Low-height, low-cost, high-gain antenna and system for mobile platforms
First Claim
1. A leaky waveguide antenna array, comprising:
- a plurality of radiation waveguides disposed in parallel to each other to form the antenna array, each of the plurality radiation waveguides having a height, a waveguide axis and having a plurality of apertures arranged in a direction of the waveguide axis; and
a feed waveguide that provides a composite wave of electromagnetic waves received by the plurality of radiation waveguides, wherein the feed waveguide includes a first section of waveguide having a first end connected to an input/output port of the feed waveguide, having a height substantially the same as the height of each of the plurality of radiation waveguides and having a second end coupled to a first junction point, wherein at the first junction point the first section of waveguide transitions to a second section of waveguide and a third section of waveguide that each have a height that is substantially half of the height of the first section of waveguide and wherein the second section of waveguide transitions with an upward disposed ramp to the substantially half height and the third section of waveguide transitions to the substantially half height with a downward sloping ramp such that the second section of waveguide is a mirror image of the third section of waveguide, the feed waveguide also including a septum connected to vertical walls of the first, second and third sections of the feed waveguide that aids in the transition from the height of the first section of the feed waveguide to the height of the second section and the third section of the feed waveguide, and wherein the each of the second section and the third section of the feed waveguide are coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of radiation waveguides.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A leaky waveguide antenna array that receives and/or transmits electromagnetic signals includes a plurality of radiation waveguides disposed in parallel to each other on a surface plane to form the antenna array. A feed waveguide is located below the surface plane and provides an electromagnetic signal to the plurality of radiation waveguides and/or receives a plurality of electromagnetic signals from the plurality of radiation waveguides and provides a composite electromagnetic signal at an output of the feed waveguide. Each of the plurality of radiation waveguides has a waveguide axis and includes a plurality of apertures arranged in a direction of the waveguide axis. The feed waveguide includes a first section of waveguide having a first end connected to an input/output port. The first section of waveguide has a height substantially the same as the height of each of the plurality of radiation waveguides and the first section of waveguide has a second end coupled to a first junction point. The first junction point transitions from the first section of waveguide to a second section of waveguide and a third section of waveguide that each have a height that is substantially half of the height of the first section of waveguide. The second section of waveguide transitions with an upward sloping ramp to the substantially half height of the first section of waveguide. The third section of waveguide transitions with a downward sloping ramp to the substantially half height of the first section of waveguide. The third section of waveguide is substantially a mirror image of the second section of waveguide. The feed waveguide also includes a septum connected to vertical walls of the first, second and third sections of waveguide which aids in the transition from the height of the first section of the waveguide to the height of the second section and the third section of waveguide. Each of the second section of waveguide and the third section of waveguide are coupled to a corresponding first signal port and second signal port of the feed waveguide. Each of the first signal port and the second signal port are coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of radiation waveguides.
76 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A leaky waveguide antenna array, comprising:
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a plurality of radiation waveguides disposed in parallel to each other to form the antenna array, each of the plurality radiation waveguides having a height, a waveguide axis and having a plurality of apertures arranged in a direction of the waveguide axis; and a feed waveguide that provides a composite wave of electromagnetic waves received by the plurality of radiation waveguides, wherein the feed waveguide includes a first section of waveguide having a first end connected to an input/output port of the feed waveguide, having a height substantially the same as the height of each of the plurality of radiation waveguides and having a second end coupled to a first junction point, wherein at the first junction point the first section of waveguide transitions to a second section of waveguide and a third section of waveguide that each have a height that is substantially half of the height of the first section of waveguide and wherein the second section of waveguide transitions with an upward disposed ramp to the substantially half height and the third section of waveguide transitions to the substantially half height with a downward sloping ramp such that the second section of waveguide is a mirror image of the third section of waveguide, the feed waveguide also including a septum connected to vertical walls of the first, second and third sections of the feed waveguide that aids in the transition from the height of the first section of the feed waveguide to the height of the second section and the third section of the feed waveguide, and wherein the each of the second section and the third section of the feed waveguide are coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of radiation waveguides. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of providing a signal to passengers within a vehicle in an area where coverage is not available, comprising the steps:
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receiving in an area where coverage is available, the signal with a first receiver; transmitting the received signal, received by the first receiver, to a second receiver that is located on a vehicle that is in an area where the signal is not available; retransmitting the received signal, by the second receiver, to a third receiver located on a vehicle that is also within the area where the signal is not available; and repeating the step of retransmitting the received signal between vehicles traversing the area where the signal is not available so that each of the vehicles can receive the signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system that provides a signal to passengers within a vehicle, comprising:
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a leaky waveguide antenna that receives electromagnetic signals corresponding to the signal from a transmitter and that outputs the received electromagnetic signals to a receiver for ultimate presentation to the passengers within the vehicle; an antenna positioning system disposed on the vehicle, the leaky waveguide antenna being mounted to the antenna positioning system and the antenna positioning system moving the leaky waveguide antenna in at least one of an azimuth plane and an elevation plane to keep the leaky waveguide antenna pointed in a direction of the transmitter; a low-drag radome disposed above the leaky waveguide antenna array and the antenna positioning system to reduce any drag resulting from the antenna and the antenna positioning system, that is transmissive to the electromagnetic signal; and wherein the leaky waveguide antenna array includes; a plurality of radiation waveguides disposed in parallel to each other to form the antenna array, each of the plurality radiation waveguides having a height, a waveguide axis and having a plurality of apertures arranged in a direction of the waveguide axis; and a feed waveguide that provides a composite wave of electromagnetic waves to form the signal received by the plurality of radiation waveguides, wherein the feed waveguide includes a first section of waveguide having a first end connected to an input/output port of the feed waveguide, having a height substantially the same as the height of each of the plurality of radiation waveguides and having a second end coupled to a first junction point, wherein at the first junction point the first section of waveguide transitions from the first section of waveguide to a second section of waveguide and a third section of waveguide that each have a height that is substantially half of the height of the first section of waveguide, and wherein the second section of waveguide transitions with an upward disposed ramp to the substantially half height and the third section of waveguide transitions to the substantially half height with a downward sloping ramp such that the second section of waveguide is a mirror image of the third section of waveguide, the feed waveguide also including a septum connected to vertical walls of the first, second and third sections of the feed waveguide that aids in the transition from the height of the first section of the feed waveguide to the height of the second section and the third section of the feed waveguide, and wherein the each of the second section and the third section of the feed waveguide are coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of radiation waveguides. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification