COMPACT STEERABLE TRANSMIT ANTENNA SYSTEM

• US 20170317415A1
• Filed: 11/05/2015
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Galejs, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,211,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/143 by vectorial combination of signals derived from differently oriented antennae
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/22 Antenna units of the array energised non-uniformly in amplitude or phase, e.g. tapered array or binomial 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 21/26 Turnstile or like antennas comprising arrangements of three or more elongated elements disposed radially and symmetrically in a horizontal plane about a common centre
• 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 21/293 one unit or more being an array of identical aerial elements adaptive arrays H01Q3/2605
• 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 3/28 varying the amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/06 with core of ferromagnetic material H01Q7/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A transmit antenna system configured to steer an electromagnetic beam includes an antenna and an electronic steering module. The antenna includes a first electric antenna element oriented parallel to a first plane, a second electric antenna element oriented orthogonally to the first electric antenna element and parallel to the first plane, and a first magnetic antenna element oriented orthogonally to the first electric antenna element and the second electric antenna element. The electronic steering module is in electrical communication with each of the first electric antenna element, the second electric antenna element, and the first magnetic antenna element. The electronic steering module includes at least one amplifier configured to control the amplitude of a current to each of the first electric antenna element, the second electric antenna element, and the first magnetic antenna element.

Claims

1. A transmit antenna system configured to steer an electromagnetic beam, comprising:

an antenna comprising;

a first electric antenna element oriented parallel to a first plane;

a second electric antenna element oriented orthogonally to the first electric antenna element and parallel to the first plane; and

a first magnetic antenna element oriented orthogonally to the first electric antenna element and the second electric antenna element; and

an electronic steering module in electrical communication with each of the first electric antenna element, the second electric antenna element, and the first magnetic antenna element, comprising at least one amplifier configured to control the amplitude of a current to each of the first electric antenna element, the second electric antenna element, and the first magnetic antenna element.

2. The steerable transmit antenna system of claim 1, wherein the electronic steering module is configured to steer the beam using the amplitude of the current to each of the first electric antenna element, the second electric antenna element, and the first magnetic antenna element without regard to phase.

3. The steerable transmit antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic antenna element comprises a magnetic loop antenna.

4. The steerable transmit antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first and second electric antenna elements each comprise an electric dipole antenna.

5. The steerable transmit antenna system of claim 1, wherein the first and second electric dipole elements each comprise a monopole element above a ground plane and the first magnetic loop element comprises a half-loop above the ground plane.

6. The steerable transmit antenna system of claim 1, further comprising a third electric antenna element oriented orthogonally to the first electric antenna element and the second electric antenna element, wherein the electronic steering module in electrical communication with the third electric antenna element.

7. The steerable transmit antenna system of claim 1, further comprising a second magnetic antenna element oriented orthogonally to the first magnetic antenna element, wherein the electronic steering module in electrical communication with the second magnetic antenna element.

8. The steerable transmit antenna system of claim 7, further comprising a third magnetic antenna element oriented orthogonally to the first magnetic antenna element and the second magnetic element, wherein the electronic steering module in electrical communication with the third magnetic antenna element.

9. The steerable transmit antenna system of claim 1, wherein the electronic steering module is configured as a transceiver.

10. A steerable transmit antenna, comprising:

a first magnetic loop antenna oriented parallel to an x-y plane;

a second magnetic loop antenna oriented parallel to an x-z plane;

a third magnetic loop antenna oriented parallel to a y-z plane;

a first electric dipole antenna oriented parallel an x-axis intersecting the x-y and x-z plane;

a second electric dipole antenna oriented parallel a y-axis intersecting the x-y and y-z plane; and

a third electric dipole antenna oriented parallel a z-axis intersecting the x-z and y-z plane,

wherein the x-y plane, the x-z plane, and y-z plane are mutually orthogonal and intersect at an origin

an electronic steering module in electrical communication with each of the magnetic loop antennas and each of the electric dipole antennas comprising at least one amplifier configured to controlling the amplitude of a current to each of the magnetic loop antennas and each of the electric dipole antennas.

11. The antenna of claim 10, wherein at least two of the first magnetic loop antenna, the second magnetic loop antenna, and the third magnetic loop antenna have a center point at the origin.

12. The antenna of claim 10, wherein at least two of the first electric dipole antenna, the second electric dipole antenna, and the third electric dipole antenna have a center point at the origin.

13. The antenna of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of leads configured to electrically connect each dipole and loop to a receiver.

14. A system comprising

a steerable antenna, comprising:

a first magnetic loop antenna oriented parallel to an x-y plane;

a second magnetic loop antenna oriented parallel to an x-z plane;

a third magnetic loop antenna oriented parallel to a y-z plane;

a first electric dipole antenna oriented parallel an x-axis intersecting the x-y and x-z plane;

a second electric dipole antenna oriented parallel a y-axis intersecting the x-y and y-z plane; and

a third electric dipole antenna oriented parallel a z-axis intersecting the x-z and y-z plane,

wherein the x-y plane, the x-z plane, and y-z plane are mutually orthogonal and intersect at an origin;

a transmitter in communication with each of the dipole and loop antennas and configured to transmit a signal from the dipole and loop antennas of the steerable antenna; and

a digital board in communication with the transmitter, configured to steer an output from the transmit and determine a propagation vector of a beam transmitted by the steerable antenna.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a clock synthesizer configured to provide a clock signal to the digital processor board and/or the receiver.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising a power supply configured to provide power to the digital processor board and the receiver.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the power provided by the power supply is less than 8 watts.