Abstract:
A broadband antenna system is disclosed. The antenna system relates to a cylindrical structure, wherein the feed region comprises segmented radiators with tapered feed points, distributed around the circumference of the structure, and a balun that is co-planar with the cylindrical structure. This allows a plurality of feed lines, cables, piping, or other structures to be run through the center of the antenna without interfering with the performance of the antenna system. Segmentation of the radiators permits the integration of a corporate feed network, suppresses overmoding and permits operation without the need for a ground plane. The invention further relates to a stacked broadband antenna system wherein additional antenna elements or devices may be stacked collinearly on the antenna structure and operated via the plurality of feed lines or other structures. The overall system thus provides a wide range of transmitting, receiving, sensing and other capabilities over a virtually infinite bandwidth.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit of prior-filed co-pending United States Nonprovisional Application for patent Ser. No. 12/408,259 filed on 20 Mar. 2009, entitled “B ROADBAND  A NTENNA  S YSTEM  A LLOWING  M ULTIPLE  S TACKED  C OLLINEAR  D EVICES ,” which in turns claims priority from United States Provisional Application for Patent Ser. No. 61/064,725 filed on 21 Mar. 2008, entitled “M ODIFIED  C ONICAL  A NTENNA  S YSTEM  A LLOWING  M ULTIPLE  S TACKED  C OLLINEAR  E LEMENTS ,” both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a broadband antenna system, and more particularly, to a modified conical antenna structure wherein the feed region is cut away to form a substantially cylindrical shape termed herein “coneless.” The enlarged feed region and distribution of tapered feed points around the circumference of the “coneless” cylinder permit the collinear and coaxial stacking of multiple antenna elements or other devices. In particular, segmentation of the radiators permits the integration of a corporate feed network and suppresses overmoding. Further, the design of the integrated, co-planar balun and feed network, formed on a printed circuit board that may be rolled into a cylindrical or other shape, provides improved performance and reduces manufacturing cost. The integrated, co-planar balun and feed network permit the antenna system of the present invention to operate without a ground plane. The additional antennas or other devices may be disposed within or stacked on the antenna structure without interfering with the performance of the antenna system, thus providing a wide range of sensing, transmitting, receiving and other capabilities for the overall system. Multiple feed lines, cables, piping, tubing or other structures may be run through the hollow center of one or more coneless elements to feed, power or operate the stacked devices. By combining one or more coneless elements with other antennas, the antenna system of the present invention may provide a virtually infinite bandwidth. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Monocone and bicone (also termed biconical herein) antennas are well-known in the art. Many variations on the basic design of the monocone (cone, feed and ground plane) and bicone (pair of cones, feed and balun, with or without ground plane) are known. Applicant has developed an innovative “coneless” design that provides comparable or better performance relative to the known monocone and bicone antennas. The coneless design preserves the desirable performance of a conical antenna, but achieves advancement in antenna capability that has been desired, but not realized, for many years. The present invention is a simple, robust and inexpensive multifunctional antenna system that provides high gain over a large bandwidth. The innovative shape of the feed region of the present invention, having “tapered feed points” disposed substantially at the circumference of the antenna structure, opens up the typical conic tip region of known monocone and bicone designs. The one or more tapered feed points replace the single feed/single conic tip that typically feeds known monocone antennas or the single feed/two conic tips of known bicone antennas. In addition, the antenna&#39;s radiating portion is divided into two or more separate segments, each having a tapered feed point, which suppresses coupling. For optimal performance, the circumferential spacing of the tapered feed points is less than half a wavelength at the highest frequency of operation. 
         [0004]    The present invention improves the feed network of Applicant&#39;s prior design (co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, assigned to Assignee of the present invention) the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. The integrated feed network of the present invention use multiple coneless radiating elements in a coordinated excitation to form a beam, similar to that disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, however the integrated feed network is provided on a rolled printed circuit board that is co-planar with and integrated with the circumference of the antenna structure, instead of centrally located within the structure. The present invention discloses a substantially cylindrical structure, however, the shape may be that of any closed surface, such as an ellipse, rectangle or square. 
         [0005]    As Applicant disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, achieving an omni-directional high gain radiation pattern required an array of elements. Exciting this array of elements required a feed network that was challenging to implement such that it did not impact the radiation performance of the antenna. This problem was addressed by using the coneless element design with a power divider at the base, as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259. Power cables were routed from the power divider up through the coneless elements, in the center of the cylinder, which prevented the network from interfering with the radiating elements and thus allowed a stack of coneless antennas to be excited. At higher frequencies, and in some challenging form factors, however, the size of the coneless elements themselves becomes too small in diameter to practically allow cables and components to be routed to the elements. In such cases, dividing the radiating portion into two or more segments suppresses overmoding and permits the integration of a corporate feed network. The integrated, co-planar feed network of the present invention provides a reactive corporate network that excites the elements with less limitation to frequency of operation. Indeed, the assembly of closely spaced radiator segmentations operates essentially as one radiator at a larger diameter. As a result, for antenna structures less than 1λ in diameter, the present invention provides a bandwidth of at least 3:1, compared with a bandwidth of 2:1 in Applicant&#39;s prior design disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259. The improved design of the present invention allows an array of multiple elements without the need for various internal cables and power dividers, because the integrated network provides the function of these components. Alternatively, the design of the present invention may also be used with internal cables and power dividers to allow the stacking of additional integrated balun antenna elements and other devices. A center pipe may be provided within the antenna structure to route the various internal cables and keep the cables optimally oriented, thereby improving performance. 
         [0006]    The integrated network of the present invention may be manufactured at a lower cost, because fewer overall components are used to achieve the same performance. In addition, the rolled printed circuit board of the present invention provides ease of manufacture of the feed network, higher quality control and greater reliability. 
         [0007]    In order to improve bandwidth coverage, as well as gain, it is well-known to combine multiple antennas. Applicant has previously disclosed an ultra-broadband antenna system (U.S. Pat. No. 7,339,542, assigned to Assignee of the present invention) that combines an asymmetrical dipole (covering intermediate frequencies), fed with a biconical dipole (covering high frequencies), that together act as a monopole (covering low frequencies), all in a single tubular structure. The design of U.S. Pat. No. 7,339,542, including the use of a choke to limit interference, resulted in an ultra-broadband antenna system with a frequency span greater than 500:1. Nonetheless, this antenna system was limited by the very small opening in the conic tips of the biconical dipole, which resulted in coupling and interference. In order to combine additional elements with this ultra-broadband antenna system, Applicant has applied the coneless shape of the herein-described monocone to the biconical antenna element. The cut-away or shaped design of the feed region of the present invention opens up the typical “cone” of the prior art conical antennas, making a larger opening in the center of the antenna structure. Indeed, the diameter of the coneless element is substantially as large as that of the cylinder of the tubular antenna structure. This allows antenna feed lines or a wide variety of cables, such as coaxial, power, digital, fiber optic, wire, etc., as well as piping, tubing, actuators or other structures, to be run through the center of the antenna with minimal to no interference with the standalone antenna performance. For the biconical antenna of the present invention, the coneless elements may be aligned, or the elements may be clocked to improve performance in azimuth. 
