Title:
ARRAY ANTENNA HAVING MULTIPLE INDEPENDENTLY STEERED BEAMS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO1999036992
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
An array antenna system for forming a plurality (e.g. 64) independently steered beams comprising an array of antenna elements (12), a first and a second plurality of series feed signal paths (20, 26), a plurality of phase shifters (24), a first and a second plurality of couplers (22, 26) and a signal combiner (40) for forming the respective beams, e.g. pencil beams. The array antenna system may be formed as a two-dimensional electronically controlled phased array antenna system (10) providing a planar array antenna (13) with NC array columns (14) and NR array rows (16) comprising patch, waveguide, dipole or slot elements. Each of the first plurality of series feed signal paths (20) is coupled to one of the antenna elements (12) and each of the plurality of phase shifters (24) has a first and a second phase shifter port. Each first phase shifter port couples a signal from a corresponding antenna element (12) via a corresponding one of the first plurality of series feed signal paths (20) to a corresponding one of the first plurality (22) of couplers. Each second phase shifter port couples a signal via a corresponding one of the second plurality of series feed signal paths (30) to a corresponding one of the second plurality (26) of couplers. A signal combiner (40) combines the signals to provide one or more antenna beams. Moreover, a first plurality of parallel feed signal paths may be used as well which may be provided as corporate power dividers or series feed lines and signal combiners to provide both receive and transmit array antenna systems. In a particular embodiment a beam/element grid junction is proposed for use in a phased array antenna.
Inventors:
BROOKNER ELI
O'SHEA RICHARD L
SCHUSS JACK JEROME
UPTON JEFFREY C
O'SHEA RICHARD L
SCHUSS JACK JEROME
UPTON JEFFREY C
Application Number:
PCT/US1999/000141
Publication Date:
October 07, 1999
Filing Date:
January 13, 1999
Export Citation:
Assignee:
RAYTHEON CO (US)
International Classes:
H01Q3/26; H01Q21/06; H01Q25/00; (IPC1-7): H01Q25/00; H01Q3/26; H01Q3/40; H01Q21/00; H01Q21/06; H01Q21/22
Foreign References:
| EP0834955A2 | 1998-04-08 | |||
| EP0727839A1 | 1996-08-21 | |||
| EP0801437A2 | 1997-10-15 |
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