With Scanning, Sweeping, Or Orienting Patents (Class 343/754)
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Patent number: 7038620Abstract: A phased array, phase-amplitude monopulse antenna arrangement for ground, shipboard or airborne radar systems. The phased array antenna is systematically warped and projects partially overlapping, separate beams from upper and lower regions of the array. A single set of phase-shifters is employed with a simplified feed structure to permit development of both azimuthal and elevation angle error signals in signal processing circuitry for target analysis.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 1987Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: Northrop Grumman CorporationInventors: Charles F. Chubb, Jr., Seymour Sutkin
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Patent number: 7038633Abstract: System and method for in-operation calibration of phased array antenna system, involv-ing outputting first and second calibration signals on separate calibration nets through same switches of transmit and receive modules (TRM) and transmit and receive feed network branches for detecting whether system is operational. Allows moreover, identifi-cation of drift in specific calibration net and compensation therefore.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2002Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)Inventor: Mats Gunnar Hakan Eriksson
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Patent number: 7039445Abstract: A communication apparatus transmits, to another apparatus or apparatuses, a message for searching for an apparatus as a connection target by radio communication, and receives a response message from another apparatus which has received the message, thereby searching for an apparatus as a connection target. The control information setting section of the device body of a communication apparatus inputs a search range in which a station finding message reaches in accordance with designation by a user and sets it as set information. The station finding procedure section of the radio communication apparatus transmits the station finding message in accordance with a transmission power corresponding to the control information set by the control information setting section.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2000Date of Patent: May 2, 2006Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventor: Junichi Yoshizawa
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Patent number: 7034749Abstract: An antenna system for providing network access services to wireless users generates at least a first and a second antenna beam, where the second antenna beam is movable with respect to the first. Additional antenna beams may also be generated. During installation of the antenna system, an installer may adjust the position of the second antenna beam (and possibly other antenna beams) in a manner that enhances the maximum data-rate coverage area of the antenna system for a given deployment region.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2002Date of Patent: April 25, 2006Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: David G. Leeper, Thomas A. DeMarchi
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Patent number: 7034751Abstract: An amplifier including a monolithic semiconductor substrate and an array disposed on said substrate for coherently receiving and retransmitting electromagnetic energy. The array is implemented with a plurality of cells. Each of the cells includes a dual polarization antenna structure for receiving electromagnetic energy and an amplifier connected thereto. The amplifier may include an ortho-mode feed and a reflective amplifier array adapted to be illuminated by the feed with an input wavefront with a first polarization and to return thereto an amplified wavefront with a second polarization orthogonal to the first wavefront. First and second shaped mirrors may be incorporated for illuminating the array with a planar wavefront and converting the reflected planar wavefront to a spherical wavefront.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2003Date of Patent: April 25, 2006Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Kenneth W. Brown, James R. Gallivan
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Patent number: 7009570Abstract: A phased array antenna includes a substrate, and an array of dipole antenna elements are on the substrate. Each dipole antenna element includes a medial feed portion, and a pair of legs extending outwardly therefrom. Each dipole antenna element further includes a passive load, and a switch connected thereto for selectively coupling the passive load to the medial feed portion so that the dipole antenna element selectively functions as an absorber for absorbing received signals while the passive load dissipates energy associated therewith.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2003Date of Patent: March 7, 2006Assignee: Harris CorporationInventors: Timothy E. Durham, St phen B. Brown, Griffin K. Gothard
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Patent number: 7002517Abstract: A fixed frequency continuously beam-steerable leaky-wave antenna in microstrip is disclosed. The antenna's radiating strips are loaded with identical shunt-mounted variable-reactance elements, resulting in low reverse-bias-voltage requirements. By varying the reverse-bias voltage across the variable-reactance elements, the main beam of the antenna may be scanned continuously at fixed frequency. The antenna may consist of an array of radiating strips, wherein each strip includes a variable-reactance element. Changing the element's reactance value has a similar effect as changing the length of the radiating strips. This is accompanied by a change in the phase velocity of the electromagnetic wave traveling along the antenna, and results in continuous fixed-frequency main-beam steering. Alternatively, the antenna may consist of two long radiating strips separated by a small gap, wherein identical variable-reactance elements are mounted in shunt across the gap at regular intervals.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2003Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Anritsu CompanyInventor: Karam Michael Noujeim