         [0008]    Another approach to providing wider bandwidth and improving gain has been to stack biconical radiators. Those skilled in the art have long studied the cone angle, overall length of the antenna, and diameter of the biconical elements in attempts to provide impedance matching of the antenna elements. An unsolved problem has been providing the feed to the stacked biconical structures without interfering with the RF performance of the lower biconical element. The innovative design of the present invention provides the same impedance matching and RF performance of known single feed point biconical structures, by positioning the one or more tapered feed points on the circumference of the cylindrical feed region. Stacking two coneless biconical elements results in higher gain at a given bandwidth; the present invention allows stacking of three, four or even more coneless biconical elements, for even higher gain, which provides the advantages of both increased range and reduced power requirements. To provide a wider frequency range, elements of differing diameters and/or differing length may also be stacked, without degradation in performance of the individual elements. At the same time that it provides greater bandwidth and/or higher gain, the innovation of present invention can allow reduction in the size of the antenna system, such as height, footprint, or diameter, or allow the system to be made conformal. 
         [0009]    Thus, the innovative design of the coneless elements not only provides the physical space for feed lines either to be run through the center of the tubular antenna structure, or to be integrated and co-planar with the antenna cylinder, it also allows a wide range of devices to transmit and receive RF, audio, video and other optical frequencies, or other signals without interfering with the performance of the antenna system. In addition, non-electrical feeds, such as hydraulic, pneumatic and mechanical controls or actuators, and gas, liquid or solid material transfer systems, may also be run through the center of the antenna without degrading performance. The innovation of the present invention thus has many practical applications. Devices such as cameras, IR sensors, GPS devices, lights, audio equipment, radar equipment and communications equipment all may be mounted on the top of a multiple element, tubular antenna system that has a relatively small footprint. Where preferable, such devices may also be mounted in between multiple antenna elements. In many situations, this may obviate the need for multiple (separate) antennas, which otherwise would have to be placed apart in order not to interfere with each other. 
         [0010]    By allowing the collinear and coaxial stacking of multiple antennas, the present invention is able to provide an antenna system with virtually unlimited bandwidth. Further, the present invention allows for both directional and omni-directional coverage, depending on the type of antennas combined. 
         [0011]    Applications for the present invention, allowing for a wide variety of multiple stacked antennas and/or other devices, include placement on land vehicles, ships, planes, helicopters or spacecraft; land-based or sea-based locations; as well as man-portable uses. 
         [0012]    The known art of antennas is voluminous. Applicant believes that the present invention may distinguished from the relevant prior art as follows. Typical known conical and biconical antennas, exemplified by the work of Carter, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,175,252, disclose a single conical feed point that excites the cone-shaped radiator, which may be a single cone disposed above ground, or two cones about the same axis forming a bicone. The conical shape provides an impedance appearing almost as a pure resistance, or has no reactive component with variation in frequency, thus is useful over a wide frequency range. U.S. Pat. No. 2,416,698 to King discloses a single biconical with one feed point, having a hollow central cylinder. U.S. Pat. No. 2,543,130 to. Robertson discloses yet another early biconical antenna, having a hollow pipe guide connected to a horn-shaped radiator for improved impedance matching. Like the present invention, monocones and bicones give broadband performance. Unlike the present invention, however, the foregoing designs do not permit the stacking of multiple antenna elements or other devices, because feed lines or cables cannot be run from the hollow central elements through the feed region without causing interference. 
         [0013]    Another type of known antenna which does permit stacked collinear elements employs a traveling wave feed system. U.S. Pat. No. 2,471,021 to Bradley discloses a plurality of stacked biconical horn antennas, which use a driving network to couple into a circular wave guide through symmetrically arranged slots. U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,099 to Griffith discloses an antenna with stacked pairs of frustoconical reflector elements attached to a central hollow support member containing a central conductor. Feed is via traveling wave transmission through slots, connecting adjustable probes between the slots and the central conductor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,869 to Lohrmann discloses a multicone antenna having ¼ wavelength cones at each slot of a slotted ring antenna. U.S. Pat. No. 6,593,892 to Honda et al. discloses stacked biconical elements with a single center feed line. This class of antennas can be relatively broadband, and permit stacking of collinear biconical elements. The feed method of such systems is fundamentally different from that of the present invention, however, as the traveling wave is not an independent direct feed to each element. Further, all antennas using traveling wave feed are roughly the same type and size, whereas the present invention may combine a wide range of different antennas and different devices. Although traveling wave antenna systems potentially could accommodate additional devices in the collinear array by running cables or piping through the central conductor, energy is bled off as it proceeds through the slotted structure and therefore the feed to each element is not isolated, as is the case in the present invention. The functionality is limited because it does not have full control over phase and amplitude weighting. This approach also does not allow the ability to use antennas that perform at different frequency bands or perform independently of each other. 
         [0014]    An alternate approach that allows stacking of antenna elements is to choke the antenna feed or route the feed externally. U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,231 to Galloway et al. discloses a collinear dipole array antenna with independent feeds using a narrowband technique which connects a coaxial cable to an external transmission line, in combination with λ/4 chokes for isolation, allowing a maximum of two elements. U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,893 to Griffee discloses a collinear dual dipole antenna, also using a narrowband technique to jump the gap between two biconicals. U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,880 to Button et al. discloses multiple stacked bicone antennas with a bundle of transmission lines helically wound about the cylindrical periphery of the biconical antennas. This design uses exterior routing of cable to minimize the interference problems of passing the cables up the central column. U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,834 to Josypenko discloses multiple bicone antennas wherein the feed cable is led to a center point, then directed radially along the cone to an inductive short, through the inductive short, then directed along the surface of another cone to the center line. Again, this exterior routing of the cables minimizes the pattern perturbation. As exemplified by the foregoing, such designs do allow stacked elements and do have direct feeds to the antenna elements, but unlike the present invention, employ either a choked, centrally-fed system that permits only a relatively narrowband performance, or an externally-routed feed system for broader band operation. 
         [0015]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,170,463 to Seavey discloses a broadband communications antenna system with center-fed, stacked dipole elements having conical shaped feed points and isolated with ferrite chokes (coiled inductors across the junction). The chokes are in close proximity to the actual feed, thus reducing the radiation efficiency of the antenna system. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0143629 to Apostolos discloses a coaxial multi-band antenna combining a VHF, a UHF and a satellite antenna on a common radiating element, using meander line or ferrite chokes to isolate the feeds for each antenna. Unlike the narrowband choked designs of Galloway and Griffee, Seavey&#39;s and Apostolos&#39; systems are relatively broadband, like that of Applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 7,339,542. The design of the present invention, however, obviates the need for chokes to isolate the feeds for stacked elements, thus is an improvement over all choked configurations and provides significantly greater efficiency and bandwidth. 
