Phased array antenna employing linear scan for wide angle orbital arc coverage
First Claim
1. A phased array antenna arrangement comprising:
- a plurality of feed elements (20, 62,
70) arranged in a linear array and capable of launching or receiving a planar wavefront at an aperture of the array; and
phase shifting means (36) for selectively producing a predetermined linear plane taper along a first axis across the aperture of the array characterized in thatthe aperture of the linear array formed from the plurality of feed elements is cut at a predetermined bias angle (α
) to a ray directed from the center of the aperture to the center of the field of view of the antenna arrangement to produce a fixed linear phase taper along a second axis of the aperture of the array orthogonal to the first axis thereof to produce a predetermined squinted beam, the predetermined bias angle producing a beam which traverses a predetermined arc (A'"'"'--A'"'"') when linearly scanned along the first axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to phased array antenna arrangements which comprise a linear array of feed elements where the array has an aperture which is out at a bias angle along the minor axis of the array to produce a fixed linear phase taper along the minor axis by all elements. Then by linearly scanning the array along the major axis of the aperture of the array, a beam is scanned along an arc which can be made to correspond to an orbital arc segment around a celestial body and within the field of view of the antenna arrangement when the bias angle is properly chosen. The feed elements can comprise long feedhorns or horn antenna configurations which can be used in a separate array or disposed in an array on a conjugate plane of a main cylindrical reflector when used in multiple reflector phased array antenna arrangements.
165 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A phased array antenna arrangement comprising:
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a plurality of feed elements (20, 62,
70) arranged in a linear array and capable of launching or receiving a planar wavefront at an aperture of the array; andphase shifting means (36) for selectively producing a predetermined linear plane taper along a first axis across the aperture of the array characterized in that the aperture of the linear array formed from the plurality of feed elements is cut at a predetermined bias angle (α
) to a ray directed from the center of the aperture to the center of the field of view of the antenna arrangement to produce a fixed linear phase taper along a second axis of the aperture of the array orthogonal to the first axis thereof to produce a predetermined squinted beam, the predetermined bias angle producing a beam which traverses a predetermined arc (A'"'"'--A'"'"') when linearly scanned along the first axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification