Abstract: A phased array antenna device including: a conductive ground plane body structure including a series of through apertures; a structural spacing layer having known dielectric and structural properties, for holding an active layer in a predetermined stable spaced apart relationship to the ground plane body structure; a active surface layer spaced apart from the ground plane body structure and supported by said structural spacing layer, said active layer including a series of tile components, said tile components including a number of active conductive elements formed on a non conductive substrate, said active components being interconnected to corresponding driving electronics by conductive feeds formed through said apertures.

Abstract: This invention concerns an active reconfigurable stretch forming tool, and in another aspect the invention is a method of stretch forming. The tool comprises an array of extensible shape forming elements which are driven in extension to produce the same force per unit area across a workpiece during shape forming. An array of limit switches are located in front of the array of shape forming elements, such that each shape forming element is driven in extension towards a respective limit switch during shape forming. In use, each limit switch is activated by the workpiece as it is shaped and each switch, upon activation, prevents further extension of the respective driven element. The tool and method are useful in the forming of three dimensional shapes in solid sheet metal or mesh, to produce panels for reflector antennas.

Abstract: This invention concerns an active reconfigurable stretch forming tool, and in another aspect the invention is a method of stretch forming. The tool comprises an array of extensible shape forming elements which are driven in extension to produce the same force per unit area across a workpiece during shape forming. An array of limit switches are located in front of the array of shape forming elements, such that each shape forming element is driven in extension towards a respective limit switch during shape forming. In use, each limit switch is activated by the workpiece as it is shaped and each switch, upon activation, prevents further extension of the respective driven element. The tool and method are useful in the forming of three dimensional shapes in solid sheet metal or mesh, to produce panels for reflector antennas.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for electromagnetically designing a shaped-reflector multibeam antenna (100) are disclosed. An initial configuration of the multibeam antenna (100) for given beam directions is provided of reflectors (110,120) shaped with an initial reflector shaping process (612) and feeds of an initial specification (614). The initial reflector shaping process (612) is an iterative optimization process for increasing the focusing of optical rays incident on the multibeam antenna from the given beam directions (100). A second iterative optimizing process consisting of optimizing (620) radiation patterns of feeds (140A-140D) and optimizing (622) surface shapes and sizes of reflectors (110,120) is used to reduce beam spillover, improve beam shapes and obtain beams with gain radiation patterns within required upper and lower bounds.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for electromagnetically designing a shaped-reflector multibeam antenna (100) are disclosed. An initial configuration of the multibeam antenna (100) for given beam directions is provided of reflectors (110,120) shaped with an initial reflector shaping process (612) and feeds of an initial specification (614). The initial reflector shaping process (612) is an iterative optimization process for increasing the focusing of optical rays incident on the multibeam antenna from the given beam directions (100). A second iterative optimizing process consisting of optimizing (620) radiation patterns of feeds (140A-140D) and optimizing (622) surface shapes and sizes of reflectors (110,120) is used to reduce beam spillover, improve beam shapes and obtain beams with gain radiation patterns within required upper and lower bounds.