Multi-band electronically steered antenna

• US 10,103,441 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2016
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Air Force
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Legare, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US15/149,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20170062928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 342372, 342374, 342354
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/30 varying the relative phase between the radiating elements of an array H01Q3/2605, H01Q3/2658, H01Q3/2682, H01Q3/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/30 Arrangements for providing operation on different wavebands
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/357 using a single feed point
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0485 Dielectric resonator antennas

Abstract

Antenna system being tunable over multiple frequency bands. One planar surface of the antenna structure has metallic radiating elements of various geometries with selectable electrical interconnections between the radiating elements. An opposite side of the antenna structure has a signal transmission network with signal feedthroughs to selected metallic radiating elements. The signal transmission network also has phase shift inducing means. Depending on the frequency band of operation, metallic radiating elements are appropriately combined through the electrical interconnections to form composite radiating elements with resonant frequencies within the frequency band of operation. Induced phase shifts in the signal paths feeding selected metallic radiating elements cause a net resultant free-space directivity gain.

Claims

1. An antenna structure, comprising

a first surface and an opposing second surface having a substrate disposed therebetween;

a plurality of metallic radiating elements having various geometries and surface areas being disposed on said first surface;

switches selectably interconnecting said plurality of metallic radiating elements;

a radio frequency transmission network having a plurality of transmission paths being selectably interconnected to a radio frequency signal source by switches, all disposed on said second surface; and

fixed transmission paths through said substrate being disposed between predetermined said metallic radiating elements and said transmission paths;

wherein

selectable actuation among said switches causes a connection of said radio frequency signal source to selected said predetermined metallic radiating elements; and

wherein

selectable actuation among said switches causes a resultant net metallic radiating element surface area having a predetermined resonant frequency.

2. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein said resonant frequency is within the band of said radio frequency signal.

3. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein said first surface, said second surface and said substrate are arranged substantially parallel to each other.

4. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein said substrate is a dielectric material.

5. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein said switches are computer controlled.

6. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein said radio frequency transmission network further comprises means for causing a relative phase difference between said transmission paths.

7. The antenna structure of claim 6, wherein said means for causing a relative phase difference is computer controlled.

8. The antenna structure of claim 6, wherein said means for causing a relative phase difference are microelectromechanical systems (MEMs).

9. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein said switches are microelectromechanical systems (MEMs).