Electronically scanned antenna system, an electrically scanned antenna and an associated method of forming the same
First Claim
1. An electronically scanned antenna system comprising:
- a plurality of array elements each comprising a plurality of reflecting components capable of reflecting an electromagnetic wave incident thereon, wherein each reflecting component is interconnected to at least one reflecting segment by at least one switch, wherein when the at least one switch is in a closed state a respective reflecting segment is electrically coupled to the respective reflecting component to thereby alter a reflective geometry of the respective reflecting component; and
a control system capable of controlling the at least one switch to thereby control said plurality of array elements to provide a desired degree of phase shift to a signal reflected from the antenna, wherein said control system is capable of controlling the at least one switch of one reflecting component at the same time said control system controls corresponding switches of other reflecting components.
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Abstract
An electronically scanned antenna system includes a plurality of array elements and a control system. Each array element has a plurality of reflecting components capable of reflecting an electromagnetic wave incident thereon. Each reflecting component, in turn, is interconnected to at least one reflecting segment by at least one switch. In this regard, when the switches are in a closed state the respective reflecting segments are electrically coupled to the respective reflecting components to thereby alter a reflective geometry of the respective reflecting components. The control system is capable of controlling the switches to thereby control the array elements to provide a desired degree of phase shift to a signal reflected from the antenna. Advantageously, the control system is capable of controlling the switches of one reflecting component at the same time the control system controls corresponding switches of other reflecting components.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An electronically scanned antenna system comprising:
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a plurality of array elements each comprising a plurality of reflecting components capable of reflecting an electromagnetic wave incident thereon, wherein each reflecting component is interconnected to at least one reflecting segment by at least one switch, wherein when the at least one switch is in a closed state a respective reflecting segment is electrically coupled to the respective reflecting component to thereby alter a reflective geometry of the respective reflecting component; and
a control system capable of controlling the at least one switch to thereby control said plurality of array elements to provide a desired degree of phase shift to a signal reflected from the antenna, wherein said control system is capable of controlling the at least one switch of one reflecting component at the same time said control system controls corresponding switches of other reflecting components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An electronically scanned antenna comprising:
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a plurality of resonant cross dipoles, wherein each resonant cross dipole includes two crossing dipole arms, and wherein said resonant cross dipoles are capable of reflecting an electromagnetic wave incident thereon;
a plurality of dipole segments comprising at least one dipole segment of a first length and at least one dipole segment of a second length that is shorter than the first length; and
a plurality of switches capable of interconnecting each resonant cross dipole to at least one dipole segment, wherein a portion of the switches interconnect at least one of the dipole arms of each reflecting component to a dipole segment of a first length, wherein another portion of the switches interconnect at least one of the dipole arms of each reflecting component to a dipole segment of a second length, and wherein when a switch is in a closed state a respective reflecting segment is electrically coupled to the respective reflecting component to thereby alter a reflective geometry of the respective reflecting component to provide a desired degree of phase shift to a signal reflected from the antenna. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of forming an electronically scanned antenna comprising:
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providing a plurality of resonant cross dipoles capable of reflecting an electromagnetic wave incident thereon, wherein each resonant cross dipole comprises two crossing dipole arms, and wherein at least one dipole arm of each resonant cross dipole is interconnected to at least one dipole segment by at least one switch; and
controlling the at least one switch in at least one of an open state and a closed state to thereby operate the antenna to reflect the electromagnetic wave incident thereon, wherein controlling the at least one switch in the closed state comprises controlling the at least one switch in the closed state to electrically couple at least one dipole segment to at least one respective resonant cross dipole to thereby alter a reflective geometry of the at least one respective resonant cross dipole to thereby reflect electromagnetic waves incident upon the antenna with a predefined amount of phase shift. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification