Patent ID: 8284104

Claim:
An antenna comprising: a first electromagnetically-resonant structure with a first band of resonance; a second electromagnetically-resonant structure with a second band of resonance; a mechanical mount for maintaining the first structure in a fixed position relative to the second structure; an electrical connection between the first structure and the second structure; and an input-output port comprising a first connection point on the first structure and a second connection point on the second structure; wherein the input-output port is for connecting the antenna to a two-terminal load; wherein one of the two terminals of the two-terminal load is connected to the first connection point, and the other terminal of the two-terminal load is connected to the second connection point; wherein a portion of the first band of resonance and a portion of the second band of resonance overlap over a common band; wherein the first electromagnetically-resonant structure and the second electromagnetically-resonant structure are connected in series for driving the two-terminal load; wherein the antenna, in response to an electromagnetic signal within the common band, generates: (i) a first electrical signal, s 1 , across the first structure, between the first connection point and the electrical connection, (ii) a second electrical signal, s 2 , across the second structure, between the second connection point and the electrical connection, (iii) a third electrical signal, S T , between the first connection point and the second connection point; wherein the amplitude of the third electrical signal, max[|s T |], is larger than the amplitude, max[|s 1 |], of the first electrical signal whenever the direction of arrival and the polarization of the electromagnetic signal fall within a first subset, A 1 , of all possible directions of arrival and polarizations; wherein the amplitude of the third electrical signal, max[|s T |], is larger than the amplitude, max[|s 2 |], of the second electrical signal whenever the direction of arrival and the polarization of the electromagnetic signal fall within a second subset, A 2 , of all possible directions of arrivals and polarizations; and wherein the intersection of the first subset and the second subset, A 1 ∩A 2 , comprises more than one-half of all possible directions of arrivals and polarizations.