Method for controlling far field radiation from an antenna

• US 8,717,242 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Lavedas, Thomas G., Matter, Craig E., Chukel, Milan
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi, Dameon
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAGALLANES, RICARDO I
• Application Number:
  US13/027,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20120206309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 343/856, 343/868, 343/823, 343/723, 343/861, 343/742
• US Class Current: 343/742
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/01 varying the shape of the antenna or antenna system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

An antenna includes a first loop defining a first enclosed area and having a first phase center point, a second loop coupled to the first loop and disposed substantially parallel to the first loop, the second loop defining a second enclosed area, and a third loop coupled to the first loop and the second loop and substantially parallel to the first loop, the third loop defining a third enclosed area with a plurality of adjuster elements coupled to at least one of the first loop, the second loop, or the third loop to provide an adjustable loop and configured to expand or contract the enclosed area of the adjustable loop.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a first loop defining a first enclosed area and having a first phase center point defined by the geometric center point of the first enclosed area;

a second loop coupled to the first loop and disposed substantially parallel to the first loop, the second loop defining a second enclosed area and a second phase center point defined by the geometric center point of the second enclosed area; and

a third loop coupled to the first loop and the second loop and substantially parallel to the first loop, the third loop defining a third enclosed area and a third phase center point defined by the geometric center point of the third enclosed area; and

a plurality of adjuster elements coupled to at least one of the first loop, the second loop, or the third loop to provide an adjustable loop and configured to expand or contract the enclosed area of the adjustable loop,

wherein a line normal to the plane of the first loop passes through the first phase center point of the first loop, the second phase center point of the second loop, and the third phase center point of the third loop, and a current supplied to the antenna flows in a first polarity in the third loop and flows in a second polarity in the first loop and the second loop, the first and second polarities being opposite to each other wherein the plurality of adjuster elements comprises;

a first bevel gear assembly rotatably coupled to the adjustable loop and operable to expand or contract a length of a first side of the adjustable loop;

a second bevel gear assembly rotatably coupled to the adjustable loop and operable to expand or contract a length of a second side of the adjustable loop, first and second sides being opposed to each other; and

a third bevel gear assembly rotatably coupled to the first bevel gear assembly and the second bevel gear assembly and operable to expand or contract the length of the first side of the adjustable loop and the length of the second side of the adjustable loop.

2. The antenna of claim 1, further comprising a support frame coupled to at least one of the first adjuster element or the second adjuster element.

3. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adjuster elements includes a first adjuster element and a second adjuster element, the first and second adjuster elements configured to expand or contract the enclosed area of the adjustable loop symmetrically about the phase center point of the adjustable loop.

4. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the first enclosed area of the first loop and the second enclosed area of the second loop are substantially equal in size, the adjustable loop is the third loop disposed about the first and second loops, and the plurality of adjuster elements is configured to adjust the size of the third enclosed area to minimize a difference between a size of the third enclosed area and a sum of a size of the first enclosed area and a size of the second enclosed area.

5. An antenna comprising:

a first loop defining a first enclosed area and having a first phase center point defined by the geometric center point of the first enclosed area;

a second loop coupled to the first loop and substantially parallel to the first loop, the second loop defining a second enclosed area and having a second phase center point defined by the geometric center point of the second enclosed area; and

a first adjuster element coupled to an adjustable loop, which is the same as one of the first loop or the second loop, the first adjuster element configured to expand or contract the enclosed area of the adjustable loop,

wherein a line normal to the plane of the first loop passes through the first and second phase center points, and a current supplied to the antenna is of opposite polarity in the first and second loops wherein the first adjuster element includes a plurality of adjuster elements comprising;

a first bevel gear assembly rotatably coupled to the adjustable loop and operable to expand or contract a length of a first side of the adjustable loop;

a second bevel gear assembly rotatably coupled to the adjustable loop and operable to expand or contract a length of a second side of the adjustable loop; and

a third bevel gear assembly coupled to the first bevel gear assembly and to the second bevel gear assembly and operable to expand or contract the length of the first side of the adjustable loop and the length of the second side of the adjustable loop.

6. The antenna of claim 5, wherein the adjustable loop is the first loop, the second phase center point of the second loop is defined a distance from the first phase center point of the first loop, the first adjuster element is configured to adjust a size of the first enclosed area to minimize a difference between the size of the first enclosed area of the first loop and a size of the second enclosed area.

7. The antenna of claim 6, further comprising a support frame coupled to at least one of the first adjuster element or the second adjuster element.

