Patents by Inventor Hervé Legay

Hervé Legay has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8248306
    Abstract: A dual-polarization planar radiating element having an external metal grid, at least one metal patch concentric with the external metal grid and a cavity separating the metal grid and the metal patch, the grid and the patch having a polygonal shape delimited by at least four pairwise opposite sides, and two orthogonal directions of polarization associated with two orthogonal electric fields Ev and Eh, at least one of the directions of polarization being parallel to two sides of the polygon. Each side of the metal patch parallel to a direction of polarization is linked electrically to a zone of the external grid where one of the electric fields Ev or Eh is a minimum. The invention exhibits the advantage of reducing the phenomenon of electrostatic discharges in the planar radiating elements without significantly modifying the response of the radiating element subjected to an orthogonally polarized wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Herve Legay, Daniele Bresciani, Renaud Chiniard
  • Patent number: 8085212
    Abstract: The invention relates to a reconfigurable reflecting array antenna comprising a subset of patterns capable of radiating signals emitted in a given direction and means of loading and placing said radiating arrays to place one of them in a chosen emitting position, characterized in that: the loading and placement means comprise a system for scrolling a first film (F1) comprising the subsets of radiating patterns used to selectively position a subset of radiating patterns in the emitting position. The antenna can be of the reflecting array antenna type or of the phased array antenna type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Hervé Legay, Michel Soudet, Eric Labiole
  • Patent number: 7932868
    Abstract: A reflector network antenna (A) comprising i) a source (S) delivering wave signals; ii) at least two reflector networks (RR1-RR9) which are different and independent and which both comprise at least two phase shifter cells which selectively phase shift the waves delivered by the source (S) and bring about a selected frequency phase dispersion thereof, said selective phase shifting and selective dispersion varying from one reflector network to another; and iii) a charging device (DC) which is coupled to the reflector networks (RR1-RR9) and which is used to place one of them in a selected position in relation to the source (S) such that the waves that it delivers are phase shifted and phase dispersed at a frequency imposed by said phase shifter cells in order to be reflected in a selected direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Hervé Legay, Béatrice Salome, Gérard Caille, Jean-Didier Gayrard, Yoann Jacquet
  • Publication number: 20100156725
    Abstract: A dual-polarization planar radiating element having an external metal grid, at least one metal patch concentric with the external metal grid and a cavity separating the metal grid and the metal patch, the grid and the patch having a polygonal shape delimited by at least four pairwise opposite sides, and two orthogonal directions of polarization associated with two orthogonal electric fields Ev and Eh, at least one of the directions of polarization being parallel to two sides of the polygon. Each side of the metal patch parallel to a direction of polarization is linked electrically to a zone of the external grid where one of the electric fields Ev or Eh is a minimum. The invention exhibits the advantage of reducing the phenomenon of electrostatic discharges in the planar radiating elements without significantly modifying the response of the radiating element subjected to an orthogonally polarized wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: Thales
    Inventors: Hervé Legay, Danièle Bresciani, Renaud Chiniard
  • Publication number: 20100097290
    Abstract: The invention relates to a reconfigurable reflecting array antenna comprising a subset of patterns capable of radiating signals emitted in a given direction and means of loading and placing said radiating arrays to place one of them in a chosen emitting position, characterized in that: the loading and placement means comprise a system for scrolling a first film (F1) comprising the subsets of radiating patterns used to selectively position a subset of radiating patterns in the emitting position. The antenna can be of the reflecting array antenna type or of the phased array antenna type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: Thales
    Inventors: Herve Legay, Michel Soudet, Eric Labiole
  • Publication number: 20100085272
    Abstract: A reflector array comprises a plurality of individual radiating elements forming a reflecting surface with no abrupt transitions wherein each radiating element of the reflecting surface is selected from a set of predetermined consecutive radiating elements, called the pattern, the first and last elements of the pattern correspond to one and the same phase, modulo 360°, and are identical, and the radiating elements of the pattern have a radiating structure, of metal patch type and/or of radiating aperture type, that progressively changes from one radiating element to another adjacent radiating element, the change in the radiating structure comprising a succession of progressive growths of at least one metal patch and/or at least one aperture and appearances of at least one metal patch in an aperture and/or at least one aperture in a metal patch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: Thales
