Systems and methods for reconfigurable faceted reflector antennas

A reconfigurable faceted reflector for producing a plurality of antenna patterns, the reconfigurable reflector comprising:

• a backing structure;
• a plurality of adjusting mechanisms mounted to the backing structure;
• a plurality of reflector facets, wherein each of the plurality of reflector facets is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of adjusting mechanisms for adjusting the position of the reflector facet with which it is coupled;
• wherein
• the reflector facets are arranged to produce a first antenna pattern of the plurality of antenna patterns;
• and
• by adjusting the plurality of adjusting mechanisms, the position of each of the reflector facets coupled to the respective one of the plurality of adjusting mechanisms is adjusted so that the reflector facets are arranged to produce a second antenna pattern of the plurality of antenna patterns;
• and
• a plurality of fixed reflector facets that are mounted to the backing structure and are not coupled to an adjusting mechanism.

A reconfigurable antenna system for producing a plurality of radiation patterns, the reconfigurable antenna system comprising:

• a main reflector;
• and
• a sub-reflector for reflecting a beam from a feed antenna onto the main reflector;
• wherein
• at least one of the main reflector and the sub-reflector comprises:
• a plurality of adjusting mechanisms mounted to a backing structure;
• a plurality of reflector facets, wherein each of the plurality of reflector facets is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of adjusting mechanisms to adjust the position of the reflector facet with which it is coupled;
• wherein
• the reflector facets are arranged to produce a first radiation pattern of the plurality of radiation patterns;
• and
• by adjusting the plurality of adjusting mechanisms, the position of each of the reflector facets coupled to the respective one of the plurality of adjusting mechanisms is adjusted so that the reflector facets are arranged to produce a second radiation pattern of the plurality of radiation patterns;
• and
• a plurality of fixed reflector facets that are mounted to the backing structure and are not coupled to an adjusting mechanism.