is 2.5 mm to 5 mm.
Referring to
Referring to
Such holes may be formed in view of design, for example, and such holes do not have much influence on the characteristics of the radiator. Though one hole is formed in each of dipole elements 10C and 12C in the example of
Referring to
Dipole elements 10D and 12D are asymmetrical about the X-axis, and in this point, these elements differ from dipole elements 10 and 12 that are symmetrical about the X-axis. Characteristics of radiator 3D are similar to those of radiator 3, and hence, it follows that the dipole element may have a shape asymmetrical about the X-axis.
As described above, radiators 3 and 3B include two dipole elements widening along the Y-axis direction from the power feed points and two conductive line portions provided along the outer periphery of the dipole elements and having end portions bent to be connected to the dipole elements. Thus, radiators 3 and 3B can be made smaller than the conventional radiator, and variation in gain can be made smaller over a wide frequency range.
Referring to
Each of the dipole elements 10E and 12E has a hexagonal shape, symmetrical about the X-axis. Dipole element 10E will be described as a representative. Dipole element 10E has a side 29A parallel to the Y-axis, sides 29B and 29C connected to opposite ends of side 29A and widening along the Y-axis, sides 29D and 29E parallel to the X-axis and connected to sides 29B and 29C, respectively, and a side 29F connected at opposite ends to sides 29D and 29E.
As dipole elements 10E and 12E have such shapes, the length of radiator 3E along the Y-axis becomes shorter than radiator 3 of
Referring to
Similar to radiators 3 and 3B, radiator 3E may be a press-worked sheet metal, or it may be formed by providing a metal film on an insulating substrate.
Further, dipole elements 10E and 12E may have holes formed therein, or the shapes of dipole elements 10E and 12E may be asymmetrical about the X-axis.
As described above, radiator 3E has dipole elements having smaller shapes than radiators 3 and 3B. As a result, the size of radiator 3E as a whole can be made smaller and, at the same time, the gain can be made higher and VSWR can be made lower than radiators 3 and 3B.
Referring to
Radiator 3K has the same shape as a combination of two radiators 3 of
Radiator 3K is included, for example, in a receiving antenna allowing directivity switching. When the receiving antenna is a Yagi antenna, it is installed fixed on a roof of a house or the like such that the directivity matches the direction of the transmitting antenna. When such an antenna is once fixed, it is difficult to change the directivity. Therefore, when there are a plurality of transmitting antennas dispersed, the receiving antenna receives only the broadcast signals transmitted from the transmitting antenna of the matching directivity.
In Japan, antenna directivity must sometimes be switched in a region extending across two reception areas. Further, it is often the case in the United States that each broadcasting station sets its own transmitting antenna, and therefore, it is necessary to switch directivity of the antenna every time a channel is switched.
Referring to
Antenna system 40 further includes a variable directivity circuit 50. Variable directivity circuit 50 includes a feeder 41A connected to radiator 3KA, a matching box 41B connected to feeder 41A and performing impedance matching, a coaxial cable 41C connected to matching box 41B, and a switch SW1 for switching radio output transmitted from radiator 3KA to coaxial cable 41C.
Variable directivity circuit 50 further includes a feeder 42A connected to radiator 3KB, a matching box 42B connected to feeder 42A for performing impedance matching, a coaxial cable 42C connected to matching box 42B, and a switch SW2 for switching radio output transmitted from radiator 3KB to coaxial cable 42C.
Switch SW1 switches the output between terminal A1 and terminal B1, by means of a slider C1. Similarly, switch SW2 switches the output between terminal A2 and terminal B2, by means of a slider C2.
Variable directivity circuit 50 further includes a polarity inverter 44 connected to terminal A2 and inverting/non-inverting polarity of the radio wave received at radiator 3KB and outputting the result, a combiner 46 combining an output of terminal B1 of switch SW1 with the output of polarity inverter 44, and a switch SW3 switching output among terminal A1 of switch SW1, combiner 46, and terminal B2 of switch SW2. Switch SW3 switches the output by means of a slider D3.
In Pattern 1, slider C1 of switch SW1 is switched to the side of terminal A1, and slider D3 of switch SW3 is switched to the side of terminal A3. Slider C2 of switch SW2 may be in contact with terminal A2 or B2. When the radio wave received by radiator 3KB is to be output from terminal A2, polarity inverter 44 may or may not invert the polarity of the input radio wave. In Pattern 1, the combined directivity characteristic is the directivity characteristic of radiator 3KA itself, and the direction of maximum gain (where the received power attains the maximum) is the direction of 0°.