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Patent number: 6985109Abstract: A reconfigurable aperture with an optical backplane. In one embodiment a reconfigurable aperture antenna is disclosed. The reconfigurable aperture includes a plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL) and a receiver for each VCSEL. Each receiver is adapted to reconfigure a portion of an aperture in response to an optical feed from an associated VCSEL.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2004Date of Patent: January 10, 2006Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.Inventors: Lisa M. Lust, Paul E. Bauhahn
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Patent number: 6982676Abstract: A multiple slot antenna wherein the slots are arranged in a planar configuration and therein the antenna further comprises a plurality of plano-convex Rotman lenses disposed in a stack, each plano-convex Rotman lens in said stack having a major surface disposed at an angle to the planar configuration of the slots of the antenna, with planar portions of the each Rotman lens defining a portion of each one of the slots of the antenna.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2004Date of Patent: January 3, 2006Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLCInventors: Daniel F. Sievenpiper, James H. Schaffner
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Patent number: 6958729Abstract: An efficient, low-loss, low sidelobe, high dynamic range phased-array radar antenna system is disclosed that uses metamaterials, which are manmade composite materials having a negative index of refraction, to create a biconcave lens architecture (instead of the aforementioned biconvex lens) for focusing the microwaves transmitted by the antenna. Accordingly, the sidelobes of the antenna are reduced. Attenuation across microstrip transmission lines may be reduced by using low loss transmission lines that are suspended above a ground plane a predetermined distance in a way such they are not in contact with a solid substrate. By suspending the microstrip transmission lines in this manner, dielectric signal loss is reduced significantly, thus resulting in a less-attenuated signal at its destination.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2004Date of Patent: October 25, 2005Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventor: Carsten Metz
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Patent number: 6956537Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated antenna array comprising a plurality of interleaved sub-arrays separately controllable and responding to either the same or separate frequency bands. Both arrays operate with substantially the same phase center and substantially within the same effective aperture. The first sub-array of array comprises of spaced linear radiating elements such as dipoles, log-periodic, Yagi, slotted-waveguide, patch, or array consisting of the same or different elements as used in the first sub-array, either on the same or an entirely different frequency band. Independent beam shaping systems are shown for independent operation of the two arrays.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2002Date of Patent: October 18, 2005Assignee: Kathrein-Werke KGInventors: Shimon B. Scherzer, Gary A. Martek, Scot D. Gordon
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Patent number: 6924772Abstract: A tri-mode co-boresighted seeker including a primary collecting mirror assembly having a parabolic surface and a forwardly located dielectric secondary mirror assembly including a dielectric mirror coating which reflects infrared (IR) energy to an IR detector assembly located on a central longitudinal axis on one side of the secondary mirror while providing substantially unobstructed propagation of millimeter wave RF energy and laser energy in a joint or common signal path therethrough to means located on the other side of the secondary mirror for extracting and diverting laser energy away from the common RF-optical signal path to a laser sensor assembly while causing little or no disturbance to the RF signal as it propagates to a co-located bifurcated waveguide assembly which couples the RF energy to an RF sensor means located behind the primary mirror.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2003Date of Patent: August 2, 2005Assignee: Northrop Grumman CorporationInventors: Sherwood C. Kiernan, Jr., Donald J. Walker, Daniel E. Stamm, William B. Yablon, Paul M. Dishop
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Patent number: 6911948Abstract: Methods of scheduling optimization of communications used with Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) equipment that employs steerable directional antennas. The methods may use and are compatible with Media Access Control (MAC) layers of IEEE 802.11 group of standards. The methods do not depend on any particular PHY layer standard.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2003Date of Patent: June 28, 2005Assignee: IPR Licensing, Inc.Inventors: Lawrence R. Foore, Kenneth M. Gainey
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Patent number: 6897821Abstract: An off-gimbal pointing system is improved using filtering of resolver and gyro responses respectively applied at the output of the resolvers and gyros for attenuating high frequencies resolver responses and gyro responses that effectively degrades the high frequency responses that are matched and above the control system bandwidth for improving the overall dynamic control of the off-gimbal pointing system for rejecting the affects of base motion disturbances and vibrations.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2003Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: The Aerospace CorporationInventors: Robert L. Wong, Jason H. Q. Ly, Philip R. Dahl, Arthur C. Or
