Beam reconfigurable array antenna and signal transmitter apparatus employing the same

An array antenna device, comprising:

• a plurality of antenna elements periodically arranged to form a two-dimensional planar array;
• and
• a plurality of feeding waveguides each provided to supply a transmit signal to a corresponding one of the plurality of antenna elements,
• wherein each of the plurality of antenna elements comprises a resonance cavity and is coupled to one of the plurality of feeding waveguides at a rear wall,
• wherein, in each of plurality of antenna elements, a plurality of radio wave radiation holes are formed on a face of the resonance cavity opposite to a position where the feeding waveguide is coupled to the resonance cavity.

A signal transmitter apparatus, comprising:

• a signal generator configured to generate a transmit signal;
• a phase shifter configured to receive the transmit signal from the signal generator and adjust the a phase of the transmit signal;
• and
• at least one array antenna configured to radiate a phase-adjusted transmit signal from the phase shifter as a wireless signal,
• wherein the at least one array antenna comprises:
• a plurality of antenna elements periodically arranged to form a two-dimensional planar array;
• and
• a plurality of feeding waveguides each provided to supply the phase-adjusted transmit signal to a corresponding one of the plurality of antenna elements,
• wherein each of the plurality of antenna elements comprises a resonance cavity and is coupled to one of the plurality of feeding waveguides at a rear wall,
• wherein, in each of plurality of antenna elements, a plurality of radio wave radiation holes are formed on a face of the resonance cavity opposite to a position where the feeding waveguide is coupled to the resonance cavity.