Patents Assigned to DX Antenna Company, Limited
  • Patent number: 8126416
    Abstract: With a power supply provided for a smart antenna, whether the antenna is connected is determined according to whether the power supply is connected. When it is determined that the smart antenna is not connected, power supply to units related only to controlling of the smart antenna is stopped, whereby power saving is realized. Further, user's setting for discriminating kinds of antennas becomes unnecessary and, when a smart antenna is not connected, power supply for the same can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignees: Funai Electric Co., Ltd., The University of Electro-Communications, DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventors: Nobuo Nakajima, Koichi Gyoda, Eiji Shibuya, Takehiro Onomatsu, Hideto Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7936317
    Abstract: A television receiving apparatus 100 includes a television receiver 20, and a smart antenna 10 having directivity capable of being electrically changed so as to match radio waves to be received. A handle 50 is provided with a mechanism holding the smart antenna 10 therein, fixed to the television receiver 20 and capable of changing the distance between the smart antenna 10 and the television receiver 20 as an antenna holding box. The antenna having directivity capable of being electrically changed so as to match with radio waves to be received is disposed so that the aesthetic appearance can be improved and the signal receiving sensitivity of the antenna can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignees: Funai Electric Co., Ltd., The University of Electro-Communications, DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventors: Nobuo Nakajima, Koichi Gyoda, Eiji Shibuya, Takehiro Onomatsu, Hideto Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7808431
    Abstract: The antenna apparatus includes first to fourth antenna elements successively arranged at regular angular intervals around the central point on the same plane and respectively having first to fourth feed points, and a phase shifter delaying the phase of the received electric wave approximately by 90 degrees. The unidirectivity of the antenna apparatus is controlled in four directions of 0 degree, 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees by selectively connecting the first to fourth feed points, the phase shifter and a television receiver. Therefore, multipath interference in these directions can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventors: Eiji Shibuya, Toshio Fujita
  • Publication number: 20090256747
    Abstract: A variable directivity antenna (2) has directivity direction angularly variable stepwise about itself. A tuner (8) selects a desired one from high frequency signals received at the antenna (2). The tuner (8) detects the level of the received signal and supplies it to a control unit (10). The control unit (10) searches for received signal levels, equal to or higher than a threshold level, of the received signal received in plural states in which the directivity of the antenna (2) is placed in different ones of directivity directions, and detects a slope of the received signal levels within a frequency range of the received signal. The control unit (10) employs the searched directivity direction for the smallest one of the detected slopes as the direction to which the antenna (2) is directed to receive the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: DX ANTENNA COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Eiji Shibuya, Takayuki Yoshii
  • Publication number: 20090219207
    Abstract: A variable directivity antenna (2) has directivity direction variable stepwise along the circumference of a circle centered about it. A tuner (8) selects a desired one from high frequency signals received at the antenna (2). The tuner (8) detects the level of the received signal and supplies it to a control unit (10). The control unit (10) searches for reception signal levels, equal to or higher than a threshold level, of the received signal received in antenna states in which the directivity of the antenna (2) is placed in different ones of directivity directions, and detects a signal-to-noise ratio of the signal received from directions adjacent to each of the searched directivity directions corresponding to the searched signal levels. The control unit (10) employs the searched directivity direction for the highest signal-to-noise ratio as the direction to which the antenna (2) is directed to receive the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventors: Eiji Shibuya, Takayuki Yoshii
  • Publication number: 20090096673
    Abstract: A printed wiring board is provided with a multidirectional antenna having plural directivities, and an antenna control circuit for selectively setting the multidirectional antenna for one of the directivities. The antenna control circuit is formed in a predetermined area on the printed wiring board, the antenna includes plural flat antenna elements of a predetermined length, and the antenna elements are formed on one of the opposite surfaces of the printed wiring board so as to extend radially outward from the predetermined area and connected to the antenna control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicants: THE UNIVERSITY OF ELECTRO-COMMUNICATIONS, DX Antenna Company, Limited, Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Nakajima, Koichi Gyoda, Eiji Shibuya, Takehiro Onomatsu, Hideto Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20090096934
    Abstract: A television receiver having an antenna function for receiving broadcast signals includes an antenna group having plural variable directivities and including plural antennas formed in plural parts on inner and outer surfaces of walls of a cabinet or nonmetallic surfaces of component parts arranged in the cabinet so as to conform to the shapes of the corresponding surfaces, respectively, and a switching control unit capable of specifying a directivity for the antenna group to receive broadcast signals by the antenna group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicants: THE UNIVERSITY OF ELECTRO-COMMUNICATIONS, DX Antenna Company, Limited, Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Nakajima, Koichi Gyoda, Eiji Shibuya, Takehiro Onomatsu, Hideto Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20090051591
    Abstract: With a power supply provided for a smart antenna, whether the antenna is connected is determined according to whether the power supply is connected. When it is determined that the smart antenna is not connected, power supply to units related only to controlling of the smart antenna is stopped, whereby power saving is realized. Further, user's setting for discriminating kinds of antennas becomes unnecessary and, when a smart antenna is not connected, power supply for the same can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicants: THE UNIVERSITY OF ELECTRO-COMMUNICATIONS, DX Antenna Company, Limited, Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Nakajima, Koichi Gyoda, Eiji Shibuya, Takehiro Onomatsu, Hideto Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20090051605