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Patent number: 6879291Abstract: A multi-facetted antenna array is disclosed for omnidirectional signalling. The multi-facetted antenna array includes a plurality of abutting facets having a planar region under the patch antenna structures, and curving regions between the planar regions and across the abutting edges of the facets. The planar regions under the patch antenna provide proper RF antenna performance, while the curved regions minimize the size of the assembled array. Further disclosed is a method of mounting the associated RF interface module across an inside corner formed by abutting facets. The disclosed multi-facetted antenna array is particularly useful for overcoming the unsightly size and wind loading problems of multi-facetted antenna arrays known in the art.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2003Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Nortel Networks LimitedInventors: Guy Duxbury, Robert Sheffield, David Bolzon, Ian Abraham, Andrew Urquhart
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Patent number: 6873301Abstract: An antenna system, to enable communication with a moving vehicle via a satellite, utilizes an array of subarrays contiguously positioned in a diamond-type pattern. Straight edge boundaries of an array can maximize sidelobe degradation resulting from diffraction effects at the edge. The diamond-type array pattern provides saw tooth array edge boundaries with all edge portions at 45 degrees (or other suitable acute angle) to the principal array dimension (the length dimension). Uniform excitation may be provided for all subarrays via a binomial power divider/combiner configuration. Mechanical beam steering can be provided in azimuth and elevation. A phase shifter assembly may be provided to enable a limited electronic scan (e.g., plus or minus 2 degrees) to increase beam steering agility from a moving vehicle. Thin flat-plate subarray design details are provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2003Date of Patent: March 29, 2005Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.Inventor: Alfred R. Lopez
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Patent number: 6861987Abstract: A bilayer microstrip reflector antenna is disclosed to include a first dielectric layer, the first dielectric layer having antenna units and phase-delay circuit units overlapped on antenna units, and a second dielectric layer abutting against the first dielectric layer. A better gain-bandwidth is obtained by adjusting the overlapping distance of the antenna units and phase-delay circuit units, side length of antenna units and the dielectric constant and thickness of the two dielectric layers. Surface wave phenomenon is reduced by means of selecting a relatively lower dielectric constant. A satisfactory grounding effect is obtained to reduce radiation from phase-delay circuit units by lowering the second dielectric layer toward the ground.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2003Date of Patent: March 1, 2005Assignee: Tatung Co., Ltd.Inventors: The-Nan Chang, Yu-Cheng Wei
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Patent number: 6859183Abstract: Described herein is a quasi-optic rotating joint (100) which allows circularly polarised radiation to be transmitted therethrough irrespective of the angle of rotation of the joint. The rotating joint (100) comprises a first quasi-optic lens (102) having a first axis (112), which is carried on an inner part (116, 118) of bearings (108, 110) and which shares first axis (112). An outer part (122) of bearing (110) carries a quasi-optic mirror (104) and a second quasi-optic lens (106). The second lens (106) has a second axis (114) which is orthogonal to the first axis (112) of the first lens (102) and which intersects at the mirror (104). A Gaussian beam waist is formed at the mirror (104) by the first lens (102) and the second lens (106) is matched to the reflection of the beam waist at the mirror (104). Circularly polarised Gaussian beams passing through the joint (100) suffer a phase shift of angle ? which increases at the same rate as the increase in angle of rotation of the joint (100).Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2002Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Alenia Marconi Systems LimitedInventors: Christopher R Carter, Charles A Rowatt, Bernard P Gilhespy, Benjamin D Stephens
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Patent number: 6853351Abstract: An antenna device includes a substrate, and a radiating element disposed on the substrate. The radiating element has two spiral arms unfurling in an Archimedean progression and terminating in a logarithmic progression. The substrate is formed from a dielectric material and includes multiple perforations for providing passage of coolant through the substrate. The radiating element is disposed on a front surface of the substrate, and an enclosure is formed on a rear surface of the substrate to provide a reflective cavity for reflecting radiation to the front surface of the substrate. The enclosure includes a hexagonal perimeter formed by a wall. The antenna device may be used as an element in a planar phased array.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2002Date of Patent: February 8, 2005Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.Inventor: Wolodymyr Mohuchy