8. The antenna of claim 5, wherein the second enclosed area is smaller than the first enclosed area, further comprising:

a first transformer to couple the first loop to the second loop and to control the current supplied to the second loop, wherein the current supplied to the second loop corresponds to a coil turn ratio of the first transformer equal to the number of turns of the primary coil of the first transformer over the number of turns of the secondary coil of the first transformer.

9. The antenna of claim 8, wherein the coil turn ratio of the first transformer corresponds to a ratio of a size of the first enclosed area over a size of the second enclosed area.

10. The antenna of claim 8, further comprising:

a second transformer connected to the first transformer and to one of the first loop or the second loop.

11. The antenna of claim 10, wherein a product of the coil turn ratio of the first transformer and a coil turn ratio of the second transformer is equal to a ratio between a size of the first enclosed area of the first loop and a size of the second enclosed area of the second loop.

12. A method for controlling far field radiation from an antenna having a first loop, second loop, and third loop, comprising:

providing current of a first polarity to the first loop and the second loop and of a second polarity to the third loop, the first and second polarities being opposite to each other,

adjusting an area of an adjustable loop which is the same as one of the first loop, the second loop, or the third loop to reduce a difference in a total size of a first enclosed area defined by the first loop and a second enclosed defined by the second loop and a size of a third enclosed area defined by the third loop such that the far field radiation from the first loop and the second loop is of opposite phase and equal strength to the far field radiation from the third loop to cancel far field radiation from the antenna wherein adjusting the area of the adjustable loop comprises;

providing a first bevel gear assembly coupled to the adjustable loop operating to expand or contract a length of a first side of the adjustable loop;

providing a second bevel gear assembly coupled to the adjustable loop operating to expand or contract a length of a second side of the adjustable loop; and

rotating a third bevel gear assembly coupled to the first bevel gear assembly and to the second bevel gear assembly and operating to expand or contract the length of the first side of the adjustable loop and the length of the second side of the adjustable loop.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the area of the adjustable loop comprises:

adjusting a length of a first side of the adjustable loop and adjusting a length of a second side of the adjustable loop, the first and second sides being opposed to each other.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first loop, second loop, and third loop have coincident phase center points and adjusting an area of an adjustable loop comprises:

adjusting the size of the enclosed area of the adjustable loop about the phase center point of the adjustable loop.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the adjustable loop is the first loop enclosed by the second loop and the third loop and adjusting the area of the first loop comprises:

adjusting the size of the first enclosed area to minimize a difference between the size of the third enclosed area and the total size of the first enclosed area and the second enclosed area.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the adjustable loop is the second loop enclosed by the third loop and enclosing the first loop and adjusting the area of the second loop comprises:

adjusting the size of the second enclosed area to minimize a difference between the size of the third enclosed area and the total size of the first enclosed area and the second enclosed area.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the adjustable loop is the third loop enclosing the first loop and the second loop and adjusting the area of the third loop comprises:

adjusting the size of the third enclosed area to minimize a difference between the size of the third enclosed area and the total size of the first enclosed area and the second enclosed area.

18. A method for controlling far field radiation from an antenna having a first loop defining a first enclosed area and a second loop defining a second enclosed area, comprising:

providing current of reverse polarity to both loops; and

adjusting the length of an adjustable loop which is the same as one of the first or second loops to reduce a difference in a size of the first enclosed area and a size of the second enclosed area such that the far field radiation from the first loop and the second loop is of opposite phase and relatively equal strength to cancel far field radiation from the antenna wherein adjusting the length of the adjustable loop comprises;

providing a first bevel gear assembly coupled to the adjustable loop operating to expand or contract a length of a first side of the adjustable loop;

providing a second bevel gear assembly coupled to the adjustable loop operating to expand or contract a length of a second side of the adjustable loop; and

rotating a third bevel gear assembly coupled to the first bevel gear assembly and to the second bevel gear assembly and operating to expand or contract the length of the first side of the adjustable loop and the length of the second side of the adjustable loop.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein adjusting the length of the adjustable loop comprises:

adjusting a length of a first side of the adjustable loop and adjusting a length of a second side of the adjustable loop opposing the first side of the adjustable loop.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first loop has a first phase center point and the second loop has a second phase center point coincident with the first phase center point and adjusting the length of the adjustable loop comprises:

adjusting the size of the enclosed area of the adjustable loop about the phase center point of the adjustable loop.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

coupling the first and second loops using a transformer, and

providing a current to one of the primary coil or the secondary coil of the transformer to equalize a current area product of the first loop and a current area product of the second loop to cancel far field radiation from the antenna.