Controlled radiation pattern array antenna using spiral slot array elements

• US 6,466,177 B1
• Filed: 07/25/2001
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatel Incorporated (Hexagon AB)
• Original Assignee: Novatel Incorporated (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Kunysz, Waldemar
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG V
• Application Number:
  US09/915,112
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/770, 343/895, 343/767, 343/769
• US Class Current: 343/769
• 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 13/16 Folded slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005

Abstract

A planar, controlled radiation pattern array antenna using spiral slot antenna arrays is disclosed. The CRPA antenna includes a nonconductive planar substrate with a plurality of transmission lines disposed on one surface. A conductive layer on the other surface of the substrate includes a plurality of slotted openings that form spiral slot array antennas such that each spiral slot array antenna opposed to a transmission line on the opposite side of the substrate.

Claims

1. A controlled radiation pattern array antenna, the antenna comprising:

a substantially planar dielectric substrate having a front surface and a back surface;

a conductive layer disposed on the front surface;

a plurality of similar curved, slotted openings extending through the conductive layer to the substrate, the slotted openings forming a plurality of spiral slot arrays;

a plurality of transmission lines disposed on the back surface of the substrate such that the transmission lines are aligned with the spiral slot arrays.

2. The antenna of claim 1 further comprising:

a dielectric substance filling the curved, slotted openings.

3. The antenna of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of curved slotted openings further comprises:

a shape selected from the group consisting of a conical-section arc, a spiral arc, a logarithmic arc, and an exponential arc.

4. The antenna of claim 1 wherein each antenna element comprising of one of the spiral slot arrays and its corresponding transmission line forms a portion of an arc surrounding a center wherein each antenna element is rotated around its center by 2π

/N with respect to the orientation of an adjacent antenna element, wherein N is the number of spiral slot array antennas elements.

5. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the spiral slot array antennas are located such that the angle between any two adjacent spiral slot array antennas with respect to the antenna center is 2π

/N.

6. The antenna of claim 1 wherein each spiral slot array antenna further comprises:

a plurality of spiral slot antennas;

each spiral slot antenna having a radiating slot line extending radially from an end of the spiral slot antenna farthest from the antenna center such that the radiating slot line is substantially perpendicular to a transmission line.

7. The antenna of claim 1 wherein each transmission line is rotated around its center by 2π

/N with respect to the orientation of an adjacent transmission line, wherein N is the number of spiral slot array antennas and wherein the spiral slot array antennas are located such that the angle between any two adjacent spiral slot array antennas with respect to the antenna center is 2π

/N.

8. A controlled radiation pattern array antenna, the antenna comprising:

a substantially planar dielectric substrate having a front surface and a back surface containing an antenna center;

a conductive layer, the conductive layer being disposed on the front surface of the substrate;

a plurality of similar curved, slotted openings extending through the conductive layer to the substrate, the openings forming a plurality of spiral slot array antennas;

a plurality of transmission lines, the transmission lines being disposed on the back surface of the substrate such that the transmission lines are aligned with the spiral slot array antennas;

each transmission line forming a portion of an arc of radius R surround a transmission line center,

each transmission line being rotated around its center by 2π

/N with respect to the orientation of an adjacent transmission line, wherein N is the number of spiral slot array antennas, and

the spiral slot array antennas located such that the angle between any two adjacent spiral slot array antennas with respect to the antenna center is 2π

/N.

9. A spiral slot array antenna, the antenna comprising:

a substantially planar nonconductive substrate having a first surface and a second surface and containing an antenna center;

a conductive layer disposed on the first surface of the substrate;

a transmission line forming a portion of an arc centered on the antenna center and having a first end and a second end disposed on the second surface of the substrate, the first end connected to a first conductive lead, the first conductive lead connected to a connector, the second end connected to a second conductive lead, the second conductive lead connected to a terminal impedance;

a plurality of curved, slotted openings extending through the conductive layer to the first surface substrate, the openings forming a plurality of spiral slot antennas centered on the antenna center, wherein each spiral slot antenna has a radiating slot line extending radially away from an end of the spiral slot antenna furthest away from the antenna center such that each radiating slot line is substantially perpendicular to the transmission line.

10. An antenna array, the antenna array comprising:

a substantially planar dielectric substrate having a front surface and a back surface;

a conductive layer disposed on the front surface;

a first array of a plurality or curved, slotted opening extending through the conductive layer to the substrate;

an array of the first arrays forming an antenna formed from an array of the first arrays; and

a plurality of transmission lines disposed on the back surface of the substrate such that the transmission lines are aligned with the first arrays.

11. A method for making a controlled radiation pattern antenna, the method comprising the steps of:

placing a conductive layer on a front surface of a substantially planar dielectric surface;

forming a first array of a plurality of curved, slotted openings extending through the conductive layer to the substrate; and

forming an array of the first arrays to form an antenna formed from an array of the first arrays.