Bandwidth-Enhanced, Flexible, Horizontally Polarized Omnidirectional Antenna for Internet-of-Vehicles Application

This paper presents a flexible, bandwidth-enhanced horizontally polarized omnidirectional antenna addressing key limitations in 5G-enabled Internet of Vehicles (IoV) applications. By integrating a miniaturized meandered Alford loop with discrete coupling patches, the design achieves 28.1% fractional bandwidth, ultra-low profile, and compact size while maintaining flexible capability. The gradient capacitive coupling scheme enables wideband HP omnidirectional operation, with high overall efficiency. Experimental validation under bending conditions confirms stable performance retention. This unified antenna architecture provides a compact, conformal solution for multi-service IoV systems requiring reliable integration on curved vehicular surfaces.