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Patent number: 6825814Abstract: An antenna comprising: (a) semi-conductor means (1) having upper and lower surfaces; the upper and lower surfaces having a pattern of electrically conducting regions; (b) first generating means (9, 10) for generating conducting plasma filaments of charged carrier between the upper and lower conducting regions; (c) radio frequency feed means (8) to selected ones of the conducting plasma filaments in order to couple radio frequency energy to or from the semi-conductor means; and (d) second generating means for selectively generating a pattern of conductive filaments between the surfaces of the semi-conductor means in order to reflect and thereby to focus an electromagnetic wavefront incident upon an edge of the semi-conductor means to at least one radio frequency feed point within the semi-conductor means; and the antenna being planar dielectric lens antenna with controlled conductive elements forming a direction antenna for the reception or transmission of a beam frequency energy in the plane of the semi-conduType: GrantFiled: December 20, 2002Date of Patent: November 30, 2004Assignee: Plasma Antennas LimitedInventor: David Hayes
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Patent number: 6822622Abstract: A radio frequency reconfigurable lens is provided. In particular, a lens comprising at least two opposed frequency selective surface sheets is provided. A relative phase shift may be imparted to an incident radio frequency wave by varying the distance between at least some of the unit cells of a first of the FSS sheets and adjacent unit cells on a second of the FSS sheets. In order to provide a desired phase taper across the width of a lens, and/or to provide different phase shift amounts, pairs of FSS surfaces having controllable columns or rows can be cascaded together. According to an additional aspect of the present invention, radio frequency waves can be scanned by cascading multiple tunable stages. The present invention also provides a radio frequency shutter.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2002Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignee: Ball Aerospace & Technologies CorpInventors: Thomas M. Crawford, P. Keith Kelly, Farzin Lalezari, Theresa C. Boone
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Patent number: 6823180Abstract: A method within and wireless communications unit (WCU) arranged to operate in a fixed wireless network including a transceiver for receiving and transmitting signals within the network; an antenna system having adjustable visibility to the fixed wireless network; and a controller, coupled to the transceiver and the antenna system, to control the transceiver and to adjust the visibility of the antenna system such that the visibility of the WCU to the fixed wireless network is adjustable.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2001Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: John Douglas Reed, Jack Anthony Smith
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Patent number: 6822612Abstract: An antenna device capable of increasing the speed of scanning as well as extending the scanning angular range of a beam to obtain a high gain. A radar module and a communication apparatus having enhanced detection capabilities obtainable by using the antenna device. In the antenna device, electromagnetic waves radiated from a primary radiator are transmitted to a plurality of openings, e.g., dielectric lenses and/or reflectors or optical transmitters. The dielectric openings are arranged on a fixed portion and the primary radiator is arranged on a moving portion. The moving portion is displaced relatively with respect to the fixed portion. This arrangement enables the selection of an opening used for receiving each of the electromagnetic waves from the primary radiator to change the direction of the beam.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2001Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co. LtdInventors: Yukio Takimoto, Toru Tanizaki, Fuminori Nakamura, Ikuo Takakuwa, Nobumasa Kitamori
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Patent number: 6822615Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) steerable electronically scanned lens array (ESA) antenna and method of frequency scanning are disclosed. The MEMS ESA antenna includes a wide band feedthrough lens and a continuous transverse stub (CTS) feed array. The wide band feedthrough lens includes first and second arrays of wide band radiating elements and an array of MEMS phase shifter modules disposed between the first and second arrays of radiating elements. The continuous transverse stub (CTS) feed array is disposed adjacent the first array of radiating elements for providing a planar wave front in the near field. The MEMS phase shifter modules steer a beam radiated from the CTS feed array in two dimensions.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2003Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Clifton Quan, Jar J. Lee, Brian M. Pierce, Robert C. Allison
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Patent number: 6812903Abstract: A radio frequency aperture comprising a plurality of insulating layers disposed in a stack, each layer including an array of conductive regions, the conductive regions being spaced from adjacent conductive regions. Also disclosed is method of bending or steering radio frequency waves impinging an antenna. The method includes disposing a plurality of insulating layers arranged in a stack between a source of the radio frequency waves and the antenna, wherein each insulating layer includes an array of conductive regions, the conductive regions being spaced from adjacent conductive regions and forming capacitive elements. The capacitance of the capacitive elements in the plurality of insulating layers is adjusted as a function of their location in the plurality of insulating layers.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2000Date of Patent: November 2, 2004Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLCInventors: Daniel Sievenpiper, Robin Harvey
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Patent number: 6809694Abstract: An antenna system includes a plurality of cascading power dividers that work in conjunction with a plurality of mechanical phase shifters to vary a beamwidth and/or an azimuth scan angle of a beam that radiates from active columns. Each phase shifter has an independent remotely controlled drive and is directly electrically connected to a respective radiating column. The radiating columns include cross dipole antenna elements.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2003Date of Patent: October 26, 2004Assignee: Andrew CorporationInventors: David B. Webb, Jonathon C. Veihl, Michael D. Thomas