         [0016]    In yet another approach, stacked, collinear and relatively broadband antenna systems are made possible by using waveguide structures to provide independent separate feeds to the antenna elements. U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,812 to Frisbee, Jr. et al. discloses a collinear array receiver system with a dipole antenna mounted atop the array. Using slot excitation, however, a system such as Frisbee, Jr.&#39;s must be electrically large, on the order of tens of wavelengths, in order to allow space for transmission via slot. The present invention, in comparison, is on the order of one wavelength, and therefore provides the desired performance using a greatly reduced footprint. U.S. Pat. No. 6,864,853 to Judd et al. discloses stacked elements (a dipole combined with patch antenna elements) in a unitary structure that provides both directional and omnidirectional beam coverage, as well as a stack of bi-conical elements each having a frusto-conical reflector portion that together form a central passageway containing a feed system of coaxial cables. The omnidirectional array of bi-conical antennas configured end-to-end appears to use a waveguide feed structure, that, again, would be electrically large. Like the foregoing, the present invention utilizes independent separate feeds for each antenna element, but does not require the electrically large conical radiators of these waveguide-fed structures. 
         [0017]    Finally, the prior art includes another antenna type that allows stacking of coaxial and collinear antennas. Termed “CoCo” antennas, these systems incorporate the feed system as part of the radiating structure. Examples are found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,947,006 to Diximus et al., which discloses a stacked collinear narrowband antenna that radiates on the transmission line structure, and in the 2006 paper “Generalized CoCo Antennas” by B. Notaro{hacek over (s)}, M. Djordjević and Z. Popović, which presents recent contributions to the theory and design of transmission-line antennas. This paper notes that the “CoCo antenna is inherently narrowband, and as such intended for practically single-frequency operation,” and therefore has a very different functionality from the present invention. As well, the feed mechanism of CoCo antennas is distinct from that of the present invention, which as described above, has the transmission line structure isolated from the radiating structure. 
         [0018]    Additional objects and advantages of the invention are set forth, in part, in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the description and/or from the practice of the invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    In response to the foregoing challenge, Applicant has developed an innovative broadband antenna system allowing multiple antennas or other devices to be stacked collinearly, or disposed coaxially, in a single structure, without interfering with the performance of the antenna system. As illustrated in the accompanying drawings and disclosed in the accompanying claims, the invention is a broadband antenna system comprising at least one modified conical radiating element having a circumference, a radiating portion, a feed portion comprising at least one tapered feed point, and a first at least one operating structure connected to and operating the feed portion, wherein the radiating portion, the feed portion and the at least one tapered feed point may be disposed coincident with the circumference, wherein the radiating portion may further comprise at least one segmentation, and wherein the at least one modified conical radiating element may be a modified bicone having a balun, wherein the balun may be integrated with the radiating portion and the feed portion, and co-planar with the circumference. The first at least one operating structure may further comprise a feed line, a coaxial cable, a transmission line, a twin lead, a stripline, and a microstrip. 
         [0020]    The broadband antenna system may further comprise at least one device collinear to or coaxial with the at least one modified conical radiating element and a second at least one operating structure, disposed within the at least one modified conical radiating element and connected to the at least one device. As embodied herein, the at least one device may be operated by the second at least one operating structure, without interfering with the performance of the at least one modified conical radiating element. Further, the second at least one operating structure may comprise a feed line, a coaxial cable, a power cable, a digital cable, a fiber optic cable, a wire, piping, tubing, a mechanical actuator, a gas transfer system, a liquid transfer system, and a solid material transfer system. The at least one device may further comprise an antenna element, a GPS system, a camera, an IR sensor, a light, an audio device, a radar device, and a communications system. 
         [0021]    The broadband antenna system may further comprise a plurality of the at least one tapered feed point, wherein the distance between each of the plurality of the at least one tapered feed point around the circumference of the at least one modified conical radiating element is less than ½ wavelength of the highest frequency of operation. 
         [0022]    In addition, the broadband antenna system may further comprise a center pipe disposed within the circumference, wherein the first at least one operating structure is routed through the center pipe. In another embodiment, both the first at least one operating structure and the second at least one operating structure are routed through the center pipe. 
         [0023]    In an alternate embodiment, the broadband antenna system of the present invention may further comprise at least one modified conical radiating element having a radiating portion with a first circumference, a substantially cylindrical feed portion with a second circumference and comprising at least one tapered feed point, a first at least one operating structure connected to and operating the feed portion, wherein the at least one tapered feed point may be disposed substantially on the second circumference of the substantially cylindrical feed portion, wherein the radiating portion may further comprise at least one segmentation, and wherein the at least one modified conical radiating element may be a modified bicone having a balun, wherein the balun may be integrated with the radiating portion and the feed portion, and co-planar with the circumference. The first at least one operating structure may further comprise a feed line, a coaxial cable, a transmission line, a twin lead, a stripline, and a microstrip. 
         [0024]    In the alternate embodiment of the present invention, the broadband antenna system may further comprise at least one device collinear to or coaxial with the at least one modified conical radiating element; a second at least one operating structure, disposed within the at least one modified conical radiating element and connected to the at least one device, wherein the at least one device is operated by the second at least one operating structure, without interfering with the performance of the at least one modified conical radiating element. Further, the second at least one operating structure may comprise a feed line, a coaxial cable, a power cable, a digital cable, a fiber optic cable, a wire, piping, tubing, a mechanical actuator, a gas transfer system, a liquid transfer system, and a solid material transfer system. The at least one device may further comprise an antenna element, a GPS system, a camera, an IR sensor, a light, an audio device, a radar device, and a communications system. 
         [0025]    The broadband antenna system may further comprise a plurality of the at least one tapered feed point, wherein the distance between each of the plurality of the at least one tapered feed point around the circumference of the substantially cylindrical feed portion is less than ½ wavelength of the highest frequency of operation. 
         [0026]    In addition, the broadband antenna system of this alternate embodiment may further comprise a center pipe disposed within the circumference, wherein the first at least one operating structure is routed through the center pipe. In another embodiment, both the first at least one operating structure and the second at least one operating structure are routed through the center pipe. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a stacked collinear double coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators and a power combiner, disposed on a ground plane, as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259. 
