Crossed-slot antenna having infinite balun feed means
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A crossed-slot antenna comprising:
- first and second pairs of electrically conductive antenna patch elements disposed to define a crossed slot between opposing internal edges thereof;
a ground means disposed below said first and second pairs of antenna patch elements to define a cavity therebetween;
first feed means for feeding first and second patches of said first pair of antenna patch elements including;
first transmission line means, operatively coupled to each of said first and second patches and positioned above said cavity apart from said ground means, said first transmission line means being disposed in opposing relation to and extending beyond an internal edge of said first patch and across said crossed slot to couple with an internal edge of said second patch to define an infinite balun feed arrangement wherein balanced, 180°
out-of-phase feed signals are transmitted to/from said first and second patches of said first pair of antenna patch elements.
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Abstract
A crossed-slot antenna having a reduced number of feed components to achieve circular polarization. The present invention provides a crossed-slot antenna capable of transceiving circularly polarized radiation and having a feed network comprising a ninety degree hybrid and at least one infinite balun. In one embodiment, a transmission line is used to feed a pair of antenna patch elements, one of which acts as a local ground plane for the microstrip line, thereby defining an infinite balun. The transmission line may comprise a microstrip line, the inner conductor of a coaxial cable, or a coplanar waveguide.
77 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A crossed-slot antenna comprising:
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first and second pairs of electrically conductive antenna patch elements disposed to define a crossed slot between opposing internal edges thereof; a ground means disposed below said first and second pairs of antenna patch elements to define a cavity therebetween; first feed means for feeding first and second patches of said first pair of antenna patch elements including; first transmission line means, operatively coupled to each of said first and second patches and positioned above said cavity apart from said ground means, said first transmission line means being disposed in opposing relation to and extending beyond an internal edge of said first patch and across said crossed slot to couple with an internal edge of said second patch to define an infinite balun feed arrangement wherein balanced, 180°
out-of-phase feed signals are transmitted to/from said first and second patches of said first pair of antenna patch elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A crossed-slot antenna comprising:
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first and second pairs of electrically conductive antenna patch elements disposed to define a crossed slot between opposing internal edges thereof; a ground means disposed below and spaced from said first and second pairs of antenna patch elements to define a cavity therebetween; first feed means for feeding first and second patches of said first pair of antenna patch elements including; first transmission line means, operatively coupled to each of said first and second patches of said first pair and positioned above said cavity apart from said ground means, said first transmission line means being disposed in opposing relation to and extending beyond an internal edge of said first patch of said first pair of antenna patch elements and across said crossed slot to couple with an internal edge of said second patch of said first pair of antenna patch elements to define an infinite balun feed arrangement wherein balanced, 180°
out-of-phase feed signals are transmitted to/from said first and second patches of said first pair of patch elements;a first supply line, interconnected with said first transmission line means, for feeding a first signal to said second patch of said first pair; second feed means for feeding first and second patches of said second pair of antenna patch elements including; second transmission line means, operatively coupled to each of said first and second patches of said second pair and positioned above said cavity apart from said ground means, said second transmission line means being disposed in opposing relation to and extending beyond an internal edge of said first patch of said second pair of antenna patch elements and across said crossed slot to couple with an internal edge of said second patch of said second pair of antenna patch elements to define an infinite balun feed arrangement wherein balanced, 180°
out-of-phase feed signals are transmitted to/from said first and second patches of said second pair of patch elements;a second supply line, interconnected with said second transmission line means, for feeding a second signal to said second patch of said second pair; wherein, said first patch of said first pair of antenna patch elements acts as a local ground plane for said first transmission line means and said first patch of said first pair of antenna patch elements is thereby fed a third signal which is 180 degrees out of phase with said first signal; and said first patch of said second pair of antenna patch elements acts as a local ground plane for said second transmission line means and said first patch of said second pair of antenna patch elements is thereby fed a fourth signal which is 180 degrees out of phase with said second signal; and master feed means for supplying said signals to said first and second feed means, including; phasing means for providing a 90 degree phase difference between said first signal on said first supply line and said second signal on said second supply line, wherein said antenna is thereby able to transceive circularly polarized radiation. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A crossed-slot antenna comprising:
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a ground means; first and second pairs of electrically conductive antenna patch elements disposed above and spaced from said ground means to define crossed apertures between opposing internal edges of said patches and a cavity between the patch elements and said ground means; first feed means for feeding said first pair of antenna patch elements including; first transmission line means, operatively coupled to each of said first and second patches of said first pair and positioned above said cavity apart from said ground means, said first transmission line means being disposed in opposing relation to and extending beyond an internal edge of said first patch of said first pair and across said crossed apertures to couple with an internal edge second patch of said first pair of antenna patch elements to define an infinite balun feed arrangement wherein balanced, 180°
out-of-phase feed signals are transmitted to/from said first and second patches of said first pair of patch elements, and wherein said first patch acts as a local ground plane for said first transmission line means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification