Communications antenna with dual polarization

• US 10,177,464 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2017
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation (Ball Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation (Ball Corporation)
• Inventors: Moosbrugger, Peter J, Shroyer, Andrew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancuso, Huedung X
• Application Number:
  US15/593,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20170338571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 343756
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/0258 Orthomode horns orthomode transducers H01P1/161
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/244 converting a linear polarised wave into a circular polarised wave guided wave H01P1/17
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/245 provided with means for varying the polarisation polarising devices H01Q15/24; tracking by comparing linear polarisation compounds G01S3/146; reducing depolarisation effects H04B7/00; polarisation diversity H04B7/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/001 Crossed polarisation dual antennas orthomode horns H01Q13/0258; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; orthomode transducers H01P1/161
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/35 using two or more simultaneously fed points
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0414 in a stacked or folded configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0435 using two feed points
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity

Abstract

Antenna systems and methods providing dual polarization are provided. The system includes one or more antenna elements, with each antenna element having feed points on adjacent sides. A first of the feed points is associated with a first one of a transmitted or received signal, while a second one of the feed points is associated with a second one of a transmitted or received signal. The sides of the rectangular driven element can feature different lengths, to provide transmit and receive bands that are separated from one another in frequency. A polarizer is disposed between the antenna elements and free space. Linearly polarized signals from the antenna elements are transformed into circularly polarized signals by the polarizer. Circularly polarized signals received at the antenna system are transformed into linearly polarized signals before they are passed to the antenna elements. An antenna system as disclosed herein can include a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an array.

Claims

1. An antenna, comprising:

a substrate;

a planar antenna element, wherein a first side of the antenna element is disposed on the substrate;

a first feed point at a first location on the antenna element;

a second feed point at a second location on the antenna element, wherein the first feed point is separated from the second feed point;

a spacer, wherein the antenna element is between the spacer and the substrate;

a passive element, wherein the spacer is between the passive element and the antenna element; and

a polarizer, wherein the passive element is between the polarizer and the spacer.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna element is a rectangular patch antenna element, and wherein the first and second feed points are located on adjacent first and second sides of the rectangular patch antenna element respectively.

3. The antenna of claim 2, wherein the first and second sides of the rectangular patch antenna element are different lengths.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein the first feed point is connected to a first one of a radio frequency signal transmitter and a radio frequency signal receiver, and wherein the second feed point is connected to a second one of the radio frequency signal transmitter and the radio frequency signal receiver.

5. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna element is a rectangular patch antenna element.

6. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the polarizer is a meander line polarizer.

7. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the first feed point is separated from the second feed point by 90 degrees, +/−

1 degree.

8. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna element is disposed within a first plane, wherein its passive element is disposed within a second plane, wherein its polarizer is disposed within a third plane, and wherein the first, second, and third plane are bundled to one another.

9. A method of producing a polarized signal, comprising:

forming a first antenna element on a substrate, wherein the first antenna element is planar;

connecting a first feed line to the first antenna element at a first point on the first antenna element;

connecting a second feed line to the first antenna element at a second point on the first antenna element, wherein the first point is separated from the second point;

placing a spacer over the first antenna element;

placing a passive element on the spacer, wherein the spacer separates the first antenna element from the passive element;

placing a polarizer adjacent the passive element, wherein the passive element is between the polarizer and the first antenna element;

at least one of receiving or transmitting a first signal from the first feed line, wherein the first signal is passed through the polarizer; and

at least one of receiving or transmitting a second signal from the second feed line, wherein the second signal is passed through the polarizer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the polarizer is operable to transform a linearly polarized signal associated with the first feed point to a first circularly polarized signal, and to transform a linearly polarized signal associated with the second feed point to a second circularly polarized signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first circularly polarized signal is a right hand circularly polarized signal, and the second circularly polarized signal is a left hand circularly polarized signal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first signal is transmitted from the first feed line, and wherein the second signal is received from the second feed line.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first antenna element is a rectangular patch antenna element, wherein the first feed line is connected to a shorter side of the antenna element, and wherein the second feed line is connected to a longer side of the antenna element.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first signal is transmitted from the first feed line, and wherein the second signal is received from the second feed line.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the first antenna element is a rectangular patch antenna element.

17. The antenna system of claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of phase shifters, wherein a radio frequency signal produced by the antenna system is electronically steerable.

16. An antenna system, comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of antenna elements, wherein the antenna elements are planar and are adjacent the substrate;

a plurality of first feed points, wherein each antenna element in the plurality of antenna elements is associated with one first feed point;

a plurality of second feed points, wherein each antenna element in the plurality of antenna elements is associated with one second feed point, and wherein for each antenna element the first feed point is separated from the second feed point by about 90 degrees;

a spacer, wherein the antenna elements are between the spacer and the substrate;

a plurality of passive elements, wherein the spacer is between the passive elements and the antenna elements; and

a polarizer, wherein the polarizer extends so that it is adjacent the plurality of antenna elements.