Abstract: A beam-forming network having: a plurality (NI) of input signal ports (IP); a plurality (NO) of output signal ports (OP); a weighting and interconnecting network (WIN) comprising a plurality of signal dividers (SD), phase and amplitude weighting elements (WE), switches (SW1, SW2) and signal combiners (SC), for associating each input port to output ports through respective weighting units; wherein either input (IP) or output (OP) ports, or both, are partitioned into disjoint equivalence classes (IEC, OEC), at least a majority of said equivalence classes having more than one port; and in that the network is either configured in order to associate each input port to at most one output port for each output equivalence class, or to associate each output port to at most one input port for each input equivalence class, or both. Also provide is a multibeam antenna comprising having such a beam-forming network, and an electronic circuit for implementing such a beam-forming network.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an array antenna including a designing step which comprises: determining a one-dimensional reference radiation pattern and an associated reference aperture; computing the cumulative phasorial summation of the field distribution of said reference aperture in a reference direction and representing it as a reference curve in the complex plane; determining a polygonal curve optimally approximating said reference curve, subject to predetermined constraints; and determining, from said polygonal curve, an antenna array pattern, each side of said polygonal curve being associated to a particular antenna element of the array.

Abstract: A multibeam antenna comprising: a plurality of primary radiating elements, each associated to a respective beam; and an active radiating structure comprising a first planar array of radiating elements, a second planar array composed by a same number of radiating elements, a set of connections between each radiating element of the first planar array and one corresponding element of the second planar array, and a set of power amplifiers for amplifying signals transmitted through said connections; wherein: the relative positions of the radiating elements of the first and second planar arrays and phase delays introduced by said connections are such that the radiating structure forms an active discrete converging lens; and said primary radiating elements are clustered on a focal surface of said lens, facing the first planar array; characterized in that said first and second planar arrays are both aperiodic. A method of manufacturing such an antenna.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an array antenna including a designing step which comprises: determining a one-dimensional reference radiation pattern and an associated reference aperture; computing the cumulative phasorial summation of the field distribution of said reference aperture in a reference direction and representing it as a reference curve in the complex plane; determining a polygonal curve optimally approximating said reference curve, subject to predetermined constraints; and determining, from said polygonal curve, an antenna array pattern, each side of said polygonal curve being associated to a particular antenna element of the array.