Multiple beam phased array with aperture partitioning

• US 6,340,949 B1
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: McCleary, James C., Lane, Steven O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US09/732,836
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 342/81, 342/154, 342/354, 342/372, 342/373, 455/12.1, 455/13.1
• US Class Current: 342/373
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/288 Satellite antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0006 Particular feeding systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/00 Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence

Abstract

A multiple beam phased array includes a plurality of array elements partitioned into a plurality of array element groups for forming a plurality of beams wherein each array element group has a taper center located to minimize maximum array element power for the plurality of beams.

Claims

1. A multiple beam phased array comprising a plurality of array elements partitioned into a plurality of array element groups for forming a plurality of beams wherein each array element group has a taper center located to minimize maximum array element power for the plurality of beams.

2. The multiple beam phased array of claim 1 wherein the location of the taper center of each partition is calculated by minimizing a cost function of the maximum array element power and a set of taper center locations.

3. A transponder platform comprising:

a multiple beam receiving antenna; and

a multiple beam transmitting antenna coupled to the multiple beam receiving antenna comprising a plurality of array elements partitioned into a plurality of array element groups for forming a plurality of beams wherein each array element group has a taper center located to minimize maximum array element power for the plurality of beams.

4. The transponder platform of claim 3 wherein the location of the taper center of each array element group is calculated by minimizing a cost function of the maximum array element power and a set of taper center locations.

5. A method of partitioning a plurality of array elements for a multiple beam phased array comprising the steps of:

partitioning the plurality of array elements into a plurality of array element groups to form a plurality of beams; and

locating a taper center of each array element group to minimize maximum array element power for the plurality of beams.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of calculating the location of the taper center of each array element group by minimizing a cost function of the maximum array element power and a set of taper center locations.

7. A multiple beam phased array comprising a plurality of array elements partitioned into a plurality of array element groups for forming a plurality of beams wherein each array element group has a taper center located at a point other than a center of the plurality of array elements.

8. A method of partitioning a plurality of array elements for a multiple beam phased array comprising the steps of:

partitioning the plurality of array elements into a plurality of array element groups to form a plurality of beams; and

locating a taper center of each array element group at a point other than a center of the plurality of array elements.