In Pattern 2, slider C1 of switch SW1 is switched to the side of terminal B1, slider C2 of switch SW2 is switched to the side of terminal A2, and slider D3 of switch SW3 is switched to the side of terminal B3. Further, polarity inverter 44 outputs the radio wave without inverting the polarity thereof. Here, the direction of maximum gain for the combined directivity characteristic is the direction of 45°.
In Pattern 3, slider C1 of switch SW1 may be in contact with terminal A1 or B1. Slider C2 of switch SW2 is switched to the side of terminal B2, and slider D3 of switch SW3 is switched to the side of terminal C3. Here, the combined directivity characteristic is the directivity characteristic of radiator 3KB itself, and the direction of maximum gain is the direction of 90°.
In Pattern 4, slider C1 of switch SW1 is switched to the side of terminal B1, slider C2 of switch SW2 is switched to the side of terminal A2, and slider D3 of switch SW3 is switched to the side of terminal B3. Polarity inverter 44 inverts the polarity of the input radio wave. The direction of maximum gain for the combined directivity characteristic is the direction of −45°. It is possible to switch directivity characteristic of antenna in such a manner.
For each of radiators 3KA and 3KB shown in
Referring to
Referring to
Further, radiator 3M is different from radiator 3K of
As a further modification, dipole elements 10 and 12 and dipole elements 10K and 12K of radiator 3K, for example, may be replaced by dipole elements having the same shape as dipole elements 10C and 12C of
Referring to
Other portions of antenna system 40A are the same as the corresponding portions of antenna system 40 and, therefore, description thereof will not be repeated.
Variable directivity circuit 50A includes amplifiers 51A, 51B and 61, switches SW1A to SW5A, a phase inverting circuit 53, a phase adjusting circuit 55, a combiner 56, a high-pass filter 57, a power supply circuit 63, a detection circuit 64, and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 65. In
Amplifiers 51A and 51B amplify signals output from radiators 3KA and 3KB, respectively. Switches SW1A and SW2A switch whether the signal output from amplifier 51A is to be passed to phase inverting circuit 53 or not. Phase inverting circuit 53 inverts the phase of an input signal. Phase adjusting circuit 55 adjusts the phase of the input signal, to establish a prescribed relation between the phase of the signal output from switch SW2A and the phase of an output signal from phase adjusting circuit 55.
Combiner 56 combines the output signal from switch SW2A and the output signal from phase adjusting circuit 55. The output from combiner 56 is input through a high-pass filter 57 to switch SW3A. Meanwhile, the signal of VHF band received by VHF (Very High Frequency) antenna 70 is input through a band pass filter 71 to switch SW3A. Switch SW3A selectively outputs the UHF band signal or VHF band signal.
Switches SW4A and SW5A switch whether the signal output from switch SW3A is to be passed to amplifier 61 or not. When the level of the signal output from switch SW3A is low, the signal is amplified by amplifier 61. The signal output from switch SW5A (RF signal) is output to a receiving apparatus (such as a tuner), not shown, from a terminal T.
Terminal T receives an ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) signal from the receiving apparatus and a DC voltage (for example, DC 12V). The DC voltage input to terminal T is supplied to power supply circuit 63 through a high-frequency preventing coil (not shown). Power supply circuit 63 supplies the voltage to CPU 65, amplifiers 51A, 51B, 61 and the like. Further, the ASK signal supplied to terminal T is input to CPU 65 through detection circuit 64. Based on the input signals, CPU 65 controls each of the switches SW1A to SW5A.
The radiator included in antenna system 40 is not limited to radiators 3KA and 3KB (that is, radiator 3K shown in
As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the antenna includes two radiators combined to cross at right angles with each other. Each of the two radiators includes two dipole elements extending along a prescribed axial direction when viewed from power feed points, and two conductive line portions provided along the outer periphery of the dipole elements and having end portions bent to be connected to respective dipole elements. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the antenna can be made smaller than a conventional antenna, and higher performance can be attained.
Further, according to the present embodiment, an antenna that has better reception characteristic than a conventional antenna even when directivity is switched can be realized.
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2004-341748(P) | Nov 2004 | JP | national |