A dual band antenna system is provided. More particularly, a dual band isolated feed for an antenna system that includes a pair of radiating elements is provided.
Dual band antennas have many applications. For example, systems in which transmit and receive modes are separated in bandwidth are in use or being proposed.
In systems that feature dual band operation, it is desirable to provide a single antenna aperture that supports both the transmit and receive modes. In order to operate an antenna at multiple frequency bands, diplexers have been used. In concept, diplexers separate the bandwidth of a wide band radiating structure into two narrower bands. Diplexers typically comprise filters that selectively feed low and high frequency radiating elements, and can be difficult and expensive to implement. In addition, diplexers can introduce losses, take up a significant amount of space, and add complexity and mass to an antenna assembly. Moreover, it is difficult to obtain sufficient isolation between operational bandwidths using traditional diplexer architectures.
Although diplexers have a number of shortcomings, their use is typically required in order to support dual band operation. In particular, coupling between the feeds of a dual band system limits the amount of isolation between the frequency bands. Accordingly, the user of diplexers, which take up significant space, as well as adding cost and complexity, has often been unavoidable.
In order to provide isolation between differently polarized radiators, designs have been developed that do not require separate filters in order to achieve such isolation. For example, high isolation between the input/output port for a first polarization with respect to the input/output port for an orthogonal polarization can be achieved by simultaneously feeding a pair of patches such that a portion of a first signal provided at a first input/output port destructively interferes with a second portion of that signal at the second input/output port. Such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,663, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. However, that solution, which involves feeding a plurality of patches from first and second feed line systems is not applicable to systems in which different feed lines are used to supply signals at different bandwidths to different radiating elements.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a dual band antenna system that provided acceptable isolation between the bands, and that avoided the need for complex filters.
Embodiments of the disclosed invention are directed to solving these and other problems and disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, methods and apparatuses for feeding a dual band microstrip patch antenna system are provided. The feed system includes a traditional 90° hybrid for each of the two radiating elements or patches. Isolation between the bands is achieved independent of coupling between the feeds.
Embodiments of the disclosed invention are directed to a dual band feed system and method. The feed generally includes a pair of superimposed radiating elements or patches. A first patch is used to transmit and/or receive signals at a first frequency band, while a second patch is used to transmit and/or receive signals at a second frequency band. Embodiments of the invention are suitable for use in connection with various antenna systems, including phased array antenna systems.
In accordance with embodiments of the disclosed invention, the pair of radiating elements or patches are stacked with respect to one another. A first feed network comprises a 90° hybrid that feeds the first patch through first and second antenna element ports at 0° and 90°, and the second feed network comprises a 90° hybrid that feeds the second patch through first and second antenna element ports at 0° and 90°. Moreover, the signals provided to the patches can be circularly polarized. The first and second antenna element ports feeding the first patch and the first and second antenna element ports feeding the second patch are arranged such that the distance between the first antenna element port of the first feed network and the first antenna element port of the second feed network is equal to the distance between the second antenna element port of the first feed network and the second antenna element port of the second feed network. The effect of coupling between the feeds at the feed input/output ports is negligible, because the two paths over which the coupled signal travels are 180° out of phase with one another at the input/output port of the feed network to which the signals are coupled, resulting in destructive interference and cancellation. Accordingly, unwanted energy from coupling between the feeds, which would normally cause interference, is removed, negating the effect of the coupling between the superimposed patches.
Additional features and advantages of embodiments of the disclosed invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, particularly when taken together with the accompanying drawings.
The antenna system 100 also includes a first feed network 112, for transmitting signals to and/or from the first patch 104, and a second feed network 116 for transmitting signals to and/or from the second patch 108. The feed networks 112 and 116 comprise quadrature hybrid or 90° hybrid circuits. As can be appreciated by one of skill in the art, a quadrature hybrid circuit is a four port network that divides an input signal into two output signals, with one of the output signals being shifted 90° in phase with respect to the other output signal. In addition, a quadrature hybrid circuit is a reciprocal circuit. Accordingly, the first feed network 112 includes an input/output port 120 and a pair of patch or antenna element ports, including a first patch port or antenna element port 124 and a second patch port or antenna element port 128. The fourth or isolation port 132 is connected to ground via a resistor 136. Similarly, the second feed network 116 includes an input/output port 140 and a pair of patch or antenna element ports, including a first patch port or antenna element port 144 and a second patch port or antenna element port 148. The isolation port 152 of the second feed network is connected to ground via an isolation resistor 156.
