Switched beam antenna architecture

• US 6,642,908 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2001
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo Radar Systems, Inc. (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Breglia, Caroline, French, Thomas W., Pleva, Joseph S., Woodington, Walter Gordon, Russell, Mark E., Delcheccolo, Michael Joseph, Van Rees, H. Barteld
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/932,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.324, 343/700.MS, 343/853, 343/876
• US Class Current: 343/876
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/081 using distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/088 using transmission control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4043 Lateral speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/803 Relative lateral speed
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/282 using a frequency modulated carrier wave G01S13/286 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/343 using sawtooth modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/346 using noise modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/48 using multiple beams at emission or reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/584 adapted for simultaneous range and velocity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/726 Multiple target tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0245 Radar with phased array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 : Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 : in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 : in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 : on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 : in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/023 : Interference mitigation, e.g. reducing or avoiding non-intentional interference with other HF-transmitters, base station transmitters for mobile communication or other radar systems, e.g. using electro-magnetic interference [EMI] reduction techniques auxiliary means for detecting or identifying radar signals or the like G01S7/021; means for anti-jamming G01S7/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/0232 : Avoidance by frequency multiplex
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 : Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/038 : Feedthrough nulling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/06 : Cathode-ray tube displays or other two dimensional or three-dimensional displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/288 : Coherent receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/352 : Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/354 : Extracting wanted echo-signals Doppler systems G01S13/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/356 : involving particularities of FFT processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4004 : of parts of a radar system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4008 : of transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4021 : of receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 : particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3258 : using the gutter of the vehicle; Means for clamping a whip aerial on the edge of a part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3283 : side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271
• 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 1/42 : Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 : Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/18 : the slot being backed by, or formed in boundary wall of, a resonant cavity longitudinally slotted cylinder H01Q13/12 ; Open cavity antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0043 : Slotted waveguides combination with horns H01Q13/0233
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0075 : Stripline fed arrays H01Q21/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 : Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 : Patch antenna array
• 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 3/24 : varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/40 : with phasing matrix

Abstract

A multiple beam array antenna system comprises a plurality of radiating elements provided from stripline-fed open-ended waveguide coupled to a Butler matrix beam forming network. The Butler matrix beam forming network is coupled to a switched beam combining circuit. The antenna can be fabricated as a single Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC) circuit.

Claims

1. A switched beam antenna system comprising:

a first plurality of antenna elements disposed to provide an antenna;

a beamforming network that forms orthogonal beams at fixed locations having a plurality of antenna ports and a plurality of switch ports with each of the antenna ports coupled to ones of said first plurality of antenna elements; and

a first switched beam combining circuit having an input port and a plurality of output ports, each of the output ports coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switch ports of said beamforming network, said first switched beam combining circuit operative to simultaneously provide a radio frequency signal path between at least two of the plurality of switch ports of said beamforming network and the input port of said first switched beam combining circuit.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said antenna corresponds to a transmit antenna and the system further comprises:

a second plurality of antenna elements disposed to provide a receive antenna;

a second beamforming network that forms orthogonal beams at fixed locations having a plurality of antenna ports and a plurality of switch ports with each of the antenna ports coupled to ones of said second plurality of antenna elements; and

a second switched beam combining circuit having a plurality of input ports and an output port, each of the plurality of input ports coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of the switch ports of said second beamforming network.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a receiver coupled to an output of said second switched beam combining circuit.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said antenna corresponds to a transmit antenna and the system further comprises a transmit signal source having an output coupled to an input of said first switched beam combining circuit.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said antenna is provided as an array antenna having a first plurality of antenna columns and said first switched beam combining circuit comprises:

a plurality of switch circuits, each of the switch circuits having an input port and a plurality of output ports wherein a total number of switch output ports provided from the combination of said plurality of switch circuits equals the number of antenna columns provided in the array antenna;

a coupler circuit having an input port and a plurality of output ports equal to the number of input ports provided from the combination of said plurality of switch circuits with each of the output ports of said coupler circuit coupled to a corresponding one of the input ports of said plurality of switch circuits.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the number of total output ports between said plurality of switches equals the number of columns in the array antenna.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a plurality of phase lines each of the phase lines disposed between one of the switch output ports and one of the plurality of switch ports of said beamforming network.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein each of said antenna elements comprises:

a ground plane layer having a first ground plane disposed thereover;

an array feed circuit layer having a plurality of feed circuits disposed thereon, said array feed circuit layer disposed over said ground plane layer;

a radiator layer having a second ground plane disposed thereon with the second ground plane having an aperture therein, said radiator layer disposed over said feed circuit layer; and

a cover layer disposed over said radiator layer; and

a plurality of via holes disposed between the first and second ground plane layers to provide a cavity in said radiator and feed circuit layers.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said beamforming network is a Butler matrix beamforming circuit.

10. A switched beam antenna system comprising:

a feed circuit layer having a first ground plane disposed thereon;

a radiator layer having a second ground plane disposed thereon with the second ground plane having an aperture therein, said radiator layer disposed over said feed circuit layer; and

a cover layer disposed over said radiator layer;

at least one conductive path coupling the first and second ground plane layers to provide a cavity in said radiator and feed circuit layers;

an antenna element feed disposed to couple energy between the feed circuit and said radiator layer;

a switched beam combining circuit having a common port and a plurality of switch ports; and

a beamforming network that forms orthogonal beams at fixed locations, said beamforming network having a plurality of beam ports and a plurality of output ports with each of the plurality of beam ports coupled to one of the switch ports of said switched beam combining circuit and each of the plurality of beamforming network output ports coupled to said feed circuit layer and wherein said switched beam combining circuit is operative to simultaneously provide a radio frequency signal path between at least two of the plurality of beam ports of said beamforming network and the common port of said switched beam combining circuit.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said radiator layer comprises a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said beamforming network corresponds to a Butler matrix beamforming circuit.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said Butler matrix comprises a plurality of quadrature hybrid circuits coupled to a plurality of fixed phase elements, for forming multiple beams.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of fixed phase elements are provided from circuit lines having differential line lengths.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein said cover comprises a tuning structure for matching an impedance of the radiating element to a predetermined impedance.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein said radiator layer further comprises a tuning structure for matching an impedance of the radiating element to a predetermined impedance.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein said at least one conductive path comprises a plurality of via holes between the first and second ground plane layers.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the antenna element feed comprises a power divider disposed between said feed circuit layer and said radiator layer.