# US 2014/0194293 A1 · Array antenna apparatus

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- Number: US 2014/0194293 A1
- Document ID: US20140194293A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/756,785
- Filed: 2013-02-01
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2012-05-11
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kumamoto; Hiroyuki Kayano; Tamio Kawaguchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194293A1

## CPC

- H04B 1/10: Means associated with receiver for limiting or suppressing noise or interference
- H01Q 3/26: varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture ({H01Q3/12,} H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence)
- H01Q 3/34: by electrical means (active lenses or reflecting arrays H01Q3/46)
- H01Q 9/0407: {Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna (dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40)}
- H01Q 13/065: {provided with a flange or a choke}
- H01Q 21/065: {Patch antenna array}
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72)

## Abstract

According to one embodiment, an array antenna apparatus includes a distributor, transmission phase shifters, transmission amplifiers, transmission filters, transmission/reception switches, limiters, reception filters, low-noise amplifiers, reception phase shifters, a combiner, a vacuum vessel, a refrigerating unit, and a cooling plate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An array antenna apparatus comprising:
a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an array pattern;
a reception filter configured to pass a reception signal, out of signals respectively received by the plurality of antenna elements, which falls within a desired frequency band;
a low-noise amplifier (LNA) configured to amplify a reception signal having passed through the reception filter with low noise;
a phase controller configured to control phase of a reception signal amplified by the LNA;
a combining unit configured to combine a plurality of reception signals controlled to have a desired phase by the phase control unit;
a thermally insulating container configured to house the reception filter and the LNA and insulate external heat;
a cooling unit configured to cool to extremely-low temperature in the thermally insulating container;
a connecting wire configured to connect between the reception filter, the reception filter, and the LNA;
an input interface configured to input a signal supplied from the outside of the container into the inside of the container; and
an output interface configured to output a signal supplied from the inside of the container into the outside of the container;
wherein the connecting wire is formed from a superconducting material, and
a noncontact waveguide is used for at least one of the input interface and the output interface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a limiter provided on an input side of the LNA and configured to limit a signal level of a signal from the antenna element,
wherein the thermally insulating container also houses the limiter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insulting container comprises a vacuum vessel configured to bring a surrounding where at least a superconducting material forming the reception filter is placed into a vacuum state.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermally insulating container is partitioned for each reception circuit corresponding to the antenna element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a transmission line arranged outside the thermally insulating container is formed on one of a single circuit board and a multilayer circuit board, and an electromagnetic coupling scheme is used for connection between the transmission line in the circuit board and a noncontact waveguide connected in the thermally insulating container.