Waveguide slot array capable of radiating shaped beams

Abstract

A waveguide slot array antenna system, for use with a communications system 30 disposed on a satellite. The waveguide slot array antenna system comprises a feed waveguide having an input port and multiple output ports, a waveguide slot array having a plurality of slots formed therein that is coupled to the feed waveguide, and a waveguide lens disposed adjacent to the waveguide slot array. The phase of each contributing radiating waveguide is controlled to achieve radiation pattern shaping. Inner dimensions of the rectangular waveguides are designed to provide a phase velocity inside each waveguide that results in the appropriate radiated phase at the output of the waveguides. The phase radiated by each rectangular waveguide is determined by design, and the radiation pattern that results from the combined contributions of the array can be shaped to produce a complex radiation contour. This significantly increases the efficiency with which signals are directed to intended regions without coverage directed to unintended regions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.