Three dimensional radar antenna method and apparatus

• US 8,558,734 B1
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gregory Hubert Piesinger
• Original Assignee: Gregory Hubert Piesinger
• Inventors: Piesinger, Gregory Hubert
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack W
• Assistant Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US12/804,173
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 342/123, 342147-158, 342/373, 343753-755, 343/700.MS, 343/761, 343/781.R, 343/781.P, 343/781.CA, 343824-827, 343834-840, 343/844, 343912-916
• US Class Current: 342/123
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/14 Reflecting surfaces; Equivalent structures electromagnetic shields H01Q1/526
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/175 arrayed along the focal line of a cylindrical focusing surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 25/007 using two or more primary active elements in the focal region of a focusing device for operation on different wavebands H01Q5/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/04 for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/245 in the focal plane of a focussing device

Abstract

A ground based avian radar receive antenna is implemented using a vertically oriented offset parabolic cylindrical antenna. The desired azimuth beamwidth is determined by the width of the parabolic cylinder reflector surface and the desired elevation beamwidth by the height of the parabolic cylinder reflector surface. A vertical array of antenna elements is mounted along the vertical focal line to provide electronic scanning in elevation. Low sidelobe levels are obtained using tapered antenna element illumination. Low cost modular construction with high reflector accuracy is obtained by attaching a thin metal reflector to thin ribs machined or stamped in the shape of the parabolic cylinder reflector surface. The antenna is enclosed in a radome and mechanically rotated 360 degrees in azimuth.

Claims

1. A method of implementing a three dimensional ground based bistatic radar receiving antenna for detecting and precisely determining locations of birds in a surveillance volume, said method comprising:

providing a vertically oriented offset parabolic cylindrical antenna;

implementing said offset parabolic cylindrical antenna as receive only;

mounting an array of antenna elements along the vertical focal line of said offset parabolic cylindrical antenna;

receiving and converting signals from said antenna elements to digital data; and

combining said digital data in a three dimensional ground based bistatic radar external to said three dimensional ground based bistatic radar receiving antenna to form multiple simultaneous receiving beams of any desired elevation beamwidths and sidelobes and electronically scanned in elevation by controlling the progressive phase difference and amplitude between said digital data from said array of antenna elements along said vertical focal line of said offset parabolic cylindrical antenna.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said antenna elements illumination pattern is tapered to produce low azimuth sidelobe levels.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said antenna elements vertical spacing is a half wavelength or less.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said antenna elements are microwave patch antennas.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said microwave patch antennas are grouped into sets and printed on a printed circuit board.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said microwave patch antennas are horizontally polarized.

7. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said microwave patch antennas are active antennas.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said offset parabolic cylindrical antenna is constructed by fastening the parabolic cylinder reflector surface to a series of vertically stacked thin ribs, said thin ribs machined or stamped in the shape of said parabolic cylinder reflector surface.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein narrower said offset parabolic cylindrical antenna azimuth beam-widths are implemented by increasing the width of said parabolic cylinder reflector surface.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said offset parabolic cylindrical antenna is constructed as multiple short modular vertical sections stacked vertically to form the complete said offset parabolic cylindrical antenna.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein narrower said offset parabolic cylindrical antenna elevation beamwidths are implemented by stacking more said modular vertical sections.

12. A three dimensional ground based bistatic radar receiving antenna for detecting and precisely determining locations of birds in a surveillance volume, said antenna comprising:

a vertically oriented offset parabolic cylinder reflector surface;

an array of antenna elements mounted along the vertical focal line of said offset parabolic cylindrical reflector surface;

receivers coupled to said antenna elements, said receivers configured to receive, downconvert, and digitize signals from said antenna elements; and

data multiplexers coupled to said receivers and configured to send said antenna elements digital signal data to a three dimensional ground based bistatic radar external to said three dimensional ground based bistatic radar receiving antenna where said digital signal data is combined to form multiple simultaneous receiving beams of any desired elevation beamwidths and sidelobes and electronically scanned in elevation by controlling the progressive phase difference and amplitude between said digital signal data of said antenna elements.

13. A receiving antenna as in claim 12 wherein each said receivers additionally comprises:

a low noise amplifier coupled to said antenna elements and configured to amplify received signals from said antenna elements;

a bandpass filter coupled said low noise amplifier and configured to bandpass filter received signals from said antenna elements;

a mixer coupled to said bandpass filter and configured to downconvert received signals from said antenna elements;

an intermediate frequency filter coupled to said mixer and configured to anti-alias signals from said mixer;

an intermediate frequency amplifier coupled to said intermediate frequency filter and configured to amplify and buffer signals from said intermediate frequency amplifier; and

an analog to digital converter coupled to said intermediate frequency amplifier and configured to digitize signals from said intermediate frequency amplifier.

14. A receiving antenna as in claim 12 wherein said receiving antenna additionally comprises:

a plurality of thin ribs, said thin ribs machined or stamped in the shape of said offset parabolic cylinder reflector surface and positioned to support said offset parabolic cylinder reflector surface;

a plurality of thin rib supports connected to said thin ribs and configured to vertically separate and support said thin ribs;

a plurality of focal line supports connected to at least one thin rib support and configured to support and position said array of antenna elements along said vertical focal line; and

a plurality of printed wiring boards connected to one or more said focal line supports and configured to position said antenna elements along said focal line.

15. A receiving antenna as in claim 14 wherein said printed wiring boards additionally comprises a plurality of microwave patch antennas printed directly on said printed wiring boards, said microwave patch antennas configured as said array of antenna elements.

16. A receiving antenna as in claim 12 additionally comprising one or more data multiplexers connected to a plurality of said receivers and configured to multiplex digital signals from said plurality of said receivers onto a single digital data output.

17. A receiver antenna as in claim 12 additionally comprising a radome and rotating pedestal configured to mechanically rotate said receiver antenna 360 degrees in azimuth.

18. A method of implementing a three dimensional ground based bistatic radar receiver antenna, said method comprising:

providing a short vertical offset parabolic cylindrical reflector surface;

mounting an antenna element at the focal point of said short vertical offset parabolic cylindrical reflector surface;

receiving and converting said antenna element signal to digital data;

vertically stacking multiple said short vertical offset parabolic cylindrical reflector surface sections to form a tall offset parabolic cylindrical antenna; and

combining said digital data from said tall offset parabolic cylindrical antenna in a three dimensional ground based bistatic radar external to said three dimensional ground based bistatic radar receiver antenna to form multiple simultaneous receiving beams of any desired elevation beamwidths and sidelobes and electronically scanned in elevation by controlling the progressive phase difference and amplitude between said digital data from said tall offset parabolic cylindrical antenna.

19. A receiver antenna as in claim 18 additionally comprising a radome and rotating pedestal connected to said tall offset parabolic cylindrical antenna and configured to mechanically rotate said tall offset parabolic cylindrical antenna 360 degrees in azimuth.