Scanning antenna having amplitude and phase distribution diversity
First Claim
1. A scanning beam transmit antenna system comprising,a source of electromagnetic energy,radiating elements and phase shifters forming a linear array,connection means comprising a feed network for connecting said source to said radiating elements to establish a prescribed phase and amplitude characteristic thereof and including power dividers for routing said electromagnetic energy to each of said radiating elements,said power dividers providing a constant amplitude and phase distribution and two selectable incremental amplitude and phase distributions,said feed network comprising a single-pole multiple-throw microwave switch coupled to said power dividers for selectively translating said prescribed phase and amplitude characteristic along said array a distance equal to that embraced by a preselected number of said radiating elements by energizing one of said selectable incremental distributions, andbeam steering means for controlling the phase of said electromagnetic energy at each of said radiating elements.
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Abstract
A scanning beam transmit antenna system includes a source of electromagnetic energy, radiating elements and a feed network connecting the source to the radiating elements. A beam steerer controls the phase of the electromagnetic energy at each of the radiating elements. Power dividers route the electromagnetic energy to each of the radiating elements, and switches control the flow of the electromagnetic energy among the power dividers. The beam steerer changes the phases of the energy emitted by the radiating elements as a function of time to cause sequentially a motion of the scanning beam in the "TO" direction and a motion of the scanning beam in the "FRO" direction, and the switches modify the flow of the electromagnetic energy through the power dividers to and among the radiating elements on one half of the linear array during the "TO" motion of the scanning beam and to the radiating elements on the other half of the linear array during the "FRO" motion of the scanning beam. A microwave network feeds a linear array of radiating elements with a prescribed amplitude and phase characteristic, which can be translated along the array a distance equal to a preselected integral number of elements by the action of a single microwave switch.
35 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A scanning beam transmit antenna system comprising,
a source of electromagnetic energy, radiating elements and phase shifters forming a linear array, connection means comprising a feed network for connecting said source to said radiating elements to establish a prescribed phase and amplitude characteristic thereof and including power dividers for routing said electromagnetic energy to each of said radiating elements, said power dividers providing a constant amplitude and phase distribution and two selectable incremental amplitude and phase distributions, said feed network comprising a single-pole multiple-throw microwave switch coupled to said power dividers for selectively translating said prescribed phase and amplitude characteristic along said array a distance equal to that embraced by a preselected number of said radiating elements by energizing one of said selectable incremental distributions, and beam steering means for controlling the phase of said electromagnetic energy at each of said radiating elements.
Specification