Switched-resonance antenna phase shifter and phased array incorporating same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An RF antenna phase shifter comprising:
- a single antenna radiating element having plural feed points symmetrically disposed with respect to said radiating element and respectively associated with corresponding plural selectable resonant modes of operation which modes all have the same polarization, wherein a signal received or transmitted by each one of said modes differs from another of said modes substantially only by a constant electrical phase shift; and
a controllable circuit connected to said feed points to selectively cause a corresponding selected single one of said resonant modes of operation to occur.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Controlled phase shift in the operation of an RF antenna element is achieved by selectively choosing between different modes of antenna element resonance. Additional phase control resolution is achieved by combining this with other types of phase shifters. Such phase shifters are especially useful within a phased array of RF antenna radiator elements.
19 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. An RF antenna phase shifter comprising:
-
a single antenna radiating element having plural feed points symmetrically disposed with respect to said radiating element and respectively associated with corresponding plural selectable resonant modes of operation which modes all have the same polarization, wherein a signal received or transmitted by each one of said modes differs from another of said modes substantially only by a constant electrical phase shift; and a controllable circuit connected to said feed points to selectively cause a corresponding selected single one of said resonant modes of operation to occur. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. An array of plural RF antenna phase shifters, each phase shifter comprising:
-
a single antenna radiating element having plural feed points symmetrically disposed with respect to said radiating element and respectively associated with corresponding plural selectable resonant modes of operation, wherein a signal received or transmitted by each one of said modes differs from another of said modes only by a constant electrical phase shift; and a controllable circuit connected to said feed points to selectively cause a corresponding selected single one of said resonant modes of operation to occur, wherein the single antenna radiating elements of the plural phase shifters also act as antenna elements of a phased array of plural antenna elements across an array aperture and further comprising; an array controller providing digital phase control signals to said controllable circuits.
-
-
4. A method for providing controlled phase shifts in the operation of an RF antenna element, said method comprising:
-
providing a single antenna radiating element having plural feed points symmetrically disposed with respect to said radiating element and respectively associated with corresponding plural selectable resonant modes of operation which modes all have the same polarization, wherein a signal received or transmitted by each one of said modes differs from another of said modes substantially only by a constant electrical phase shift; and selectively feeding said feed points to cause a selected single one of said resonant modes of operation to occur. - View Dependent Claims (5)
-
-
6. A method for providing a controllable phased array comprising a method for providing controlled phase shifts in the operation of an RF antenna element, said method comprising:
-
providing a single antenna radiating element having plural feed points symmetrically disposed with respect to said radiating element and respectively associated with corresponding plural selectable resonant modes of operation, wherein a signal received or transmitted by each one of said modes differs from another of said modes only by a constant electrical phase shift; and selectively feeding said feed points to cause a selected single one of said resonant modes of operation to occur, wherein plural of the single antenna radiating elements of respectively corresponding phase shifters also act as antenna elements of a phased array of plural antenna elements across an array aperture and further comprising; providing digital phase control signals for each said radiating element to effect said selectively causing step.
-
-
7. An antenna phase shifter comprising:
-
a single radiating antenna element having two selectable resonant modes of operation respectively corresponding to two separated feed ports, each said resonant mode differing from the other only by being shifted by 180 degrees in phase with respect to the other; and a controllable RF switch connected to switch an RF feed line between said feed ports so as to feed only a single port at any given time in dependence upon an electrical control signal thereby achieving a 0°
/180°
relative phase shift in antenna element operation depending upon which feed port is being used. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for providing controlled phase shifts in the operational mode of an antenna element, said method comprising:
-
providing a single radiating antenna element having two selectable resonant modes of operation respectively corresponding to two separated feed ports, each said resonant mode differing from the other only by being shifted by 180 degrees in phase with respect to the other; and controllably switching an RF feed line between different ones of said two feed ports in dependence upon an electrical control signal thereby achieving a 0°
/180°
relative phase shift in antenna element operation depending upon which feed port has been connected to said feed line. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. An array of plural RF antenna phase shifters, each phase shifter comprising:
-
a single antenna radiating element having plural feed points symmetrically disposed with respect to said radiating element and respectively associated with corresponding plural selectable resonant modes of operation, wherein a signal received or transmitted by each one of said modes differs from another of said modes only by a constant electrical phase shift; a controllable circuit connected to said feed points to selectively cause a corresponding selected single one of said resonant modes of operation to occur; and a controllable further phase shift circuit connected in series with said single antenna radiating element to achieve greater overall controllable phase shifting resolution, wherein the single antenna radiating elements of the plural phase shifters also act as antenna elements of a phased array of plural antenna elements across an array aperture and further comprising; an array controller providing digital phase control signals to said controllable circuits.
-
-
24. A method for providing a controllable phased array comprising a method for providing controlled phase shifts in the operation of an RF antenna element, said method comprising:
-
providing a single antenna radiating element having plural feed points symmetrically disposed with respect to said radiating element and respectively associated with corresponding plural selectable resonant modes of operation, wherein a signal received or transmitted by each one of said modes differs from another of said modes only by a constant electrical phase shift; selectively feeding said feed points to cause a selected single one of said resonant modes of operation to occur; and selectively causing a further controllable phase shift in series with said single antenna radiating element to achieve greater overall controllable phase shifting resolution, wherein plural of the single antenna radiating elements of respectively corresponding phase shifters also act as antenna elements of a phased array of plural antenna elements across an array aperture and further comprising; providing digital phase control signals for each said radiating element to effect said selectively causing step.
-
Specification