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Patent number: 6806846Abstract: A reflectarray antenna with a scanned radiated beam has an antenna feed for radiating a wave. A reflecting surface excited by the wave is reflected from a reflecting surface located on a tunable substrate in accordance with a variable surface impedance of the tunable substrate modulated to scan the radiated beam. The tunable substrate surface impedance is varied by modulating the dielectric constant or the permeability. The tunable substrate may be an electromagnetic band gap (EBG) material electromagnetic crystal (EXMT) structure to vary the surface impedance. The reflecting surface may be located on short-circuited waveguides with a variable surface impedance modulated to scan the radiated beam by adjusting phase shifts of the waveguides with tunable substrate phase shifter located in the waveguides or by adjusting the position of a piezoelectric movable short.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2003Date of Patent: October 19, 2004Assignee: Rockwell CollinsInventor: James B. West
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Patent number: 6806843Abstract: A spatial filtering surface includes a dielectric substrate and a plurality of spaced, resonant dipole elements positioned on the dielectric substrate. Each dipole element has dipole ends and an associated diode for controlling amplitude taper and a reflection phase of an electromagnetic field at a selected frequency with respect to an angle of incidence to the dielectric substrate. Bias lines interconnect the dipole elements for conducting a bias current to a dipole element.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2002Date of Patent: October 19, 2004Assignee: Harris CorporationInventors: William D. Killen, Heriberto Delgado
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Patent number: 6791507Abstract: An N-element rotational-symmetric array antenna can generate N fixed pencil-beams simultaneously with an omnidirectional beam. An N×N Butler matrix can be used to feed the array antenna, using fewer than N input ports of the Butler matrix to produce the pencil-beams. One or more of the modes generated by the Butler matrix can be individually accessed to produce one or more corresponding omnidirectional beams. The N×N Butler matrix can be driven by a feed network that provides both power dividing and beam-steering, which permits simultaneous generation of the N pencil-beams.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2003Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)Inventors: Martin Johansson, Bjorn Johannisson, Bo Hagerman
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Publication number: 20040164915Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) steerable electronically scanned lens array (ESA) antenna and method of frequency scanning are disclosed. The MEMS ESA antenna includes a wide band feedthrough lens and a continuous transverse stub (CTS) feed array. The wide band feedthrough lens includes first and second arrays of wide band radiating elements and an array of MEMS phase shifter modules disposed between the first and second arrays of radiating elements. The continuous transverse stub (CTS) feed array is disposed adjacent the first array of radiating elements for providing a planar wave front in the near field. The MEMS phase shifter modules steer a beam radiated from the CTS feed array in two dimensions.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2003Publication date: August 26, 2004Inventors: Clifton Quan, Jar J. Lee, Brian M. Pierce, Robert C. Allison
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Publication number: 20040155729Abstract: A multi-bit phase shifter suitably used for a satellite broadcasting and a satellite communication band includes one or a plurality of phase shifters each having a short stub with an end short and an MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) switch formed at the end of the short stub and controlling an impedance value. A processing cost and an insertion loss can be reduced, a driving voltage can be lowered, a wider bandwidth can be obtained, and uniform phase characteristics can be obtained.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2004Publication date: August 12, 2004Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS, INC.Inventors: Young Joon Ko, Jae Yeong Park
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Patent number: 6774862Abstract: A multibeam antenna apparatus is disclosed. The multibeam antenna apparatus includes a main reflector (1), a sub-reflector (2), a focused beam feeder (3), a primary radiator array (5) having a plurality of primary radiators (5a), and a lens array (10) having a plurality of wavefront transformation lenses (10a) corresponding to the plurality of primary radiators (5a), respectively. The lens array (10) can be placed in the vicinity of a front end of the primary radiator array (5). As an alternative, the lens array (10) is placed in an electric wave propagation range of the focused beam feeder (3) where multiple beams which constitute a multibeam are spatially isolated from one another in terms of electric power. Thus the multibeam antenna apparatus can prevent an error from occurring in the orientation of each beam.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2002Date of Patent: August 10, 2004Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomohiro Mizuno, Hiroyuki Satou, Izuru Naitou, Soichi Matsumoto
