ANTENNA SYSTEM

• US 20140210486A1
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Future PLC, L'Avenir d'Or BV
• Original Assignee: Future PLC, L'Avenir d'Or BV
• Inventors: DIJKSTRA, Patrick Walter Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,411,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/612
• 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 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• 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 3/28 varying the amplitude
• 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 5/20 characterised by the operating wavebands
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/42 using two or more imbricated arrays H01Q5/49 takes precedence

Abstract

Broadband antenna system comprising a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of amplifiers; wherein every antenna element of said plurality of antenna elements is configured for operating in a predetermined frequency range and is associated with an amplifier of said plurality of amplifiers which is configured for said predetermined frequency range; said plurality of antenna elements covering a broadband range.

Claims

1. Broadband antenna system comprising a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of amplifiers;

wherein every antenna element of said plurality of antenna elements is configured for operating in a predetermined frequency range and is associated with an amplifier of said plurality of amplifiers which is configured for said predetermined frequency range;

said plurality of antenna elements covering a broadband range.

2. Broadband antenna system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of antenna elements comprises a first antenna element configured for operating in a first frequency range and a second antenna element configured for operating in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range.

3. Broadband antenna system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of antenna elements are narrowband antenna elements.

4. Broadband antenna system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of antenna elements comprises a plurality of patch antenna arrays, said patch antenna arrays comprising at least a first antenna array configured for operating in a first frequency range and a second antenna array configured for operating in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range.

5. Broadband antenna system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of antenna elements are broadband antenna elements.

6. Broadband antenna system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of antenna elements comprise any one or more of the following types:

patch antenna, dipole antenna, log per antenna, Vivaldi antenna, “

bunny ear”

antenna, or horn antenna.

7. Broadband antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the broadband range is located in a range between 20 MHz and 100 GHz, and preferably covers a frequency range from 1 to 6 GHz.

8. Broadband antenna system according to claim 1, wherein each amplifier of said plurality of amplifiers operates below 25 Watt.

9. Broadband antenna system according to claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling the amplifiers in order to sequentially emit signals using the plurality of antenna elements, said sequentially emitted signals covering the full broadband range.

10. Broadband antenna system according to claim 1, configured for emitting generated power signals, further comprising a plurality of power meters, wherein between each amplifier of the plurality of amplifiers and the corresponding antenna element, there is provided a power meter of said plurality of power meters.

11. Broadband antenna system according to claim 1, configured for receiving an emitted field, further comprising a plurality of band pass filters, wherein each antenna element in connected to an input of an associated amplifier of the plurality of amplifiers, and an output of the associated amplifier is connected to the associated band pass filter.

12. Broadband antenna system according to claim 11, wherein a further band pass filter is arranged in between each antenna element and the input of the associated amplifier.

13. Use of an antenna system according to claim 1 in an EMC room.

14. Antenna array arrangement comprising at least a first array of at least two antenna elements, and a second array of at least two antenna elements, wherein the at least two antenna elements of the first array surround the at least two antenna elements of the second array.

15. Antenna array arrangement of claim 14, wherein the at least one antenna element of the first and second array are patch antennas.

16. Antenna array arrangement of claim 14, wherein the first array is configured to operate in a first frequency range, and the second array is configured to operate in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range.

17. Antenna array arrangement of claim 16, wherein the distance between two antenna elements of the first and second array is approximately equal to a wave length corresponding with the first and second frequency range, respectively.

18. Antenna array arrangement of claim 16, wherein the dimension of the at least one antenna elements of the first and second array is approximately equal to half a wave length corresponding with the first and second frequency range, respectively.

19. Antenna array arrangement of claims 14, wherein the first array comprises four rectangular antenna elements and the second array comprises four rectangular antenna elements.

20. Antenna system comprising a plurality of antenna elements, a plurality of amplifiers and a plurality of phase shifters;

wherein every antenna element of said plurality of antenna elements is configured for operating in a predetermined frequency range and is associated with an amplifier of said plurality of amplifiers which is configured for said predetermined frequency range; and

with a phase shifter of said plurality of phase shifter.

21. Antenna system of claim 20, further comprising a controller for controlling the phase shifter.

22. Antenna system of claim 20 for use at an emitting side, wherein each phase shifter is arranged before the associated amplifier so that a generated power signal is first shifted in phase, then amplified and then emitted by the corresponding antenna element.

23. Antenna system of claim 20 for use at an emitting side, wherein the plurality of phase shifters is configured for obtaining an emitted field with a uniform field area as defined in the standard IEC61000-4-3.

24. Antenna system of claim 23, wherein the field area is preferably at least 0.5 m by 0.5 m.

25. Antenna system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of amplifiers and phase shifters are configured in such a way that the uniform field area is located at a distance between 1 m and 10 m from the plurality of antenna elements.

26. Antenna system of claim 21, wherein the controller is configured for controlling the plurality of phase shifters in order to obtain a uniform field area as defined in the standard IEC61000-4-3 at a predetermined distance of the plurality of antenna elements.

27. Antenna system of claim 21, wherein the controller is configured for controlling the plurality of phase shifters in order to move the emitted beam over a predetermined surface according to any one of the following techniques:

moving the beam according to a random pattern across the surface;

allowing to beam to scan the surface in a predefined continuous movement;

allowing the beam to step across the surface, wherein parts of the surface are subsequently radiated on for a predetermined amount of time.

28. Antenna system of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of attenuators, wherein for each amplifier of the plurality of amplifiers, there is arranged an attenuator of the plurality of attenuators.

29. Antenna system of claim 28, for use at an emitting side, wherein each attenuator is connected between the associated amplifier and the associated phase shifter so that a signal of the signal generator is first shifted in phase, next attenuated, then amplified and finally emitted by the corresponding antenna element.

30. Antenna system of claim 29, wherein the controller is configured for controlling the plurality of phase shifters and the plurality of attenuators in order to obtain a uniform field area as defined in the standard IEC61000-4-3 at a predetermined distance of the plurality of antenna elements.

31. Antenna system of claim 29, wherein the controller is configured for controlling the plurality of phase shifters and the plurality of attenuators in order to move the emitted beam over a predetermined surface according to any one of the following techniques:

moving the beam according to a random pattern across the surface;

allowing to beam to scan the surface in a predefined continuous movement;

allowing the beam to step across the surface, wherein parts of the surface are subsequently radiated on for a predetermined amount of time.

32. Antenna system according to claim 20, wherein said plurality of antenna elements comprises a first antenna element configured for operating in a first frequency range and a second antenna element configured for operating in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range.

33. Antenna system according to claim 20, wherein said plurality of antenna elements comprises any one or more of the following types:

patch antenna, dipole antenna, log per antenna, Vivaldi antenna, “

bunny ear”

antenna, or horn antenna.

34. Antenna system according to claim 20, configured for receiving an emitted field, further comprising a plurality of band pass filters, wherein each antenna element in connected to an input of an associated amplifier of the plurality of amplifiers, and an output of the associated amplifier is connected to a series connection of the associated phase shifter and the associated band pass filter.

35. Antenna system according to claim 34, wherein a further band pass filter is arranged in between each antenna element and the input of the associated amplifier.