    Abstract: A television receiving apparatus 100 includes a television receiver 20, and a smart antenna 10 having directivity capable of being electrically changed so as to match radio waves to be received. A handle 50 is provided with a mechanism holding the smart antenna 10 therein, fixed to the television receiver 20 and capable of changing the distance between the smart antenna 10 and the television receiver 20 as an antenna holding box. The antenna having directivity capable of being electrically changed so as to match with radio waves to be received is disposed so that the aesthetic appearance can be improved and the signal receiving sensitivity of the antenna can be enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicants: THE UNIVERSITY OF ELECTRO-COMMUNICATIONS, DX Antenna Company, Limited, Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Nakajima, Koichi Gyoda, Eiji Shibuya, Takehiro Onomatsu, Hideto Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20090015476
    Abstract: A variable directivity antenna apparatus (1) includes an output terminal (40) at which reception signals transmitted through a coaxial cable (42) are outputted. The directivity pattern of the antenna apparatus (1) is varied in response to a directivity control signal supplied to the output terminal (40) through the coaxial cable (42). The variable directivity antenna apparatus (1) further includes changeover switches (8, 12, 14, 22, 32, 34, 38) operated to fix the orientation of directivity in a predetermined direction in response to the coupling of a power supply adapter (64).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: DX ANTENNA COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Eiji Shibuya, Kiyotaka Tatekawa, Takayuki Yoshii
  • Patent number: 7292199
    Abstract: A radiator includes two radiating elements having a shape symmetrical with respect to an axis, and a transmission line portion connecting the tip end portions of these two radiating elements to each other. The radiating element has at least part of outer shape formed such that its distance from the axis increases with increasing distance from a midpoint of a line segment joining feed points to each other along the axis. Two radiator having such a shape are arranged along the receiving direction of electric waves and are fed with a phase difference, thereby realizing a miniaturized high-performance antenna apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Dx Antenna Company Limited
    Inventor: Shotaro Horii
  • Patent number: 7277063
    Abstract: Folded dipole antenna elements (2, 4) are disposed generally in parallel, being spaced by a distance smaller than a half of the wavelength employed. The antenna elements (2, 4) are connected to a combiner (16) via feeders (12, 14) having different lengths. The difference in length between the feeders (12, 14) is such that received signals resulting from a radio wave coming to the antenna elements (2, 4) from the front and received by the antenna elements (12, 14) are in phase with each other at the inputs (16a, 16b) of the combiner (16), whereas received signals resulting from a radio wave coming to the antenna elements (2, 4) from the back and received by the antenna elements (12, 14) are 180° out of phase with each other at the inputs (16a, 16b) of the combiner (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Shirosaka, Shingo Fujisawa, Toshio Fujita, Kiyotaka Tatekawa, Eiji Shibuya
  • Patent number: 7205951
    Abstract: A multibeam primary radiator apparatus (2) includes first, second and third primary horns (16, 18, 20). The first primary horn (16) has a generally circular proximal end aperture (22) at its proximal end, and a generally circular distal end aperture (24) at its distal end, which is larger than the proximal end aperture (22). The second and third primary horns (18, 20) have generally circular proximal end apertures (26, 28) at their proximal ends, and larger distal end apertures (30, 32) at their distal ends. The first through third primary horns are disposed with the center axes of the respective proximal end apertures being substantially in parallel with each other. The distance between the center axis of the first primary horn (16) and each of the second and third primary horns (18, 20) is smaller than the diameter of the proximal end aperture (22) of the first primary horn (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Matsui
  • Patent number: 7205955
    Abstract: A transmission line includes transmission lines parallel and perpendicular, respectively, to a flat portion of a reflector, and the parallel transmission line and the flat portion form a first strip line and the perpendicular transmission line and a conductive plate similarly form a second strip line. Radiators and the transmission line have a radiation impedance and a characteristic impedance, respectively, both set at 150? when the antenna's output terminal has a reference impedance of 75?. If the parallel transmission line has a midpoint serving as the output terminal of the antenna this portion's receiving current is divided in two so that an impedance of half that of the strip line can be provided and a coaxial cable can directly be connected to the transmission line. A matcher or a mixer is not included in the antenna, and matching and mixing losses can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Shirosaka, Shingo Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 7084829
    Abstract: A signal receiving system includes a variable directivity antenna having its directivity varied in accordance with a control signal applied thereto. A control signal generator generating the control signal is provided in a receiving apparatus. The receiving apparatus includes also a modulator operating to ASK (amplitude-shift-keying) modulate a carrier with the control signal from the control signal generator into an ASK modulated signal. The ASK modulated signal is applied through a transmission line to the variable directivity antenna, and a controller associated with the variable directivity antenna demodulates the ASK modulated signal to recover the control signal for use in varying the directivity of the variable directivity antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Shirosaka, Toshio Fujita, Kiyotaka Tatekawa, Shingo Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 7071891
    Abstract: First, second, third and fourth dipole antennas (14, 16, 18, 20) are disposed in a casing (1). The first through fourth dipole antennas are arranged in the same plane, and are disposed in line symmetry with respect to first through fourth imaginary lines (A, B, C, D) passing through the center of the casing (1) at an angle of 45 degrees between adjacent imaginary lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Shirosaka, Kiyotaka Tatekawa, Toshio Fujita
  • Patent number: D533545
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventor: Shigemi Inoue
  • Patent number: D535982
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventor: Shigemi Inoue
  • Patent number: D548730
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Dx Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventor: Shigemi Inoue
  • Patent number: D558189
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: DX Antenna Company, Limited
    Inventor: Shigemi Inoue