    Inventors: Hervé Legay, Danièle Bresciani, Renaud Chiniard, Etienne Girard
  • Patent number: 7362284
    Abstract: A radiating device for an antenna comprises a first ground plane comprising a surface electric field main feed line, a second ground plane substantially perpendicular to the first ground plane and comprising electromagnetic coupling means fed orthogonally by a first end of the main feed line, and a resonant structure adapted to radiate energy in the event of excitation by electromagnetic coupling at the first end of the main feed line via the coupling means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Hervé Legay, Guillaume Lathiere, Raphaël Gillard
  • Patent number: 7358915
    Abstract: A phase shifter module (CD), dedicated to a reflectarray antenna, is defined by a characteristic resonant length and, in at least one chosen place, has an MEMS type device (DC, DC?) able to be placed in at least two different states respectively permitting and prohibiting the establishing of a short-circuit intended to vary said resonant length, in order to vary the phase shifting of a wave to be reflected presenting at least one linear polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Hervé Legay, Gérard Caille, Alexandre Laisne, David Cadoret, Raphael Gillard
  • Publication number: 20070268192
    Abstract: A reflector network antenna (A) comprising i) a source (S) delivering wave signals; ii) at least two reflector networks (RR1-RR9) which are different and independent and which both comprise at least two phase shifter cells which selectively phase shift the waves delivered by the source (S) and bring about a selected frequency phase dispersion thereof, said selective phase shifting and selective dispersion varying from one reflector network to another; and iii) a charging device (DC) which is coupled to the reflector networks (RR1-RR9) and which is used to place one of them in a selected position in relation to the source (S) such that the waves that it delivers are phase shifted and phase dispersed at a frequency imposed by said phase shifter cells in order to be reflected in a selected direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Herve Legay, Beatrice Salome, Gerard Caille, Jean-Didier Gayrard, Yoann Jacquet
  • Patent number: 7233299
    Abstract: A system includes a device for focusing electromagnetic waves, and a multiple-beam antenna. The antenna includes: a photonic bandgap material (20) having at least one band gap, at least one periodicity defect (36) of the photonic bandgap material so as to produce at least one narrow bandwidth within the bandgap material, and excitation elements (40 to 43) for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic waves within the at least one narrow bandwidth, the elements being arranged relative to one another so as to produce overlapping radiating spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (C.N.R.S.), Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales
    Inventors: Marc Thevenot, Régis Chantalat, Bernard Jecko, Ludovic Leger, Thierry Monediere, Patrick Dumon, Hervé Legay
  • Patent number: 7142164
    Abstract: A reflector array antenna is divided into independent subarrays each comprising at least two radiating elements adapted firstly to collect signals delivered by a source and having at least one chosen first polarization and secondly to send phase-shifted signals having at least one chosen second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization. Each subarray sums the collected signals as a function of a chosen first phase law so that they correspond to a chosen source pointing direction, applies a chosen phase shift to the summed signals, and distributes the phase-shifted signals between the radiating elements as a function of a chosen second phase law so that the radiating elements of each subarray radiate them in a pointing direction of a chosen area. The combining and distribution are effected separately and the subarrays are therefore of a nonreciprocal type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Hervé Legay, Béatrice Salome
  • Publication number: 20060125713
    Abstract: A system includes a device for focusing electromagnetic waves, and a multiple-beam antenna. The antenna includes: a photonic bandgap material (20) having at least one band gap, at least one periodicity defect (36) of the photonic bandgap material so as to produce at least one narrow bandwidth within the bandgap material, and excitation elements (40 to 43) for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic waves within the at least one narrow bandwidth, the elements being arranged relative to one another so as to produce overlapping radiating spots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventors: Marc Thevenot, Regis Chantalat, Bernard Jecko, Ludovic Leger, Thierry Monediere, Patrick Dumon, Herve Legay