           [0028]      FIG. 2   a  is a perspective view of a stacked collinear double coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 2   b  is a perspective view of  FIG. 2   a , rotated ½ turn to show the second set of upper and lower radiator segments, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a stacked collinear quadruple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with four feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a stacked collinear quadruple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with four feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun, with a cutout showing the ground side radiators, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 5   a  is a top view of a printed circuit board showing the feed side of a stacked quadruple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having segmented coneless radiators and an integrated, co-planar balun, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 5   b  is a bottom view of a printed circuit board showing the ground side of a quadruple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having segmented coneless radiators and an integrated, co-planar balun, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a KU band dipole array having a cylindrical ground plane (known in the prior art), stacked with a collinear quadruple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with four feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun, according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a stacked collinear octuple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with four feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun fed by coaxial cables through a power divider, according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0036]      FIG. 8   a  is an isometric view of a stacked collinear octuple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with four feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun, stacked with a collinear coneless biconical antenna having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators, according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0037]      FIG. 8   b  is an isometric view of a stacked collinear octuple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with four feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun, stacked with a collinear coneless biconical antenna having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators, enclosed in a radome, according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0038]      FIG. 9   a  depicts a graph, at 0.8 GHz, comparing the elevation radiation patterns of a stacked collinear double coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, with a stacked collinear double coneless biconical antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0039]      FIG. 9   b  depicts a graph, at 0.8 GHz, comparing the azimuth radiation patterns of a stacked collinear double coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, with a stacked collinear double coneless biconical antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0040]      FIG. 10   a  depicts a graph, at 1.6 GHz, comparing the elevation radiation patterns of a stacked collinear double coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, with a stacked collinear double coneless biconical antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0041]      FIG. 10   b  depicts a graph, at 1.6 GHz, comparing the azimuth radiation patterns of a stacked collinear double coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, with a stacked collinear double coneless biconical antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0042]      FIG. 11   a  depicts a graph, at 2.4 GHz, comparing the elevation radiation patterns of a stacked collinear double coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, with a stacked collinear double coneless biconical antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0043]      FIG. 11   b  depicts a graph, at 2.4 GHz, comparing the azimuth radiation patterns of a stacked collinear double coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, with a stacked collinear double coneless biconical antenna system having segmented coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0044]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  7  is shown, as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, having two coneless biconical antennas stacked in a collinear array. Coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system  7  comprises first coneless biconical  202   1 , disposed on substrate  80 . First coneless biconical  202   1  may be separated from substrate  80  by dielectric isolator  530 , as shown, or may be attached directly to substrate  80 , depending on the nature of the installation. First coneless biconical  202   1  preferably comprises upper coneless radiator  210  disposed on balun  310 , which further comprises upper or feed side  318  and lower or ground side  319  (not visible in the perspective view). Upper coneless radiator  210  preferably is shaped to provide first upper tapered feed point  211  and second upper tapered feed point  212 , which are electrically connected respectively with first feed side trace  320  and second feed side trace  321 , on feed side  318  of balun  310 . Coneless biconical  202   1  further comprises lower coneless radiator  220  disposed on ground side  319  of balun  310 . Not visible in the perspective view are first ground side trace  330  and second ground side trace  331 . Lower coneless radiator  220  preferably is shaped to provide first lower tapered feed point  221  and second lower tapered feed point  222 , which are electrically connected respectively with first ground side trace  330  and second ground side trace  331 , on ground side  319  of balun  310 . In this collinear stacked configuration, coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  7  further comprises a second coneless biconical  202   2 , substantially the same as first coneless biconical  202 , as described above, and stacked collinearly on top of first coneless biconical  202   1 . Second coneless biconical  202   2  preferably is separated from first coneless biconical  202 , by dielectric isolator  530 . Stacked coneless biconical antenna system  7  is fed by coaxial cable  630 , which may be routed through power divider  680 , as shown, or may be fed directly into first coneless biconical  202   1 . As shown herein with power divider  680 , first coneless biconical  202 , is fed by first feed line  631  (as embodied herein, a coaxial cable), that runs to central balun hole  315  of first coneless biconical  202   1 . Second coneless biconical  202   2  is fed independently by second feed line  632  (as embodied herein, again a coaxial cable). Second feed line  632  preferably is run through the hollow center of first coneless biconical  202   1 , through balun  310  of first coneless biconical  202   1 , through hollow center of coneless radiator  220  of second coneless biconical  202   2 , to central balun hole  315  of second coneless biconical  202   2 . Both coneless biconicals,  202   1  and  202   2 , are fed at their respective upper tapered feed points ( 211  and  212 ) and lower tapered feed points ( 220  and  221 ) by their respective feed lines ( 631  and  632 ), which connect electrically at their respective central balun holes  315 , to their respective feed side traces ( 320  and  321 ), and ground side traces ( 330  and  331 ). 
         [0045]    With continuing reference to  FIG. 1 , Applicant defined stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  7  as having “dual feed radiators,” in that each coneless radiator (upper coneless radiator  210  and lower coneless radiator  220 ) has two tapered feed points (upper tapered feed points  211  and  212  for upper coneless radiator  210 , and lower tapered feed points  221  and  222  for lower coneless radiator  220 ), in contrast to the prior art which disclosed one feed point for each typical radiator cone. The tapered feed points, electrically connected to both feed side traces and ground side traces, allowed the conical radiator of the prior art “cone” to be opened up and formed as a “coneless” radiator on the circumference of the antenna cylinder. This enabled feed lines and cables to be routed through the hollow center of the antenna cylinder, without causing interference. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 2   a , stacked coneless double bicohical omni-directional antenna system  9  of the present invention is an improvement over Applicant&#39;s co-pending stacked coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system  7 . Stacked coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system  9  preferably comprises at least one coneless biconical  202   1 , having at least one upper coneless radiator  210  and at least one lower coneless radiator  220  disposed on rolled balun board  310 . As embodied herein, upper coneless radiator  210  of coneless biconical  202   1  preferably is divided into two upper coneless radiator segments  210 , (distinguished herein as  210   1  and  210   2 , clockwise from front center), which are formed on balun board  310 , which further comprises outside surface  318  and inside surface  319 . Preferably, balun outside surface  318  is the feed side and inside surface  319  is the ground side of corporate feed network  370 . Upper coneless radiator  210  preferably is shaped to provide first upper tapered feed point  211  and second upper tapered feed point  212  (not shown in perspective drawing), which are electrically connected respectively with first feed side trace  320  and second feed side trace  321  (not shown in perspective drawing), on outside or feed side  318  of balun board  310 . As embodied herein, coneless biconical  202   1  further comprises lower coneless radiator  220  disposed on inside or ground side  319  of balun board  310 . As embodied herein, lower coneless radiator  220  of coneless biconical  202  preferably is divided into two lower coneless radiator segments  220 , (distinguished herein as  220   1  and  220   2 , clockwise from front center), shown by dashed lines, as they are not visible on inside  319  of rolled balun board  310 . Not visible in the perspective view are first ground side trace  330  and second ground side trace  331 . Lower coneless radiator  220  preferably is shaped to provide first lower tapered feed point  221  and second lower tapered feed point  222  (not shown), which are electrically connected respectively with first ground side trace  330  and second ground side trace  331  on ground side  319  of balun  310 . Coneless biconical  202  preferably is fed by coaxial cable  630 . First feed side trace  320  and second feed side trace  321 , along with first ground side trace  330  and second ground side trace  331 , and the feed lines that connect them, collectively comprise corporate feed network  370 . In this collinear stacked configuration, coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  9  further comprises a second coneless biconical  202   2 , substantially the same as first coneless biconical  202   1  as described above, and stacked collinearly on top of first coneless biconical  202   1 . Upper coneless radiator  210 , lower coneless radiator  220 , balun  310 , including feed side traces  320  and  32 , and ground side traces  330 , and  331 , may be formed from any appropriate conductive material, preferably copper, through a photolithographic or other process onto a printed circuit board, which is then formed or “rolled” into a cylinder shape. As shown, the feed system for stacked double coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system  9  is a coaxial cable, however, the present invention contemplates that other feed systems such as transmission lines, twin lead, stripline, microstrip and other appropriate feeds, may be used, and fall within the scope of the invention. 
