Modular Feed Network

• US 20130120206A1
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Biancotto, Claudio, Hills, Christopher D., Thomson, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,866,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/776
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing waveguides or resonators, lines, or other devices of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0037 linear waveguide fed arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0043 Slotted waveguides combination with horns H01Q13/0233
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/005 Slotted waveguides arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

A modular feed network is provided with a segment base provided with a feed aperture, a corner cavity at each corner and a tap cavity at a mid-section of each of two opposite sides. A segment top is provided with a plurality of output ports. The segment top is dimensioned to seat upon the segment base to form a segment pair. the segment base provided with a plurality of waveguides between cavities of the segment base. The modular feed network is configurable via a range of feed, bypass and/or power divider taps seated in the apertures and/or cavities to form a waveguide network of varied numbers of output ports by routing across one or more of the segment tops. For example, the modular feed network may comprise 1, 4 or 16 of the segment bases retained side to side.

Claims

1. A modular feed network, comprising:

a generally rectangular segment base provided with a feed aperture;

a corner cavity at each corner and a tap cavity at a mid-section of each of two opposite sides; and

a segment top provided with a plurality of output ports;

the segment top provided seated upon a first side of the segment base to form a segment pair;

the segment base provided with a central waveguide, on the first side, between the feed aperture and the tap cavities;

the segment base provided with a peripheral waveguide, on the first side, between each of the corner cavities that are adjacent to one another;

the segment base provided with a feed waveguide between the feed aperture and the output ports.

2. The modular feed network of claim 1, wherein a path between the feed aperture and each of the output ports has a generally equivalent length.

3. The modular feed network of claim 1, further including retention features provided on a periphery of the segment pair;

the retention features dimensioned for mechanical coupling of the segment pair to additional segment pairs, side to side.

4. The modular feed network of claim 1, wherein the segment top is provided with a mirror image waveguide network;

the mirror image waveguide network providing a second half of each of the central waveguide, the peripheral waveguide and the feed waveguide of the segment base.

5. The modular feed network of claim 1, wherein the segment top is a first intermediate layer of a flat panel array antenna.

6. The modular feed network of claim 1, wherein the segment top is an output layer of a flat panel array antenna.

7. The modular feed network of claim 1, wherein there are four segment pairs arranged side-to-side to form a generally planar 2×

2 modular segment.

8. The modular feed network of claim 7, wherein the corner cavities of each of the segment pairs at a center of the 2×

2 modular segment combine to form a 2×

2 feed aperture;

the tap cavities of each of the segment pairs adjacent to one another together forming a 2×

2 power divider cavity;

a peripheral feed tap provided in the 2×

2 feed aperture;

the peripheral feed tap provided with an input feed coupled to a feed power divider tap provided in each of the 2×

2 power divider cavities via at least one of the peripheral waveguides therebetween;

the feed power divider taps coupled to a central power divider tap provided in each of the feed apertures of each segment pair via the central waveguide therebetween;

the central power divider taps coupled to the output ports of each segment pair via the feed waveguide.

9. The modular feed network of claim 7, wherein there are four 2×

2 modular segments arranged side by side to form a generally planar 4×

4 modular segment.

10. The modular feed network of claim 9, wherein the corner cavities of each of the segment pairs at a center of the 4×

4 modular segment combine to form a 4×

4 feed aperture;

the tap cavities of the segment pairs adjacent the center of the 4×

4 modular segment combine to form bypass cavities;

the corner cavities of the segment pairs adjacent the bypass cavities and in-line with the 4×

4 feed aperture, forming 4×

4 power divider cavities;

the corner cavities of each of the segment pairs at a center of each of the 2×

2 modular segments combine to form a 2×

2 feed aperture;

the tap cavities of each of the segment pairs adjacent to one another in each 2×

2 modular segment together forming a 2×

2 power divider cavity;

a peripheral feed tap provided in the 4×

4 feed aperture;

the peripheral feed tap provided with an input feed coupled to a bypass tap provided in each of the bypass cavities via at least one of the peripheral waveguides therebetween;

a peripheral power divider tap provided in each of the 4×

4 power divider cavities and the 2×

2 power divider cavities;

the peripheral power divider tap of the 4×

4 power divider cavities coupled to the bypass taps via at least one of the peripheral waveguides therebetween;

the peripheral power divider taps of the 4×

4 power divider cavities coupled to the peripheral power divider taps of the 2×

2 feed aperture via at least one of the periphery waveguides therebetween;

the peripheral power divider tap of the 2×

2 feed aperture tap coupled to a central power tap provided in each of the 2×

2 power divider cavities via the peripheral waveguides therebetween;

the central power divider taps coupled to a feed power divider tap provided in each of the feed apertures of each of the segment pairs via the central waveguide therebetween;

the central feed taps coupled to the output ports of each segment pair via the feed waveguide therebetween;

11. A method for manufacture of a modular feed network, comprising:

forming a generally rectangular segment base provided with a feed aperture;

a corner cavity at each corner of the segment base and a tap cavity of the segment base provided at a mid-section of each of two opposite sides of the segment base; and

forming a segment top provided with a plurality of output ports; and

seating the segment top upon a first side of the segment base to form a segment pair;

the segment base provided with a central waveguide, on the first side, between the feed aperture and the tap cavities;

the segment base provided with a peripheral waveguide, on the first side, between each of the corner cavities that are adjacent to one another;

the segment base provided with a feed waveguide between the feed aperture and the output ports.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a waveguide path between the feed aperture and each of the output ports has a generally equivalent length.

13. The method of claim 11, further including providing retention features on a periphery of the segment pair;

the retention features dimensioned for mechanical coupling of the segment pair to additional segment pairs, side to side.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the segment top is provided with a mirror image waveguide network;

the mirror image waveguide network providing a second half of each of the central waveguide, the peripheral waveguide and the feed waveguide of the segment base.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the segment top is a first intermediate layer of a flat panel array antenna.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the segment top is an output layer of a flat panel array antenna.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the segment base is formed via injection molding.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the segment base is formed via die casting.

19. The method of claim 11, further including the step of arranging four segment pairs side-to-side to form a generally planar 2×

2 modular segment.

20. The method of claim 19, further including the step of arranging four of the 2×

2 modular segments side by side to form a generally planar 4×

4 modular segment.