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Publication number: 20040145530Abstract: Methods of scheduling optimization of communications used with Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) equipment that employs steerable directional antennas. The methods may use and are compatible with Media Access Control (MAC) layers of IEEE 802.11 group of standards. The methods do not depend on any particular PHY layer standard.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2003Publication date: July 29, 2004Applicant: Tantivy Communications, Inc.Inventors: Lawrence R. Foore, Kenneth M. Gainey
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Patent number: 6765535Abstract: A monolithic semiconductor power device. The device is designed to produce high energy density and high power level RF/Millimeter wave radiation using the quasi-optical spatial power of an array (100) of small amplifiers (200) on a solid state wafer (300). Each cell (200) of the array (100) contains a reflection amplifier (206) that receives radiation and retransmits the signal back into the approximate same direction from which it was received. The radiation exiting from the array (100) is physically like a reflection that has been modified by the individual amplifier's characteristics. The exiting amplified radiation leaves the array (100) as a coherent wave front (110). The individual amplifier elements are fabricated on a monolithic solid state wafer (300). Rather than being diced into individual amplifiers, the elements are electrically connected together with proper biases and ground levels on the actual solid state wafer.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2002Date of Patent: July 20, 2004Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Kenneth W. Brown, James R. Gallivan
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Patent number: 6747604Abstract: A steerable antenna allows transmission of an electromagnetic signal between a fixed feed source or an image thereof and a target moving within an antenna coverage region. The peak gain of the signal beam varies as a function of the target position following a desired signal gain profile. The antenna includes a reflector defining a reflector surface for reflecting the signal between the feed source or its image and the target. The reflector surface defines a focal point, a center point and a normal axis perpendicular to the reflector surface at the center point. The normal axis and the feed axis intersecting the center point and the feed source or its image define a common offset plane. An elevation rotary actuator rotates the reflector about a rotation axis perpendicular to the offset plane adjacent to the center point so that the antenna provides a nominal signal gain profile over the coverage region.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2002Date of Patent: June 8, 2004Assignee: EMS Technologies Canada, Inc.Inventors: Éric Amyotte, Martin Gimersky, Yves Gaudette, Luis Martins-Camelo, Marc Donato
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Patent number: 6744411Abstract: An electronically scanned antenna system includes a plurality of array elements and a control system. Each array element has a plurality of reflecting components capable of reflecting an electromagnetic wave incident thereon. Each reflecting component, in turn, is interconnected to at least one reflecting segment by at least one switch. In this regard, when the switches are in a closed state the respective reflecting segments are electrically coupled to the respective reflecting components to thereby alter a reflective geometry of the respective reflecting components. The control system is capable of controlling the switches to thereby control the array elements to provide a desired degree of phase shift to a signal reflected from the antenna. Advantageously, the control system is capable of controlling the switches of one reflecting component at the same time the control system controls corresponding switches of other reflecting components.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2002Date of Patent: June 1, 2004Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Gordon D. Osterhues, Julio Angel Navarro
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Patent number: 6741216Abstract: In order to provide a reflector antenna apparatus which can be installed within a small space, which has adequate practicality, and which can perform scanning by pivoting about two axes which are perpendicular to each other, in a reflector antenna apparatus having a Cassegrain reflector and a rotating mechanism which rotates the reflector about an azimuth axis and an elevation axis, a reflector with a substantially rectangular aperture has its elevation axis passing through substantially the central portion of the height dimension of the reflector, and reflector surface adjustment is carried out such that substantially all of the electromagnetic waves which are supplied are received and reflected, whereby the antenna height does not become large when the reflector rotates about the elevation axis. The reflector may be an array of a plurality of reflector elements.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2002Date of Patent: May 25, 2004Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshio Inasawa, Izuru Naito, Shigeru Makino, Naofumi Yoneda, Moriyasu Miyazaki, Yoshihiko Konishi, Shuji Urasaki
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Patent number: 6720931Abstract: A beam scanning plane antenna is formed by stacking, in order, a system connecting portion, a Rotman lens portion, and a beam scanning antenna portion. The system connecting portion is formed by stacking, in order, a fourth grounding conductor, a sixth dielectric, a connecting substrate and a fifth dielectric. The Rotman lens portion is formed by stacking, in order, a third grounding conductor, a fourth dielectric, a Rotman lens substrate and a third dielectric. The beam scanning antenna portion is formed by stacking, in order, a second grounding conductor, a second dielectric, a power feeding substrate, a first dielectric and a first grounding conductor. A plurality of antenna groups that each include an irradiating element, a power feeding line and a first connecting portion, are formed on the power feeding substrate. The Rotman lens substrate includes a Rotman lens pattern, a second connecting portion and a third connecting portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2002Date of Patent: April 13, 2004Assignee: Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takao Michisaka, Masahiko Ohta, Hisayoshi Mizugaki, Kiichi Kanamaru