         [0047]    With continuing reference to  FIG. 2   a , Applicant defines stacked double coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system  9  of the present invention as having “single feed radiators,” in that each coneless radiator segment has one tapered feed point (upper tapered feed points  211  and  212  for upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 , and  210   2 , respectively, and lower tapered feed points  221  and  222  for lower coneless radiator portions  220   1 , and  220   2 , respectively) in contrast to the dual feed radiators of Applicant&#39;s prior design disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259. Each coneless biconical  202  of the this embodiment thus has two feeds (considering the feed side trace and ground side trace for each pair of upper and lower radiator portions collectively as one feed), and thus for stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  9 , the total number of coneless radiator segments  210  is 8 and the total number of feeds is 4. As in Applicant&#39;s prior design disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, the tapered feed points of the coneless radiators of the present invention are electrically connected to both feed side traces and ground side traces, allowing the conical radiator of the prior art “cone” to be opened up and formed as a “coneless” radiator on the circumference of the antenna cylinder.” In this embodiment of the present invention, however, each coneless radiator is divided into two segments, each with its own tapered feed point. The coneless radiators are formed on a printed circuit board, along with the feed side traces and ground side traces. The feed side traces, ground side traces and the feed lines that connect them collectively comprise a corporate feed network and form a balun that in the present invention is “rolled” around the circumference of the antenna cylinder and thus is termed “co-planar” with the cylinder. The printed circuit board may be formed into a cylinder or other closed surface, which, like Applicant&#39;s prior design disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, is hollow, enabling feed lines and cables to be routed through the center of the antenna, without causing interference. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIG. 2   b , the stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  9  of the present invention that is shown in  FIG. 2   a  is rotated ½ turn to show the second set of upper and lower radiator segments, namely upper coneless radiator segment  210   2  and second upper tapered feed point  212 , of coneless biconicals  202   1 , and  202   2 . Second upper tapered feed point  212  is electrically connected with second feed side trace  321 . As described above in connections with  FIG. 2   a , antenna system  9  preferably further comprises lower coneless radiator segment  220   2  and second lower tapered feed point  222 , shown as dashed lines as they are not visible on inside  319  of rolled balun board  310 . Second lower tapered feed point  222  is electrically connected with second ground side trace  331  (not shown). 
         [0049]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , stacked coneless quadruple biconical omni-directional antenna system  10  of the present invention is shown. Stacked coneless quadruple biconical omni-directional antenna system  10  preferably comprises four stacked coneless biconicals  202 , distinguished herein as  202   1 ,  202   2 ,  202   3  and  202   4 . As embodied herein, each coneless biconical  202  further comprises upper coneless radiator  210 , preferably divided into four upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4 , (clockwise from front center), which are formed on balun board  310 , which further comprises outside surface  318  and inside surface  319 . Preferably, balun outside surface  318  is the feed side and inside surface  319  is the ground side of corporate feed network  370 . Upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4  preferably are shaped to provide first upper tapered feed point  211 , second upper tapered feed point  212 , third upper tapered feed point  213  (not shown in perspective drawing) and fourth upper tapered feed point  214  respectively, which are electrically connected respectively with first feed side trace  320 , second feed side trace  321  (not shown in perspective drawing), third feed side trace  322  (not shown in perspective drawing), and fourth feed side trace  323 , on outside or feed side  318  of balun board  310 . As embodied herein, each coneless biconical  202  further comprises lower coneless radiator  220  disposed on inside or ground side  319  of balun board  310 . As embodied herein, each lower coneless radiator  220  preferably is divided into four lower coneless radiator segments  220   1 ,  220   2 ,  220   3  and  220   4 , (clockwise from front center), shown by dashed lines, as they are not visible on the inside of rolled balun board  310 . Not visible in the perspective view are first ground side trace  330 , second ground side trace  331 , third ground side trace  332 , second ground side trace  331 . Lower coneless radiator segments  220   1 ,  220   2 ,  220   3  and  220   4  preferably are shaped to provide first lower tapered feed point  221 , second lower tapered feed point  222 , third lower tapered feed point  223  (not shown), and fourth lower tapered feed point  224  respectively, which are electrically connected respectively with first ground side trace  330 , second ground side trace  331 , third ground side trace  332  and fourth ground side trace  333  on ground side  319  of balun  310 . Coneless biconicals  202   1 ,  202   2 ,  202   3  and  202   4  preferably are fed by coaxial cable  630 . First feed side trace  320 , second feed side trace  321 , third feed side trace  322  and fourth feed side trace  323 , along with first ground side trace  330 , second ground side trace  331 , third ground side trace  332  and fourth ground side trace  333 , and the feed lines that connect them, collectively comprise corporate feed network  370 . Upper coneless radiator  210 , lower coneless radiator  220 , balun  310 , including feed side traces  320 ,  321 ,  322  and  323  and ground side traces  330 ,  331 ,  332  and  333 , may be formed from any appropriate conductive material, preferably copper, through a photolithographic or other process onto a printed circuit board, which is then formed or “rolled” into a cylinder shape. As shown, the feed system for stacked quadruple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system  10  is a coaxial cable, however, the present invention contemplates that other feed systems such as transmission lines, twin lead, stripline, microstrip and other appropriate feeds, may be used, and fall within the scope of the invention. 
         [0050]    With continuing reference to  FIG. 3 , Applicant defines stacked quadruple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system  10  of the present invention as having “single feed radiators,” in that each coneless radiator segment has one tapered feed point (upper tapered feed points  211 ,  212 ,  213  and  214  for upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4 , respectively, and lower tapered feed points  221 ,  222 ,  223  and  224  for lower coneless radiator segments  220   1 ,  220   2 ,  220   3  and  220   4 , respectively) in contrast to the dual feed radiators of Applicant&#39;s prior design disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259. Each coneless biconical  202  of the present invention thus has four feeds (considering the feed side trace and ground side trace for each pair of upper and lower radiator portions collectively as one feed), and thus for stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  10 , the total number of coneless radiator segments  210  is 32 and the total number of feeds is 16. As in Applicant&#39;s prior design disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, the tapered feed points of the coneless radiators of the present invention are electrically connected to both feed side traces and ground side traces, allowing the conical radiator of the prior art “cone” to be opened up and formed as a “coneless” radiator on the circumference of the antenna cylinder.” In the present invention, however, each coneless radiator is divided into four segments, each with its own tapered feed point. The coneless radiators are formed on a printed circuit board, along with the feed side traces and ground side traces. The feed side traces, ground side traces and the feed lines that connect them collectively comprise a corporate feed network and form a balun that in the present invention is “wrapped” around the circumference of the antenna cylinder and thus is termed “co-planar” with the cylinder. The printed circuit board is formed into a cylinder, which, like Applicant&#39;s prior design disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, is hollow, enabling feed lines and cables to be routed through the center of the antenna, without causing interference. 
