Method and apparatus for forming millimeter wave phased array antenna
First Claim
1. A phased array antenna, comprising:
- a first dielectric filled waveguide structure for dividing an input of electromagnetic (EM) wave energy into a first plurality of EM wave signals;
a second dielectric filled waveguide structure disposed adjacent said first dielectric filled waveguide structure having a plurality of dielectric filled waveguides for receiving each of said first plurality of EM wave signals and channeling said first plurality of EM wave signals toward an output end of each one of said plurality of dielectric filled waveguides; and
a stripline waveguide circuit board positioned adjacent said second dielectric filled waveguide structure and having circuit traces forming a plurality of inputs overlaying said output ends of said dielectric filled waveguides, said stripline waveguide circuit board distributing said EM wave signals via said circuit traces to a plurality of closely spaced EM wave radiating elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A phased array antenna system having a corporate waveguide distribution network stripline printed circuit board. The stripline printed circuit board receives electromagnetic (EM) wave energy from a 1×4 waveguide distribution network input plate and distributes the EM wave energy to 524 radiating elements. The stripline circuit board enables extremely tight spacing of independent antenna radiating elements that would not be possible with a rectangular air filled waveguide. The antenna system enables operation at millimeter wave frequencies, and particularly at 44 GHz, and without requiring the use of a plurality of look-up tables for various phase and amplitude delays, that would otherwise be required with a rectangular, air-filled waveguide distribution structure. The antenna system can be used at millimeter wave frequencies, and in connection with the MILSTAR communications protocol, without the requirement of knowing, in advance, the next beam hopping frequency employed by the MILSTAR protocol.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A phased array antenna, comprising:
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a first dielectric filled waveguide structure for dividing an input of electromagnetic (EM) wave energy into a first plurality of EM wave signals;
a second dielectric filled waveguide structure disposed adjacent said first dielectric filled waveguide structure having a plurality of dielectric filled waveguides for receiving each of said first plurality of EM wave signals and channeling said first plurality of EM wave signals toward an output end of each one of said plurality of dielectric filled waveguides; and
a stripline waveguide circuit board positioned adjacent said second dielectric filled waveguide structure and having circuit traces forming a plurality of inputs overlaying said output ends of said dielectric filled waveguides, said stripline waveguide circuit board distributing said EM wave signals via said circuit traces to a plurality of closely spaced EM wave radiating elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A phased array antenna, comprising:
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a first dielectric filled waveguide structure for dividing an input of electromagnetic (EM) wave energy into a first plurality of EM wave signals;
a second dielectric filled waveguide structure having a plurality of dielectric filled, generally circular waveguides for receiving each of said first plurality of EM wave signals at inputs ends thereof and channeling said first plurality of EM wave signals toward output ends of said plurality of dielectric filled waveguides; and
a stripline waveguide distribution circuit disposed generally parallel to and adjacent said second dielectric filled waveguide structure for receiving said EM wave signals and further dividing and further distributing EM wave energy therefrom to a plurality of EM wave radiating elements. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A millimeter wave phased array antenna comprising:
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a corporate waveguide feed for evenly dividing an input electromagnetic (EM) wave signal to a sub-plurality of EM wave signals;
a dielectric filled waveguide structure forming a plurality of generally circular, dielectric filled waveguides for receiving said sub-plurality of EM wave signals and channeling said sub-plurality of EM wave signals to output ends of said dielectric filled waveguides; and
a stripline waveguide structure overlaying said dielectric filled waveguide structure for further dividing and distributing EM wave energy from said EM wave signals to a plurality of radiating elements. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for forming a phased array antenna, comprising:
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using a corporate waveguide feed for evenly dividing an input electromagnetic (EM) wave signal to a plurality of EM wave signals;
channeling said plurality of EM wave signals through a plurality of dielectric filled waveguides; and
using a stripline waveguide in communication with said dielectric filled waveguides for further dividing and distributing said EM wave energy to a plurality of radiating elements. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of using a phased array antenna, comprising:
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generating an electromagnetic (EM) wave input signal;
directing said EM wave input signal into an input of a corporate waveguide wherein said EM wave input signal is divided into a first sub-plurality of EM wave signals;
channeling said first sub-plurality of EM wave signals into a dielectric filled waveguide structure having a corresponding plurality of dielectric filled waveguides;
coupling said first sub-plurality of EM wave signals into a stripline waveguide structure wherein said EM wave energy of said first sub-plurality of EM wave signals is further successively divided into a second sub-plurality of EM wave signals; and
applying said second sub-plurality of EM wave signals to a corresponding plurality of antenna elements. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of forming a phased array antenna for use with a MILSTAR communications protocol at millimeter wave frequencies without the need to know future beam hopping frequencies used in the implementation of said MILSTAR communications protocol, the method comprising:
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generating an electromagnetic (EM) wave input signal;
routing said EM wave input signal through an air filled corporate waveguide so that the EM wave input signal is divided into a first sub-plurality of EM wave signals;
coupling said first sub-plurality of EM wave signals into a stripline waveguide structure disposed generally parallel relative to said air filled corporate waveguide, and including a plurality of EM wave radiating elements, wherein said EM wave energy is further successively divided into a second sub-plurality of EM wave signals; and
using said stripline waveguide structure to route said second sub-plurality of EM wave signals to said EM wave radiating elements.
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Specification