Large element antenna array with grouped overlapped apertures
First Claim
1. In radio frequency (RF) antenna system having a linear array of η
- antenna apertures for which the net radiation pattern has a pointing direction and means for coupling said antenna apertures to a common transmission line that conducts high frequency energy to or from the apertures, the improvement comprising,(a) N aperture distribution networks each having a plurality of outputs of which successive outputs are coupled to the antenna apertures in serial order and at least one input a plurality of inputs coupled to the common transmission line,(b) the η
apertures being designated as included in N different sets of apertures where N<
η
(c) the outputs of each network being electrically coupled to a different one of said sets of said apertures, some of said network outputs having an aperture in common,(d) a separate network transmission line for each network, coupled to the network input(e) variable phase shifting means in each network transmission line,(f) means for coupling said network transmission lines to said common transmission line and(g) means for varying said variable phase shifting means thereby varying said pointing direction.
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Abstract
An antenna for transmitting or receiving, for limited fine scan or wide angle scan, or for producing multiple beams has a plurality antenna radiators or receivers (apertures) in a linear array, coupled to a smaller plurality of antenna networks so that many of the antenna apertures are coupled to two of the networks and the networks are all coupled to a common transmission line. For a spatial scanning system, each network is coupled to the common transmission line through a variable phase shifter so that the radiation patterns of the apertures combine to define a beacon of predetermined fine pointing direction that can be used to spatially sweep a sector by varying the phase shifters according to a predetermined schedule. Furthermore, by shifting the point of feed to the networks, the pointing direction is caused to switch in relatively large steps, from one sector to another sector.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. In radio frequency (RF) antenna system having a linear array of η
- antenna apertures for which the net radiation pattern has a pointing direction and means for coupling said antenna apertures to a common transmission line that conducts high frequency energy to or from the apertures, the improvement comprising,
(a) N aperture distribution networks each having a plurality of outputs of which successive outputs are coupled to the antenna apertures in serial order and at least one input a plurality of inputs coupled to the common transmission line, (b) the η
apertures being designated as included in N different sets of apertures where N<
η(c) the outputs of each network being electrically coupled to a different one of said sets of said apertures, some of said network outputs having an aperture in common, (d) a separate network transmission line for each network, coupled to the network input (e) variable phase shifting means in each network transmission line, (f) means for coupling said network transmission lines to said common transmission line and (g) means for varying said variable phase shifting means thereby varying said pointing direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- antenna apertures for which the net radiation pattern has a pointing direction and means for coupling said antenna apertures to a common transmission line that conducts high frequency energy to or from the apertures, the improvement comprising,
Specification