         [0051]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the stacked coneless quadruple biconical omni-directional antenna system  10  of  FIG. 3  is shown with a cutout to reveal several of the lower coneless radiator portions  220  and related elements that are formed on the ground side or inside surface  319  of balun board  310 . As described above in connection with  FIG. 3 , each coneless biconical further comprises upper coneless radiator  210 , preferably divided into four upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4 , (clockwise from front center), which are formed on balun board  310 , which further comprises outside surface  318  and inside surface  319 . Preferably, balun outside surface  318  is the feed side and inside surface  319  is the ground side of corporate feed network  370 . Upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4  preferably are shaped to provide first upper tapered feed point  211 , second upper tapered feed point  212 , third upper tapered feed point  213  (not shown in perspective drawing) and fourth upper tapered feed point  214  respectively, which are electrically connected respectively with first feed side trace  320 , second feed side trace  321  (not shown in perspective drawing), third feed side trace  322  (not shown in perspective drawing), and fourth feed side trace  323 , on outside or feed side  318  of balun board  310 . As embodied herein, each coneless biconical further comprises lower coneless radiator  220  disposed on inside or ground side  319  of balun board  310 . As embodied herein, each lower coneless radiator  220  preferably is divided into four lower coneless radiator segments  220 , (not shown),  220   2  (not shown),  220   3  and  220   4  (not shown) (clockwise from front center). Visible through the cutout is third ground side trace  332 , whereas first ground side trace  330 , second ground side trace  331 , fourth ground side trace  333  are not visible through the cutout. Lower coneless radiator segments  220   1 ,  220   2 ,  220   3  and  220   4  preferably are shaped to provide first lower tapered feed point  221  (not shown), second lower tapered feed point  222  (not shown), third lower tapered feed point  223 , and fourth lower tapered feed point  224  (not shown) respectively, which are electrically connected respectively with first ground side trace  330  (not shown), second ground side trace  331  (not shown), third ground side trace  332  and fourth ground side trace  333  (not shown) on ground side  319  of balun  310 . As described above in connection with  FIG. 3 , the coneless biconicals of the present invention preferably are fed by coaxial cable  630 . First feed side trace  320 , second feed side trace  321  (not shown), third feed side trace  322  (not shown), and fourth feed side trace  323 , along with first ground side trace  330  (not shown), second ground side trace  331  (not shown), third ground side trace  332  and fourth ground side trace  333  (not shown), and the feed lines that connect them, collectively comprise corporate feed network  370 . 
         [0052]    Referring now to  FIG. 5   a , printed circuit board  20  is shown in a top view, flat before it is rolled to form the antenna cylinder. Printed circuit board  20  is preferably the top or feed side or outside  318  of balun board  310 , and as embodied herein comprises four coneless biconicals  202 , distinguished herein as  202   1 ,  202   2 ,  202   3  and  202   4 . As embodied herein, each coneless biconical  202  further comprises upper coneless radiator  210 , preferably divided into four upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4 , (right to left from  210   4 ), which are formed on top or outside surface  318  of balun board  310 . Preferably, balun top or outside surface  318  is the feed side of corporate feed network  370 . Upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4  preferably are shaped to provide first upper tapered feed point  211 , second upper tapered feed point  212 , third upper tapered feed point  213  and fourth upper tapered feed point  214  respectively, which are electrically connected respectively with first feed side trace  320 , second feed side trace  321 , third feed side trace  322  and fourth feed side trace  323 , on top or outside or feed side  318  of balun board  310 . Balun board  310  further comprises feed side feed point  380 , which connects to the center conductor of coaxial cable  630  (not shown). 
         [0053]    Referring now to  FIG. 5   b , printed circuit board  21  is shown in a top view, flat before it is rolled to form the antenna cylinder. Printed circuit board  21  is preferably the bottom or ground side or inside  319  of balun board  310 , and as embodied herein comprises the ground side portions of the four coneless biconicals  202 , distinguished herein as  202   1 ,  202   2 ,  202   3  and  202   4 , as described and shown above in connection with  FIG. 5   a . As embodied herein, each coneless biconical  202  further comprises lower coneless radiator  220 , preferably divided into four lower coneless radiator segments  220   1 ,  220   2 ,  220   3  and  220   4  (right to left from  220   4 ), which are formed on bottom or inside surface  319  of balun board  310 . Preferably, balun bottom or inside surface  319  is the ground side of corporate feed network  370 . Lower coneless radiator segments  220   1 ,  220   2 ,  220   3  and  220   4  preferably are shaped to provide first lower tapered feed point  221 , second lower tapered feed point  222 , third lower tapered feed point  223  and fourth lower tapered feed point  224  respectively, which are electrically connected respectively with first ground side trace  330 , second ground side trace  331 , third ground side trace  332  and fourth ground side trace  333 , on bottom or inside or ground side  319  of balun board  310 . Balun board  310  further comprises ground side feed point  381 , which connects to the ground conductor of coaxial cable  630  (not shown). 
         [0054]    With continuing reference to  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b , upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4 , including feed side traces  320 ,  321 ,  322  and  323 , may be formed onto top or feed side or outside  318  of printed circuit board  20 , and lower coneless radiator portions  220   1 ,  220   2 ,  220   3  and  220   4 , and ground side traces  330 ,  331 ,  332  and  333 , may be formed onto printed circuit board  21 , from any appropriate conductive material, preferably copper, through a photolithographic or other process, to form balun board  310 , which is then formed or “rolled” into a cylinder shape to form a coneless quadruple biconical antenna system  10  of the present invention. 
