Abstract: The invention relates to phase-shifting cells constituting the passive reflectarrays of antennas with a reconfigurable transmission direction, transmitting in the microwave range. More particularly, the invention describes, within the context of phase-shifting cells of the type having dipole strands angularly distributed in a star configuration, a novel type of switch consisting of a microelectromechanical device essentially comprising a suspended micromembrane which, under the action of an electrostatic force caused by a control voltage, deforms sufficiently to ensure electrical connection between the strands, making it possible to form a dipole in the desired orientation. In one particular embodiment, the micromembrane can be likened to one of the plates of a capacitor and its deformation corresponds to a substantial increase in the capacitance of this capacitor, thus providing the electrical connection.

Abstract: The invention relates to phase-shifting cells constituting the passive reflectarrays of antennas with a reconfigurable transmission direction, transmitting in the microwave range. More particularly, the invention describes, within the context of phase-shifting cells of the type having dipole strands angularly distributed in a star configuration, a novel type of switch consisting of a microelectromechanical device essentially comprising a suspended micromembrane which, under the action of an electrostatic force caused by a control voltage, deforms sufficiently to ensure electrical connection between the strands, making it possible to form a dipole in the desired orientation. In one particular embodiment, the micromembrane can be likened to one of the plates of a capacitor and its deformation corresponds to a substantial increase in the capacitance of this capacitor, thus providing the electrical connection.

Abstract: A terminal and antenna system (1, 10) for transmitting and receiving radio signals to and from satellites (2, 3) chosen from a constellation of non-geostationary satellites, including means for determining the position of the satellites visible from the terminal and antenna system, means for focusing quasi-plane waves received from or transmitted to a chosen visible satellite towards a focal surface S, primary sources (23, 24) for transmitting and receiving signals in the form of quasi-spherical wave beams, mobile independently over the sphere S in a manner that is slaved to the particular position of the non-geostationary satellites.

Abstract: The invention concerns a multilayer focusing spherical lens (21) adapted to be mounted in a transceive antenna device (1) of a terminal of a remote transceiver system and having a concentric focal sphere (S), the lens including a central layer (21a) and a peripheral layer (21b) having different dielectric constants, each dielectric constant value being determined so that the lens (21) focuses parallel microwave beams towards the focal sphere (S) concentric with the lens. A transceive antenna includes a lens of the above kind and a terminal for transmitting and receiving radio signals to and from at least two remote transceiver systems moving at different points in the field of view of the terminal, said terminal including an antenna of the above kind. The invention applies in particular to systems for transmitting data at high bit rates to and from a constellation of satellites, for public or private, civil or military use.