US 2002/0163480 A1 · Cylindrical ray imaging steered beam array (CRISBA) antenna

Abstract

A cylindrical, ray-imaging, electronically steered array antenna, whose radiating array elements are disposed on a cylindrical surface sector above an electrically conductive ground plane that enhances the antenna gain. The conductive ground plane forms an integral part of the antenna, and the required dimensions of this ground plane depend on the array radius, and on the lowest elevation coverage angle from the (possibly tilted) ground plane. The antenna of the present invention is further characterized by a modular design that tailors the required antenna gain and azimuthal directivity through the stacking of identical antenna segments side by side. The antenna design uses the multiple-beam ray focusing property of a microwave lens when feeding a circular ring array, while producing at the same time coherent ray imaging from a bottom metal plate.

Claims41

Dependent claims

A ray-imaging, electronic beam-steering antenna comprising:

a. at least one antenna segment, each said at least one antenna segment having at least one output and including a plurality of horizontally-polarized radiating arc elements and an elevation beam-forming assembly, said plurality of radiating arc elements disposed adjacently about a common axis, and
b. an electrically conductive ground reflector plane positioned parallel to said common axis, said ground reflector plane allowing gain-enhanced, horizontal-polarization beam generation and steering in planes perpendicular to said ground reflector plane.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cylindrical ray imaging steered beam array (CRISBA) antenna

Life of this patent

Cylindrical ray imaging steered beam array (CRISBA) antenna

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims41