The present disclosure relates generally to phased array antennas.
Phased array antennas can be used for various applications. For example, phased array antennas can be used in radar systems. Example phased array antennas can include a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of phase shifters. Each antenna element can be in communication with a corresponding phase shifter of the plurality of phase shifters. Furthermore, operation of each phase shifter can be controlled via a computing device. In this manner, the computing device can control operation of the phase shifters to electronically steer a radiation pattern of the phased array antenna without physically moving the plurality of antenna elements.
Aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be learned from the description, or may be learned through practice of the embodiments.
In one aspect, a phased array antenna is provided according to example embodiments of the present disclosure. The phased array antenna includes a dome-shaped substrate. The phased array antenna further includes a plurality of antenna elements disposed on the dome-shaped substrate.
In another aspect, a phased array antenna is provided according to example embodiments of the present disclosure. The phased array antenna includes a dome-shaped substrate. The phased array antenna further includes a plurality of antenna elements disposed on an inner surface of the dome-shaped substrate.
In yet another aspect, a phased array antenna is provided according to example embodiments of the present disclosure. The phased array antenna includes a dome-shaped substrate. The phased array antenna further includes a plurality of antenna elements disposed on an outer surface of the dome-shaped substrate.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of various embodiments will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the related principles.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of various embodiments will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the related principles.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the embodiments, not limitation of the present disclosure. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that aspects of the present disclosure cover such modifications and variations.
Example aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a phased array antenna. The phased antenna array can include a dome-shaped substrate. The phased array antenna can include a plurality of antenna elements. Each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements can be disposed on the dome-shaped substrate. For instance, in some implementations, the plurality of antenna elements can be disposed on an inner surface of the dome-shaped substrate. In this manner, RF signals transmitted or received via the plurality of antenna elements propagate through the dome-shaped substrate. In alternative implementations, the plurality of antenna elements can be disposed on an outer surface of the dome-shaped substrate. In this manner, RF signals can be transmitted or received via the plurality of antenna elements without propagating through the dome-shaped substrate.
In some implementations, one or more antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements can be slot antennas. For instance, a first antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements and a second antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements can each define one or more slots. In some implementations, the one or more slots defined by the first antenna element can be different than the one or more slots defined by the second antenna element. For instance, the size of the one or more slots defined by the first antenna element can be different than the size of the one or more slots defined by the second antenna element. Alternatively or additionally, the shape of the one or more slots defined by the first antenna element can be different than the shape of the one or more slots defined by the second antenna element. In this manner, a radiation pattern associated with the first antenna element can be different than a radiation pattern associated with the second antenna element.
In some implementations, one or more antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements can be a patch antenna. For instance, one or more patch antennas can be disposed on a surface of the dome-shaped substrate. In some implementations, the one or more patch antennas can be disposed on the inner surface of the dome-shaped substrate. Alternatively, the one or more patch antenna can be disposed on the outer surface of the dome-shaped substrate. In some implementations, the patch array antenna can include a first patch antenna and a second patch antenna. The first patch antenna and the second patch antenna can have a first radiation pattern and a second radiation pattern, respectively. In some implementations, the first radiation pattern can be different than the second radiation pattern.
In some implementations, the plurality of antenna elements can each have any suitable shape. For instance, one or more antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements can have a tetragonal shape, an oval shape, a spiral shape, or a polygonal shape. In some implementations, a shape of an antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements can depend on a location of the antenna element on the dome-shaped substrate.
The phased array antenna of the present disclosure can provide numerous technical benefits. For instance, the dome-shaped substrate allows the plurality of antenna elements to be placed on the substrate in a manner that improves the radiation pattern of the phased array antenna. More specifically, the plurality of antenna elements can be placed on the dome-shaped substrate such that the radiation pattern can be more omnidirectional. In addition, the dome-shaped substrate allows a radiation pattern of each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements to be steered without the aid of mechanical components (e.g., servo motors).
It should be appreciated that the phased array antenna of the present disclosure can be used for any suitable purpose. For instance, in some implementations, the phased array antenna can be used in radar systems. In alternative implementations, the phased array antenna can be used in telecommunications systems.
As used herein, the use of the term “about” in conjunction with a numerical value is intended to refer to within 20% of the stated amount. In addition, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components.
Referring now to
It should be appreciated that the dome-shaped substrate 110 can be formed from ceramic, alumina, sapphire, gallium arsenide, polytetrafluoroethylene (e.g., Teflon) or any outer suitable material. It should also be appreciated that the dome-shaped substrate 110 can be formed from material have any suitable dielectric constant. For instance, in some implementations, the dome-shaped substrate 110 can be formed from material having a dielectric constant between about 2 and about 10. As will be discussed below in more detail, the phased array antenna 100 can include a plurality of antenna elements 120 disposed on the dome-shaped substrate 110.
Referring briefly now to
Referring now to
In some implementations, the plurality of antenna elements 120 may be dispersed by a unit distance. For instance, the antenna elements 120 may each be associated with specific corresponding locations on the dome-shaped substrate 110. Different electrical signals received at two or more antenna elements 120 can be combined or compared by drive circuitry (not shown) to accurately identify a direction of an incoming wireless signal. Accordingly, the phase array antenna 100 can operate with high antenna gain in an omnidirectional manner.
In some implementations, each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements 120 can be tuned to transmit or receive a RF signal with a particular antenna gain in a direction away from the center 130. Beam steering/forming can be selectively determined by altering the phase and/or timing of a signal from the respective antenna element 120. For instance, in some implementations, an antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements 120 may have a higher antenna gain than an adjacent antenna element for a particular direction. However, the adjacent antenna element can have a higher antenna gain than the antenna element in a different direction.
In some implementations, each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements 120 can be formed from any suitable conductive material (e.g., copper, gold, silver, or combination thereof). Alternatively or additionally, the plurality of antenna elements 120 can each have a same shape, size and/or area. In alternative implementations, each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements 120 can have a different shape, size and/or area.
Referring now to
As shown, the first antenna element 122 and the second antenna element 124 can each define one or more slots 126 and 128, respectively. In some implementations, the one or more slots 126 defined by the first antenna element 122 can be different than the one or more slots 128 defined by the second antenna element 124. For instance, a size of the one or more slots 126 defined by the first antenna element 122 can be different than a size of the one or more slots 128 defined by the second antenna element 124. Alternatively or additionally, a shape of the one or more slots 126 defined by the first antenna element 122 can be different than a shape of the one or more slots 128 defined by the second antenna element 124. In this manner, a radiation pattern associated with the first antenna element 122 can be different than a radiation pattern associated with the second antenna element 124.
In some implementations, one or more antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements 120 can be a patch antenna. For instance, the one or more patch antennas can be disposed on the dome-shaped substrate 110 (
In some implementations, the plurality of antenna elements 120 (
While the present subject matter has been described in detail with respect to specific example embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing may readily produce alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to such embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is by way of example rather than by way of limitation, and the subject disclosure does not preclude inclusion of such modifications, variations and/or additions to the present subject matter as would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.
The present application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional App. No. 62/628,572, titled “Dome-Shaped Scanned Antenna Assembly,” having a filing date of Feb. 9, 2018, which is incorporated by reference herein.
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