Cube Antenna Layout for High-Gain Omnidirectional Reception

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current outdoor terminal antennas face challenges in installation complexity and performance due to the need for precise alignment of directional antennas, which increases size and reduces reliability, and omnidirectional antennas offer lower gains, compromising performance.

Innovation Solution

The design features N antenna ports and M directional polarization antennas evenly distributed on a cube's surfaces, with specific polarization directions, allowing for combined channels and reduced interference, improving gain and installation flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a directional antenna is used to improve gain, then antenna gain is improved, but installation complexity increases due to the need for precise alignment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantenna gainVSAvoidinstallation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna system is segmented into multiple directional polarization antennas (at least four) arranged in different spatial directions, each handling specific polarization components. This segmentation allows the system to achieve omnidirectional coverage through combination while maintaining the directional gain benefits of individual antennas, eliminating the need for precise alignment during installation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides omnidirectional coverage, maintains high gain, and supports both vertical and horizontal polarizations. By integrating multiple directional antennas with different polarization orientations, the system achieves universal functionality that replaces the need for separate omnidirectional and directional antenna solutions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If an omnidirectional antenna is used to simplify installation, then installation complexity is reduced, but antenna gain deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation complexityVSAvoidantenna gain
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple directional polarization antennas are merged into a unified antenna system where their signals are combined through a receiving unit. This merging creates an effective omnidirectional antenna system that maintains high gain characteristics from the directional components while achieving omnidirectional coverage, thus improving upon traditional omnidirectional antennas without sacrificing gain.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna system uses a composite structure combining multiple directional antennas with different polarization characteristics. This composite antenna system leverages the strengths of each component antenna to achieve both high gain and omnidirectional coverage, effectively creating a hybrid solution that overcomes the limitations of single-type antenna designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Power

If a rotatable directional antenna with built-in motor is used to improve gain, then antenna gain is improved, but device complexity and size increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantenna gainVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a mechanically rotatable antenna system, the invention employs a static multi-antenna configuration where electronic signal processing dynamically combines inputs from multiple fixed directional antennas. This dynamic electronic approach replaces mechanical rotation, eliminating motors and moving parts while maintaining the ability to optimize signal reception from different directions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Power

If a rotatable directional antenna is used to improve gain, then antenna gain is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to motor contact with RF connector

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantenna gainVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the motor component from the antenna system entirely. By using multiple fixed directional polarization antennas with electronic signal combination, the system achieves high gain without requiring any rotating mechanical parts, thereby eliminating the reliability issues associated with motor-connector contact and improving overall system reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3716399B1Antenna apparatus and communication apparatus
Publication Date: 2024.09.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3716399B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2(a)
  • EP3716399B1 patent drawingFigure 2(b)~2(c)
  • EP3716399B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

An antenna apparatus and a communications apparatus are provided and include: N antenna ports and M directional polarization antennas, where M is K times 4, N is an integer multiple of 4, N and M are integers greater than 0, and K is an even number greater than 0; the M directional polarization antennas are evenly distributed on four surfaces of a cube, each surface includes K directional polarization antennas, a polarization direction of K/2 directional polarization antennas on each surface is a first polarization direction, and a polarization direction of other K/2 directional polarization antennas on each surface is a second polarization direction; and on two neighboring surfaces or two opposing surfaces of the four surfaces, K directional polarization antennas in a same polarization direction are combined into one channel, and are connected to one of the N antenna ports, and each of the N antenna ports is connected to the K directional polarization antennas.