Communication system with broadband antenna

• US 7,791,549 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2008
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Astronics Aerosat, Co. (Astronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aerosat Corporation (Astronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Flannery, Matthew, Barrett, Michael, Blanda, Frank, Clymer, Richard, Krivicich, Robert, Anderson, Richard B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen; Shih-Chao
• Application Number:
  US12/176,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20090021436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 343/713, 343/762, 343/786, 343/911.R
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/161 sustaining two independent orthogonal modes, e.g. orthomode transducer combining or separating polarisations and frequencies H01P1/2131
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/32 Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/0258 Orthomode horns orthomode transducers H01P1/161
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/02 Refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens, prism
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/08 formed of solid dielectric material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/242 Polarisation converters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/08 for modifying the radiation pattern of a radiating horn in which it is located corrugated horns H01Q13/0208; producing a circular polarisation H01Q13/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0037 linear waveguide fed arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation

Abstract

A communication system including an antenna array with feed network coupled to communication electronics. In one example, a communication subsystem comprises a plurality of antennas each adapted to receive an information signal and a plurality of orthomode transducers coupled to corresponding ones of the plurality of antennas, each OMT is adapted to provide at a first component signal having a first polarization and a second component signal having a second polarization. The communication subsystem also comprises a feed network that receives the first component signal and the second component signal from each orthomode transducer and provides a first summed component signal at a first feed port and a second summed component signal at a second feed port, and a phase correction device coupled to the first and second feed ports and adapted to phase match the first summed component signal with the second summed component signal.

Claims

1. An antenna assembly comprising:

an antenna array including;

a plurality of antennas configured to receive a signal from a source; and

a waveguide feed network coupled to each antenna of the plurality of antennas; and

a polarization converter unit configured to compensate for polarization skew between the antenna array and the source;

wherein the waveguide feed network comprises a plurality of orthomode transducers, each orthomode transducer coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of antennas, each orthomode transducer having a first port and a second port, each orthomode transducer configured to receive the signal from the corresponding antenna and to provide at the first port a first component signal having a first polarization and at the second port a second component signal having a second polarization;

wherein the first and second polarizations are orthogonal;

wherein the feed network is coupled to the plurality of antennas via the plurality of orthomode transducers; and

wherein the feed network is constructed and arranged to receive the first component signal and the second component signal from each orthomode transducer and to provide a first summed component signal at a first feed port and a second summed component signal at a second feed port; and

wherein the polarization converter unit is coupled to the first and second feed ports and is configured to receive the first summed component signal and the second summed component signal.

2. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas includes a plurality of horn antennas.

3. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feed network comprises substantially symmetrical paths so that a path of the first component signal from each orthomode transducer to the first feed port and a path of the second component signal from each orthomode transducer to the second feed port are substantially symmetrical.

4. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the antenna array further comprises a plurality of dielectric lenses, each respective dielectric lens coupled to a corresponding respective antenna of the plurality of antennas.

5. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein each dielectric lens of the plurality of dielectric lenses has a plano-convex exterior shape including a planar surface and an opposing convex surface;

and

wherein each dielectric lens of the plurality of dielectric lenses has impedance matching features formed near the convex surface.

6. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a gimbal assembly coupled to the antenna array and configured to move the antenna array in azimuth and elevation.

7. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 1;

wherein the polarization converter unit is co-located with the antenna array.

8. A vehicle-mountable communication system comprising:

an antenna array configured to receive a signal from a source; and

means for compensating for any polarization skew between the antenna array and the source.

9. The vehicle-mountable communication system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a gimbal assembly;

wherein the antenna array and the means for compensating are mounted to the gimbal assembly; and

wherein the gimbal assembly is configured to move the combination of the antenna array and the means for compensating over a range in elevation and azimuth.

10. The vehicle-mountable communication system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the antenna array comprises:

a plurality of antennas configured to receive a signal from a source; and

a feed network coupled to each antenna of the plurality of antennas and constructed and arranged receive the signal from the plurality of antennas; and

wherein the feed network comprises a plurality of orthomode transducers, each orthomode transducer coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of antennas, each orthomode transducer having a first port and a second port, each orthomode transducer configured to receive the signal from the corresponding antenna and to provide at the first port a first component signal having a first polarization and at the second port a second component signal having a second polarization;

wherein the first and second polarizations are orthogonal; and

wherein the feed network is coupled to the plurality of antennas via the plurality of orthomode transducers and is constructed and arranged to receive the first component signal and the second component signal from each orthomode transducer and to provide a first summed component signal at a first feed port and a second summed component signal at a second feed port.

11. The vehicle-mountable communication system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the feed network comprises substantially symmetrical paths so that a path of the first component signal from each orthomode transducer to the first feed port and a path of the second component signal from each orthomode transducer to the second feed port are substantially symmetrical.

12. An antenna assembly comprising:

a first antenna configured to receive a signal from a source;

a second antenna, substantially identical to the first antenna, and configured to receive the signal;

a waveguide feed network coupled to the first and second antennas and including a first feed port and a second feed port, the waveguide feed network being constructed to receive the signal from the first and second antennas and to provide a first component signal having a first polarization at the first feed port and a second component signal having a second, orthogonal, polarization at the second feed port; and

a polarization converter unit coupled to the first feed port and the second feed port that is configured to compensate for any polarization skew between the antennas and the source.

13. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first and second antennas are horn antennas.

14. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a first dielectric lens coupled to the first antenna to focus the signal to a feed point of the first horn antenna; and

a second dielectric lens coupled to the second antenna to focus the signal to a feed point of the second horn antenna.

15. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the feed network comprises a plurality of orthomode transducers, each orthomode transducer coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of antennas, each orthomode transducer having a first port and a second port, each orthomode transducer configured to receive the signal from the corresponding antenna and to provide at the first port a first component signal having a first polarization and at the second port a second component signal having a second polarization;

wherein the first and second polarizations are orthogonal.

16. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the feed network is coupled to the plurality of antennas via the plurality of orthomode transducers;

and

wherein the feed network is constructed and arranged to receive the first component signal and the second component signal from each orthomode transducer and to provide a first summed component signal at a first feed port and a second summed component signal at a second feed port.

17. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the feed network comprises substantially symmetrical paths so that a path of the first component signal from each orthomode transducer to the first feed port and a path of the second component signal from each orthomode transducer to the second feed port are substantially symmetrical.

18. An antenna assembly comprising:

an antenna adapted to receive an information signal from a source;

an orthomode transducer coupled to a feed point of the antenna and having a first port and a second port, the orthomode transducer being constructed to receive the information signal from the antenna and to split the information signal to provide, at the first port, a first component signal and, at the second port, a second component signal, the second component signal being orthogonally polarized to the first component signal; and

a polarization converter unit coupled to the first and second ports of the orthomode transducer and configured to receive the first and second component signals and to compensate for polarization skew between the antenna and the source.

19. The antenna assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the antenna is a horn antenna;

and

wherein the orthomode transducer is integrally formed with the horn antenna.