         [0055]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , stacked multi-octave multi-band high-gain omni-directional antenna system  11  of the present invention is shown. Stacked multi-octave multi-band high-gain omni-directional antenna system  11  comprises a KU band dipole array  30  having a cylindrical ground plane (known in the prior art), stacked with a collinear quadruple modified biconical omni-directional antenna system  10  as described above in connection with  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 . KU band dipole array  30  is disposed on base  90 , and coneless quadruple biconical omni-directional antenna system  10  preferably is stacked above KU band dipole array  30 , to provide operation in L/S/C bands. Stacked collinear quadruple modified biconical omni-directional antenna system  10  preferably comprises four stacked coneless biconicals  202 , distinguished herein as  202   1 ,  202   2 ,  202   3  and  202   4 . As embodied herein, each coneless biconical  202  further comprises upper coneless radiator  210 , preferably divided into four upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4 , (clockwise from front center), which are formed on balun board  310 , which further comprises outside surface  318  and inside surface  319 . Preferably, balun outside surface  318  is the feed side and inside surface  319  is the ground side of corporate feed network  370 . Upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4  preferably are shaped to provide first upper tapered feed point  211 , second upper tapered feed point  212 , third upper tapered feed point  213  (not shown in perspective drawing) and fourth upper tapered feed point  214  respectively, which are electrically connected respectively with first feed side trace  320 , second feed side trace  321  (not shown in perspective drawing), third feed side trace  322  (not shown in perspective drawing), and fourth feed side trace  323 , on outside or feed side  318  of balun board  310 . As embodied herein, each coneless biconical  202  further comprises lower coneless radiator  220  disposed on inside or ground side  319  of balun board  310 . As embodied herein, each lower coneless radiator  220  preferably is divided into four lower coneless radiator segments  220   1 ,  220   2 ,  220   3  and  220   4 , (clockwise from front center), shown by dashed lines, as they are not visible on the inside of rolled balun board  310 . Not visible in the perspective view are first ground side trace  330 , second ground side trace  331 . third ground side trace  332 , second ground side trace  331 . Lower coneless radiator segments  220   1 ,  220   2 ,  220   3  and  220   4  preferably are shaped to provide first lower tapered feed point  221 , second lower tapered feed point  222 , third lower tapered feed point  223  (not shown), and fourth lower tapered feed point  224  respectively, which are electrically connected respectively with first ground side trace  330 , second ground side trace  331 , third ground side trace  332  and fourth ground side trace  333  on ground side  319  of balun  310 . Coneless biconicals  202   1 ,  202   2 ,  202   3  and  202   4  preferably are fed by coaxial cable  630  (not shown). Coaxial cable  630  may be routed through center pipe  91 , which may extend the length of the four stacked collinear coneless biconicals  202   1 ,  202   2 ,  202   3  and  202   4 . As embodied herein, center pipe  91  keeps coaxial cable  630  properly centrally-oriented for improved performance, and also provides vertical support and rigidity for antenna system  10 . First feed side trace  320 , second feed side trace  321 , third feed side trace  322  and fourth feed side trace  323 , along with first ground side trace  330 , second ground side trace  331 , third ground side trace  332  and fourth ground side trace  333 , and the feed lines that connect them, collectively comprise corporate feed network  370 . Upper coneless radiator  210 , lower coneless radiator  220 , balun  310 , including feed side traces  320 ,  321 ,  322  and  323  and ground side traces  330 ,  331 ,  332  and  333 , may be formed from any appropriate conductive material, preferably copper, through a photolithographic or other process onto a printed circuit board, which is then formed or “rolled” into a cylinder shape. Center pipe  91  may be made from any appropriate conductive metal, such as aluminum. The preferable feed system for stacked quadruple coneless biconical antenna system  10  is a coaxial cable, however, the present invention contemplates that other feed systems such as transmission lines, twin lead, stripline, microstrip and other appropriate feeds, may be used, and fall within the scope of the invention. 
         [0056]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown as stacked collinear octuple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system  12 , which preferably comprises eight stacked coneless biconicals  202  ( 202   1 - 202   8 , however only  202   8  is labeled). Antenna system  12 , as embodied herein, may alternatively be described as a collinear stack of two coneless quadruple biconical omni-directional antenna systems  10 : lower stack  10   1  and upper stack  10   2 . As described above in connection with  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 , each coneless biconical  202  further comprises upper coneless radiator  210 , preferably divided into four upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4 , (clockwise from front center, however only  210   1  is labeled), which preferably are shaped to provide first upper tapered feed point  211 , second upper tapered feed point  212  (not shown), third upper tapered feed point  213  (not shown) and fourth upper tapered feed point  214  (not shown) respectively, which are electrically connected respectively with first feed side trace  320 , second feed side trace  321  (not shown), third feed side trace  322  (not shown), and fourth feed side trace  323  (not shown). As embodied herein, stacked collinear octuple coneless biconical antenna system  12 , further comprises power divider  680 , which feeds the co-planar balun described above in connection with  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 . Power divider  680  preferably is connected to coaxial cable  630   1  (feeding lower stack  10   1 ) and coaxial cable  630   2  (feeding upper stack  10   2 ). Coaxial cables  630   1  and  630   2  may be routed through center pipe  91 , which may extend the length of the eight stacked collinear coneless biconicals  202   1 ,  202   2 ,  202   3 ,  202   4 ,  202   5 ,  202   6 ,  202   7 , and  202   8 . As embodied herein, center pipe  91  keeps coaxial cable  630   1  and  630   2  properly centrally-oriented for improved performance, and also provides vertical support and rigidity for antenna system  12 . Center pipe  91  may be made from any appropriate conductive metal, such as aluminum. Stacked collinear octuple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system  12  may be formed from any appropriate conductive material, preferably copper, through a photolithographic or other process onto a printed circuit board, as described above for the embodiments of  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 . 
         [0057]    Referring now to  FIG. 8   a , a fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown as fixed site omni-directional antenna system  13 , which comprises coneless sub-assembly  200  with coneless biconical omni-directional antenna  2  stacked thereon. Coneless sub-assembly  200  is preferably a stacked collinear octuple coneless biconical omni-directional antenna system having coneless radiators with four feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun, as described above in connection with  FIG. 7 . Coneless biconical omni-directional antenna  2  is preferably a collinear coneless biconical omni-directional antenna having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators, as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259. The present invention contemplates that alternate embodiments of antenna system  13  may substitute stacked generic device  100  for coneless biconical omni-directional antenna  2 , wherein device  100  may be another antenna element, such as a SATCOM or GPS antenna; a camera, IR sensor, light, audio device such as a siren; an electrical or mechanical device operated by a hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical control, or by a gas, liquid or solid material transfer system; or other device as desired. The present invention also contemplates that device  100  may be a combination of multiple devices as described herein. Coneless sub-assembly  200  is disposed on base tube  110 , which is connected to spring base  111 . Spring base  111  further comprises cable cover/feedthrough  112  which is held in place by ring  113 . At the top of fixed site omni-directional antenna system  13 , coneless biconical omni-directional antenna  2  is held in place by support ring  121  and top cap  122 . 
