CYLINDRICAL ELECTRONICALLY SCANNED ANTENNA

• US 20080088520A1
• Filed: 06/06/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Chekroun, Claude, Soiron, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/778
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/185 using a diode or a gas filled discharge tube
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0056 Conically or cylindrically arrayed
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/20 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a curvilinear path slotted waveguide arrays H01Q21/005; circularly or helically slotted waveguides H01Q21/0062
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/24 varying the orientation by switching energy from one active radiating element to another, e.g. for beam switching

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cylindrical electronically scanned antenna. The antenna has:
a set of radiating guides (2) arranged in cylinder form for, producing the antenna beam (8); An array (3) of 3 dB couplers is arranged in waveguide form. The inputs of the array are lit by a set of microwave feeds (4). The output of each coupler is coupled to the input of a radiating guide (2). An array of pairs of phase-shifting cells is, each coupled to a 3 dB coupler. An incoming wave from the microwave feeds (4) is phase-shifted by a controllable phase shift Δφ. The angular offset of the antenna beam (8) is dependent on this phase shift Δφ. The invention is typically applicable for equipping masts, in particular on ships.

Claims

1. A cylindrical electronically scanned antenna, comprising:

a set of radiating guides arranged in cylinder form-to produce an antenna beam;

an array of 3 dB couplers in waveguide form having inputs and an outputs, the inputs of which are lit by a set of microwave feeds, the outputs of each coupler being coupled to the input of a radiating guide;

an array of pairs of phase-shifting cells, each coupled to a 3 dB coupler, an incoming wave (E) from the microwave feeds being phase-shifted by a controllable phase shift (Δ

φ

), the angular offset of the antenna beam being dependent on the phase shift (Δ

φ

).

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the microwave feeds are arranged on a cylindrical circumference inside the cylinder formed by the set of radiating guides so that each feed lights a part of the array of couplers, the microwave feeds being activated in turn.

3. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein the microwave feeds are horns linked to a microwave line switching device, each horn supplied by a line.

4. The antenna according to claim 3, wherein the switching device is an SP8T-type device.

5. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein the switch is MEMS-based.

6. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the incoming wave (E) entering the input of a coupler is split into two waves (E1, E2), these two waves each being reflected on a phase-shifting cell with identical phases and being recombined into a resultant phase-shifted wave (S) leaving via the output of the coupler juxtaposed to the input.

7. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein the phase-shifting cells comprise diodes, the applied phase shift being dependent on the state of the diodes.

8. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein the phase-shifting cells comprise tunable MEMS, the applied phase shift being dependent on the impedance of the MEMS, this impedance being controllable.

9. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the microwave feeds are arranged on an internal cylindrical wall, the feeds lighting the coupler in the available space between the internal wall and the radiating guides.

10. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the radiating guides are slotted guides.