Spherical space feed for antenna array systems and methods
AssigneeRockwell Collins, Inc.
InventorsJames B. West, Jeremiah D. Wolf, Aimee M. Matland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An antenna array system includes a feed antenna and circuit boards. Each circuit board has pickup antenna elements disposed on a curved edge portion of a first edge of the circuit board, radiating elements disposed on a second edge portion of the circuit board, and transmit receive modules disposed between the pickup elements and the radiating elements on the circuit board. The antenna array can be part of an active electronically scanned array (AESA) antenna assembly.
Claims20
An antenna array system comprising:
- a feed antenna;
- a plurality of circuit boards, each of the circuit boards having a first edge, a second edge portion, a plurality of pickup elements disposed on a curved edge portion of the first edge, a plurality of radiating elements disposed on the second edge portion and a plurality of transmit receive modules disposed between the pickup elements and the radiating elements.
A method of manufacturing an array antenna, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of circuit cards having a plurality of first metallic structures configured as pickup antennas and a plurality of second metallic structures configured as radiation antennas;
- and
- providing a feed antenna proximate a first edge of the circuit cards, the first edge being associated with the pickup antennas, the pickup antennas being arranged in a curved fashion.
An antenna array assembly, the antenna array assembly comprising:
- a feed antenna;
- and
- a spherical space feed comprising a plurality of circuit boards, each circuit board comprising a plurality of pickup antenna elements disposed in a curved fashion at a first edge of the circuit board, a plurality of radiating antenna elements disposed on a second edge of the circuit board, the first edge being opposite the second edge, and a plurality of transmit receive modules disposed between the pickup antenna elements and the radiating antenna elements on the circuit board, the first edge being a curved edge.
A spherical space feed for an antenna array assembly, the spherical space feed comprising:
- at least one circuit board comprising plurality of pickup antenna elements disposed in a curved fashion at a first edge of the circuit board, a plurality of radiating antenna elements disposed on a second edge of the circuit board, the first edge being opposite the second edge, and a plurality of transmit receive modules disposed between the pickup antenna elements and the radiating antenna elements on the circuit board, the first edge being a curved edge, wherein a tangent line to the second edge is parallel to an electric field (Em) vector associated with electromagnetic energy associated with the radiating antenna elements.
A spherical space feed for an antenna array assembly, the spherical space feed comprising:
- at least one circuit board comprising plurality of pickup antenna elements disposed in a curved fashion at a first edge of the circuit board, a plurality of radiating antenna elements disposed on a second edge of the circuit board, the first edge being opposite the second edge, and a plurality of transmit receive modules disposed between the pickup antenna elements and the radiating antenna elements on the circuit board, the first edge being a curved edge, wherein the second edge is a partial circumference defined by a fixed radius.
A spherical space feed for an antenna array assembly, the spherical space feed comprising:
- at least one circuit board comprising plurality of pickup antenna elements disposed in a curved fashion at a first edge of the circuit board, a plurality of radiating antenna elements disposed on a second edge of the circuit board, the first edge being opposite the second edge, and a plurality of transmit receive modules disposed between the pickup antenna elements and the radiating antenna elements on the circuit board, the first edge being a curved edge, wherein the at least one circuit board comprises a first semicircular circuit board and a second semicircular circuit board disposed perpendicular to the first semicircular circuit board.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.