Radiating-element array antenna
AssigneeThomson-CSF
InventorAndre Champeau
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This radiating-element array antenna has its radiating elements grouped together, in reception, in two sets of parallel linear sub-arrays imbricated and oriented in the two directions, namely the horizontal and vertical directions. It comprises two beam-shaping circuits each receiving the signals from one of the sets of linear sub-arrays and carrying out two reduced beam-shaping operations, one in the elevation plane and other in the relative bearing plane, and one output circuit delivering a reception signal from a non-linear combination, a product or convolution, of the two reduced beam-shaping signals generated by the beam-shaping circuits. This reception signal simulates the signal of an antenna with total beam-shaping in the two planes, namely the elevation and relative bearing planes.
Claims12
A radiating element array antenna comprising:
- radiating elements distributed in an array;
- phase shifting module means connected to respective radiating elements for aiming the antenna by analogue beam shaping;
- the radiating elements and respective phase shifting module means grouped together in two sets of linear sub-arrays when operating in a receive mode;
- a first set having a plurality of linear sub-arrays parallel to a first direction;
- a second set having a plurality of linear sub-arrays parallel to a second direction different from the first direction;
- a preselected number of radiating elements being common to both the first and second sets;
- the phase shifting module means associated with respective common radiating elements including two signal outputs;
- first and second beam shaping circuits respectively connected to the first and second sets of linear sub-arrays for generating two beam shaping signals therefrom;
- and output circuit for non linearly combining the beam shaping signals to form a reception signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.