Polarization-diverse antenna array and associated methods

Abstract

The polarization-diverse antenna array includes three orthogonal loop antennas having a common center, e.g. together defining a sphere. Each loop antenna includes a loop electrical conductor. Two signal feedpoints are along the loop electrical conductor and separated by a fraction of a length of the loop electrical conductor. Each of the signal feedpoints includes a series signal feedpoint so that a polarization diversity controller coupled thereto may selectively provide vertical, horizontal, lefthand circular and righthand circular polarization for a single loop electrical conductor, including simultaneous (dual) polarizations. These signal feedpoints may supply signals with vertical, horizontal, lefthand circular and righthand circular polarization from each of the three orthogonal look-angles provided by the three loop electrical conductors. Thus the antenna array may provide a compact facility for using Diversity Combining to improve communications performance and/or Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (MIMO) schemes that furthermore also increase capacity. The polarization-diverse antenna array provides a rigorous polarization and look angle approach for communications diversity.