Feed lines connecting the feed networks 112 and 116, e.g., as shown in
In general, the path length of a first path extending between the input/output port 120 of the first feed network 112 and the first antenna element port 124 is less than the path length of a second path extending between the input/output port 120 of the first feed network 112 and the second antenna element port 128 by a distance corresponding to about a 90° phase shift for a signal having a wavelength within any of the operating wavelengths of the system 100. That is, a first component of a first signal that travels over the first path will lead a second component of the first signal that travels over the second path by 90 electrical degrees. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a phase shift is “about” a specified amount for any wavelength in a range of wavelengths if the phase shift of any wavelength within the range of wavelengths is that specified amount, plus or minus 5°. Similarly, the signal path length of a third path extending between the input/output port 140 of the second feed network 116 and the third antenna element port 144 is less than the signal path length of a fourth path extending between the input/output port 140 of the second feed network 116 and the fourth antenna element port 148 by a distance corresponding to about a 90° phase shift for a signal having a wavelength with any of the operating wavelengths of the system 100. In accordance with embodiments of the disclosed invention, the distance and thus the length of the coupling paths between the first antenna element ports 124 and 144 and the second antenna element ports 128 and 148 are the same. Therefore, as between the input/output port 120 of the first feed network 112 and the input/output port 140 of the second feed network 116, a signal having a first wavelength that is transmitted by the first input/output port 120 of the first feed network 112 and that is coupled to the second feed network 116 includes a first component that couples between the first antenna element ports 124 and 144 and a second component that couples between the second antenna element ports 128 and 148. Moreover, the first component is 180° out of phase with the second component at the first port 140 of the second feed network 116 at the input/output port 140 of the second feed network 116. This is because the electrical path length of the first coupling path 304 is shorter than the electrical path length of the second coupling path 308 by 180° (i.e., by ½ a wavelength). Therefore, the destructive interference cancels the unwanted energy. As can be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the canceled energy is generally dissipated in the isolation resistors 136 and 156. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the first 112 and the second 116 feed networks 112, 116 may provide operating characteristics that are identical to one another. In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, the first and the second feed networks 112, 116 are designed to operate nominally between the operating bandwidth of the first patch 104 and the operating bandwidth of the second patch. For example, where the operating frequency of the first patch 104 is 2050 MHz and the operating frequency of the second patch 108 is 2250 MHz, the feed networks 112 and 116 may be designed to operate nominally at 2150 MHz.
As shown in
The characteristics of the feed networks 112 and 116 of
At step 520, a determination can be made as to whether the desired isolation between the input/output port 120 of the first feed network 112 and the input/output port 140 of the second feed network 116 has been achieved. This determination can be made through computer simulation and/or building and testing an antenna system 100 that incorporates the determined dimensions. If the desired isolation is not achieved (i.e. No), the design can be revised (step 524), which can include revising the determined dimensions of the radiating elements and/or the feed networks. If the desired isolation has been achieved (i.e. Yes), the process may end (step 528).
As can be appreciated by one of skill in the art, an antenna system 100, e.g., as shown in
An antenna system 100 in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed invention may be implemented using known techniques. For example, the feed networks 112 and 116 may be implemented as strip lines formed on printed circuit board material. Similarly, the antenna radiating elements 104 and 108 may be formed using printed circuit board materials. Other known techniques may also be utilized. Moreover, the patches or radiating elements 104 and 108 can be square, round, rectangular, or other shapes or configurations.
The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Further, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings, within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain the best mode presently known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such or in other embodiments and with various modifications required by the particular application or use of the invention. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.
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