Electronically scanned antenna

• US 5,038,147 A
• Filed: 11/03/1989
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel Espace
• Original Assignee: Alcatel Espace
• Inventors: Coustere, Michel, Marre, Jean-Philippe, Hanin, Benoit, Cerro, Albert, Lenormand, Regis
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US07/431,106
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 342/368, 342/374, 342/371, 342/383, 343/777, 343/754, 343/756, 333/109
• US Class Current: 342/368
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/2658 Phased-array fed focussing structure

Abstract

An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array (11) of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector (10), and feed and control electronics, with the array (11) being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, and in which elementary sources that are not used simultaneously are grouped together in classes (Ci) in which only one source can be active at a time, with all of the sources in each class (Ci) being interconnected by a passive combiner (40) for that class. The invention is applicable in particular to space telecommunications.

Claims

1. An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises:

a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time; and

a divider between each elementary source and its respective combiner for dividing a signal from said each elementary source into a plurality of signals with each of said plurality of signals from each divider being coupled to a different combiner.

2. An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises:

a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time;

beam forming means including a plurality of beam forming units for adjusting the phase and amplitude of signals received from said passive combiners; and

a divider between each combiner and said beam forming means for dividing a signal from said each combiner into a plurality of signals, with each of said plurality of signals from each divider being coupled to a different beam forming unit.

3. An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time, each said combiner including successive sets of microwave couplers with each coupler receiving two inputs and providing one output, with the couplers in a first of said successive sets receiving inputs from respective elementary sources and the couplers in each succeeding set receiving inputs from the outputs of the couplers in a previous set, with a last set comprising a single coupler for providing a combiner output signal.

4. An electronically scanned antenna comprising an array of elementary sources, an energy-focusing reflector, and feed and control electronics, with the array being situated in the focal zone of the reflector, wherein said feed and control electronics comprises:

a plurality of passive combiners each coupled to a respective group of said elementary sources in which only one elementary source can be active at any one time; and

control means between said elementary sources and said passive combiners for selectively activating at any one time only one of the input signals to each passive combiner, said control means selectively activating a low noise amplifier associated with each said elementary source.