Planar ray imaging steered beam array (PRISBA) antenna

10 The antenna of claim 1, wherein said elevation beam-forming assembly includes a double ended series feed network or leaky wave structure and a two-way power combiner with a pair of input ports, said power combiner incorporating a 180° phase shift at one of its input ports.

11 The antenna of claim 10, wherein said feed network includes a mechanism for controlling said electronic elevation steering of the antenna beam selected from the group consisting of frequency control, propagation constant control, periodic spatial modulation of said propagation constant, and any combination thereof.

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 vertically-polarized radiating column-array elements and an elevation beam-forming assembly, said plurality of radiating column-array elements disposed adjacently on a common line, and
• b. an electrically conductive ground reflector plane positioned perpendicular to said common line, said ground reflector plane allowing gain-enhanced, vertical-polarization beam generation and steering in planes perpendicular to said ground reflector plane.

21 The antenna of claim 12, wherein said elevation beam-forming assembly includes a double ended series feed network or leaky wave structure and a two-way power combiner.

22 The antenna of claim 21, wherein said feed network includes a mechanism for controlling said electronic elevation steering of the antenna beam selected from the group consisting of frequency control, propagation constant control, periodic spatial modulation of said propagation constant, and any combination thereof.

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 dual-polarized radiating column-array elements and an elevation beam-forming assembly, said plurality of radiating arc elements disposed adjacently on a common line, and
• b. an electrically conductive ground reflector plane positioned perpendicular to said common line, said ground reflector plane allowing, for any polarization, gain-enhanced, beam generation and steering in planes perpendicular to said ground reflector plane.

33 The antenna of claim 23, wherein said elevation beam-forming assembly includes a pair of double ended series feed networks having a plurality of output ports, and a complex weight module, connected to said output ports of said pair of feed networks.

34 The antenna of claim 33, wherein each said feed network includes a mechanism for controlling said electronic elevation steering of the antenna beam selected from the group consisting of frequency control, propagation constant control, periodic spatial modulation of said propagation constant, and any combination thereof.