# US 11,284,064 B2 · Host-independent VHF-UHF active antenna system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,284,064 B2 - Document ID: US11284064B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/005,811 - Filed: 2020-08-28 - Published: 2020-12-17 - Granted: 2022-03-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-20 - Assignees: Ethertronics, Inc. - Applicants: AVX Antenna, Inc. - Inventors: Michael Roe; John Shamblin; Vahid Manian; Dhaval Bhavnagari - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11284064B2 ## CPC - H04N 17/04: for receivers - H01Q 1/24: with receiving set - H01Q 1/36: Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; {Particular materials used therewith}(H01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence) - H01Q 1/38: formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support {(patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142)} - H01Q 1/48: Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises - H01Q 5/321: within a radiating element or between connected radiating elements - H01Q 5/328: between a radiating element and ground - H01Q 5/378: Combination of fed elements with parasitic elements - H01Q 5/385: Two or more parasitic elements - H01Q 9/14: Length of element or elements adjustable (telescopic elements H01Q1/10) - H01Q 9/42: with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength - H01Q 21/28: Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems {(multiple beam H01Q25/00)} - H01Q 21/30: Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system - H04N 5/50: Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract An antenna system for use with a media device is provided. The antenna system includes a multi-mode active antenna configurable to operate in a plurality of modes. Each mode of the plurality of has a distinct radiation pattern. The antenna system includes a supplemental tuner that is separate from a primary tuner associated with the media device. The antenna system includes a switching device movable between at least two positions to selectively couple the active antenna to the supplemental tuner. When the switching device is in a first position, the active antenna is coupled to the supplemental tuner. When the switching device is in a second position, the active antenna is coupled to the media device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antenna system comprising: a multi-mode active antenna configurable to operate in a plurality of modes associated with a ultra-high frequency (UHF) band or a very-high frequency (VHF) band, each of the plurality of modes having a distinct radiation pattern; a supplemental tuner that is separate from a primary tuner associated with a media device; a directional coupler configured to bifurcate a signal received from the multi-mode active antenna into a first bifurcated signal provided to the primary tuner and a second bifurcated signal provided to the supplemental tuner; and a controller configured to: obtain the second bifurcated signal while the multi-mode active antenna is configured in each of the plurality of modes; process the second bifurcated signal for each of the plurality of modes to determine a signal metric for each of the plurality of modes; and determine one of the plurality of modes as a selected mode for the multi-modal active antenna based, at least in part, on the signal metric. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising: a low noise amplifier coupled between the multi-mode active antenna and the directional coupler. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the signal metric comprises at least one of receive power (RP), signal to noise ratio (SNR), signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SNIR), magnitude error ratio (MER), error vector magnitude (EVM), bit error rate (BER), or packet error rate (PER). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising: a demodulator coupled to the supplemental tuner, the demodulator configured to demodulate the second bifurcated signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the multi-mode active antenna comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, the first antenna connected to the second antenna. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The antenna system of claim 5, wherein the multi-mode active antenna further comprises: a first parasitic element positioned closer to the first antenna than the second antenna; and a second parasitic element positioned closer to the second antenna than the first antenna. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising: an accelerometer configured to obtain data indicative of an orientation of the multi-mode active antenna. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The antenna system of claim 1, wherein the media device comprises a television. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The antenna system of claim 1, further comprising: radio-frequency (RF) circuitry comprising at least one of switches, inductors, capacitors, tunable inductors, tunable capacitors, or solid state devices.