X-BAND SURFACE MOUNT MICROSTRIP-FED PATCH ANTENNA

• US 20150234035A1
• Filed: 02/18/2015
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin International, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Lohoefener, Adam G., Metzger, David R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,715,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/953 mounted on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0435 using two feed points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

An antenna array for use with an X-band weather radar system comprises a printed circuit board, a plurality of antenna elements, and a plurality of integrated circuit packages. The printed circuit board includes a first side and an opposing second side. The antenna elements are configured to transmit and receive radio waves at frequencies in the X-band. The antenna elements are electrically connected to the first side of the printed circuit board and positioned thereon in a two-dimensional array. A center of each antenna element is located on a point of a grid with grid points orthogonally spaced apart. Each integrated circuit package includes a transmitter electronic circuit and a receiver electronic circuit that are each in electronic communication with one antenna element. Each integrated circuit package is positioned on the first side of the printed circuit board to underlie one antenna element.

Claims

1. A transceiver assembly comprising:

a printed circuit board including a first side and an opposing second side;

an integrated circuit package electrically connected to the first side of the printed circuit board, the integrated circuit package including a transmitter electronic circuit and a receiver electronic circuit; and

an antenna element in electronic communication with the transmitter electronic circuit and the receiver electronic circuit, the antenna element including a signal conductor pad electrically connected to the first side of the printed circuit board such that the signal conductor pad overlies the integrated circuit package.

2. The transceiver assembly of claim 1, wherein the antenna element includes a substrate with a top wall and four side walls attached thereto, wherein the signal conductor pad is disposed on an upper surface of the top wall.

3. The transceiver assembly of claim 2, wherein the antenna element includes a ground conductor pad disposed on a lower surface of the top wall.

4. The transceiver assembly of claim 2, wherein the top wall and the four side walls form the shape of a portion of a frusto pyramid.

5. The transceiver assembly of claim 2, wherein the four side walls contact the first side of the printed circuit board and define a quadrilateral-shaped boundary thereon and the integrated circuit package is positioned on the first side of the printed circuit board within the quadrilateral-shaped boundary.

6. The transceiver assembly of claim 2, wherein a first side wall and an opposing second side wall each include an alignment post positioned on a lower edge thereof, such that each alignment post is inserted into a corresponding alignment hole on the first side of the printed circuit board.

7. The transceiver assembly of claim 2, wherein each side wall includes an outer surface and an opposing inner surface and wherein the antenna element includes

a first signal conductor trace electrically connected to the signal conductor pad, the first signal conductor trace positioned on the outer surface of a first side wall, and

a second signal conductor trace electrically connected to the signal conductor pad, the second signal conductor trace positioned on the outer surface of a second side wall adjacent to the first side wall.

8. The transceiver assembly of claim 7, wherein an electronic signal received on the first signal conductor trace is converted to a radio wave with a first polarization and the electronic signal received on the second signal conductor trace is converted to the radio wave with a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization.

9. The transceiver assembly of claim 2, wherein the substrate is formed from polymer material.

10. The transceiver assembly of claim 1, wherein the transmitter electronic circuit includes a power amplifier and the receiver electronic circuit includes a low noise amplifier.

11. An antenna array for use with an X-band weather radar system, the antenna array comprising:

a printed circuit board including a first side and an opposing second side;

a plurality of integrated circuit packages, each integrated circuit package electrically connected to the first side of the printed circuit board and including a transmitter electronic circuit and a receiver electronic circuit; and

a plurality of antenna elements configured to transmit and receive radio waves at frequencies in the X-band, the antenna elements positioned on the printed circuit board in a two-dimensional array, wherein a center of each antenna element is located on a point of a grid with grid points orthogonally spaced approximately between about 0.50 to 0.60 radio wave wavelength apart, each antenna element in electronic communication with one transmitter electronic circuit and one receiver electronic circuit and positioned above the integrated circuit package which includes the one transmitter electronic circuit and the one receiver electronic circuit.

12. The antenna array of claim 11, wherein each antenna element includes a substrate with a top wall and four side walls attached thereto, such that the top wall and the side walls form the shape of a portion of a frusto pyramid.

13. The antenna array of claim 12, wherein each antenna element includes a signal conductor pad disposed on an upper surface of the top wall and a ground conductor pad disposed on a lower surface of the top wall.

14. The antenna array of claim 13, wherein each side wall of each antenna element substrate includes an outer surface and an opposing inner surface and wherein each antenna element includes

a first signal conductor trace electrically connected to the signal conductor pad, the first signal conductor trace positioned on the outer surface of a first side wall, and

a second signal conductor trace electrically connected to the signal conductor pad, the second signal conductor trace positioned on the outer surface of a second side wall adjacent to the first side wall.

15. The antenna array of claim 14, wherein an electronic signal received on the first signal conductor trace is converted to a radio wave with a first polarization and the electronic signal received on the second signal conductor trace is converted to the radio wave with a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization.

16. The antenna array of claim 12, wherein the four side walls of each antenna element substrate contact the first side of the printed circuit board and define a quadrilateral-shaped boundary thereon and one integrated circuit package is positioned on the first side of the printed circuit board within the quadrilateral-shaped boundary.

17. The antenna array of claim 12, wherein the substrate of each antenna element is formed from polymer material.

18. The antenna array of claim 11, wherein the transmitter electronic circuit of each integrated circuit package includes a power amplifier and the receiver electronic circuit of each integrated circuit package includes a low noise amplifier.

19. An antenna array for use with an X-band weather radar system, the antenna array comprising:

a printed circuit board including a first side and an opposing second side;

a plurality of integrated circuit packages, each integrated circuit package electrically connected to the first side of the printed circuit board and including a transmitter electronic circuit and a receiver electronic circuit; and

a plurality of antenna elements configured to transmit and receive radio waves at frequencies in the X-band, the antenna elements positioned on the printed circuit board in a two-dimensional array, wherein a center of each antenna element is located on a point of a grid with grid points orthogonally spaced approximately between about 0.50 to 0.60 radio wave wavelength apart, each antenna element in electronic communication with one transmitter electronic circuit and one receiver electronic circuit and positioned above the integrated circuit package which includes the one transmitter electronic circuit and the one receiver electronic circuit, each antenna element including

a substrate with a top wall and four side walls attached thereto, such that the top wall and the side walls form the shape of a portion of a frusto pyramid,

a signal conductor pad disposed on an upper surface of the top wall,

a ground conductor pad disposed on a lower surface of the top wall,

a first signal conductor trace electrically connected to the signal conductor pad, the first signal conductor trace positioned on an outer surface of a first side wall, and

a second signal conductor trace electrically connected to the signal conductor pad, the second signal conductor trace positioned on an outer surface of a second side wall adjacent to the first side wall.

20. The antenna array of claim 19, wherein an electronic signal received on the first signal conductor trace is converted to a radio wave with a first polarization and the electronic signal received on the second signal conductor trace is converted to the radio wave with a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization.