Wideband antenna system

• US 6,342,866 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2000
• Issued: 01/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture, the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Hart, Stephen M., Ho, Thinh Q., Adams, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wimer, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US09/527,152
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q 2.120, 343/795, 343/700.MS, 343/810, 343/807, 343/853, 343/844, 343/909, 343/824, 343/826, 343/829, 343/846, 343/848
• US Class Current: 343/795
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0414 in a stacked or folded configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/065 Microstrip dipole antennas patch antenna H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00

Abstract

A wideband antenna system comprises a stack of m antennas, where m is a positive integer, and m≧2. Each antenna includes: a) an electrically insulating substrate; b) opposed first and second radio frequency elements mounted to the substrate; c) a ground feed electrically connected to the first radio frequency element; d) an excitation feed electrically connected to the second radio frequency element; and e) a ground plane mounted to the substrate of the m^th antenna. The radio frequency elements of each antenna collectively have a unique total area and are mounted to the electrically insulating substrate. The radio frequency elements of the i^th antenna provide a ground plane for the k^th antenna, where i and k are positive integers, 1≦k≦(i−1), and 2≦i≦m. The total area of the first and second radio frequency elements of the i^th antenna is greater than the total area of the first and second radio frequency elements of the k^th antenna.

Claims

1. A wideband antenna system, comprising:

a stack of m antennas, where m is a positive integer, m≧

2, and each of said antennas includes;

an electrically insulating substrate;

opposed first and second radio frequency elements that have a unique total area and are mounted to said electrically insulating substrate such that said radio frequency elements of an i^th antenna of said stack provide a ground plane for an k^th antenna of said stack, where i and k are positive integers, 1≦

k≦

(i−

1), 2≦

i≦

m, and said total area of said first and second radio frequency elements of said i^th antenna is greater than said total area of said first and second radio frequency elements of said k^th antenna;

a ground feed electrically connected to said first radio frequency element;

an excitation feed electrically connected to said second radio frequency element; and

a ground plane mounted to said substrate of an m^th antenna of said stud.

2. The antenna system of claim 1 wherein said antennas are each a bow tie antenna.

3. The antenna system of claim 1 further including a frequency selective surface mounted to said stack.

4. A wideband antenna system, comprising:

a support structure;

multiple antenna stacks mounted to said support structure, each said antenna stack having a unique field of view and including m antennas, where m is a positive integer, m≧

2, and each antenna includes;

an electrically insulating substrate;

opposed first and second radio frequency elements that have a unique total area and are mounted to said electrically insulating substrate such that said radio frequency elements of an i^th antenna of said stack provide a ground plane for an k^th antenna of said stack, where i and k are positive integer indices, 2≦

i≦

m, 1≦

k≦

(i−

1), and said total area of said first and second radio frequency elements of said i^th antenna is greater than said total area of said first and second radio frequency elements of said k^th antenna;

a ground feed electrically connected to said first radio frequency element; and

an excitation feed electrically connected to said second radio frequency element; and

a ground plane mounted to said substrate of an m^th antenna of said stack.

5. The antenna system of claim 4 wherein said support structure is arcuate shaped.

6. The antenna system of claim 4 wherein said antenna stacks are mounted to said support structure in a radial pattern about said support structure.

7. The antenna system of claim 4 further including a frequency selective surface mounted to each of said antenna stacks.