Antenna array with abfn circuitry
AssigneeCommunication Components Antenna Inc.
InventorsLin-Ping SHEN, Nasrin HOJJAT, Hua WANG, Wilii LOTZ
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Abstract
An antenna array with control circuitry placed at a front of the antenna array and between the antenna elements. By locating the azimuth beamforming network control circuitry on the front of the array and between antenna elements, the antenna elements and the other components can be coupled to the control circuitry without using cables. This leads to a reduction in the number of cable connections and to a reduction in size and weight of the resulting antenna array. The ABFN control circuitry is also used to control the beams formed from each row and not from each column as is usually done.
Claims12
An antenna array comprising:
- an array reflector;
- a plurality of antenna elements positioned in a line on a front side of said array reflector, said plurality of antenna elements defining a single row on said array reflector;
- and
- at least two sets of Butler matrix control circuitry for controlling at least four beams produced by said single row on said array reflector, a first one of said sets of Butler matrix control circuitry being located on said front side of said array reflector and between a first pair of antenna elements of said plurality of antenna elements to form a first azimuth beamforming network, and second one of said sets of Butler matrix control circuitry being located on said front side of said array reflector and between a second pair of antenna elements of said plurality of antenna elements to form a second azimuth beamforming network,
- wherein said plurality of antenna elements are controlled by said two sets of Butler matrix control circuitry with +45 deg and −45 deg polarizations and configured to generate a narrow azimuth beam width of 30 degrees or less, each of said two sets of Butler matrix control circuitry being integrated with feeding circuits of the plurality of antenna elements and located on said front side of said array reflector.
An antenna array comprising:
- an array reflector;
- a row of antenna elements having a plurality of antenna elements positioned in a line on a front side of said array reflector, said plurality of antenna elements defining a single row on said array reflector, at least two sets of Butler matrix control circuitry for controlling at least four azimuth beams produced by said single row, each one of said at least one set of Butler matrix control circuitry being located on said front side of said array reflector, one between a first pair and one between a second pair of antenna elements of said plurality of antenna elements, and integrated with feeding circuits of the antenna elements located on said front side of said array reflector;
- wherein said at least two sets of Butler matrix control circuitry for controlling at least four azimuth beams generate a narrow azimuth beam width of 30 degrees or less,
- wherein said antenna array has a plurality of rows of antenna elements positioned in a line on a front side of said array reflector, said plurality of rows of antenna elements defining a planar array on said array reflector, and
- wherein said antenna array further comprises at least another two sets of control circuitry for controlling at least one elevation beam produced on said array reflector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.