GROUND TO AIR ANTENNA ARRAY

• US 20170346181A1
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Communications Components Antenna Inc.
• Original Assignee: Communications Components Antenna Inc.
• Inventors: HOJJAT, Nasrin, GAVRILOVIC, Minya, BROMLEY, Des
• Granted Patent: US 10,096,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• 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 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 3/005 using remotely controlled antenna positioning or scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/02 using mechanical movement of antenna or antenna system as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/04 for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence

Abstract

An array antenna with each antenna element in the array being physically tilted away from a base plane of the array. End antenna elements are tilted at a higher angle than regular antenna elements. The radiation pattern, the end antenna elements can provide coverage directly above the antenna array (i.e. at 90 degrees to the horizontal) for different electrical tilts.

Claims

1. An antenna array for ground-to-air communication comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements, each antenna element being tilted away at a first tilt angle from a base plane of the antenna array;

at least one end antenna element, the at least one end antenna element being tilted away at a second tilt angle from the base plane of the antenna array;

wherein the second tilt angle is greater than the first tilt angle.

2. The antenna array according to claim 1, wherein the first tilt angle is between 25-30 degrees.

3. The antenna array according to claim 1, wherein the second tilt angle is between 50-70 degrees.

4. The antenna array according to claim 1, wherein resulting beams from the plurality of antenna elements are electrically beam tilted by a phase-shifter.

5. The antenna array according to claim 1, wherein resulting beams from the array are electrically beam tilted by a phase-shifter.

6. The antenna array according to claim 1, wherein at least one antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements comprises a dual-polarity patch antenna.

7. The antenna array according to claim 1, wherein the at least one end antenna element comprises a dual-polarity patch antenna.

8. The antenna array according to claim 1, wherein resulting beams are beam tilted by remote control.

9. The antenna array according to claim 1, wherein the antenna array is a multi-beam antenna.

10. The antenna array according to claim 1, wherein the antenna array is a dual-band antenna.

11. The antenna array of claim 1, in which the angle of each of the plurality of antenna elements from the base plane and spacing in elevation is optimized to provide an elevation pattern for a specific application.