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
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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 arranged in stack, wherein the stack is staggered such that edges of the circuit boards are disposed in an arc, the arc being concave about the feed antenna, each circuit board of the circuit boards comprising a first antenna element near a first side of the circuit board, a second antenna element near a second side of the circuit board, and a third antenna element between the first antenna element and the second antenna element.
A space feed assembly for a sensor, the space feed assembly comprising:
- a central space feed antenna comprising a plurality of elements and configured for a plurality of space feeds;
- and
- a plurality of active electronic scanning array (AESA) subarrays, wherein each of the space feeds feeds one of the AESA subarrays, wherein each subarray comprises at least one 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.
A sensor, comprising:
- a space feed assembly comprising:
- a central space feed antenna comprising a plurality of planar elements or horn elements and configured for a plurality of space feeds;
- and
- a plurality of active electronic scanning array (AESA) subarrays, wherein each of the space feeds feeds one of the AESA subarrays, wherein each subarray comprises at least one 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.