Communications: radio wave antennas – Antennas – Microstrip
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-05
2001-10-09
Wimer, Michael C. (Department: 2821)
Communications: radio wave antennas
Antennas
Microstrip
C343S853000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06300906
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to communication systems, and is particularly directed to a new and improved, highly compact, phased array antenna architecture having a plurality of antenna elements, that are integrated in a compact and highly densified laminate structure with, and fed by, associated signal distribution networks of a printed circuit power divider network that incorporates a balun feeding each pair of power dividers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Among desired characteristics of multielement antenna systems (e.g., phased array antennas) of the type that may be folded, stowed and deployed from a mobile platform, such as a satellite launch vehicle, are that the antennas be physically compact (low profile) and lightweight, while also being sufficiently broadband to meet performance requirements of terrestrial communication systems. Although progress has been made in reducing the physical size and packaging density of the radiating elements, per se, the substantial physical space required to implement and mount their associated feed networks and interconnection circuitry have effectively limited the size and packaging density of the total system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Pursuant to the present invention, there is provided a new and improved, highly compact, wideband multi-element antenna structure that successfully integrates within a relatively thin laminate structure a plurality of closely spaced and fed printed circuit antenna elements, together with their associated feed, balum and power divider networks, in a support architecture that enjoys a significantly reduced size and packaging density compared with prior art systems.
In accordance with a non-limiting example of a multi-element two dimensional antenna array, each of its radiating elements may be configured as a ‘trimmed’ four-square arrangement, selectively etched or plated atop a thin dielectric support layer. By ‘trimmed’ four-square is meant that outer edges of two diametrically opposed, non-fed components of a set of four, closely spatially arrayed square-shaped components have a ‘shaped’ or ‘trimmed’ square geometrical configuration. This outer edge trimming of the two non-fed components allows multiple four-squares to be arranged side-by-side in a relatively tightly packed array, thereby providing a substantially enhanced spatial density.
In order to conform with the narrow geometry of an individual linear array of such ‘trimmed’ four-square antenna elements, the support structure for the associated feed, balum and power divider circuitry is configured of a laminate design. This laminate design contains a plurality of power divider-feed networks that incorporate printed circuit baluns for alternate sets of antenna elements linearly distributed on a stripe-shaped dielectric feed network support member, that forms part of a multilayer architecture containing the antenna array. The feed network support member is spaced apart from subarrays of the antenna elements by a layer of dielectric, such as lightweight foam.
A stripline ground plane metalization layer is formed on the bottom surface of the feed network support layer. A printed circuit power divider network includes a balun and an associated printed circuit branch network for feed ports of the driven antenna elements. The balun is coupled through a plated aperture in the dielectric support layer to the center conductor of a subarray feed port at the bottom surface of the support layer and is dielectrically isolated from the ground plane metalization layer on the bottom surface of the dielectric support layer.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3681769 (1972-08-01), Perrotti et al.
patent: 4825220 (1989-04-01), Edward et al.
patent: 4973972 (1990-11-01), Huang
patent: 5036335 (1991-07-01), Jairam
patent: 5572172 (1996-11-01), Standke et al.
patent: 5896107 (1999-04-01), Huynh
patent: 5926137 (1999-07-01), Nealy
Article From Ph.D. Thesis Entitled: Analysis Of Infinite Arrays Of Arbitrarily Shaped Planar Radiating Elements Usining A Floquet Mode Based Method Of Moments Approach, by James William LaPean, Jr. et al, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1996, pp. 114-116.
Nealy J. Randall
Rawnick James J.
Stutzman Warren L.
Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.
Harris Corporation
Wimer Michael C.
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