Antenna having an omni directional beam pattern with uniform gain over a wide frequency band

An antenna array, comprising:

• a first pair of antennas spaced apart from each other by a first distance;
• a second pair of antennas located between the first pair of antennas, spaced apart from each other by the first distance, being approximately equidistant from a midpoint between the first pair of antennas, and being approximately coplanar with the first pair of antennas;
• a third pair of antennas spaced apart from each other by a second distance, being equidistant from the midpoint, being approximately coplanar with the first and second pairs of antennas, and each being adjacent, and approximately parallel, to a respective one of the antennas of the first pair;
• and a fourth pair of antennas located between the third pair of antennas, spaced apart from each other by approximately the second distance, being approximately equidistant from the midpoint, being approximately coplanar with the first, second, and third pairs of antennas, and each being adjacent, and approximately parallel, to a respective one of the antennas of the second pair.

A transmitter, comprising:

• an antenna array, comprising a first pair of antennas spaced apart from each other by a first distance;
• a second pair of antennas located between the first pair of antennas, spaced apart from each other by approximately the first distance, being approximately equidistant from a midpoint between the first pair of antennas, and being approximately coplanar with the first pair of antennas;
• a third pair of antennas spaced apart from each other by a second distance, being approximately equidistant from the midpoint, being approximately coplanar with the first and second pairs of antennas, and each being adjacent, and approximately parallel, to a respective one of the antennas of one of the first and second pairs;
• a fourth pair of antennas located between the third pair of antennas, spaced apart from each other by approximately the second distance, being approximately equidistant from the midpoint, being approximately coplanar with the first, second, and third pairs of antennas, and each being adjacent, and approximately parallel, to a respective one of the antennas of the other of the first and second pairs;
• and a transmitter circuit configured to drive the antennas of the first and second pairs with a first signal having a wavelength that is approximately twice the first distance such that the antennas of the first pair are approximately 180° out of phase with one another and the antennas of the second pair are approximately 180° out of phase with one another;
• and to drive the antennas of the third and fourth pairs with a second signal having a wavelength that is approximately twice the second distance such that the antennas of the third pair are approximately 180° out of phase with one another and the antennas of the fourth pair are approximately 180° out of phase with one another.

A receiver, comprising:

• an antenna array, comprising a first pair of antennas spaced apart from each other by a first distance;
• a second pair of antennas located between the first pair of antennas, spaced apart from each other by approximately the first distance, being approximately equidistant from a midpoint located between the first pair of antennas, and being approximately coplanar with the first pair of antennas;
• a third pair of antennas spaced apart from each other by a second distance, being approximately equidistant from the midpoint, being approximately coplanar with the first and second pairs of antennas, and each being adjacent, and approximately parallel, to a respective one of the antennas of one of the first and second pairs;
• a fourth pair of antennas located between the third pair of antennas, spaced apart from each other by approximately the second distance, being approximately equidistant from the midpoint, and being approximately coplanar with the first, second, and third pairs of antennas, and each being adjacent, and approximately parallel, to a respective one of the antennas of the other of the first and second pairs;
• and a receiver circuit configured to receive from the antennas of the first and second pairs a first signal having a wavelength that is approximately twice the first distance such that there is a phase difference of approximately 180° between the antennas of the first pair and a phase difference of approximately 180° between the antennas of the second pair;
• and to receive from the antennas of the third and fourth pairs a second signal having a wavelength that is approximately twice the second distance such that there is a phase difference of approximately 180° between the antennas of the third pair and a phase difference of approximately 180° between the antennas of the fourth pair.

A distributed antenna system, comprising:

• a base unit;
• and a remote unit coupled to the base unit and comprising:
• an antenna array, comprising a first pair of antennas spaced apart from each other by a first distance;
• a second pair of antennas located between the first pair of antennas, spaced apart from each other by approximately the first distance, being approximately equidistant from a midpoint between the first pair of antennas, and being approximately coplanar with the first pair of antennas;
• a third pair of antennas spaced apart from each other by a second distance, being approximately equidistant from the midpoint, being approximately coplanar with the first and second pairs of antennas, and each being adjacent, and approximately parallel, to a respective one of the antennas of the second pair;
• a fourth pair of antennas located between the third pair of antennas, spaced apart from each other by approximately the second distance, being approximately equidistant from the midpoint, being approximately coplanar with the first, second, and third pairs of antennas, and each being adjacent, and approximately parallel, to a respective one of the antennas of the first pair;
• a transmitter circuit configured to receive, from the base unit, first data;
• to generate, in response to the first data, a first signal having a wavelength that is approximately twice the first distance and a second signal having a wavelength that is approximately twice the second distance;
• to drive the antennas of the first and second pairs with the first signal such that the antennas of the first pair are approximately 180° out of phase with one another and the antennas of the second pair are approximately 180° out of phase with one another;
• and to drive the antennas of the third and fourth pairs with the second signal such that the antennas of the third pair are approximately 180° out of phase with one another and the antennas of the fourth pair are approximately 180° out of phase with one another;
• and a receiver circuit configured to receive from the antennas of the first and second pairs a third signal having a wavelength that is approximately twice the first distance such that there is a phase difference of approximately 180° between the antennas of the first pair and a phase difference of approximately 180° between the antennas of the second pair;
• to receive from the antennas of the third and fourth pairs a fourth signal having a wavelength that is approximately twice the second distance such that there is a phase difference of approximately 180° between the antennas of the third pair and a phase difference of approximately 180° between the antennas of the fourth pair;
• to recover second data from the first and second signals;
• and to provide the second data to the base unit.