Diversity fin antenna

Abstract

A fin-type planar antenna and a deployable dipole antenna are combined into a probabilistic system as a co-located orthogonal diversity fin antenna to reduce or eliminate cross polarization fades and cancellation dropouts common to wireless audio systems used in theaters, churches and convention centers over coaxial wired connections. Additionally, an optical line may connect the diversity fin antenna to a further circuit. The antenna system features broad bandwidth, resistance to deep nulls or fades caused by cross polarization, resistance to destructive interference, and an air space dielectric covering provides resistance to detuning in the presence of rain, or touching objects.

1 . An antenna system designed to reduce a probability of destructive interference of signals received by the antenna system, the antenna system comprising:
 a first linearly polarized antenna oriented to detect energy along a first plane;   a second linearly polarized antenna oriented to detect energy along a second plane, wherein the second antenna is positioned generally perpendicular to the first antenna and affixed thereto such that the first plane is cross-polarized with the second plane; and   the first antenna exhibits a first gain and the second antenna exhibits a second gain that is different from the first gain, wherein the different first gain and second gain reduce a probability of destructive interference of the signals arriving at the antenna system.   
     
     
         2 . The antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the second antenna is affixed to the first antenna using a removable connection so that the second antenna can be removably coupled to the first antenna. 
     
     
         3 . The antenna system of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna system comprises a circuit co-located upon at least one portion of the first or second antenna, wherein the circuit is active. 
     
     
         4 . The antenna system of  claim 3 , wherein the circuit comprises one or more optical connections, each of the one or more optical connections configured to communicate with an associated optical line. 
     
     
         5 . The antenna system of  claim 3 , wherein the circuit comprises a converter comprising one or more hardware elements configured to generate an optical signal based on an analog signal associated with the first antenna, the second antenna, or both. 
     
     
         6 . The antenna system of  claim 5 , wherein the antenna system comprises:
 a first converter for the first antenna configured to generate a first optical signal based on a first analog signal associated with the first antenna; and   a second converter for the second antenna configured to generate a second optical signal based on a second analog signal associated with the second antenna.   
     
     
         7 . The antenna system of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more hardware elements of the converter comprise:
 an RF amplifier that amplifies the analog signal;   a laser diode that generates the optical signal; and   a feedback amplifier configured to:
 sense a condition of the laser diode; and 
 to provide feedback to the RF amplifier to control a range of the RF amplifier to within an acceptable operating range. 
   
     
     
         8 . The antenna system of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more hardware elements of the converter comprise:
 a first receiving path for receiving an analog signal from the first antenna, the receiving path comprising a first mixer;   a second receiving path for receiving an analog signal from the second antenna, the second receiving path comprising a second mixer; and   an oscillator connected to the first mixer and the second mixer.   
     
     
         9 . A diversity antenna system comprising:
 a first antenna associated with a first channel;   a second antenna associated with a second channel that is configured to operate in a diversity mode with the first antenna; and   each of the first and second channels comprising a radio frequency (RF) to optical converter locally attached thereto, wherein each optical converter transmits information from the associated antenna.   
     
     
         10 . The antenna system of  claim 9 , wherein the optical converter is an all-analog heterodyne type converter. 
     
     
         11 . An analog radio frequency (RF) to optical converter system, comprising:
 a first converter associated with at least two channels configured to up convert, down convert, or both, a signal from each channel to generate a converted signal;   a transmitter configured to transmit the converted signal over an optical line in communication with the transmitter;   a detector in communication with the optical line configured to detect the converted signal from the optical line; and   a second converter configured to convert the converted signal back into the signal in its original form.   
     
     
         12 . The analog RF to optical converter system of  claim 11 , wherein the conversion scheme executed by the first converter and the second converter is a heterodyne scheme operating in a range around 400 to 600 MHz. 
     
     
         13 . A method of reducing a probability of destructive interference of signals received by an antenna system, the method comprising:
 arranging, for the antenna system:
 a first linearly polarized antenna oriented to detect energy along a first plane; and 
 a second linearly polarized antenna oriented to detect energy along a second plane, such that the second antenna is positioned generally perpendicular to the first antenna and affixed thereto such that the first plane is cross-polarized with the second plane; and 
   wherein the first antenna exhibits a first gain and the second antenna exhibits a second gain that is different from the first gain, wherein the different first gain and second gain reduce a probability of destructive interference of the signals arriving at the antenna system.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising affixing the second antenna to the first antenna using a removable connection so that the second antenna can be removably coupled to the first antenna. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising co-locating a circuit upon at least one portion of the first or second antenna, wherein the circuit is active. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the circuit comprises one or more optical connections, each of the one or more optical connections configured to communicate with an associated optical line. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the circuit comprises a converter comprising one or more hardware elements, and the method further comprises generating an optical signal based on an analog signal associated with the first antenna, the second antenna, or both. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 generating, by a first converter for the first antenna, a first optical signal based on a first analog signal associated with the first antenna; and   generating, by a second converter for the second antenna, a second optical signal based on a second analog signal associated with the second antenna.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 amplifying, by an RF amplifier, the analog signal;   generating, by a laser diode, the optical signal;   sensing, by a feedback amplifier, a condition of the laser diode; and   providing, by the feedback amplifier, feedback to the RF amplifier to control a range of the RF amplifier to within an acceptable operating range.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more hardware elements of the converter comprise:
 a first receiving path for receiving an analog signal from the first antenna, the receiving path comprising a first mixer;   a second receiving path for receiving an analog signal from the second antenna, the second receiving path comprising a second mixer; and   an oscillator connected to the first mixer and the second mixer.