Communications: radio wave antennas – Antennas – High frequency type loops
Patent
1998-07-30
2000-04-25
Wong, Don
Communications: radio wave antennas
Antennas
High frequency type loops
343742, 343840, H01Q 1112
Patent
active
060549637
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns antennas for receiving broadcast signals such as television signals.
BACKGROUND
The conventional indoor TV antenna used to receive the VHF bands employs a pair of telescopic elements forming a dipole with each of the elements having a maximum length of from 4 to 6 feet. The two elements usually are mounted to permit the elements to be spread apart to increase or shorten the dipole length and those elements are commonly referred to as "rabbit ears." In addition, it is customary to provide a separate antenna for indoor reception of the UHF TV band. The indoor UHF antenna typically is a loop having a diameter of about 71/2 inches.
One problem associated with the conventional indoor antenna system is that two separate antennas are necessary for respective VHF and UHF broadcast signals since neither one of them provides efficient reception over the entire VHF and UHF broadcast bands of frequencies. A second problem is that such conventional indoor antennas are not sufficiently directive to discriminate against alternate path signals commonly encountered, and the result is often ghosts in a television picture. A third problem is that the "rabbit ear" antenna is unsightly in indoor environments because of its long elements and overall configuration.
A need exists for a low cost, structurally small and rigid antenna for efficient reception over the entire VHF and UHF broadcast bands of frequencies. Further, another need exists for such an antenna to be sufficiently directive to discriminate against multipath signals. In addition, there is another need for such an antenna to be used in indoor as well as outdoor applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the described problems by providing an antenna comprising a closely-spaced elongated conductive elements forming a loop, the conductive loop having a pair of feeding points located on the mid point of the loop in length, and the conductive loop forming a bow-tie structure for providing reception over the entire VHF and UHF bands of frequencies.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention may be better understood by referring to the enclosed drawing in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a dual-purpose antenna for receiving satellite and local broadcast signals;
FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate an embodiment of the dish-shaped reflector of the antenna shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 illustrates a stand-alone Folded Bow-Tie antenna;
FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a dual-purpose antenna system incorporating features shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 shows, in schematic diagram form, an embodiment of a voltage-controlled antenna switch/amplifier;
FIG. 6. shows, in schematic diagram form, an embodiment of a tone-controlled antenna switch/amplifier;
FIG. 7 shows, in schematic diagram form, an embodiment of a power supply regulator circuit for generating control signals for a frequency converter and an antenna switch/amplifier;
FIG. 8 illustrates an antenna pattern associated with a switched Folded Bow-Tie antenna;
FIG. 9-a illustrates another embodiment of a dual-purpose antenna for receiving satellite and local broadcast signals;
FIG. 9-b illustrates, in schematic diagram form, high-pass filters shown in FIG. 9-a;
FIG. 10 illustrates another embodiment of a dual-purpose antenna system including features shown in FIG. 9-a;
FIG. 11-a illustrates an embodiment of the reflector of the antenna system shown in FIG. 10; and
FIG. 11-b illustrates an aspect of the reflector embodiment shown in FIG. 11-a. by the same reference numbers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows a dish-shaped antenna for receiving signals in a first frequency band, e.g., microwave direct broadcast satellite (DBS) signals, that has been modified to also receive signals in another frequency band, e.g., VHF and UHF signals from terrestrial broadcast stations. The dual-purpose antenna shown in FIG. 1 includes dish-shaped reflector 100, frequency converter 11, and frequency converter support arm 120. Frequency converte
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Akiyama Kuniyuki
Emanuel Peter M.
Phan Tho
Thomson Licensing S.A.
Tripoli Joseph S.
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