Low-profile omnidirectional retrodirective antennas
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A retrodirective antenna comprising:
- (a) a transmit antenna array having at least one row of N transmit elements with each transmit element located in a first common plane at a common transmit radial distance from a center of the transmit antenna array, and each transmit element having a common spacing with its neighboring transmit elements over a defined angular transmit range, and each having a defined transmit azimuth position around the center of the transmit antenna array;
(b) a receive antenna array having at least one row of N receive elements with each receive element located in a second common plane spaced from the first common plane, and each receive element having common receive radial distance from a center of the receive antenna array, wherein the center of the receive antenna is located along a line that extends through the center of the transmit antenna array and is perpendicular to the plane of the transmit antenna array, and wherein each of the N transmit elements have a corresponding receive element, and wherein each of the corresponding transmit and receive elements have azimuth positions selected from the group consisting of (1) matching azimuth positions and (2) azimuth positions that are offset by a fixed amount which is less than the difference in azimuth positions between neighboring transmit elements;
(c) radio-frequency electronic components that join corresponding transmit and receive elements and drive each transmit element with a desired waveform such that retrodirectivity is provided between the received and transmitted radiation patterns,wherein either the “
N”
transmit elements or the “
N”
receive elements have “
endfire”
radiation patterns and are located on a horizontal plane while the other of the “
N”
receive elements or “
N”
transmit elements have “
broadside”
radiation patterns and are located on a surface of a cylinder, wherein the cylinder has an axis that is perpendicular to the plane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention are directed to retrodirective radio-frequency systems wherein a transmit antenna array includes at least one row of N transmit elements and a receive antenna array includes at least one row of N receive elements that correspond one-to-one to the transmit elements and wherein the transmit and receive elements are located on spaced planes, and centered about a common axis and located at common transmit distance and a common receive distance, respectively. In some embodiments the one row of transmit and receive elements comprises “n” rows of elements, where “n” is an integer greater than one, thereby forming a two-dimensional array. In some embodiments the total transmit radiation pattern provides an azimuth coverage of 360 degrees. In other embodiments, it may provide less coverage but be operable as independent sectors. In some embodiments, the desired transmit wave form will be identical between all transmit elements of the array, one possible example being pseudo random noise imparted on a sinusoidal carrier.
44 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A retrodirective antenna comprising:
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(a) a transmit antenna array having at least one row of N transmit elements with each transmit element located in a first common plane at a common transmit radial distance from a center of the transmit antenna array, and each transmit element having a common spacing with its neighboring transmit elements over a defined angular transmit range, and each having a defined transmit azimuth position around the center of the transmit antenna array; (b) a receive antenna array having at least one row of N receive elements with each receive element located in a second common plane spaced from the first common plane, and each receive element having common receive radial distance from a center of the receive antenna array, wherein the center of the receive antenna is located along a line that extends through the center of the transmit antenna array and is perpendicular to the plane of the transmit antenna array, and wherein each of the N transmit elements have a corresponding receive element, and wherein each of the corresponding transmit and receive elements have azimuth positions selected from the group consisting of (1) matching azimuth positions and (2) azimuth positions that are offset by a fixed amount which is less than the difference in azimuth positions between neighboring transmit elements; (c) radio-frequency electronic components that join corresponding transmit and receive elements and drive each transmit element with a desired waveform such that retrodirectivity is provided between the received and transmitted radiation patterns, wherein either the “
N”
transmit elements or the “
N”
receive elements have “
endfire”
radiation patterns and are located on a horizontal plane while the other of the “
N”
receive elements or “
N”
transmit elements have “
broadside”
radiation patterns and are located on a surface of a cylinder, wherein the cylinder has an axis that is perpendicular to the plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification
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Current AssigneePhysical Domains, LLC
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Original AssigneePhysical Domains, LLC
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InventorsBrown, Elliott R., Hartenstein, Abraham
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Primary Examiner(s)Sotomayor, John B
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Assistant Examiner(s)Barker, Matthew M
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Application NumberUS12/511,065Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,253 DaysField of Search342/370US Class Current342/147CPC Class CodesG01S 13/222 using random or pseudorando...G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of...G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation o...G01S 13/756 using a signal generator fo...G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders te...G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems sp...H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectiona...H01Q 3/2605 Array of radiating elements...H01Q 3/2647 Retrodirective arraysH01Q 3/46 Active lenses or reflecting...
