Antenna array with independently rotated radiating elements

• US 10,553,940 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2018
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Bongard, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): Baltzell, Andrea Lindgren
• Application Number:
  US16/118,094
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 343893
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/523 between antennas of an array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0093 Monolithic arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• 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 3/36 with variable phase-shifters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/40 with phasing matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering

Abstract

An antenna array that can include a plurality of antenna cells positioned in a global coordinate system of the antenna array. Each of the plurality of antenna cells has a respective local coordinate system and can include a radiating element having a predetermined angle of rotation defined in the global coordinate system and an antenna port coupled to the radiating element, the antenna port being positioned at a particular set of coordinates in the respective local coordinate system. The particular set of coordinates of the antenna port of each of the plurality of antenna cells can be the same.

Claims

1. An antenna array comprising:

a plurality of antenna cells positioned in a global coordinate system of the antenna array, wherein each of the plurality of antenna cells has a respective local coordinate system and comprises;

a radiating element having a predetermined angle of rotation defined in the global coordinate system; and

an antenna port coupled to the radiating element, the antenna port being positioned at a particular set of coordinates in the respective local coordinate system;

wherein the particular set of coordinates of the antenna port of each of the plurality of antenna cells are the same; and

wherein the predetermined angle of rotation of the radiating element of a first antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells is a first rotation angle in the global coordinate system, and the predetermined angle of rotation of the radiating element of a second antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells is a second rotation angle in the global coordinate system, the second rotation angle different than the first rotation angle.

2. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein the antenna port of each of the plurality of antenna cells is a first antenna port and each of the plurality of antenna cells further comprises a second antenna port, the second antenna port being positioned at a second set of coordinates in the respective local coordinate system, wherein the second antenna port of each of the plurality of antenna cells is positioned at the same second set of coordinates in each respective local coordinate system.

3. The antenna array of claim 2, wherein the first antenna port and the second antenna port of each of the plurality of antenna cells communicate signals that have a phase difference of 90 degrees.

4. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein the second antenna cell is rotated in the global coordinate system relative to the first antenna cell.

5. The antenna array of claim 4, wherein the radiating element of the first antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells has a first local predetermined angle of rotation in the local coordinate system of the first antenna cell and the radiating element of the second antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells has a second local predetermined angle of rotation in the local coordinate system of the second antenna cell, the second local predetermined angle of rotation being offset from the first local predetermined angle of rotation by a predetermined angle in the local coordinate system of the first antenna cell and the local coordinate system of the second antenna cell.

6. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein a third antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells is rotated in the global coordinate system relative to the first antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells and a radiating element of the third antenna cell and the radiating element of the first antenna cell are not rotated relative to each other in the global coordinate system.

7. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein the antenna port of each of the plurality of antenna cells comprises a via that is coupled to a beam-forming network (BFN).

8. The antenna array of claim 7, wherein the BFN comprises a plurality of combiners/dividers that convert between an input/output signal and a plurality of sub-signals, wherein each of the plurality of sub-signals is communicated to an antenna port of a respective antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells through an integrated circuit (IC) chip.

9. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein the antenna port of each of the plurality of antenna cells is a signal interface for communicating signals between the antenna cell and an integrated circuit (IC) chip coupled to a beam-forming network (BFN).

10. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of antenna cells further comprises a feedline that couples a corresponding radiating element and antenna port of a respective antenna cell, wherein a length of each respective feedline of the plurality of antenna cells is the same.

11. The antenna array of claim 10, wherein a third antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells is rotated in the global coordinate system relative to the first antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells and a radiating element of the third antenna cell and the radiating element of the first antenna cell are not rotated relative to each other in the global coordinate system.

12. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein the particular set of coordinates for each of the plurality of antenna cells is located between a respective radiating element and a perimeter of a respective antenna cell.

13. The antenna array of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of isolation vias, wherein a given isolation via of the plurality of isolation vias is shared between an antenna port of at least three of the plurality of antenna cells.

14. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein the antenna port of each of the plurality of antenna cells is coupled to a beam-forming network (BFN) wherein the BFN comprises a plurality of beam forming stages, wherein each of the plurality of beam forming stages has a respective local coordinate system, and each of the plurality of beam forming stages has the same geometric shape in the respective local coordinate system;

and

wherein a given beam forming stage of the plurality of beam forming stages has the same geometric shape as another beam forming stage of the plurality of beam forming stages, wherein the given beam forming stage and the other beam forming stage are the same stage, and the given beam forming stage is rotated in the global coordinate system relative to the other beam forming stage.

15. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antenna cells are arranged in a plurality of groups of antenna cells each comprises a group rotation pattern that defines a predetermined angle of rotation in the global coordinate system for each radiating element in a respective group of antenna cells.

16. The antenna array of claim 15, wherein the group rotation pattern for adjacent groups of antenna cells is different.

17. The antenna array of claim 1, wherein the radiating element of six of the plurality of antenna cells has a different angle of rotation in the global coordinate system.

18. A multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB) comprising:

a beam-forming layer having a plurality of traces that form a beam-forming network (BFN), wherein the beam-forming network is coupled to a plurality of antenna ports forming vias extending away from the beam-forming network (BFN), the BFN comprises;

a plurality of combiners/dividers that convert between an input/output signal and a plurality of sub-signals, wherein each of the plurality of sub-signals has an equal power and an array of phases, wherein each of the plurality of sub-signals is communicated to an antenna port of the plurality of antenna ports;

a plurality of antenna cells being positioned in a global coordinate system of the multi-layered PCB to form a regular tiling pattern, wherein each of the plurality of antenna cells has a respective local coordinate system and comprises;

a radiating layer comprising a radiating element that has a predetermined angle of rotation in the global coordinate system; and

a feedline layer having a feedline that couples a corresponding antenna port of the plurality of antenna ports to the radiating element, wherein each antenna port intersects with the feedline layer at a particular set of coordinates in the respective local coordinate system;

wherein the particular set of coordinates for each of the plurality of antenna cells are the same; and

wherein the predetermined angle of rotation of the radiating element of a first antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells is a first rotation angle in the global coordinate system, and the predetermined angle of rotation of the radiating element of a second antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells is a second rotation angle in the global coordinate system, the second rotation angle different than the first rotation angle.

19. The multi-layered PCB of claim 18, wherein the plurality of combiners/dividers of the BFN are arranged in a plurality of beam forming stages, wherein each of the plurality of beam forming stages has a respective local coordinate system, and each of the plurality of beam forming stages has the same geometric shape in the respective local coordinate system;

and

wherein a given beam forming stage of the plurality of beam forming stages has the same geometric shape as another beam forming stage of the plurality of beam forming stages, wherein the given beam forming stage and the other beam forming stage are the same stage, and the given beam forming stage is rotated in the global coordinate system relative to the other beam forming stage.

20. The multi-layered PCB of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of beam forming stages correspond to a first circuit and a second circuit, wherein the first circuit and the second circuit amplify and phase shift a signal communicated between a respective beam forming stages and a corresponding radiating element of a respective antenna cell of the plurality of antenna cells.