         [0058]    With continuing reference to  FIG. 8   a , coneless sub-assembly  200  further comprises eight stacked coneless biconicals  202  ( 202   1 ,  202   2 ,  202   3 ,  202   4 ,  202   5 ,  202   6 ,  202   7  and  202   8 ). In an alternate embodiment to those described in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6  and  7  above, the feed side coneless radiators and ground side coneless radiators are switched. Thus, each coneless biconical  202  further comprises upper coneless radiator  210 , preferably divided into four upper coneless radiator portions  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4 , (not shown) disposed on the inside or ground side of the balun board, and lower coneless radiator  220 , preferably divided into four lower coneless radiator segments  220   1 ,  220   2 ,  220   3  and  220   4 , (clockwise from front center, however only lower coneless radiator segment  220   1  is labeled), disposed on the outside or feed side of the balun board. Upper coneless radiator segments  210   1 ,  210   2 ,  210   3  and  210   4  (not shown) preferably are shaped to provide first upper tapered feed point  211 , second upper tapered feed point  212 , third upper tapered feed point  213  and fourth upper tapered feed point  214  (none of which is shown) respectively, which are electrically connected respectively with first ground side trace  330 , second ground side trace  331 , third ground side trace  332 , and fourth ground side trace  333 , (none of which is shown), on the inside or ground side of the balun board. As embodied herein, lower coneless radiator segments  220   1 ,  220   2  (not shown),  220   3  (not shown) and  220   4  (not shown), preferably are shaped to provide first lower tapered feed point  221 , second lower tapered feed point  222 , third lower tapered feed point  223 , and fourth lower tapered feed point  224  (none of which is shown) respectively, which are electrically connected respectively with first feed side trace  320 , second feed side trace  321 , third feed side trace  322  and feed ground side trace  323  on the feed side or outside of the balun board. Coneless biconicals  202   1 ,  202   2 ,  202   3 ,  202   4 ,  202   5 ,  202   6 ,  202   7  and  202   8  preferably are fed by multiple coaxial cables  630 . Coaxial cables  630  may be routed through center pipe  91  (not shown), which may extend the length of the eight stacked collinear coneless biconicals  202   1 ,  202   2 ,  202   3 ,  202   4 ,  202   5 ,  202   6 ,  202   7 , and  202   8 . As embodied herein, center pipe  91  keeps coaxial cables  630  properly centrally-oriented for improved performance, and also provides vertical support and rigidity for antenna system  13 . Center pipe  91  may be made from any appropriate conductive metal, such as aluminum. First feed side trace  320 , second feed side trace  321 , third feed side trace  322  and fourth feed side trace  323 , along with first ground side trace  330 , second ground side trace  331 , third ground side trace  332  and fourth ground side trace  333 , and the feed lines that connect them, collectively comprise the corporate feed network (not labeled) of the co-planar balun of the present invention. The coneless radiators, balun, and feed and ground side traces may be formed from any appropriate conductive material, preferably copper, through a photolithographic or other process onto a printed circuit board, which is then formed or “rolled” into a cylinder shape, as described above. The feed system for antenna system  13  is coaxial cables, however, the present invention contemplates that other feed systems such as transmission lines, twin lead, stripline, microstrip and other appropriate feeds, may be used, and fall within the scope of the invention. 
         [0059]    Referring now to  FIG. 8   b , fixed site omni-directional antenna system  13 , is shown supported on spring base  111  and enclosed in radome  120 . 
         [0060]    Referring now to  FIGS. 9-11 , elevation and azimuth radiation patterns are shown that support Applicant&#39;s assertion that the innovative integrated, co-planar balun coneless design with segmented radiators of the present invention provides comparable or even superior performance to the coneless antenna design disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259. The two antenna systems tested were otherwise of a similar height, diameter, number of bicones stacked (2) and number of feed points (2 per bicone). 
         [0061]    Referring now to  FIG. 9   a , a graph depicts the elevation radiation patterns at 0.8 GHz, of, respectively, stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  7 , having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, and stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  9 , having coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing that the pattern shape and gain are nearly identical. 
         [0062]    Referring now to  FIG. 9   b , a graph depicts the azimuth radiation patterns at 0.8 GHz, of, respectively, stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  7 , having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, and stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  9 , having coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing that the pattern shape and gain are nearly identical. 
         [0063]    Referring now to  FIG. 10   a , a graph depicts the elevation radiation patterns at 1.6 GHz, of, respectively, stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  7 , having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, and stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  9 , having coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing that the pattern shape and gain are nearly identical. 
         [0064]    Referring now to  FIG. 10   b , a graph depicts the azimuth radiation patterns at 1.6 GHz, of, respectively, stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  7 , having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, and stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  9 , having coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing that the pattern shape and gain are nearly identical. 
         [0065]    Referring now to  FIG. 11   a , a graph depicts the elevation radiation patterns at 2.4 GHz, of, respectively, stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  7 , having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, and stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  9 , having coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing that the pattern shape and gain are nearly identical. 
         [0066]    Referring now to  FIG. 11   b , a graph depicts the azimuth radiation patterns at 2.4 GHz, of, respectively, stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  7 , having coneless cylindrical dual feed radiators as disclosed in Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/408,259, and stacked coneless double biconical omni-directional antenna system  9 , having coneless radiators with two feeds per bicone and an integrated, co-planar balun according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing that the pattern shape and gain at a higher frequency are superior to that of antenna system  7 . 
         [0067]    It will be apparent to those skilled in that art that various modifications and variations can be made in the fabrication and configuration of the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, although corporate feed network  370  is shown with balun outside surface  318  as the feed side and inside surface  319  as the ground side, it is contemplated that balun outside surface  318  alternatively may be the ground side and inside surface  319  may be the feed side. Further, the design of the present invention contemplates multiple tapered feed points for the coneless radiator. While a preferred embodiment discloses four tapered feed points for each half of the coneless bicone, six, seven or eight or more feed points are all considered within the scope of the invention. Because the highest frequency of operation is determined by the diameter of the coneless cylinder and the number of feed points, the diameter and number may be adjusted as desired for preferred frequencies. 
         [0068]    As another variation, two or three or more of the coneless biconical elements of the present invention may be stacked together, along with a high-gain omni-directional antenna at a given frequency band on top, and additional elements may be placed above and below the coneless biconical elements to cover additional frequency bands. 
         [0069]    As another variation, the coneless biconical element of the present invention may be utilized in multiple frequency bands. 
         [0070]    In addition, a variety of materials may be used to fabricate the components of the invention. For example, stealth materials, such as carbon-based compounds, may be used in order to reduce detection. The conductor surfaces may be replaced with frequency-selective surfaces whereby the surfaces act as conductors in selected frequency bands and also act as RF reactance (non-perfect conductors) at other bands. 
         [0071]    As embodied herein, the antenna system of the present invention may be provided with any type of RF transceivers or transponders, such as radios, GPS receivers or radars; other antenna systems such as SATCOM; cameras, IR sensors, lights, and audio equipment; digital devices; as well as other electrical or mechanical devices operated by hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical controls or actuators, or operated by a gas, liquid or solid material transfer system. Thus, the antenna system of the present invention may be used for a wide variety of applications in RF transmission and reception, navigation, communication, direction finding, radar, and electronic warfare. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of the invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claim and their equivalents.