Compact antenna system for munition
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Systems Corporation
InventorsJacob M. Parrow, Robert A. Sainati
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compact munition antenna system that includes a curvilinear transmit antenna on a top and bottom of a ring-shaped substrate, and a curvilinear receive antenna on the top and bottom of the substrate. The transmit antenna and receive antenna are positioned opposite one another on the substrate, and are separated by a pair of isolation barriers to reduce coupling of the two antennas. The munition antenna system may be mounted on a metal cylindrical portion of a guidance system in a nose section of the munition, using a vertical convex surface of the cylindrical portion and a horizontal surface of the munition as a reflector for improving antenna performance.
Claims20
A method of assembling a system for mounting in a nose section of a munition, comprising:
- positioning a guidance system in the nose section of the munition, wherein the guidance system defines a central axis and has a circumference and an outside surface;
- positioning a substrate adjacent to the outside surface of the guidance system;
- and
- positioning a plurality of conductive segments of an antenna system circumferentially around at least a portion of the outside surface of the guidance system.
A method of operating a munition having a nose mounted system including a guidance system defining a central axis and having a circumference and an outside surface and an antenna system, comprising:
- determining a desired target for the munition;
- launching the munition;
- and
- transmitting a radio-frequency transmission signal from a transmit antenna of the antenna system, wherein the transmit antenna comprises a first plurality of curved conductive segments defining a first curvature and a second plurality of curved conductive segments defining a second curvature positioned axially below the first plurality of curved conductive segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.