Ultra-wideband multi-beam adaptive antenna

• US 6,529,166 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Winterspring Digital LLC
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kanamaluru, Sridhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANNUCCI, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US09/818,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20020140616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/824, 343/727, 343/776, 342/375, 338/306
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• 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 3/40 with phasing matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/42 using two or more imbricated arrays H01Q5/49 takes precedence

Abstract

An ultra-wideband, multi-beam adaptive antenna includes a phased array system having an ultra-wideband antenna. The antenna further includes at least two sub-arrays of antenna elements for receiving radio frequency (RF) signals located in a respective at least two sub-bands of a desired wide frequency band. The sub-arrays are interspersed to provide a single wideband antenna, which is coupled with a phased array system having multiple beamforming networks.

Claims

1. An antenna array comprising:

a plurality of unit cells, each unit cell including;

first array of antenna elements; and

at least one additional array of antenna elements, interspersed within said first array of antenna elements;

wherein said unit cells are disposed such that said first arrays collectively form a first sub-array to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal in a first sub-band of a frequency band, and said at least one additional arrays collectively form a respective at least one additional sub-array to receive said RF signal in a respective at least one remaining sub-band of said frequency band.

2. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna elements of said first sub-array and said at least one sub-array are selected from the group consisting of dipole elements, bow-tie elements, spiral elements, and micro-strip patches.

3. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna elements of said first sub-array and said at least one sub-array are disposed one-half of one free-space wavelength apart.

4. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna elements of said first sub-array and said at least one sub-array are disposed to not allow grating lobes within a predetermined angle of scan.

5. The antenna of claim 1 wherein said at least one array of each of the unit cells comprises:

a second array of elements; and

a third array of elements;

and wherein said second arrays collectively form a second sub-array to receive said RF signal in a second sub-band of said frequency band and said third arrays collectively form a third sub-array to receive said RF signal in a third sub-band of said frequency band.

6. The antenna of claim 5 wherein said first sub-band comprises frequencies between 0.3 and 1.0 GHz, said second sub-band comprises frequencies between 1.0 and 3.5 GHz, and said third sub-band comprises frequencies between 3.5 and 12.4 GHz.

7. The antenna of claim 1 wherein said plurality of unit cells are disposed on a high-impedance surface.

8. The antenna of claim 7 wherein said high-impedance surface comprises:

a substrate; and

a multiplicity of metallic patches disposed in a spaced apart relation on said a substrate;

wherein each of said metallic patches is coupled its respective adjacent metallic patches by a thin transmission line.

9. A phased array antenna system comprising:

a plurality of unit cells, each unit cell including;

a first array of antenna elements; and

at least one additional array of antenna elements, interspersed within said first array of antenna elements;

wherein said unit cells are disposed such that said first arrays collectively form a first sub-array to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal in a first sub-band of a frequency band, and said at least one additional arrays collectively form a respective at least one additional sub-array to receive said RF signal in a respective at least one remaining sub-band of said frequency band;

a plurality of beamforming networks for combining the replicas of said RF signal received by the antenna elements of said first sub-array and said at least one additional sub-array to form a plurality of output beams.

10. The phased array system of claim 9 further comprising:

a low noise amplifier (LNA) bank for amplifying said replicas; and

a plurality feed networks for coupling said replicas to a respective one of said plurality of beamforming networks; and

an adaptive control processor for controlling said plurality of beamforming networks.

11. The phased array system of claim 9 wherein the antenna elements of said first sub-array and said at least one additional sub-array are selected from the group consisting of dipole elements, bow-tie elements, spiral elements, and micro-strip patches.

12. The phased array system of claim 9 wherein the antenna elements of said first sub-array and said at least one additional sub-array are disposed one-half of one free-space wavelength apart.

13. The phased array system of claim 9 wherein the antenna elements of said first sub-array and said at least one additional sub-array are disposed to not allow grating lobes within a predetermined angle of scan.

14. The phased-array system of claim 9 wherein said at least one array of each of the unit cells comprises:

a second array of antenna elements; and

a third array of antenna elements;

and wherein said second arrays collectively form a second sub-array to receive said RF signal in a second sub-band of said frequency band and said third arrays collectively form a third sub-array to receive said RF signal in a third sub-band of said frequency ban.

15. The phased array system of claim 14 wherein said first sub-band comprises frequencies from 0.3 to 1.0 GHz, said second sub-band comprises frequencies between 1.0 GHz to 3.5 GHz, and said third sub-band comprises frequencies between 3.5 GHz and 12.4 GHz.

16. The phased array system of claim 9 wherein said plurality of unit cells are disposed on a high-impedance surface.

17. The phased array system of claim 16 wherein said high-impedance surface comprises:

a substrate; and

a multiplicity of metallic patches disposed in a spaced apart relation on said substrate;

wherein each of said metallic patches is coupled its respective adjacent metallic patches by a thin transmission line.