Overlapping subarray patch antenna system

• US 6,559,797 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Chang, Donald C. D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tareza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H
• Application Number:
  US09/973,269
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 342/368, 342/375
• US Class Current: 342/368
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18515 Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays

Abstract

A high altitude communication device is provided using a first array element comprising a plurality of patches and a second array element comprising a plurality of patches. The first array element and the second array element are for receiving communication signals. A patch in the first array element is shared by the second array element. At least one grouping network selects the first array element for a first time interval and selects the second array element for a time interval after the first time interval to convert and form digital combined signals from the communication signals. A method of digitally controlling received signals within a high altitude communication device is also provided.

Claims

1. A high altitude communication device comprising:

a first array element comprising a plurality of patches for receiving communication signals;

a second array element comprising a plurality of patches for receiving communication signals, said second array element having at least one patch from said first array element;

at least one grouping network selecting said first array element for a first time interval and selecting said second array element for a time interval after said first time interval to convert and form digital combined signals from said communication signals.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said grouping network further comprising a plurality of filters.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein said grouping network is part of a solid-state electrical circuit.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of grouping networks further comprise:

a plurality of low noise amplifiers electrically coupled to said first array element, said low noise amplifiers converting said communication signals to received signals;

a plurality of downconverters electrically coupled to said plurality of low noise amplifiers, said downconverters converting received signals to baseband signals;

a plurality of analog-to-digital converters electrically coupled to said plurality of downconverters, said analog-to-digital converters transforming said baseband signals to digital baseband signals; and

a digital network electrically coupled to said plurality of analog-to-digital converters, said digital network transforming said digital baseband signals into said digital combined signals.

5. A system as in claim 4 wherein said digital network further comprises:

a strip-line electrically coupled to a group of analog-to-digital converters selected from said plurality of analog-to-digital converters;

a plurality of polarizers electrically coupled to said strip-line, said polarizers converting said digital baseband signals into polarized signals; and

a plurality of elements electrically coupled to said plurality of polarizers, said elements summing said polarized signals to form said digital combined signals.

6. A system as in claim 4 wherein said digital network further comprises a digital beam former.

7. A system as in claim 4 wherein said digital network further comprises a plurality of filters.

8. A system as in claim 4 wherein said digital network is part of a solid-state electrical circuit.

9. A system as in claim 1 wherein spaces between patches in said plurality of patches is approximately equal to half a received signal wavelength.

10. A system as in claim 1 wherein space between said first array element and said second array element is approximately equal to a received signal wavelength.

11. A method of digitally controlling a received signal within a high altitude communication device comprising:

clocking an array element comprising;

selecting a first array element comprising a plurality of patches for receiving communication signals for a first time interval; and

selecting a second array element comprising a patch within said first array element for receiving communication signals for a time interval after said first time interval;

receiving a communication signal;

converting said communication signal into a digital baseband signal; and

forming a digital combined signal from said digital baseband signal.

12. A method as in claim 11 wherein converting communication signal into a digital baseband signal comprises:

amplifying said communication signal to form a received signal;

downconverting said received signal to form a baseband signal; and

transforming said baseband signal into a digital baseband signal.

13. A method as in claim 11 wherein clocking an array element comprises selecting a plurality of array elements to receive a communication signal for a particular time interval.

14. A method as in claim 13 wherein transforming said baseband signal into a digital baseband signal further comprises filtering said baseband signal.

15. A method as in claim 13 further comprising filtering said digital baseband signal.

16. A method as in claim 11 wherein forming a digital combined signal from said digital baseband signal comprises:

polarizing said digital baseband signal to form a polarized signal; and

summing said polarized signal to form said digital combined signal.

17. A high altitude communication device comprising:

a first array element comprising a plurality of patches for receiving communication signals;

a second array element comprising a plurality of patches for receiving communication signals, said second array element having at least one patch from said first array element;

a plurality of grouping networks, said plurality of grouping networks are electrically coupled to said first array element;

said plurality of grouping networks selecting said first array element for a first time interval and selecting said second array element for a time interval after said first time interval to convert and form digital combined signals from said communication signals;

a plurality of low noise amplifiers electrically coupled to said first plurality of patches, said low noise amplifiers converting said communication signals to received signals;

a plurality of downconverters electrically coupled to said plurality of low noise amplifiers, said downconverters converting received signals to baseband signals;

a plurality of analog-to-digital converters electrically coupled to said plurality of downconverters, said analog-to-digital converters transforming said baseband signals to digital baseband signals; and

a digital network electrically coupled to said analog-to-digital converters, said digital network combining said digital baseband signals to form said digital combined signals.

18. A system as in claim 17 wherein said digital network further comprises:

a strip-line electrically coupled to a group of analog-to-digital converters selected from said plurality of analog-to-digital converters;

a plurality of polarizers electrically coupled to said strip-line, said polarizers converting said digital baseband signals into polarized signals;

a plurality of elements electrically coupled to said plurality of polarizers, said elements summing said polarized signals to form digital combined signals; and

a digital beam former electrically coupled to said plurality of elements.