Antenna optimization for vehicular environments

This paper presents a multi-antenna optimization for communication in a Rockwell T-39 Sabreliner, a mid-size aircraft with a metallic body. The aircraft channel at 2.45 GHz is modeled using site specific 3D ray-tracing software. Added effects from system details including the antenna radiation patterns, mutual coupling, etc. are incorporated into a network theory based detailed signal model. The paper considers traditional antennas including dipoles, square patches, PIFAs, and polarization agile patches along with some more complex shaped patches and PIFAs. A random search algorithm was used to optimize capacity for arrays with widely divergent element count, element type, matching, directivity, polarization alignment, efficiency, spatial correlation and coupling. The polarization agile patch provides the best capacity for locations near the aircraft ceiling while the PIFAs with more variety in shape (spiral shapes) provide the best capacity for locations near the floor. This is because the signals reaching the roof and sides contain more polarization diversity than those in the center of the body where the nonconductive floor is located.