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Patent number: 6717552Abstract: A reflector antenna adapted for use with a mobile platform, in particular with an aircraft. The reflector antenna includes an antenna aperture, a first signal processing subsystem located closely adjacent the antenna aperture exteriorly of the mobile platform, a two channel coaxial rotary joint for allowing rotation of the antenna aperture about an azimuthal axis, and a second antenna signal processing subsystem located within the interior of the mobile platform. A feedhorn of the antenna aperture is disposed within an opening at a coaxial center of a main reflector to allow a longer length feedhorn to be employed without physically interfering with a subreflector of the antenna aperture. The first antenna signal processing subsystem includes separate channels for processing vertically polarized RF energy and horizontally polarized RF energy.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2002Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Glen J. Desargant, Albert Louis Bien
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Publication number: 20040061653Abstract: A dynamically variable beamwidth and/or variable azimuth scanning antenna includes a plurality of active radiating columns and a plurality of continuously adjustable mechanical phase shifters. The columns define a beam having a beamwidth and an azimuth scan angle. Each phase shifter has an independent remotely controlled drive and is directly electrically connected to a respective radiating column. The phase shifters are independently operated to vary the beamwidth and/or azimuth scan angle of the beam defined by the plurality of active radiating columns.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2002Publication date: April 1, 2004Applicant: Andrew CorporationInventors: David B. Webb, Jonathon Veihl, Michael D. Thomas, Mano D. Judd
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Publication number: 20040061654Abstract: An antenna system includes a plurality of cascading power dividers that work in conjunction with a plurality of mechanical phase shifters to vary a beamwidth and/or an azimuth scan angle of a beam that radiates from active columns. Each phase shifter has an independent remotely controlled drive and is directly electrically connected to a respective radiating column. The radiating columns include cross dipole antenna elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2003Publication date: April 1, 2004Applicant: Andrew CorporationInventors: David B. Webb, Jonathon C. Veihl, Michael D. Thomas
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Patent number: 6714163Abstract: A phased array antenna system for an aircraft which allows a beam from the antenna to be scanned down to or below the horizon when the aircraft is traveling at high latitudes. The system comprises a conformal phased array antenna aperture mounted on either a top, port or a starboard side of a fuselage of the aircraft, and at least one feedhorn mounted either in a blade secured to the fuselage or in a leading edge of a horizontal stabilizer of the aircraft. The feedhorn illuminates the conformal antenna aperture and the aperture projects a beam therefrom which can be more easily directed at targets at or below the horizon. The invention allows smaller antenna apertures to be used to scan a beam toward the horizon.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2001Date of Patent: March 30, 2004Assignee: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Julio Angel Navarro, Lixin Cai, Yong U. Kim
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Publication number: 20040056813Abstract: Described herein is a quasi-optic rotating joint (100) which allows circularly polarised radiation to be transmitted therethrough irrespective of the angle of rotation of the joint. The rotating joint (100) comprises a first quasi-optic lens (102) having a first axis (112), which is carried on an inner pant (116, 118) of bearings (108, 110) and which shares first axis (112). An outer part (122) of bearing (110) carries a quasi-optic mirror (104) and a second quasi-optic lens (106). The second lens (106) has a second axis (114) which is orthogonal to the first axis (112) of the first lens (102) and which intersects at the mirror (104). A Gaussian beam waist is formed at the mirror (104) by the first lens (102) and the second lens (106) is matched to the reflection of the beam waist at the mirror (104). Circularly polarised Gaussian beams passing through the joint (100) suffer a phase shift of angle &psgr; which increases at the same rate as the increase in angle of rotation of the joint (100).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2003Publication date: March 25, 2004Inventors: Christopher R. Carter, Charles A. Rowatt, Bernard P. Gilhespy, Benjamin D. Stephens
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Patent number: 6703980Abstract: A dual polarization active microwave reflector with electronic scanning, configured to be illuminated by a microwave source to form an antenna. The reflector includes two imbricated waveguide arrays, the bottom of each waveguide array being closed by a phase shift circuit carrying out the reflection and the phase shifting of the wave that it receives. One of the two waveguide arrays is configured to receive a first polarization and the other waveguide array is configured to receive a polarization perpendicular to the first polarization.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2002Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: ThalesInventors: Claude Chekroun, Serge Drabowitch
