# US 10,770,785 B2 · Plasma radome with flexible density control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,770,785 B2 - Document ID: US10770785B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/479,889 - Filed: 2017-04-05 - Published: 2018-10-11 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-05 - Assignees: Smartsky Networks LLC - Applicants: Smartsky Networks LLC - Inventors: Gerard James Hayes; Koichiro Takamizawa; Donald L. Alcorn; James O. Legvold; Robert Michael Barts - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770785B2 ## CPC - H01Q 1/427: {Flexible radomes} - H01Q 1/366: {using an ionized gas} - H01Q 1/42: Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome - H01Q 1/425: {comprising a metallic grid} - H01Q 15/006: {Selective devices having photonic band gap materials or materials of which the material properties are frequency dependent, e.g. perforated substrates, high-impedance surfaces} - H01Q 15/0066: {said selective devices being reconfigurable, tunable or controllable, e.g. using switches} - H01Q 19/06: using refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens {(radome H01Q1/42)} - H01Q 17/001: {for modifying the directional characteristic of an aerial} - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract An antenna assembly may include an antenna element, a radome structure disposed proximate to the antenna element and including a plurality of plasma elements, a driver circuit operably coupled to the plasma elements to selectively ionize individual ones of the plasma elements, and a controller. The controller may be operably coupled to the driver circuit to provide control of plasma density of the individual ones of the plasma elements. The plasma elements may include respective enclosures. At least some of the enclosures may have at least two peripheral edge surfaces substantially fully contacted by corresponding peripheral edge surfaces of adjacent enclosures at at least one section along a longitudinal length thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antenna assembly comprising: an antenna element; a radome structure disposed proximate to the antenna element, the radome structure comprising a plurality of plasma elements; a driver circuit operably coupled to the plasma elements to selectively ionize individual ones of the plasma elements; and a controller operably coupled to the driver circuit to provide control of plasma density of the individual ones of the plasma elements, wherein the plasma elements include respective enclosures, at least some of the enclosures having at least four peripheral edge surfaces substantially fully contacted by corresponding peripheral edge surfaces of adjacent enclosures at at least one section along a longitudinal length thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least some of the enclosures have a hexagonal cross sectional shape and all peripheral edge surfaces of the at least some of the enclosures having the hexagonal cross sectional shape are substantially fully contacted by the corresponding peripheral edge surfaces of the adjacent enclosures. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein opposing longitudinal ends of the plasma elements are operably coupled to first and second control surfaces, respectively, and wherein the driver circuit is operably coupled to the first and second control surfaces to selectively ionize the individual ones of the plasma elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The antenna assembly of claim 3, wherein selectively ionizing the individual ones of the plasma elements further defines a corresponding plasma density within the individual ones of the plasma elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the radome structure includes at least some elements that are non-plasma elements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The antenna assembly of claim 5, wherein the non-plasma elements are defined by enclosures filled with dielectric or metallic materials. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the radome structure comprises a first layer of plasma elements in which respective plasma elements each lie substantially parallel to each other, and a second layer of plasma elements in which corresponding plasma elements each lie substantially parallel to each other and substantially orthogonal to the respective plasma elements of the first layer of plasma elements. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The antenna assembly of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to define a first group of plasma elements having a first plasma density and a second group of plasma elements having a second plasma density different than the first plasma density within the first layer, and wherein the controller is configured to define a third group of plasma elements having a third plasma density and a fourth group of plasma elements having a fourth plasma density different than the third plasma density in the second layer to control a radiation pattern leaving the radome structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the radome structure comprises a first layer of plasma elements in which respective plasma elements each lie substantially parallel to each other, and a second layer of plasma elements in which corresponding plasma elements each lie substantially parallel to each other and lie at an angle that is neither parallel nor orthogonal to the respective plasma elements of the first layer of plasma elements. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to define a first group of plasma elements having a first plasma density and a second group of plasma elements having a second plasma density different than the first plasma density to control a radiation pattern leaving the radome structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust plasma density in selected ones of the plasma elements to define and steer a beam passing through the radome structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust plasma density in selected ones of the plasma elements to define and steer multiple beams passing through the radome structure simultaneously. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein the antenna element comprises a conformal antenna configuration disposed at a surface of an aircraft or other large structure. ### Claim 14 A radome structure for an antenna assembly, the radome structure comprising a plurality of plasma elements operably coupled to a driver circuit, the driver circuit being configured to selectively ionize individual ones of the plasma elements responsive to operation of a controller operably coupled to the driver circuit to provide control of a plasma density of the individual ones of the plasma elements, wherein the plasma elements include respective enclosures, at least some of the enclosures having at least four peripheral edge surfaces substantially fully contacted by corresponding peripheral edge surfaces of adjacent enclosures at at least one section along a longitudinal length thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The radome structure of claim 14, wherein the at least some of the enclosures have a hexagonal cross sectional shape and all peripheral edge surfaces of the at least some of the enclosures having the hexagonal cross sectional shape are substantially fully contacted by the corresponding peripheral edge surfaces of the adjacent enclosures. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The radome structure of claim 14, wherein opposing longitudinal ends of the plasma elements are operably coupled to first and second control surfaces, respectively, and wherein the driver circuit is operably coupled to the first and second control surfaces to selectively ionize the individual ones of the plasma elements. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The radome structure of claim 14, wherein the radome structure includes at least some elements that are non-plasma elements defined by enclosures filled with dielectric or metallic materials. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The radome structure of claim 14, wherein the radome structure comprises a first layer of plasma elements in which respective plasma elements each lie substantially parallel to each other, and a second layer of plasma elements in which corresponding plasma elements each lie substantially parallel to each other and substantially orthogonal to the respective plasma elements of the first layer of plasma elements. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The radome structure of claim 14, wherein the plasma density of each of the plasma elements is individually controllable to define a first group of plasma elements having a first plasma density and a second group of plasma elements having a second plasma density different than the first plasma density to control a radiation pattern leaving the radome structure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The radome structure of claim 14, wherein the plasma density in selected ones of the plasma elements is adjustable to define and steer a beam passing through the radome structure. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The radome structure of claim 14, wherein the plasma density in selected ones of the plasma elements is adjustable to define and steer multiple beams passing through the radome structure simultaneously. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The radome structure of claim 14, wherein the radome structure comprises a first layer of plasma elements in which respective plasma elements each lie substantially parallel to each other, and a second layer of plasma elements in which corresponding plasma elements each lie substantially parallel to each other and lie at an angle that is neither parallel nor orthogonal to the respective plasma elements of the first layer of plasma elements.