ULTRA-WIDEBAND MULTI-BEAM ADAPTIVE ANTENNA

• US 20020140616A1
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Winterspring Digital LLC
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kanamaluru, Sridhar
• Granted Patent: US 6,529,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/756
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• 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 3/40 with phasing matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/42 using two or more imbricated arrays H01Q5/49 takes precedence

Abstract

An ultra-wideband, multi-beam adaptive antenna includes a phased array system having an ultra-wideband antenna. The antenna further includes at least two sub-arrays of antenna elements for receiving radio frequency (RF) signals located in a respective at least two sub-bands of a desired wide frequency band. The sub-arrays are interspersed to provide a single wideband antenna, which is coupled with a phased array system having multiple beamforming networks.

Claims

1. An antenna array comprising:

a first sub-array of antenna elements disposed so as to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal in a first sub-band of a frequency band; and

one or more additional sub-arrays of antenna elements, interspersed within said first sub-array of antenna elements, said additional sub-arrays disposed so as to receive said RF signal in a respective one or more remaining sub-bands of said frequency band.

2. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna elements of said first sub-array and said one or more additional sub-arrays are selected from the group consisting of dipole elements, bow-tie elements, spiral elements, and micro-strip patches.

3. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna elements of said first sub-array and said one or more additional sub-arrays are disposed one-half of one free-space wavelength apart.

4. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna elements of said first sub-array and said one or more additional sub-arrays are disposed so as to not allow grating lobes within a predetermined angle of scan.

5. The antenna of claim 1 wherein said additional sub-arrays comprise:

a second sub-array of elements for receiving said RF signal in a second sub-band of said frequency band; and

a third sub-array of elements for receiving said RF signal in a third sub-band of said frequency band.

6. The antenna of claim 5 wherein said first sub-band comprises frequencies between 0.3 and 1.0 GHz, said second sub-band comprises frequencies between 1.0 and 3.5 GHz, and said third sub-band comprises frequencies between 3.5 and 12.4 GHz.

7. The antenna of claim 1 wherein said first sub-array and said one or more additional sub-arrays are disposed on a high-impedance surface.

8. The antenna of claim 7 wherein said high-impedance surface comprises:

a substrate; and

a multiplicity of metallic patches disposed in a spaced apart relation on said substrate;

wherein each of said metallic patches is coupled its respective adjacent metallic patches by a thin transmission line.

9. A phased array antenna system comprising:

M sub-arrays of antenna elements for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal in a frequency band, wherein each of said M sub-arrays of antenna elements is disposed so as to receive said RF signal in a respective one of M sub-bands of said frequency band;

N beamforming networks for combining the replicas of said RF signal received by the antenna elements of said M sub-arrays to form N output beams.

10. The phased array system of claim 9 further comprising:

a low noise amplifier (LNA) bank for amplifying said replicas; and

N feed networks for coupling said replicas to a respective one of said N beamforming networks; and

an adaptive control processor for controlling said N beamforming networks.

11. The phased array system of claim 9 wherein the antenna elements of said M sub-arrays are selected from the group consisting of dipole elements, bow-tie elements, spiral elements, and micro-strip patches.

12. The phased array system of claim 9 wherein the antenna elements of said M sub-arrays are disposed one-half of one free-space wavelength apart.

13. The phased array system of claim 9 wherein the antenna elements of said M sub-arrays are disposed so as to not allow grating lobes within a predetermined angle of scan.

14. The phased-array system of claim 9 wherein said M sub-arrays of antenna elements further comprise:

a first sub-array of antenna elements disposed so as to receive said RF signal in a first sub-band of said M sub-bands;

a second sub-array of antenna elements interspersed within said first sub-array so as to receive said RF signal in a second sub-band of said M sub-bands; and

a third sub-array of antenna elements interspersed within said second sub-array so as to receive said RF signal in a third sub-band of said M sub-bands.

15. The phased array system of claim 14 wherein said first sub-band comprises frequencies from 0.3 to 1.0 GHz, said second sub-band comprises frequencies between 1.0 GHz to 3.5 GHz, and said third sub-band comprises frequencies between 3.5 GHz and 12.4 GHz.

16. The phased array system of claim 9 wherein said M sub-arrays of elements are disposed on a high-impedance surface.

17. The phased array system of claim 16 wherein said high-impedance surface comprises:

a substrate; and

a multiplicity of metallic patches disposed in a spaced apart relation on said substrate;

wherein each of said metallic patches is coupled its respective adjacent metallic patches by a thin transmission line.