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Patent number: 6703979Abstract: A grating comprising a plurality of substantially parallel members having a conducting surface of depth L, separated by a dielectric layer gap, and having of pitch &lgr;g and where L>16&lgr;g. The members are preferably metallic or comprise metallic foil covered plastic. The gap may be filled wholly or partially with dielectric material including liquid crystal whose refractive index can be controlled by suitable application of voltage across the gap.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2002Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: QinetiQ LimitedInventors: John R Sambles, Christopher R Lawrence
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Patent number: 6686867Abstract: A radar sensor and a radar antenna are for monitoring the environment of a motor vehicle. A compact construction is achieved by the planar array of both the control circuit and the radar antenna, so that the radar sensor may be located, for example, in the area of a motor-vehicle bumper. Example configurations consist of the separate line support for arranging lines to transmit high-frequency signals between the control circuit and the radar antenna and the configuration of the radar antenna as a Rotman lens, in relation to the signal propagation times and the layered arrangement of Rotman lens and group antenna.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2002Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: Volkswagen AGInventors: Ernst Lissel, Arne Jacob, Andreas Schlachetzki, Hergo-H. Wehmann, Erwin Peiner, Holger Schroeter, Gerald Oberschmidt, Carsten Metz
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Patent number: 6677899Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) steerable electronically scanned lens array (ESA) antenna and method of frequency scanning are disclosed. The MEMS ESA antenna includes a MEMS E-plane steerable lens array and a MEMS H-plane steerable linear array. The MEMS E-plane steerable lens array includes first and second arrays of wide band radiating elements, and an array of MEMS E-plane phase shifter modules disposed between the first and second arrays of radiating elements. The MEMS H-plane steerable linear array includes a continuous transverse stub (CTS) feed array and an array of MEMS H-plane phase shifter modules at an input of the CTS feed array. The MEMS H-plane steerable linear array is disposed adjacent the first array of radiating elements of the MEMS E-plane steerable lens array for providing a planar wave front in the near field.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2003Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Jar J. Lee, Clifton Quan, Brian M. Pierce
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Patent number: 6670928Abstract: An active electronic scan microwave reflector, capable of being illuminated by a microwave source to form an antenna. The reflector includes a set of elementary cells arranged side by side on a surface, each cell including a phase-shifting microwave circuit and a conductor plate arranged substantially parallel to the microwave circuit, the phase-shifting circuit including at least two half-phase-shifters. One half-phase-shifter includes at least a dielectric support, at least two electrically conductive wires substantially parallel to a given direction, arranged on the support and bearing at least a two-state semiconductor element, the conductors being substantially normal to the wires, and two conductor zones arranged towards the periphery of the cell, substantially parallel to the control conductors.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2002Date of Patent: December 30, 2003Assignee: ThalesInventors: Claude Chekroun, Jean-Paul Largent
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Patent number: 6670921Abstract: A flexible antenna array comprises a plurality of layers of thin metal and a flexible insulating medium arranged as a sandwich of layers. Each layer of the sandwich is patterned as needed to define: (i) antenna segments patterned in one of the metal layers, (ii) an array of metallic top elements formed in a layer spaced from the the antenna segments, the array of metallic top elements being patterned in another metal layer, (iii) a metallic ground plane formed in a layer spaced from the array of metallic top elements, the metallic ground plane having been formed from still another metal layer, and (iv) inductive elements coupling each of the top elements in the array of metallic top elements with said ground plan. An array of remotely controlled switches are provided for coupling selected ones of said antenna segments together.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2001Date of Patent: December 30, 2003Assignees: HRL Laboratories, LLC, Raytheon CompanyInventors: Daniel F. Sievenpiper, Adele E. Schmitz, James H. Schaffner, Gregory L. Tangonan, Tsung-Yuan Hsu, Robert Y. Loo, Robert S. Miles
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Patent number: 6664927Abstract: An antenna transducer assembly, and an associated method, for a mobile station, or other radio transducer. The antenna transducer assembly includes first and second antenna transducers disposed upon a substrate. The antenna transducers are elongated transmission lines and are of lengths to facilitate their transducing of radio signals that are generated to be of first and second frequency characteristics. The first antenna transducer includes a distal end part that defines an edge face surface. And, the second antenna transducer includes a distal end part such that a distal end part thereof is positioned in an orthogonal relationship to the edge face surface of the first antenna transducer.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2002Date of Patent: December 16, 2003Assignee: Nokia CorporationInventor: Steve Eggleston