  • Patent number: 7042397
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Michel Charrier, Thierry Dean, Afshin Ziaei, Hervé Legay, Béatrice Pinte, Raphaël Gillard, Etienne Girard, Ronan Moulinet
  • Publication number: 20050219125
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Applicant: THALES
    Inventors: Michel Charrier, Thierry Dean, Afshin Ziaei, Herve Legay, Beatrice Pinte, Raphael Gillard, Etienne Girard, Ronan Moulinet
  • Publication number: 20050212705
    Abstract: A phase shifter module (PSM), dedicated to a reflectarray antenna, is defined by a characteristic resonant length and, in at least one chosen place, has an MEMS type device (SD, SD?) able to be placed in at least two different states respectively permitting and prohibiting the establishing of a short-circuit intended to vary said resonant length, in order to vary the phase shifting of a wave to be reflected presenting at least one linear polarization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Herve Legay, Gerard Caille, Alexandre Laisne, David Cadoret, Raphael Gillard
  • Publication number: 20050179598
    Abstract: A radiating device for an antenna comprises a first ground plane comprising a surface electric field main feed line, a second ground plane substantially perpendicular to the first ground plane and comprising electromagnetic coupling means fed orthogonally by a first end of the main feed line, and a resonant structure adapted to radiate energy in the event of excitation by electromagnetic coupling at the first end of the main feed line via the coupling means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Inventors: Herve Legay, Guillaume Lathiere, Raphael Gillard
  • Patent number: 6930642
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multiband antenna (1) comprising: a plane type ground element (11); a plane type “lower” active radiating element (2) including at least one “lower” slot (9); a plane type “upper” active radiating element (3) including at least one “upper” slot (10); a first short circuit element (4) electrically connecting said lower element to said upper element; a second short circuit element (5) also connecting said lower element to said ground element; a primary signal source (7); a “lower” thin sheet (12) of a first dielectric material; and an “upper” thin sheet (13) of a second dielectric material. The antenna also has a third short circuit element (6) electrically connecting said lower element and said ground element, and at least one lower slot and at least one upper slot are radiating slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Georges Kossiavas, Robert Staraj, Hervé Legay, Jean-Marc Carrere
  • Patent number: 6927729
    Abstract: A multisource antenna includes at least two excitation sources and for spatially channeling energy picked up/radiated by the excitation sources and providing for frequency decoupling between the bands respectively corresponding to the waves received/transmitted by the sources. The sources are arranged on a ground plane to interleave radiating apertures at the level of the spatial and frequency selective arrangements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventor: Hervé Legay
  • Publication number: 20050122273
    Abstract: A reflector array antenna is divided into independent subarrays each comprising at least two radiating elements adapted firstly to collect signals delivered by a source and having at least one chosen first polarization and secondly to send phase-shifted signals having at least one chosen second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization. Each subarray sums the collected signals as a function of a chosen first phase law so that they correspond to a chosen source pointing direction, applies a chosen phase shift to the summed signals, and distributes the phase-shifted signals between the radiating elements as a function of a chosen second phase law so that the radiating elements of each subarray radiate them in a pointing direction of a chosen area. The combining and distribution are effected separately and the subarrays are therefore of a nonreciprocal type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 9, 2005
    Inventors: Herve Legay, Beatrice Salome
  • Publication number: 20040155823
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multiband antenna (1) comprising: a plane type ground element (11); a plane type “lower” active radiating element (2) including at least one “lower” slot (9); a plane type “upper” active radiating element (3) including at least one “upper” slot (10); a first short circuit element (4) electrically connecting said lower element to said upper element; a second short circuit element (5) also connecting said lower element to said ground element; a primary signal source (7); a “lower” thin sheet (12) of a first dielectric material; and an “upper” thin sheet (13) of a second dielectric material. The antenna also has a third short circuit element (6) electrically connecting said lower element and said ground element, and at least one lower slot and at least one upper slot are radiating slots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventors: Georges Kossiavas, Robert Staraj, Herve Legay, Jean-Marc Carrere